Big things have been happening over at Mix Mat. CEO Alex Van Dewark won a competition with our Mix Mat idea and we’ve partnered with Next Step Ministries to begin our philanthropic outreach initiatives.

Mix Mat Wins Prestigious Entrepreneur Competition

Recently Alex Van Dewark entered the Mix Mat into Chico State’s Center for Entrepreneurship competition and one. From there he took his idea up against the winners of four other participating California college campuses  in the Future Four Business Competition. Four schools and their business concept competition winners competed for over $8,500 in cash prizes, if front of a panel of highly experienced and powerful panel of judges- and Alex and the Mix Mat took first prize. For this he received $1,500 in cash and a scholarship (worth $6,500 ) to the entrepreneurial school, Bootup academy.

“BootUp is more than just a classroom, it is a complete, global startup ecosystem designed to create better entrepreneurs and accelerate their companies. They help entrepreneurs accomplish their startup goals by providing shared services including legal, accounting, event hosting and video production, plus a place to call home in the heart of Silicon Valley; startup best practices; mentoring with serial entrepreneurs; hands-on consulting; market access and funding.”

You can read more about this competition and BootUp here:

http://www.csuchico.edu/cfe/index.shtml

http://www.bootupacademy.org/

In the video below you can see Alex talking a bit at 2:34 and then again being awarded at the end around 5:45.

Mix Mats for Disaster Relief – We Need Your Help

Mix Mat has recently partnered with Next Step Ministries and is sending Mix Mats to be used on location at mission sites around the world dedicated to building and rebuilding the communities of those in need and that have been affected by disaster. Our mission is to to provide an affordable yet indispensable tool to the people on the ground trying to help. When projects are finished and the relief crews are leaving, the Mix Mats will be left for the locals to continue using so that they may continue to improve and upkeep their infrastructures. In relation to the kind of work Next Step is doing and how our Mix Mat will be used, Next Step provided us with these figures:

Next Step Ministry currently work in 16 different communities around the world

• Most of our Domestic sites use concrete in small batches
  Uses of concrete are primarily for wheel chair ramps and decks
  We have however poured as many as 30 yards but those were ready mix trucks
  We have poured anywhere from 4-6 yards that was all mixed by hand
  Mainly for sidewalks, but we have mixed Foundation footers before
• Our 3 International sites mix  a lot of Concrete, we do many full builds that include:
  Concrete Foundations
  Slabs
  Footers
  Mortar for block
  Core filling of Concrete block
  Our primary method there is to mix by hand on the ground, typically called the “Volcano style”, and we like this method because we can mix a lot of concrete at one time. I have calculated that we can mix about 1/3 to a 1/2 yard of concrete per Volcano batch. We usually have 3 batches simultaneously for our big pours. Buckets are used to transport the mixed concrete
• Next Step is primarily a volunteer organization
  this year we plan to have 7,000 students work with us
  They perform 99% of all the work we do.
  They perform all types of construction except for skilled trades such as electrical, plumbing, and HVAC
  we have a small team of Construction Professionals that does this work

After using our Mix Mats at mission sites in West Virginia and New Mexico, Next Step Ministry contacted us and purchased 30 Mix Mats to be used on their mission trips and then turned over to the people afterwards. Our goal is to continue this tradition of donating and sharing Mix Mats to help those in need. We are currently in the planning process of getting Mix Mats to areas in need of disaster relief, such as post earthquake Nepal. You can help us get this ball rolling by liking and sharing our Facebook page and visiting the Mix Mat website http://www.themixmat.com/ where you can buy Mix Mats or donate them through our website to causes like the Nepal Earthquake.

Welcome inside one of our most recently completed custom homes. Located in the Vacaville hills this home is surrounded by breath taking views and was designed to not only maximize the vistas but to be functional and comfortable. Everything was taken into consideration during the design process of this home. The owners relocated to Vacaville to be closer to family but also wanted to enjoy the moderate climate. Their goal was to have more storage and land to create privacy and maintain a peaceful atmosphere, but they also wanted less square footage than their previous home in order to make up-keep easier and be more efficient. So from the location of the garage to the placement of the windows every inch of this home was designed to be 100% what the client wanted and needed.

