STU NEWS LAGUNA FEATURE
Local Laguna Beach media coverage on the BONE Structure Duplex that we built in North Laguna. While most projects are photographed and covered after completion, Stu News photographed and journaled the project at an advanced framing stage during an Open House event. Read more about the project and the innovative BONE building system here.
CLASS FIELD TRIP
We welcomed a local college class to tour the Beachitos project and learn more about sustainable building. Dennis Bogle, a local college professor, brought his students to see prefab in practice, creating the frame for a coastal duplex.
Architect Anders Lasater was also on site to explain the design process and how we integrated BONE Structure’s prefab building system with a custom design. There are so many layers to consider when deciding to go prefab including city constructs, neighborhood compatibility, material use, and overall adaptation of space and content. Fortunately, the professionals at BONE Structure and Anders Lasater Architects were able to merge their expertise and create a beautifully designed and well-articulated modern duplex. The client, very early adopters of high tech and its incredible attributes, are very excited to be part of the few front runners in the sustainability movement.
Builder Joe Kramer of J. Kramer Corp. was also on hand to explain the project details and finer points of putting all the pieces together. Students were engaged and had a lot of questions about the building process, how the materials are manufactured, the on-site delivery, pre-drilling and cutting, and how it compares with regular stick construction. Some of the greater benefits of the pre-fab BONE Structure are an efficient thermal envelope, fire prevention, pre-measured materials, and modular design. With Beachitos the client will have all of these plus the added benefit of customized design that not only fits the lot, but also allows each room to capture views of the ocean and surrounding scenery from every room.
For more information about BONE Structure visit their website here.
LAGUNA BEACH CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
J. Kramer Corp. just completed the most amazing remodel on my Laguna Beach Cottage. I chose J. Kramer Corp. because of their impeccable reputation and the detailed proposal presented to me at the beginning of the remodel. From the start of the project which was stripping the home down to the studs to the end, it was the most nonstressful and rewarding experience. J. Kramer Corp. came with experienced and considerate subcontractors. There was not an evening I would stop by my house and find remnants of lunch or any excess trash. The site was maintained and the team was very respectful to my neighbors. I also enjoyed the fact they did not blast music during the day which can be very disruptive to the neighbors. They were so enjoyable, I loved having lunch with them on occasion and discuss life and the remodel! Being from a design background, I was very careful in choosing a contractor who would understand my vision. It is extremely important to have someone who listens, is excited about trying something new, takes on a challenge, and most important understands that "no detail is too small". From the pictures you will see of my home, the endless detail and exquisite finish is apparent throughout. I would highly recommend J. Kramer Corp. and his team to do your home! Thanks Joe!!!!
READ THE REVIEW ON HOUZZ
EMERALD BAY CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
In 15 days, J. Kramer Corp. gutted a bathroom and closet to the studs in our new home, and recreated an exquisite modernized restroom for my 4 children. His management of the project was excellent, moving it forward every hour as one contractor left, the next one entered. Moreover, his sub-contractors were all superior at their trade, timely and professional. When surprises arose (and there were not many of them), he responded quickly with a resolution. I have worked with many contractors in the past on major projects, and this was the first project that I have not run into issues: on-time, on-buget, perfect workmanship, and a gorgeous result. I highly recommend J. Kramer Corp.
CHRIS WOODBURN INTERIORS TESTIMONIAL
J. Kramer Corp. is one of the most detail-oriented construction companies I've worked with. As an interior designer, we look at the details in finished work and I find that Joe's team is excellent. My clients appreciate that he is honest, comes in at budget, and completes the work quickly...typically before schedule.
Laguna Modern Ranch
The kitchen went from dark to light with lots of open space, windows, and a higher ceiling.
“Charming and well maintained original Tudor style home…” was in the original sales description for this 1400 sq ft ranch style home. With several layers of paint, overgrown ivy, exterior wood trim, the house was no longer charming but very much outdated.
