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My wife and I are in the process of preparing plans, picking items, doing a budget, etc for a new residence. We live in southern New Mexico, where the sun is rather intense, winters not too cold, summers quite hot and dry, and the windy season rather windy (80+ mph yesterday). I’d like to get your opinions regarding doors, windows, and cooking appliances.
What I’m looking for is the experience of the professionals.
What kinds of doors have worked well for ya’ll?
What kinds of windows, low-or otherwise, have worked well? Which ones offer good value for the money, customer support, ease of installation, good size selections, have resulted in the fewest headaches for you guys in terms of call backs, etc.
With respect to cooking appliances, who puts out a good unit. We are considering DDecor DDCViking, Thermador, Wolf (sub-zero now) etc. We are trying to decide between cocook topsand ovens, or the whole range type of set up. Any suggestions with venting, hoods, etc.
You can get all kinds of opinions in a variety of other sites, but few seem to concentrate on the real pros, the people who build homes for a living. My contractor has some good ideas on this subject as well. I certainly plan to take his advice to heart – not a lot of sense in hiring an expert if you aren’t going to listen to him. I would, however, like to get the benefit your collective wisdoms as well.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention.
John
jjcrews@pprodigy. net
Replies
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Stay away from downdraft cooktops - too much frustration to get right.
You'll need low e coating on window glass.
I'm not a big fan of Pella windows but I might consider them in your climate for the option of the builtin sun screen
Design in more insulation than you think you need.
Have the electrician install lots of 'structural wiring' to carry future needs for multimedia transmission.
Drill your well deep - You never know how good the water is until the well runs dry.
*ASKO dishwasher.
*Make use of awning and roof overhangs above your windows to reduce solar gain in the summer (eliminate if you can), but get some in the winter.I used six Stanley steel-on-foam half-lite exterior doors from Home Depot for $189 each. Look okay (formed like a raised panel wood door) and don't get condensation on the inside glass (nor door) till about -20F. Not an issue for you, but it illustrates that they are reasonably insulated and make a good air seal. A far better value than the $10,000 to $18,000 doors my wife's peers in town have been putting in (some doctors make too much money). -David
*David,Build doors and don't get sick.You'll be a millionaire in no time
*John, Viking, Thermador, and Sub-Zero all make excellent products, can't comment on Decor. Broan makes good vent hoods. You can get one premade, or buy the insert and make your own hood (or have it made.) Kitchenaid actually makes a good refrigerator that looks built-in but costs less than Sub-zero ($2800 range). Sub-zero's drawer-style fridge and freezer units are very practical. I've installed tons of Andersen windows, they're a good product, maybe a little more expensive than similar units but a great track record. Not good for historic-looking houses, though. Low-e is a cheap improvement, gas-filled is good but questionable gains, and triple-pane is overkill.Good luck,Mike
*Piffin: I like it. In my line of work (environmental engineering), I keep wondering what happened to all the dunb clients?
*dave,Just remember to build good quality doors and that some doors need to swing both ways (talkin' career here guys)BTW I'm bettin' the original poster, jcrews is a transplant to his area. After he admitts it I'll say how I could tell.
*Absolutely. I grew in suburban D.C. I went to police academy in Silver City NM 20+ years ago and then to other places. I was stationed 10 years in Brownsville, Texas and have been back in southern NM for 4 years.John
*"get your opinions""worked for ya'll""headaches for you guys"no southerner would be caught dead saying you "guys" but few northerners easily say "ya'll" in print even though they might let it slip verbally.Therefore, you had moved from the north, but lived south for long enough to be comfortable with the colloquialisms.Ever been "bear-caught"?
*http://www.controlled-energy.com/has several unique products of known reliabilityAlso, you might check http://www.consumerreports.org for product reliability ratings.
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My wife and I are in the process of preparing plans, picking items, doing a budget, etc for a new residence. We live in southern New Mexico, where the sun is rather intense, winters not too cold, summers quite hot and dry, and the windy season rather windy (80+ mph yesterday). I'd like to get your opinions regarding doors, windows, and cooking appliances.
What I'm looking for is the experience of the professionals.
What kinds of doors have worked well for ya'll?
What kinds of windows, low-or otherwise, have worked well? Which ones offer good value for the money, customer support, ease of installation, good size selections, have resulted in the fewest headaches for you guys in terms of call backs, etc.
With respect to cooking appliances, who puts out a good unit. We are considering DDecor DDCViking, Thermador, Wolf (sub-zero now) etc. We are trying to decide between cocook topsand ovens, or the whole range type of set up. Any suggestions with venting, hoods, etc.
You can get all kinds of opinions in a variety of other sites, but few seem to concentrate on the real pros, the people who build homes for a living. My contractor has some good ideas on this subject as well. I certainly plan to take his advice to heart - not a lot of sense in hiring an expert if you aren't going to listen to him. I would, however, like to get the benefit your collective wisdoms as well.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention.
John
jjcrews@pprodigy. net