One of the most important concepts in designing this home was that we were downsizing square footage for the owners- not storage and accessibility. Excess space needed to be discarded without sacrificing personality and purpose with it. With this in mind we designed an open airy floor plan that felt large but still designated purpose.

The front door opens up immediately into a living area, but by creating some spacial symmetry, we managed to create a music room and dining room before you’ve even made it past the entry way.  We accomplished this by using a combination of wood floors to connect the kitchen to the dining room, tile in the entry way, and carpet in the music room along with a smartly placed pair of french doors. By breaking up the literal flooring it gave us the freedom to divvy up a large space and turn it into several smaller spaces without making it feel cramped or confusing. Every room has it’s purpose.

Moving in to the living and Kitchen area, we used the bar to create a separation of space without building walls. When paired with the pendant lights hanging above the bar we were able to create spacial awareness without closing anything off. This keeps the flow open and allows for the abundant light to pour in from all angles while also still providing the storage and counter space desired in the kitchen. The hard wood floor runs concurrently through the living, kitchen and dining rooms as well as the hall ways to create a natural flow throughout the house.

The breakfast nook is one of our favorite features because it’s a great example of how we designed the home to bring the natural light and beauty in. As was mentioned, the windows let in the natural light from outside, but they also look out on the land that first attracted our clients to this location in the first place. Custom homes should always be built to highlight the positive qualities of the location. What good is it building a home for the views if you’re going to end up looking at your neighbors yard, or a storage area?

A lot of attention went into the smaller details as well. All of the fixtures, lighting, hardware, paint colors, cabinetry, and materials were selected to create a consistent atmosphere throughout the home. Warm colors and earth tones were very popular with the owners so we sought to incorporate them every where we could.

Moving around to the pack of the house, this porch was built to frame the same amazing view the breakfast nook looks out on. Because of the location, summers do get up into the triple digits, so we worked to build a patio that would stay cool and protected from the elements without hindering the view. There’s also a walkway that wraps around the entire property, which is useful in the country for staying out of the mud during the rainy season.

The same consideration led to the design of the garage. The walk way that wraps around the house connects to a breezeway between the main house and the garage. This area makes a great shady space for the dog. It protects him from the elements while also keeping his house and toys out of sight. Creating a breezeway here also solved the issue of unloading vehicles in the rain. It’s position in relation to the house provides privacy and function without hiding the view, and also will help to keep things cool in the summertime. The garage is also large in comparison to the main house. This goes back to the original idea that the owners wanted more storage and function with less upkeep. By smartly positioning the garage and home within the lot all of these things were achieved, the location was used to its full potential, and the owners have themselves a brand new completely custom home that fits their needs.

Today we’re taking a look at some of the architectural elements we work with and how they can completely change the dynamics of a project’s aesthetic appeal.

If a room is just walls, a ceiling, and a floor, then what makes one room better than another? The answer lies in the details. One of our favorite parts of any project is the detail work. There are so many fun an different ways to elevate the quality of a space and usually it can be achieved by paying attention to the simplest details. Whether it’s paying special attention to the finish of the paint, caulking cleanly around new fixtures, installing matching hardware, or something more complex like adding a custom made stone, wood,  glass or metal architectural elements, it all adds up in the end. Here’s a look at some architectural elements we’ve designed, created and used over the years in stone and wood.

Stone

We’ve long worked with stone carvers that are experts of their field. Above are just a few examples of the mantle, sconce, and banister pieces we’ve had created. These pieces can be as simple or intricate in design as you like them to be and either way they add an heir of sophistication to the space. Of course if you’re looking for something that makes a bolder statement, there’s always something like these hand carved, solid marble, family crest fireplace and mantle pieces we had created for a custom home. Of course each project comes down to representing the client it’s for. We’ve used stone to create pillars and columns as well as used elaborately carved marble pieces as sinks and vanities. It also makes up a huge chunk of the floors and counter tops we install. Stone adds a classic finished element of style wherever it’s applied and we’re amazed at all the new ways we’ve been able to incorporate it.