The new homeowners wanted something fresh, modern, and bright. When they contacted me it all fell into place because style-wise they knew what they wanted and they also did not want to add on any more square footage. I immediately contacted my engineer to start making some interior structural changes and we decided on a white, open, and well-lit design.
The first thing to work out was lifting the interior ceiling with a center ridge beam to take advantage of the roof height. What a difference a few feet make when going upwards. It completely opened up the room and actually made everything feel bigger - no addition needed. We also took out the original fireplace that had divided the kitchen and living spaces. It was a heavy, layered brick block and not only was it too large for the space, it cut the room in half and shielded the light coming in from the front windows. Once we took it out suddenly we realized there’s a peek-a-boo view to the ocean from the kitchen. Those kinds of surprises are always nice to find.
Little tweaks made a huge impact on the entire house and how it flows. We moved a front entry closet to open up the front entry space. Having a wide open entry area sets the tone for the house and how people move around in it. The master bath was enlarged thanks to some rearranging of old closet space and a wing wall was removed in the kitchen to allow for a flush refrigerator in line with the range wall.
Of all the original design elements, we decided to keep an exterior rock faced wall as a tribute to the many ranch homes in the neighborhood with a similar facade. The remaining exterior was stripped of the weathered wood trim, heavy plants that blocked windows, and broken flagstone and we added new exterior stucco and wood siding garage door along with poured in place concrete steps and new concrete driveway. All making the outside look as good as the inside.
Lots of white, light wood floors, shadow base, and thick black framed windows take this home from outdated “charming” Tudor to beautifully updated modern ranch home - perfect for Laguna Beach.
J. Kramer Corp. has experience with every aspect of custom homes, remodels and multiple family buildings. Our comprehensive service takes projects from start to finish including city inspections, neighborhood meetings, city council meetings, historical reviews and more. Since 1995 J. Kramer Corp. has been building and remodeling modern, classic contemporary and traditional style homes in the South Orange County and Mammoth area.
Summit House, Laguna Beach
Original Mark Singer designed home receives a new exterior outlook.
Originally designed by award winning architect, Mark Singer AIA, the couple who bought this house wanted to redo the siding and the exterior finishes. Having worked for a while with Mark Singer we received a call from the homeowners who had also reached out to Mark Singer's son, Ryan Singer of Singer Design to help with the front entry and canopy. Somewhat of a bittersweet match since Mark had just passed away - being able to work on an original Singer with his son was a memorable opportunity.
Starting with warm wood siding and a smooth white stucco, we brought this classic, Laguna Beach modern home back to life. New deep bronze windows sharpen the front entry with a dramatic glass and steel canopy entry designed by Ryan Singer. The house is built on a tricky slope, but the entire exterior has been renovated as well as adding a new skylight, deck and entry. The final product reflects the original, modern design while updating the look - gorgeous.
Design collaboration with Ryan Singer @singer_design / Photos by VIPhoto Design /Built by J. Kramer Corp.
Alta Laguna 2 , Laguna Beach
As a builder, I have found that every home has a story to tell. Some of the stories are about uncovering the diamond in the rough, others feature a historical perspective with clues to the original owners or the area, and some are more dramatic events which can put a style scene on the map.
One house story in particular was about residence that had been neglected for some time. It sits on a spot that provides a commanding view of the ocean and hills beyond. Sadly, it was one of the ugliest houses in the neighborhood. The light-peach stucco, terra cotta colored roof tile and oddly placed second story addition made it stand out - and not for good reason. I would drive past this house on my morning commute and think about how great it would be to fix the problems and give it the California-modern re-design it definitely needed.
Then fate came knocking.
The new owners who had purchased the house in a foreclosure about 8 months prior were ready to do something about it. Originally they thought maybe paint and landscaping would do it, but soon realized it would take more than that to transform it to something people stopped to look at with envy instead of disdain. As it turned out, the owners reached out to another couple for whom I had just finished a job across the street and seeing how well things turned out I received a call to see what we could do.
