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Tag: eichler home

Bring in the Sunlight!

Bring in the Light! Treat Your Eichler Home to New Windows

Trust Eichler Remodeling Experts with Window Options for Your Bay Area Home

Eichler homes are lovely mid-century marvels that have withstood the test of time. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in light and create a minimalist exterior with striking A-frame architecture. Some of these distinctive homes have windows covering a third of the exterior. All those windows bring in the light! However, they also bring in or let out the heat. Work with the skilled and experienced team at Flegel’s Construction to update your Eichler home.

Let’s discuss ways to make your home more energy-efficient with new windows and window treatments without compromising the unique architectural design and distinctive charm:

  • Upgrade the single-pane windows that have little to no insulating properties. We suggest double-pane glass with an airtight space between the panes. When pumped with argon or krypton gas, the new windows will insulate your home 3-4 times better than the original ones.
  • Coat the exterior window with low-emissivity material to resist heat transfer. Low E windows reflect harmful infrared energy while letting in shorter wavelengths.
  • Installing triple pane windows is another option. However, they are extremely heavy, and the thicker framing makes them poorly suited for Eichler construction guidelines.

If replacing all your windows exceeds the budget, we can concentrate on improving the leakiest ones, by:

  • Adding an acrylic insert on the inside surface, or
  • Replacing the weather-stripping on doors and windows with better insulating materials

Schedule a feasibility analysis with our home construction consultants for affordable ways to improve dated windows and window treatments in your Eichler home.

Window Dressings to Add Privacy and Show Off Your Tall Windows

The expansive windows bring in the light and create a stunning impression. Do you need decorating ideas that won’t detract from the open feel of your Eichler home? Keep window treatments minimal, by:

  • Using a ceiling-mounted track to hang floor-length drapes in solid colors. The curtain should span the length of the glass wall.
  • Following the geometry of your home. If the window wall extends to the sloped ceiling, simply mount woven shades across the horizontal line just below where the ceiling slope begins.
  • Installing motorized shades in neutral tones. This is also a great choice for smaller windows to achieve a cohesive look.

Hire Experienced Eichler Remodelers in the Bay Area to Brighten Up Your Home

Opening up your Eichler home to draw in more natural light involves more than simply choosing new windows and having them installed. You need to consider the orientation of your home, which direction the windows are facing, and how much privacy you need for the space, while allowing in plenty of sunlight.

With years of experience in updating and modernizing gorgeous Eichlers, we know what works, and what doesn’t. Feel free to browse our portfolio of home renovations in Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City, Redwood Shores, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos.      

For stress-free improvements to Eichler home window walls, you can rely on the team at Flegel’s Construction. Contact us online for assistance with construction projects in your Bay Area home.

San Jose Eichler Neighborhood Recognized

Eichler is added to historic register

Congratulations to the residents of the Fairglen Additions neighborhood of San Jose who led a successful campaign to have the tree-lined district — distinguished by its 218 Eichler homes — added to the National Register of Historic Places this year. The neighborhood near Curtner and Booksin avenues is San Jose’s largest enclave of Eichler homes, built between 1959 and 1961 and known for their distinctive flat or lowsloped roofs, open floor plans and tall windows. And three of the homes, all within walking distance of each other on Fairwood Avenue, will be featured in a Preservation Action Council tour on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

At the same time, there also will be a Mid-Century Pop-Up Shop — with vendors selling period memorabilia, decor and furniture — on Fairwood Avenue, which will be closed to traffic for the event. Sally Zarnowitz, cochair of the Fairglen Additions Preservation Committee, will talk about the significance of the housing tract at 11:30 a.m., and author and historian Heather David will sign copies of her book, “Motel California,” and the San Jose Signs Guide at noon.

Tickets are available for $20 in advance at preservation.org or by calling 408-998-8105, or $25 on the day of the event at the pop-up shop on Fairwood Avenue.

Originally written by Sal Pizarro, Columnist, The Mercury News on Thursday August 15, 2019.

Key to Successful Eichler Remodeling

Accomplish A Successful Remodel of Your Eichler Home

Choose the Right Contractor with Proven Experience

eichler home remodel

Are you planning to update or expand your Eichler home? Many Bay Area homeowners are choosing to modify their existing properties rather than moving to a new place. With meticulous planning and the right contractor, you can protect your investment and maintain the mid-century look you love. Before getting started, read this quick guide and be better prepared for a successful Eichler home remodeling project.

Key to Successful Eichler Remodeling – 5 Useful Tips

  1. Keep the distinctly Eichler feel intact: Eichlers are known for their indoor-outdoor feel with floor-to-ceiling windows, glass-walled atriums and patio areas, post-and-beam construction, wooden paneling and open-concept floor plans. Consider modifications that will keep that connection with the outdoors. Think about enlarging windows, replacing wooden walls with sliding glass doors and installing skylights to add greater appeal and value. Preserving Joseph Eichler’s design concepts calls for thoughtful home improvements by contractors experienced in this type of remodel.
  2. Hire the right remodeling contractor: As you solicit bids from multiple contractors, be sure to evaluate their experience, work quality and the scope of similar projects they have completed. If you get a quote that is surprisingly cheaper than the others, avoid the temptation and prevent a botched job with higher costs for fixing the mess.
  3. Establish a realistic budget: List exactly what you want versus what you need. You don’t have to hold back on visualizing your dream home, but it’s important to be realistic. If your budget allows you to include everything you need and still have room for some of the items you want, that is ideal. If not, you can put the essentials on the priority list and plan for additional modifications at a later stage. For instance, you may want stylish kitchen cabinets and new flooring with a new, open floor plan. Focus on getting the layout redesign for now and you can budget for the floors and cabinets in the next phase.
  4. Determine the time frame: Major renovations like adding another bedroom or washroom may require you to relocate temporarily. Is it going to be for one month or several? Knowing this in advance will give you the time to research your options and make the right decisions about your project and living arrangements.
  5. Less is more when it comes to décor: Remember, the philosophy of Eichler design is to bring the outdoors inside. Try not to clutter your home with too much furniture or accessories. 

Hire the Bay Area’s Eichler Specialists to Renovate Your Home

At Flegel’s Construction Co., we know how to make your mid-century home more comfortable and convenient while preserving its original character. From wide open entryways to airy living spaces, modern kitchens with customized appliances and new floor plans that utilize space more efficiently, our Eichler specialists seamlessly match the original with the new.

Committed to quality and customer satisfaction, we continue to serve a growing roster of happy customers across the Bay Area, including in Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Cupertino, CA.

For successful Eichler remodeling, contact us online.

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TESTIMONIALS

  • Video Testimonial

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  • I would hire Scott again in a heartbeat

    I would hire Scott again in a heartbeat. He did our Eichler total remodel from roof to radiant. The workmanship is 5-star. Scott understands the uniqueness of Eichlers and modern design.

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  • I am confident that your expectations will be far exceeded…

    “Our home in Palo Alto was in need of help. Built in the early 1950s and barely updated since, there was a lot to do. Over 12 months and two phases, our home was transformed into the perfect mid-century modern oasis for our

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  • As easy for as us as possible…

    “We interviewed at least 7 contractors for our Eichler remodel and decided on Flegel’s construction and I am so glad we did! Working with Scott and his crew was such an pleasant experience. We had heard so many horror stories

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  • Stands by his work…

    “I cannot say enough about Scott Flegel. He is on the ball. He works on the project with his employees. He has very high standards and his employees follow his example. Our architect has come back to look at the project

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