I am Gary Dunn,  Co-owner of Dunmoor Homes.  Bill Moorhead  and I started Dunmoor Homes 10 years ago after spending many years working for one of the large local homebuilders.   We have always felt that the greatest joy we receive is helping people achieve the home of their dreams.

The Custom Home Building Camp is an extension of that feeling.

Through the camp, our group of Builders, Sub-contractors, and Suppliers have created a way for the average person to learn more about custom home building and remodeling without having to enter into discussion with a sales person or make commitments before they are ready to do so.

We call it doing business on your terms.  We want the classes to provide as much information and as many facts and figures as possible so you can make an informed and not an emotional decision.

You are bombarded with “Great Offers” and “Special Discounts” every single day, but what do these really mean?   That great price for granite counter tops from one of the big box stores  looks fantastic,  but only until they start adding little extras like edging, cut-outs, and polishing.   We will give the facts about counter tops and virtually all other home products.

Level the Playing Field

By just taking one or more of the camps you will be provided real cost information and insight into how the process works.  You will become a better negotiator to help achieve your goal of a new home or a new kitchen.

Camp Offerings

Camp classes run the gamut from Design to how to budget for your home and include the following.

Making it a Green World

Alternative Building

Custom Home Budget

Beautiful Baths

Remarkable Kitchens

Personalize your Home

Engineered Wood and Systems Building

Find and Evaluate a Home Site

Remodeling 101

Geothermal, Home Comfort, and Tax Credits

Female Focused Design

We invite you make plans to attend a camp session today.

Geothermal to the Rescue. Simply put Geothermal means Earth Heat.  In today’s uncertain world,  how important is it to install a heating system for your home that will use an unlimited resource, the earth’s temperature,  to heat and cool your home. 

The Cost to operate a Geothermal system is but a fraction of other systems and you will never be at the mercy of oil prices,  embargos or other world event again.

When it comes to an expensive sophisticated product like geothermal you want a true professional designing and installing your system and there isn’t anyone in Central Ohio with more experience than our instructor Steve Mullins of Complete Comfort,  Steve is not  only an expert in the Heating, Cooling and ventilation field, but Geothermal as well.

Steve will explain the features and benefits of a geothermal system and discuss several other aspects of heating and cooling.   The current tax benefit of a geothermal system help make it a viable choice for anyone considering building.  The details of the tax credit will also be discussed.

The class on will be offered March 9, 2010, 7-9 p.m. at the Décor Blvd showroom, 3436 Millennium Ct., in Columbus. For reservations or to view other upcoming classes and events, visit http://customhomebuildingcamp.com. Classes are free,  Classroom space is limited, but this class is available online as well.  Reservations are required

Radon-resistant measures can be installed for very little extra money or effort during home construction

It seems Radon appears in the news every few months or so.  The last “Radon Scare”  suggested that granite counter tops were a serious source of radon.  This claim was proved incorrect by the EPA.

The fact remains that Radon is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up into the home through cracks and other holes in the foundation and it can be present in any home

What to ask your builder.

Most home buyers never perform a radon test. The truth is radon-resistant measures, can be installed for very little extra money or effort.  By insuring their is home “prepped” for a radon mitigation system the home buyer can test their home a few months after occupying and if the levels are high the complete remediation system can be installed relatively inexpensively.

According to EPA, nearly one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated radon levels. EPA publishes a map at www.epa.gov/radon that shows radon potential by county, Zone 1 having the highest potential and Zone 3 the lowest. Regardless of the potential, elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in every state. (Zone Map is shown below).  The EPA recommends radon levels should be less than 4 pico curries per liter (pCi/L)

Reducing Radon.

Basic radon-resistant construction involves the following elements of a passive (i.e., no electrical power required) soil-gas collection and venting system (Figure 1):

A. Gas Permeable Layer – Place a drainage bed, usually a 4-inch layer of clean gravel, beneath the slab or flooring system to allow the soil gas to move freely underneath the house.

B. Plastic Sheeting – Place plastic sheeting—on top of the gas permeable layer and under the slab to help prevent the soil gas from entering the home. In crawlspaces, place the sheeting over the crawlspace floor.

C. Sealing and Caulking – Seal all openings in the concrete foundation floor to reduce soil gas entry into the home.

D. Vent Pipe – Run a 3- or 4-inch gas-tight line, usually PVC pipe (commonly used for plumbing), from the gas permeable layer through the house to the roof to safely vent radon and other soil gases.

E. Junction Box – Install an electrical junction box in case an electric venting fan is needed later.

In most cases the passive venting system reduces the radon levels to acceptable readings, but if the levels still exceed 2 pCi/L, the passive system is easily turned into an active system by adding a fan to the vent pipe in the attic.  Your builder should have already made sure a junction box, or electrical outlet, is installed near the vent pipe, so a fan can be installed quickly and easily.

What does it cost?

Cost can vary, but installation cost of  the passive system will be between $400 and $600 and to complete the active system, with a fan,  will add another $300-$500.

If you would like more information on radon,  visit www.epa.gov/radon.

Nationwide designed The Captiva so owners wouldn’t have to sacrifice space for visiting or live-in children and grandchildren; they’re served by three additional bedrooms on the second level. Jack and Jill bathrooms create both privacy and convenience. Additionally, a home theater and game room keep pace with technology.

The master bedroom features a separate retreat area with coffee bar. Adjacent to the master bedroom, a luxurious bathroom features a dramatic bathing area, separate dressing areas and a large walk-in shower with curved glass walls.

One of the most dramatic design focus points in The Captiva was the curved stairway to the second floor, which homeowners can see from the outside through the double entry doors in to the foyer, which sports inlaid tile and hardwood flooring. The curving stairway, says Seekford, “Just needed a bride to stand on the stairs with her white dress flowing over the hardwood treads for a photo. It would have been beautiful”

Curved Staircase

The Captiva is the latest in modular design innovation from the experts at Nationwide Custom Homes.  To see the full range of offerings from America’s premier systems built homebuilding company visit their design center located near the Jeffersonville Outlet mall on Interstate Highway 71 South of Columbus