Sometimes making big changes involve making big sacrifices. An original ranch style home that had been added to over the years it needed some serious updating. It needed new windows, a few structural fixes, foundation work and was in desperate need of an architectural facelift. After talking with the owners we agreed to gut the house, hire a local architect and turn the tuscan/mediterranean/ranch-style abode into a cool, modern home all while keeping the second story view spot and dramatically changing the front entrance.
Stripped to the studs, new foundation work, new electrical, HVAC, plumbing and interior/exterior finishes were in order. We kept the colors simple with white stucco exterior and white interior walls, opened up a closed space into a gorgeous open kitchen adding lots of new ceiling height and light into the home.
Since the house had a distinct boxy appearance we decided to accentuate this feature by wrapping the garage with 1 x 4 clear cedar siding. The wood brought a warmth to the white stucco exterior and bronze anodized window frames. The front entrance was opened up and decluttered with a glass door that would allow the person entering the home a view straight through to the ocean beyond.
The ugly house on the hill was now a beautiful, sleek, modern home. My clients were thrilled that they took the extra time and thought into turning it around. And I was glad to have the chance to bring good design into the neighborhood.
J. Kramer Corp. has experience with every aspect of custom homes, remodels and multiple family buildings. Our comprehensive service takes projects from start to finish including city inspections, neighborhood meetings, city council meetings, historical reviews and more. Since 1995 J. Kramer Corp. has been building and remodeling modern, classic contemporary and traditional style homes in the South Orange County area.
Using Concrete Block - Sandblasted
Sandblasted block looks amazing - but how to achieve the effect?
The two main types of block for modern houses are grey “4 high” (8x4x16) and “8 high” (8x8x16). Superfine sand blasted against the blocks creates an organic look that you cannot find with regular block. The final surface appears satiny with some of the aggregate exposed and all the concrete “cream” blasted away. The blasting also exposes the fine sand in the grout. We use SPEC MIX exclusively to ensure the grout is consistent.
It is best to order all of the block (fulls and halves) from the same batch. The half blocks tend to be darker and sandblasting will not mask it. Sure you could just cut full blocks on site with the cut end positioned in, but it’s easier to use factory sizes.
4-inch high block reads much better than the 8-high block. Yes, 4 high is the same cost as 8 high block and only goes half as far but the final result is worth it in my opinion. With standard grey block there is no more fretting about split face, brown, ball burnished or any of that. Simply order grey block, it is far less expensive than the aforementioned material. That savings can be applied toward the sandblasting.
In Southern California almost all the block comes from either Orco or Angelus Block. Both are good quality and reasonably priced. After sandblasting, one way to tell which block you have, and you might want to consider what color cinder is exposed: Orco block has black cinder and Angelus block has red cinder (maroon). When the block is blasted it is easily identifiable.
Builder's Notes - Shadow Base
So many times I would start out with the best looking smooth drywall surface, a lot of light, great flooring material only to throw on a base molding that really took my eye away from the overall picture. I tried using molding that matched the floor, molding that had a smaller profile, even no molding if the flooring worked in that type of scenario. But, never did I have the “yeah, that’s it” moment I wanted.
Then came shadow base.
The architect I worked with for a lot of the spec projects we were doing urged me to use a special metal that holds the drywall off the floor space by 1-1.5” depending on the flooring material height. It allows the drywall to stop and leaves a small gap between wall and floor that actually completes the picture. Shadow base takes away the clumsy wood molding that always cluttered up the floor lines. When painted a darker color like charcoal or deep bronze, the shadow base creates almost a floating wall affect.
That was it. I now install shadow base for all interior wall scenarios, whether it’s drywall, wood siding, or stucco. I have also used shadow base metal for where the wall meets the ceiling. This further produces a floating wall effect and acts as the perfect transition between wall, ceilings, exposed beams, and framing out stucco features.
My clients love the clean look of the shadow base and how this one, small detail really elevates the design of their home.
