Replies

1. 
   andybuildz | Mar 30, 2004 02:45pm | #1

   Are those the ones that get installed with Piffin Screws????

   My life is my passion!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   Homer | Mar 30, 2004 06:04pm | #2

   Whats a "Piffin" screw????

1. 
   IMERC | Mar 30, 2004 06:21pm | #3

   http://www.piffinscrews.com

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....                                        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

   Edited 3/31/2004 4:10 am ET by IMERC

1. 
   caldwellbob | Mar 31, 2004 05:16am | #7

   Oh, look what you did now!!

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 31, 2004 05:20am | #9

   Good definition!

   It does less than you expect it to! 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   IMERC | Mar 31, 2004 11:15am | #10

   It's the correct domain site now... Go back and look

   or ....

   http://www.piffinscrews.comLife is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....                                        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

2. 
   andybuildz | Mar 31, 2004 02:10pm | #12

   IMERC,

            So when do we get to contribute material to the site?My life is my passion!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

3. 
   IMERC | Mar 31, 2004 02:36pm | #13

   It's in progressLife is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....                                        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

2. 
   ANDYBUILD | Mar 30, 2004 06:32pm | #4

   Its sort of an old screw that's a bit galvanized and knows how to get through things pretty easily."My life is my practice"

2. 
   Homer | Mar 31, 2004 04:14am | #5

   Andy, I am not sure if you are trying to be funny or what, why take the time to answer a valid question with a off topic remark? If you don't know anything about the subject why do you waste the time and bandwidth to respond?  Is business that slow?

1. 
   Isamemon | Mar 31, 2004 05:06am | #6

   LBL windows hae been in my area for years. they seem to be a well made window. Around here we used to have problems with dealers and getting materils. When ever I needed them I got the runaround. Protected territories and a slack dealer who didnt care . But that was a problem with the dealer not the product. the local dealer now has them but does not push them, I think he got them just to lock up the terriotory and offer almond that matches the older almond of Milgard, etc. The price is about 25% higher and the lead time is longer then Milgards ( a brand I like)

   People who had them in their house liked them, they worked well and held up well. the profile is nice and they seem to have a nice draining system

   this weekends home show, the LBL dealer was new and not very well informed. The show was slow so I waldke arond and talked a lot to vendors ( I was one too)

   However trex type  made materils, this may be a new thread, but I have not been that impressed. remeber when they first came out they were lifetime, then 20 year, then 15 adn now 10 year warranty ( according to my locval trex distributor as of phone call today as we needed to order materils for a deck)

   As I mentioned above I think they are well made but around here need better representation and dealers.

   So Ill stick with the big guns that are national and well developed in service, warranties  and deealers. If I have to stand behind it I need someone that will be behind it.

2. 
   andybuildz | Mar 31, 2004 02:09pm | #11

   Sorry Jim.....yeh I was kidding around.

   Be appologetic (is that a word???)

                      andyMy life is my passion!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 31, 2004 05:18am | #8

   Oooops,

   That is a long standing joke around here but it is really out of context. Andyjumped the fence because piffinscrews have never before been mentioned in the context of windows.

   Have a laugh and a brew on me.

   Now then, how does that taste?

   I have never heard of this brand, either but I will surmise that if they have a long history in the PNW, they have to be worth something. I hear the rain out there is wetter than a day old diaper and things rot out pretty quick.

   It looks from the photos they gallery up on the website as though these are vinyl windows. That alone will make them suspect for half the population of Breaktime. Andy's house, for instance, was built long before the man who invented vinyl was born. I think he is putting in the third set of windows. As for Andy, he has claimed to be eternal, more or less.

   ;)

   But there are other denzins here who live and work ( Well, some of them work) out on that coast so if a few side jokes keep your thread here on top of the pile until they come along, you are less likely to get lost in the shuffle.

   Anyway, do you know the drawbacks of vinyl windows in general so as to know what questions to ask the sales reps there?

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   Homer | Mar 31, 2004 06:34pm | #14

   Thanks for the informed reply, sorry was having a bad day at work and took it out on you.  I appreciate the great information the group members have to contribute to questions like this.

    We planning on building (my daughter and her husband and I are building a fairly large "multigenerational" home, we bought the ground last year and will start construction in 5-6 years from now).  I am well aware that many things will change, even maybe not building the home and just selling the land.  If it all works out, at this point in time I am planning a ICF home, not sure yet if I will go with "fpsf" slab on grade or full basement. 

