#thomwoglomconstruction

I talk a lot about living in the moment but planning for the future.  It’s how my wife, Sally and I have raised our kids and it works.  That carries over into the business too except it’s really our customer who gets to live in the moment while we focus on the planning part - and that works too. At Woglom Construction, we ask questions to understand exactly what our customers are dreaming of for their home.  Using all of those details we carefully map out the project, create a design that incorporates years of experience, innovative ideas and up-to-date techniques -- all with an eye towards budgets, schedules, and that customers' very specific dreams. 

But sometimes, an unexpected opportunity presents itself and you just decide to go with the flow. So, when AARP invited me to be a part of their “Home Experts” article, I was happy to accept. They told me they were looking for six ideas/tips that the average consumer wouldn’t know but would benefit by having the insight from an industry pro. After 30 plus years building and renovating homes, that was an easy question to answer -- except that part about only giving them 6 tips! 

The “adventure” for me began with a phone call from the hair and makeup stylist who was assigned to get me ready on photo shoot day. Really? Hair and makeup?  What will my crew think about that? Next there were wardrobe choices to be made. A discussion of which color shirt would complement my features. Sally and my daughters still giggle at the thought of it. (Spoiler alert: a solid dark blue works best for me; apparently, I’m a “winter”). 

On the day of the shoot -- after hair and makeup were done - it was several hours of taking shots of me in my shop. I was asked to strike several poses - cut some wood, measure a doorway; just stand there; wear the toolbelt; go without the toolbelt; etc. Every so often, between the camera flashes, my stylist would come in and fix a stray hair or puff some powder on me. I found the entire process very interesting, I’m just a guy building houses and I felt like a superstar. I was enjoying being out of my comfort zone --- a chance to live in the moment!

At the end of the day, I sat down with the reporter from the AARP Bulletin and shared some insight for consumers who might be hiring someone like me. “Install blinds to lower heating costs”, I said. “Curtains hang away from the wall, and that space between the window and the curtain allows heat loss through the window. Because the blinds are right up against the window, the blinds keep the heat inside.” I’ve spent my life improving homes with low efficiency. I understand the frustration at seeing a high utility bill, and I've got some tricks up my sleeve that I always include in my builds that make a home cost-efficient. Another tip I shared: attic hatches with drop-down stairs are likely not insulated. That’s a major heat loss! I always add a lightweight movable insulated box over the opening, this keeps the heat in the house and the money in the homeowner’s pocket.

At Woglom Construction, we build homes to support the whole family for their whole lives. So, I recommended raising the height of both outlets and toilets. “Electrical outlets are typically about 16 inches from the floor. If you are remodeling, have the outlets set at 24 inches. They’ll be more convenient when you’re forty and still easy to reach when you are seventy.” What about a taller toilet? The extra height is easier on the knees! And a comfort height toilet is the same price as a standard size toilet. 

You’ll have to read the article for the rest of my ideas (and you might learn a thing or two from the other professionals they asked to participate). In the meantime, here’s the shot that will always make my wife laugh. 

As an environmental advocate and home designer, I am inherently passionate about both. Creating home and landscape design that meld with ecosystems is priority. My team and I plan each construction project with a resolve to maintain a cooperative balance with the environment. We integrate building design into the natural surroundings, utilizing green technology and complementing architectural elements. We work to eliminate pollutants and to add as many self-sustaining functions as possible, especially in the areas of utilities and landscaping. With vigilance we build the homes of the future with materials from the earth, and materials good for the Earth.

You’ve got to start young

My clients, like all of humanity, are moving through the stages of life. As people grow, develop and mature, my habitats are designed to anticipate and accommodate natural and sometimes unexpected life-changes. I am a universal design artist, meaning, planning homes from “cradle to grave”. I like Fred Astaire's statement: “old age is like everything else, to make a success of it, you’ve got to start young." I encourage my clients to build or remodel their first home like their forever home. What a comfort it has been for many of my customers to age and still be able to efficiently and effectively live in their own home. Not to worry if you’ve missed that step when you bought your first home; there’s no time the like the present to start planning; and hey – youth is in the eye of the beholder!

Replacing the myth of scarcity with a mission of abundance

“The future ain't what it used to be”. Yogi Berra

Have you ever dreamed of a net-zero home? How about never receiving another utility bill or better yet, PROCURING payments and sharing your alternate generated energy with the local power company? It is not a dream, but a practicing reality. It begins with a designer/contractor who has explored the world of alternative energy and green construction techniques. It becomes achievable when single homes or whole communities leave a very small or even a zero carbon footprint on the Earth.

The future is now

Innovative minds have created numerous ways to construct or remodel homes that efficiently utilize alternative energies: solar, wind and water. The entire process is measured with careful analyses and attention to detail. The topography of the land, placement of the building in relationship to the sun and the prevailing wind patterns present a starting point. Then, affordable and durable earth-friendly building materials must be purchased. Through each phase, precise energy demonstration is a must.  As construction continues, proper insulation and sealing become as important as tapping natural sources of energy.

Cost effective

Computer technicians have designed software that allow green-minded contractors to perfect the productivity of each alternative fuel component before it is incorporated into the design, resulting in maximum energy creation with minimal financial expenditure. There are also tax incentives together with savings generated from very low or non-existent utility bills. To ensure the cost of living does not gradually intrude on projected savings, energy monitoring systems can be installed keeping your home on track for years to come.