Nothing beats the combination of enjoying a delicious bottle of wine with great company, while having the dramatic Arizona sunset as a backdrop.

Architectural designer Gary Wyant designed a separate door from the wine room to a small grotto patio protected from the sun, where a café table and hand-carved cantera stone wall fountain provide the owners and their guests a comfortable place to sip wine and enjoy the sunset and city light views.

“Even though the room is positioned on the outside of the home and exposed to outdoor temperatures that can rise to well over 100 degrees in the summer months, Gary was able to design the wine cellar in such a way that the room remains temperature-controlled.”

For another CW project in Silverleaf, a new design challenge presented itself; creating a cellar that provided the owners adequate room to store their wine collection while providing an intimate space for tastings and small gatherings.

“It’s fairly common for people to want to build a wine storage room that includes space to decant and taste wine,” Scott said. “But because the wine storage area maintains a temperature of around 55 degrees, it can quickly become too chilly  to enjoy the experience.”

Gary’s design solution was two-fold. He created an area right outside the wine cellar large enough for a decanting and tasting area. A series of insulated glass and iron doors between the wine storage area and the tasting area was introduced , so the owners and their guests could enjoy the ambience of the wine collection while sipping their favorite vintage.

For an added touch, interior designer Lissa Hickman specified wood flooring crafted from antique wine barrels still branded with the labels and cask numbers from their days at the winery.  Additionally, an elevator provides the owners easy access to the cellar from the butler’s pantry upstairs, making the process of stocking the cellar or just grabbing that next bottle a bit easier.

To learn more about the Calvis Wyant wine cellars, please call us at 480.905.0200 or visit our Web site at CalvisWyant.com.

When an East Valley family determined that the economic environment was creating one of the least expensive times in the last 10 or 15 years to build, they decided to take advantage of the market conditions.

Their first step was to contact Calvis Wyant about building a home on a lot they owned in the North Scottsdale community of Whisper Rock.

This custom home in Whisper Rock was designed by Calvis Wyant co-founder and architectural designer Gary Wyant, who created spaces that will work for the families’ needs now and in future.  While accommodating the clients’ teenage and adult children, every room in the house captures the beautiful Whisper Rock views. “All of the children have their own suite, featuring a bedroom and bathroom,” explained Ben Lentz, a project manager for Calvis Wyant.  “In fact, the son attending college in the fall has decided he likes the set-up so much, he’s going to commute to school.”

The design process began when the clients were given a Calvis Wyant leather-bound design workbook to jot down their ideas about the kind of home they wanted. In addition to places to insert photos, magazine clippings and notes, the workbook gives the clients a method to record observations about their daily lives — how they live and how they want to live — which can influence design priorities.

Then they met with Gary, so he could review their workbook, and listen and learn more about their thoughts and needs.

“Most people have an idea of what kind of rooms they want,” said Ben. “Gary has a tremendous ability to listen, and he knows where to place those rooms to make sure they work with the overall flow of the home.”

This home required not only a big game room and a basketball hoop for the kids, but covered patios leading to the pool, a backyard ramada and barbecue area for entertaining, and an intimate courtyard with planters and fountains.

“Mom wanted her own space, too,” said Ben. “The kids have the game room and an adjoining study room in the basement. Dad has his office. So, off the master bedroom, Gary designed a retreat where Mom can have some time and space for herself.”

Like all Calvis Wyant projects, the end result is a beautiful home that meets the clients’ specifications.

The Rural Mediterranean-style home in Whisper Rock is scheduled to be completed this October on budget and on time, of course!

There is a saying in politics: “making laws is like making sausage – the less you know about how it’s done, the better for your appetite.” Unfortunately, many builders have also adopted this mantra during the construction of their homes. The less you know about the process, they conclude, the more you will enjoy your finished home.

At Calvis Wyant, we think just the opposite is true. What goes on in the early phases of construction sets the stage for creating the ultimate finished home – and we want you to see how it’s done. Long before the cabinets, flooring, and fixtures make their grand entrance, plenty of work is going on that doesn’t usually get seen by you or your houseguests. These crucial elements are part of what makes your new CW home truly incredible; and it all happens behind the walls.

Here’s what you will find behind the walls in a Calvis Wyant home:

“United” Airways…

Although you may never see many of the pieces that make up the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling) system, they are working hard behind the walls of every home we build. But an efficient HVAC system doesn’t just happen by accident. Our designers and engineers take great care to plan ahead – they take into account things like aesthetic placement of vents, proper sizing of ductwork and mechanical units to ensure continual comfort, and strategic positioning of thermostat devices. Our installers continue with the commitment to excellence by sealing every seam and duct connection, testing every system, and leaving no detail unattended.