Wood

No material is more prominent in building than wood. With so many variations and applications the possibilities for wood detail are endless. Exposed beams instantly add some drama to high ceiling rooms and can be natural, distressed, or anything else the design calls for. Another big wood feature is cabinetry. Easily the most functional of wood elements, picking the right cabinets, with details you like, and having them installed correctly can save you headaches later as well as really bring a room to life. And woods just as good inside as it is out. Adding an arbor can completely transform a simple backyard or garden area. They help designate spacial use while also providing beautiful frame work for the plants around them. The center photo below shows how varying the color of the wood can add dimension, depth and class (the custom sauna lounge seat isn’t a bad use of wood either). Wood is probably the most easily customized element to work with. It can be shaped, stained, functional, decorative, prominent or understated, but no matter how you use it, it always makes a statement.

If you have any questions about our stone and wood architectural elements, please contact us. On our next blog well take a look at some of our glass and metal architectural elements. Let us know if there’s any examples of these you’d like to know more about.

A few months ago you may remember we reached out to our past clients, sub contractors and supporters and asked them to vote for us in The Vacaville Reporter’s annual “Best Of” competition. Shortly after, it was announced that Van Dewark Construction Inc was voted “Best Contractor of 2014”. It’s a real honor to be named “Best of” anything really, but as a company that covers a large area doing a wide variety of jobs, we’re really happy our work still stands out in our own community the most and that the place we call home is so proud to have us. We wanted to take a moment to really thank the people that voted. We know life gets busy and sometimes it’s easy to over look things like this, so the fact that you took the time to log in and vote for us, because you felt the quality of our work was worth the title, means a lot to us. We absolutely love what we do and feel really blessed to be able to do it here. Thank you for your continued support and patronage. 2014 was such a great year for us and we’ve loved sharing some our projects with you as we go along. Stayed tuned in 2015 as we continue to take on great projects and deliver results both we and you can be proud of. If you’d like a copy of The Reporter’s “Best of 2014” magazine, with a full list of all the winners, we have some down at our showroom on Merchant St. Feel free to grab a couple and see what other great service people you voted “best” of our community!

Sincerely,

Steve Van Dewark and the Van Dewark Inc Team

Watching foam insulation expand is a bit like watching 1958’s The Blob. The inanimate mass grows and fills its surroundings at a surprising rate, giving it an almost lifelike appearance during installation. Spray foam expands up to 100 times its original volume within 4-10 seconds. However, unlike the Blob, after the foam expands it stays in one spot, forever. Van Dewark Construction has just finished installing foam insulation in one of our current custom home projects and seeing the process first hand really shed new light on its efficiency and appeal. Watching it fill every nook and cranny as it was expertly sprayed around beams and hard to reach places, I got to see just how airtight this stuff really is! Unlike it’s more common counterpart, fiberglass insulation, spray foam leaves no space open to airflow, meaning with the proper ventilation and application you can greatly improve your air quality, fire safety, energy efficiency, and much more.

Foam insulation has been popular on the east coast for quite some time because it drastically reduces and discourages the growth of mold. However, as energy prices rise and environmental awareness becomes more important it’s steadily gaining momentum out here on the west coast. For our project we chose to use Icynene Spray Foam to compliment our already incredibly efficient radiant heat floor system and add to the home’s overall efficiency. Icynene’s certified team did the work quick and efficiently while also taking the time to ensure it was done right.

Steve Van Dewark and the Icynene crew took a minute to explain to me a bit about how the application process and product work. They broke down everything from what the foam is made of (stuff that gets you on the GreenSpec^® Directory and the Green Wizard directory…I may not understand the chemistry but the people who do seem to like this stuff, a lot), how the spray gun works (air keeps the barrel clear so the two components that make the foam expand don’t meet until they’re expelled), why they shave the excess off (no one wants lumpy drywall), and what some of the long term advantages of spray foam insulation are (it doesn’t expand or shrink over time, it keeps good air in and bad air out, keeps the entire structure- including the attic, roughly the same temperature, along with the aforementioned cost effectiveness, fire safety and comfort components). In the case of our current custom home project, spray foam insulation makes perfect sense. It compliments the other heating, cooling, and ventilation choices, helps cut down on circulating dust and allergens that are prominent in the area, and also helps to address some fire safety issues that the region is prone to.

It was a great day on the Van Dewark Construction site and I had a great time learning about spray foam insulation and watching its install. If you’d like to know more about spray foam insulation for your home or custom project, Steve has completed a number of projects involving spray foam and can answer any questions you may have. We’re always happy to help, because with any major home renovation or build project it’s important to do your homework first. For example, spray foam insulation might not be what your particular case needs, however, having a contractor that knows the pros and cons of multiple methods and products can save you time and money in the long run.