   I am trying to build as informed as possible and use products that are well regarded.  I was the owner builder for my present home (26 years ago), used Anderson's throughout and have been very happy with the quality.

    I am not aware of any drawbacks to vinyl windows and would appreciate the groups opinon on that type of construction.  Thanks in advance, as I will have quite a few additional questions as time goes on.

1. 
   ANDYBUILD | Mar 31, 2004 07:16pm | #15

   Jim

           If youre using ICF's then you may as well do a full basement.

   I researched ICF's to death when I couldn't find a concrete guy.

   The different companies offer sooooooooo many different variables.

   What shot the cost up was shipping.

   If you can find an ICF company in your area it'll save you a ton of dough.

   You might shoot an Email to Andy Engel. He did one on his house not all that long ago and he had some real helpful tips.

   PS.....I found a concrete guy...lol

   BE well

                andy"My life is my practice"

1. 
   Homer | Apr 01, 2004 07:54am | #16

   Thanks Andy, yes I found a local and only in Alaska as far as I know ICF manf. He used to import ECO brand but switched to Reward and has the equipment to turn out blocks and his plant is about 20 miles from where I will be building.  I took his two day course on building with ICF's back when it was ECO and found it very informative. I am planning on in floor radiant heat, either Wisbro or Pex, not sure which yet.  Still haven't locked in a design yet. Daughter wants a huge mansion.  I want her to have something she can afford and yet have enough room for her four kids and us.  I prefer a country style with a wraparound porch, unfortinatly it makes a daylite basement kind of difficult.  I have questions about the first and second floor materials also.  Looks like there are a number of options, my ICF distribuitor suggested a commercial poured concrete over steel pan as one (expensive) option, vs LVL or Truss Joise type standard floor with a layer of quickcrete to support the tubing.  There are so many options, does anyone know if there is any one who has put togather a comparison chart of the various floor structures? Sure would make life a little easier to try to decide the most cost effective method.  Thanks again for any ideas.

1. 
   ANDYBUILD | Apr 01, 2004 02:18pm | #17

   unfortinatly it makes a daylite basement kind of difficult. 

     Jim,     

   When you do the concrete......here's a great idea.

   Make outside access to the basement using a six foot (at least) opening for glass doors.

   When you dig the opening for the stairs to go down there make the opening  4'-6' wide rather than 3'.

   Naturally be sure you put a good catch basin/drywell at the bottom and leave off the wrap around porch there.

   edit: also look into solor tubes for daylight....if it interests you you might want to design the house so there are places to run the tubes from the roof to the basement. They work really well and aren't all that expensive and a snap to intall.

   Be well

                andy

   "My life is my practice"

   Edited 4/1/2004 7:22 am ET by ANDY CLIFFORD(andybuildz)

2. 
   BillHartmann | Apr 01, 2004 08:02pm | #18

   There are ICF systems for concrete floors.

2. 
   Piffin | Apr 02, 2004 03:55am | #19

   " I am not aware of any drawbacks to vinyl windows and would appreciate the groups opinon on that type of construction."

   I'm not picking on them because I can see certain places where I might use them - actually have used them - but I work mostly on classical high end homes where they would be inappropriate, historically, and aestheticly.

   So the drawbacks as I see them;

   > They look like vinyl windows, far less detailing than on a wood window.

   > I know that you don't have as much maintainence what with painting and all, but they do have a lifespan , and that means total replacement while wood window units usually can be repaired. Replacing a vinyl means the whole thing, and my Q on that point would be - Is the company still going to be in business and making the same parts in thirty years?

   > Cosy/ benefit analysis - I compared vinyl vs Andersen vinyl clad wood on a house last year. the good vinyl was more expensive than the Andersens and the cheap units looked like they might not last five years. I don't know where the middle ground is.

   .

   Quality - PVC will grow and shrink in temperature changes. That plays hell with fit and operation. Large casement or awning units tend to sag from weight of glass in hot summer heat and then not close right. I hear that the better oputfits have now developed section patterns and processes that all but eliminate that problem but that leaves the customer needing to asure himself that the units he is buying are the good kind, by self education and checking references to other installations. If I asked a sales rep that Q and he aswered intelligently, I would move on to the next Q about references but if his reply were "Dhuh?!" I would move on to the next manufacturer. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!