We have great confidence that our HVAC team will provide you with the most efficient and unified heating and cooling system available. But we want you to have that confidence, too. So before the walls are covered, we hire an independent inspection company to pressure test every heating and cooling delivery system. You can rest assured that the unseen parts of your home are working together to provide you with cool summer days, cozy winter nights, and refreshing energy bills.

What Happens in the Plumbing, Stays in the Plumbing…

There’s nothing worse than a plumbing issue. The two biggest issues related to plumbing are leaks and inefficiency. When a leak occurs, water (or something worse) spreads through a home and can cause untold damage and stress. Inefficient plumbing techniques will result in wasted water, money, and sanity. At Calvis Wyant, we take steps to make certain that your plumbing system is free of leaks and is running at peak efficiency.

When you take a look behind the walls of one of our homes, you’ll see the difference right away. Our plumbers take the time to make clean connections and to double-check their work. Pipes are pressure tested and inspected during every stage of construction. While an occasional leak may occur, our quality control measures go a long way in preventing unnecessary issues.

We take the extra step during every phase of the homebuilding process, which includes wrapping under-slab copper pipes with foam insulation before they are buried. This seemingly simple step is often neglected. But we have found that insulating the pipes ensures both their protection from damage and their efficiency (hot water will stay hot while traveling to destinations like your shower or kitchen sink).

These processes, combined with recirculation loops and other “unseen” plumbing system features, make sure that your home will steer clear of future plumbing issues.

That’s a Wrap

Your home is a shelter from the world. You want to keep the bad things out and the good things in. This doesn’t just apply to nosey neighbors, either; it is a necessary part of maintaining your home’s climate control. Keeping the hot sun out and the cool air in is one of your main concerns come July, but we’ve taken steps to help you long before you even move in.

Each home we build is equipped with a state of the art insulation system. Expandable foam is sprayed at the roofline in the attic, and fiberglass is meticulously installed in exterior walls , essentially wrapping your home with a seamless layer of protective insulation. Because our insulation is sprayed at the roofline (as opposed to the traditional ceiling installation), your attic and HVAC ductwork will also enjoy cooler temperatures.

Say goodbye to uncomfortable temperatures and/or energy bills. As for the nosey neighbors…you are on your own.

Power Play

You have to be connected – your computer, your audio / video systems, your lighting, and your electric razor all have to get power from somewhere. Our job is to make sure that you never have to think about where the power will come from.

Our designers, low voltage experts, and electricians work together to supply your home with all of the proper wiring, for now and for the future. The team will thoughtfully place receptacles, switches, touch screens, speakers, central vacuum outlets, and more. These placements ensure convenience for you and feasibility for future subcontractors – a little thought at the beginning will avoid issues when your cabinets, countertops, and A/V equipment arrive.

Seeing is Believing

Calvis Wyant builds some of the most beautiful homes in the Valley of the Sun. Naturally, we love to show off our work. You can see our finished products on our website, in your neighborhood, or even in a magazine spread. But if you’ve paid attention to this article, you know that some of the real beauty of our homes lies hidden behind the walls. We’d love for you to take a look at a Calvis Wyant home that is currently en route to fulfilling someone’s dream.

Give us a call at 480.905.0200 to schedule a visit to one of our homes. Unlike the politicians and sausage makers, we want you to see this. Come take a peek behind the walls of a Calvis Wyant luxury home…you’re going to love what you see.

From the moment you decide to build until the day you move in, your home building experience should be exciting and fulfilling. Choosing a lot that has qualities which align to your vision and budget is an essential early step. The lot you choose directly affects what and how you build and will probably have the single greatest impact on your budget. For these reasons, you need to thoroughly assess the features of each prospective lot and how they will affect the building process, as well as your life in your new home.

How the lot impacts the home
The orientation and shape of your lot will obviously affect how your floor plan is designed. You’ll want to showcase some views and avoid others that are less than spectacular. If you have great views to the west you’ll want covered patios or deeply recessed window openings to minimize heat gain. A wide, shallow lot configuration might have yard areas off to the side rather than directly to the back of the home. Steep topography will likely result in more steps in the home, greater excavation volumes, and the need for retaining wall structures. If the lot is on the high side of the street in a hillside community, you may want to turn the “front” yard into the back yard so your public areas can look over the pool into the city lights below. These and other lot characteristics directly relate to design, scheduling, and budget. By taking them into consideration, along with many other relevant issues, you can be certain that the lot you ultimately select is well-suited to the kind of home you want to live in.