One thing we love about building custom homes is that we have the opportunity to build homes that are not only beautiful and unique, but conscientious and sustainable as well. Our latest custom home project combines these elements expertly in many ways, but one element we’re particularly fond of is its use of Radiant Floor Heating.

For those of you not familiar with Radiant Floor Heating, it’s not a new concept. As early as 5,000 BC Koreans started using warm stones to try and heat things from the ground up. As with all things the idea spread and was adapted over time. Eventually gaining enough momentum to land itself in Europe where the ever clever Greeks picked it up and then later, the Romans.

Apparently when the Romans weren’t busy building empires and taking lots of group baths, they were very busy making home improvements. They realized things would be much cozier if they could heat up their cold stone floors from below, but how? Right under the floor is…well, the ground! So, never ones to be deterred by obstacles, they did the only logical thing and raised the floor up. They popped a couple of furnaces down there, vented it up through the ceiling to avoid smoking out the room and used the hot air and smoke to evenly and effectively warm their homes.

Today we get to skip the Roman pillar foundations and underground furnaces, and instead generate Radiant Floor Heating through either electricity or hot water that runs through tubes right beneath your floor. The electrical option is good if you just want to heat one room or a small area, however if you’d like to heat your whole house using Radiant Heat, a “hydronic” system (the one with the water and tubes) is definitely the more energy efficient (and money saving) option. It can easily be up to 30% more efficient than a forced air heating system, plus it’s much quieter and all the equipment is out of site. It also cuts down on moisture and helps maintain a household climate that doesn’t promote allergens or the growth of mold, bacteria, viruses, or dust mites, thus enriching your overall air quality.

That being said, renovating a house specifically to accommodate Radiant Floor Heating can get costly, especially if you haven’t done your homework and your contractor doesn’t know how to install it correctly. Luckily, you now know of one company you can trust with your custom build or Radiant Floor Heating install, (…us, obviously!) and now all that’s left is for you to decide what system works best for you (and we can probably help you figure that bit out too).

We’re so pleased with the progress on this custom home and we’re excited about sharing lesser know features and methods with you as we go along. If there’s anything you’d like to know more about, use our contact form and let us know! And stayed tuned for more updates!

Here at the Van Dewark camp we’re so excited about all the changes that have taken place in the last six months. One of the most recognizable changes you may have noticed is our updated website. We loved our old setup, but as is the nature of our business – it was time for a remodel! The new website is more streamlined, making it easier to get in contact with us and view our work. There are still a few kinks to work out- mainly concerning our portfolio page, so bare with us in the following days, but we know it’s going to be fantastic in the end.

Our website isn’t the only part of us getting a remodel. No longer operating as simply Van Dewark Construction, we’re pleased to formally announce we are now operating under the umbrella of Van Dewark Incorporated. Van Dewark Construction, headed by Steve Van Dewark for over thirty years, remains our steadfast flagship, and after years of providing quality work to our clients we’ve expanded to include services specific to your needs.

We officially joined forces with our sister company Van Dewark Fine Art Carvings and opened the Van Dewark Showroom, located in Downtown Vacaville, in December of 2013. Headed by Van Dewark Construction‘s Senior Designer and Architectural Elements Director, Erika Van Dewark, the showroom houses her independent glass art as well as our architectural glass, stone, wood and metal elements.

In addition to Construction and Fine Art Carvings, Van Dewark Inc. continues to expand with the introduction of The Van Dewark Inc. Stone and Tile Division. Our new division is run by highly renowned industry leader, Eric Richardson. Eric has served as a Northern California Advisor to the Ceramic Tile and Stone Institute for the past 20 years. He has over 35 years of Natural Stone slab experience including concept and design, fabrication, and the installation and completion of stone elements.

We are so proud to welcome Eric to the Van Dewark Inc. family and we love that we are able to offer so many premium construction services to our clients.  We’ve long sought to be a “bundle package” or all inclusive company, making sure that the quality of work is perfect from conception to completion. We look forward to bringing you more updates on our newest branch, current projects, and the unveiling of our new web portfolio in the near future.