Complete lot feasibility analysis
Building a custom home is a unique endeavor. At Calvis Wyant, we have over twenty years of experience making that endeavor fun and a complete success for our clients. With our lot feasibility analysis, we remove the guesswork from your lot selection process. We take the time to walk the land and get a feel for how it might best meet your design requirements. We check city and county codes and association covenants, conditions, and restrictions. We also determine the logistics of utility hook ups and accessibility, pinpointing nuisance factors and environmental considerations. We give advice on probable costs and potential pitfalls, all so that you can be confident that there will be no major surprises as you proceed.

Ensuring your enjoyment and your investment
While this might not be your first custom home, our goal is to make it your most satisfying. Over the years, we’ve learned that the process of designing and building a home goes well only when you have good systems in place and take a step-by-step approach. Choosing the right lot is the critical first step in the process, ensuring that you can build the home you want within the budget you’ve set. Call us when you’re looking for your next place to live - we’ll help you lay the groundwork for an exceptional home, and we guarantee that you’ll have a gratifying homebuilding experience.

           It’s no secret right now that all of us in the construction industry are doing our work for reduced prices just to keep the troops busy. But it wasn’t so long ago (and it may not be all that far in the future again) that the best single-trade contractors and construction suppliers were selective about who they worked for and which accounts were given their best pricing.
            It’s easy in today’s environment to get great prices from subcontractors (subs) that really need the work; however, the real challenge for us is to make sure that every sub we hire enjoys doing business with us and prices their work accordingly in good times and in bad. If our subcontractor’s prices aren’t competitive, our pricing to our prospective customers won’t be competitive either, and that means none of us will get the job. Here are some things our trade partners need in order to consistently give us their best pricing and service on every project:

 
 1) Plans and Specifications (specs) Free From Errors and Inconsistencies 
            Subs need accurate information in order to know exactly what it’s going to take to complete their scope of work. That may seem  obvious but oftentimes a subcontracting company is presented with a “builder” set of plans that meets the minimum requirements to obtain a building permit, but  may contain inconsistencies and/or lack information that will be required to compile an accurate bid, but that the municipality does not need  to issue a building permit. City reviews and inspections are primarily focused on the general safety of the improvements and compliance to building codes. For example, if the plan does not show enough room to allow for the specified decorative casing around a doorway, it’s not the city’s concern. The trim carpenter, however, will be delayed in his work if this problem isn’t discovered before he arrives to do his job. If he suspects he can’t rely on having a thoroughly vetted set of plans and comprehensive written specifications, he will be forced to build some contingency money into the bid for the unexplained work he will be expected to perform. We always review and correct plans (that may mean dozens of man-hours on our part in collaboration with the subs, but it’s worth it!) and publish comprehensive specs complete with shop drawings so that everyone knows exactly what they are bidding and are confident that any inconsistencies have been corrected.
 

2) Experienced On-Site Superintendents            
            Building a custom home involves a cast of thousands.  Scores of different people and multiple subcontracting companies are involved at every construction site and their efforts must be scheduled and coordinated to mesh smoothly with each other. Several hundred people move in and out of a typical custom home building site over the span of the project, and they all have to complete their work in the proper sequence so the next group of tradesman can fall in behind them to build the next piece of the structure. This choreography is a little different on each home and requires an on site leader that knows who to bring in and when. An experienced superintendent will schedule a subcontractor’s crew to arrive exactly when the project will be ready for them and not before so that there are no wasted trips. Our supers also review the plans and specs with each trade at the beginning of their work to make sure that questions are handled before they have a chance to become problems. A well organized jobsite run by a sharp superintendent means that subcontractors can get in and do their work efficiently in the number of hours they’ve budgeted and then move on to their next project. Lower prices are the result when a sub knows that a project he’s bidding will be organized and allow him to get the work done quickly.

 
3) Timely Purchase Orders 
            After plans and specs are completed, accurate pricing can be obtained for the various costs that go into building a home. At this pricing stage we often ask for several different option prices while we’re working with our homeowners to help them decide which items are important to them and their relative cost. We usually publish a set of “bid” specifications which are followed up after all the decisions are made with a final version of the specifications that are approved by the owner prior to construction. To avoid confusion from all of the numbers floating around and to verify what options are included in the final version, we issue Purchase Orders to each sub with prices that match the scope of work described in the final set of specifications. A Purchase Order is our promise to pay the agreed amount for the exact work to be performed. We have been using them for years, and they have saved us and our subs a great deal of time and money by alerting both parties early on if there is any miscommunication.
 

4) Prompt Payments 
            Slow payments from general contractors to their subcontractors is so pervasive that the State of Arizona actually passed a statute regulating the length of time that a payment to a sub can be delayed. We have always paid our bills on the 1st and the 15th of each month, and that reputation for quick pay translates into Calvis Wyant being a preferred account for our trade partners and suppliers. Obviously, subs want to work for the companies that pay them on time and without a hassle, and it’s more efficient for them to do business with someone like CW.
 

5) Repeat Business 
            We have some supplier and subcontractor relationships that date back to the beginning of our company in 1986. Although we understand the possibility of a trade partner getting comfortable and not always giving us his best pricing, our experience has proven otherwise. If a subcontractor has a long history of getting well organized projects with good plans and specs from a building company with fair business practices and who always pays on time, that sub is going to make every effort to ensure that his bid is priced competitively. The last thing he wants to do is run the risk of losing a dream account to a competitor and perhaps never get it back. We continually price out our work to different sources to ensure that we always receive the best possible value, and rarely do we find the need to vary from our trusted group of quality tradesmen.
 
           Nothing too magical on this list, is there? The rules above have served us well, and they form the basis for our many wonderful relationships here at CW. 
             I started this article off by saying how great prices are today. I think they’ll be this way for a little while yet, but remember that a custom home design started today won’t be ready for pricing for at least 6-8 months. If you have been waiting for the right time to start the process of designing and building your new home, let this be your wake-up call to take advantage of pricing that may never be this low again.

You know the feeling. You walk through a home and the flow just clicks. The natural path through each area allows you to move instinctively while conveying a natural sense of home.

Of course, not all houses offer this feeling, but have you ever wondered why? Like many people, you may be subconsciously discerning things about room relationships and sizes.

If a “spec” house doesn’t feel like home, you can just keep looking. But what if you’re designing a custom home? You won’t have a chance to experience the floor plan ahead of time. So how can you be sure you’ll love living in a home simply by viewing the drawings?

Here are a few architectural guidelines that will make your floor plan functional. By keeping these five factors in mind, you’ll go a long way toward ensuring your floor plan allows for comfortable living.

Keep garages and kitchens close.
Doing something unique or “creative” might be one of the reasons you’re building, but don’t break this rule for the sake of being different. The kitchen is usually the first place everyone goes when they come home (especially if you have teenagers.) Think about what it might be like to lug groceries across the house when these two areas are too far apart.

Separate the public and private areas.
The floor plan layout should give your visitors an instinctive feel for where they are and aren’t welcome. By placing bedrooms down a corridor or around a corner – so the doors aren’t visible – you’ll discourage unwanted visits in private areas. As for your bedrooms, it’s best to arrange the bedroom door and bed wall so that you’re looking across the foot of the bed when entering the room rather than directly at the bed and headboard.

Create a kitchen for gathering.
Keeping the kitchen open to the family room allows you to stay in touch with what’s going on while cooking, conversing with family at meal times or entertaining friends. Also, since it’s a show place, the kitchen’s design qualities are often the centerpiece for the entire home’s theme. So don’t hide your kitchen behind too many walls.

Designate formal areas.
They may be used only a few times a year, but the formal dining rooms, living rooms, libraries and parlors create a sense of occasion. In addition to being showpieces, they provide places for life’s events. No matter how casual your lifestyle is, find a way to keep a small formal area in the plan.

Extend living spaces to the outdoors from every room you can.
A covered patio or covered upstairs deck allows you to enlarge interior comfort spaces while experiencing an outdoor feeling. These outside spaces give a sense of discovery and charm. Without covered patios and unexpected outdoor destinations, houses lose a little richness. Fireplaces add ambiance and greatly increase the time you’ll spend in the locations where you place them.

These aren’t the only rules for a functional floor plan. And what makes a design practical locally may not be as desirable in another area of the country. Architecture is more art than science, but these tips are some of the concepts architectural designers use to turn a residential design project into your next home.

Need more tips for designing your floor plan? Call us anytime at 480.905.0200.

As always, we’re grateful for your interest in Calvis Wyant.

Thank you!

If you’re reading this email, you probably are already aware that Calvis Wyant Luxury Homes is not just a construction company. We are also an architectural firm and an interior design studio.  Additionally, we have a Realty Executives branch office and mortgage company in our building.

Why is all this important? Because designing and building a home is complicated. There are many decisions to be made, hundreds of people involved and thousands of pieces to be assembled. We’ve learned through our years of experience that having the entire team under one umbrella minimizes the chance of any miscommunication. Having said that, we often work with other respected architectural firms and interior designers as well. But no matter who is on the team, we eagerly accept the responsibility for recording each decision, and make sure that everything coordinates, fits, assembles, performs and works well together. It would be easy for us to start the house with a ton of allowances and budgets and hope the details work themselves out along the way; but that’s not our style. We know that careful planning, good systems, critical path scheduling and just plain old “tender loving care” for every little detail has to happen before the first shovel goes into the ground. It’s the only way to achieve the results we want every time: ecstatic families that enjoy the building experience as much as living in their beautiful new Calvis Wyant home.

It’s an honor whenever we are selected for the job of building a home and we are humbled by the confidence our customers place in us. If you don’t already have someone you can trust with all of the details, give us the chance to apply for the job.
 
Thanks for your friendship and support, 
Tony
 

We have already had a number of clients jump in and take advantage of low construction costs.  We are excited to announce the recent ground breaking of a 6,000 square foot build-to-suit residence in Estancia on Lot #169.  The home created by Gary Wyant and our award-winning design team includes an oversized garage to fan the flames of our clients’ love for classic automobiles, and a large hobby room that, between rounds of golf, will ease the transition into retirement from a fast-paced corporate life.

TO DISCUSS YOUR NEXT BUILDING OR REMODELING ENDEAVOR VISIT US AT  www.calviswyant.com or CALL US AT 480.905.0200.

We understand in a market like this, building your dream home may not be at the top of your “To Do” list.  However, there are some rays of hope that might have you finally asking, “Is now a good time to start?”  The U.S. Commerce Department just reported a 22% rise in national housing starts in February. New building permits picked up as well with a 3% increase, the first increase in months.  Even local housing analyst R.L. Brown said just last week that “the Valley housing market may be nearing its bottom.”

In the wisdom of buy low, sell high, now seems an appropriate time to start your next home. Construction costs and interest rates are at their lowest point in decades, but will certainly rise as the market rebounds.  It’s also a great time to finally build that guest house or remodel your kitchen and bathrooms.

Market stats aside, Arizona continues to attract more and more of our drenched and frostbitten family back East.  It’s not just the sun that draws them here, it’s the lifestyle. Phoenix rivals other major metropolitan areas with its wide access to world class dining, shopping and golf.

     In recent years, homeowners have approached us with requests to remodel their existing homes – kitchen updates, small additions, etc.  The previous fast pace of new home construction prevented us from taking on these remodel projects.  We simply did not have the resources to service these requests competitively – and to the high standards set for all Calvis Wyant projects.  But now that new home construction has been reduced to a more manageable rate, we have the opportunity to bring Calvis Wyant’s legendary quality and service to your remodeling project.  Now is the perfect time to turn your remodel ideas into reality.  Here’s why:

VALUE –
     Our trade partners are feeling the effects of the current market downturn and have adjusted prices accordingly.  Our long term relationships with our subcontractors, many dating back to our beginning in 1986, guarantee that you will receive the same high quality service that they’ve always provided us.  In addition, many of our building materials are at their lowest cost in years.  This all adds up to lower prices for you!
 
TIMING –
     Not only are our tradesmen willing to introduce their own “Economic Stimulus Package”, they also have access to an army of qualified labor.  Translation: faster build times and less disruption to your everyday life!  Additionally, fewer requests for new building permits means a quick turn around time for plan reviews from the municipalities.  The amount of time from plan submittal to ground breaking has been greatly reduced.

EXPERTISE -
     Ok….so you understand the money and timing part, but the big question remains.  Who do you turn to help you navigate this process?  Why not trust the company with over 20 years experience in building some of the finest homes in the valley; one with a reputation for the highest quality, a philosophy centered on utilizing sustainable and energy efficient building methods, and an unmatched attention to detail?  If that’s not enough, how about the ease and simplicity of in-house architectural and interior design?  Allow Gary Wyant and his team to apply their award-winning talents to your remodel dream.

      If your home was originally built by us, who better to assist you than the team that originally crafted your home?  If we did not have the pleasure of building for you in the past, we want to earn your trust and your business.  Calvis Wyant wins lots of awards; but more importantly, we create ecstatic customers. 

      To read what these customers have to say, visit our Website at :  http://www.calviswyant.com/testimonials.php

               WE’RE READY WHEN YOU ARE!

Call or email today and schedule an appointment to discuss your remodel ideas!!!

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