2014 showcase of homes

Week of Feb. 16, 2014 Showcase of Homes

A special supplement to:The Pioneer-RepublicanWilliamsburg Journal TribuneStar Press UnionThe Pennysaver

These materials are the sole and exclusive property of the Des Moines Register & Tribune Co., and are not to be used without its written permission. © 2014 Des Moines Register & Tribune Co.

SpringShowcaseof Homes!

Look inside for a...• Peek at these beautiful new homes • Interviews with the owners • See which contractors built them!

2014


Family builds together in Keystone

By JIM MAGDEFRAUStar Press Union editor

It’s a family business.Adam and Ross Vargason joined their father,

Steve, at Vargason Construction several years ago. Eight years ago, they built a home in the new addi-tion on the west end of Keystone.

When Ross was married three years ago, Adam, of course, moved out.

“I was surprised he built right next door,” Steve observed.

Steve Vargason did a walk-through recently of the new home.

They went by a floor plan design in a magazine for Ross’s home.

By the time they built Adam’s home, they in-corporated ideas they picked up in building other people’s houses.

The newer home has more open area and nine-foot ceilings on the first floor and in the basement.

Vargasons build a new home next doorBuilt five years apart from each other, the homes of Ross Vargason and Adam Vargason are in a new addition on the west side of Keystone.

The basement of the Adam Vargason home has a large entertaining area. The basement also has nine-foot ceilings, just like the upstairs, and keeps with the mission style.Continued on page 3


“We were after putting everything all in one,” Steve said of the main room upstairs. “We were after more of the open look.” The main room has a dining area, living area and kitchen with an island.

Vargason described it as a “mission” style home because of the wood for the cabinets and flat panel doors. Jay Usher and Brian Parr made the cabi-nets in the home.

The home also has two bedrooms and a large garage.

The new home has 1,530 square feet. The home for Ross and his wife has 1,750 square feet.

“We built a house for Steve and Judy Petersen and we liked this part of it,” Vargason said while standing in the main room. “It’s just a couple of dif-ferent plans put together.”

The basement has a bar and projec-tion TV screen. “It’s nice to watch,”

Steve joked, but he usually gets there too late to enjoy sitting in one of the recliners.

Both homes have geothermal from Rabe Hardware and the late John Feuerbach of Feuerbach Electric did the electrical work.

The Vargasons built one house last year and lined up to build another home in the spring. They try to build a couple of houses each year.

Future plans are to build a deck on the west of the home.

Sub-contractorsRabe Hardware, Blairstown, heat-

ing, cooling and plumbingAccurate Concrete, FairfaxFeuerbach Electric, KeystoneScheer Masonry Brick, AtkinsCountry Floors, NewhallHealey Painting, VictorKinzenbaw ExcavatingKnaack Lawn Care

An open area for the main living area in Adam Vargason’s home is an idea Vargason Construction picked up when working on another home.

Mission style home in KeystoneContinued from page 2

We were proud to be the general contractor on Adam’s and Ross’s homes.

Vargason ConstructionKeystone, IA

319-521-2664 or 319-442-3433


The master bedroom in the Adam Vargason home, located on the west side of Keystone.

A bar is featured in the basement with a Hawkeye theme.

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Homeowner works with contractors to build new home with a future

By DANN [email protected]

When Tyler Busch was looking for a home to buy in the Brooklyn area, he took advantage of the interest rates and bought a newly built home.

“I had put a couple offers on several houses, but the offers fell through,” he said. So he looked at new houses. “The interest rates were so low, that it was easy to build.”

Working with Dave Huedpoehl, Burg Builder, Williamsburg, Busch was able to add some per-sonal touches to the newly built home at Link Circle, just across from the BGM school complex.

“We got an ordinary floor plan and then we customized it to my specifications,” Busch said. “I added a 1/2 bath off the garage and took out a wall between the kitchen and dining room to open up the floor plan.”

The house is a three-bedroom, one-story ranch – it currently has an unfinished basement, which he has plans for, but he says with a laugh that a foosball table that is still in the box is as far as he has gotten so far.

The 27-year-old wanted to find a place in the area – he had moved from Boone four years ago and is employed at Manatt’s.

While there is still some more

to do inside – Busch is doing some interior finishing work on his own in spots – he took advantage of Huedpoehl’s experience in design and construction for the overall plan.

“We just opened up the floor plan for more space,” Busch said.

Basically, he said, he wanted to be able to watch television from the kitchen area while cooking or eating – something the original floor plan didn’t have.

By removing the wall between the kitchen and living room area and adding the 1/2 bath between the garage door and the dining room area, Busch has created a living area for his needs.

He bought the all-steel kitchen appliances on his own in Des Moines – stove, refrigerator and microwave.

But most of the other work was done by the contractors and sub contractors.

For example• Bertch cabinets and vani-

ties were installed by Gallagher Woodworking in Brooklyn.

• The wood flooring was cov-ered by Redeker’s Furniture from Boone.

Other subcontractors took care of the rest of the house

• S&S Plumbing, Marengo, took care of the heating and cooling as well as the plumbing.

• Kline Electric, Des Moines, finished the wiring.

Overall, the Brooklyn Building Center provided the building ma-terials while Hamilton Construc-tion, Belle Plaine, took care of the foundation.

The floor plan for the house was changed to add open space – a wall between the kitchen area and the living room area was removed. This is a view from the dining/room kitchen area to the living room.

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With the living room to the left, the hallway goes to three bedrooms and a bath at the end of the hall. The stairs to the right go down to an unfinished basement.

A view of the dining room from the living room area.Tyler Busch obtained the all-steel kitchen appliances on

his own, but they were a perfect match to the design of the kitchen.

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The open floor plan of Alan and Joyce Schumacher’s home provides a spacious area for daily living and family gatherings.

Large windows on their home’s east end were a priority when Alan and Joyce Schum-acher planned their rural Marengo home.

Worth the waitLengthy planning process yields rustic living space for Alan and Joyce Schumacher

Story and photos by MELINDA [email protected] things come to those who

wait.Alan and Joyce Schumacher’s home

at 2063 F15 Blvd., north of Marengo, is a testament to that proverb. The couple took about five years to design their home and the process included multiple floor plans and numerous vis-its with contractors and their financial lender before they ever broke ground.

“People were probably ready to kill us,” Alan recalls, laughing.

He and Joyce had lived in a much smaller, older farm home directly in front of their new house for 30 years. Alan is plant manager at City Carton recycling, Cedar Rapids, and sells real estate part time with Iowa Valley Realty, Marengo. Joyce is director of patient finance at Marengo Memo-rial Hospital. They raised their three children - Carl, Josh and Abby - there and although they did several renova-tions through the years, the cost factor to repair and update the older home finally became just too much. It made more sense to build new.

And so the planning began. They considered at least five sets of floor plans. They looked at Wausau homes. They considered log homes. They

talked to friends who work in the construction business. They collected photos and ideas from magazines. They spent a lot of time walking around on the hillside behind their old home, trying to imagine a new home there.

Finally, in late August 2010, they broke ground. Doug Kinzenbaw Ex-cavating did the necessary earthwork to level the building site and construc-tion began.

“We are blessed to have so many good contractors in this area,” Alan says. “They were all great about work-ing with us.”

The Schumachers’ rustic Cape Cod design home blends the best of the

elements they had chosen from their planning marathon.

The couple had a distinct list of fea-tures they really wanted.

“You just have to start somewhere,” Joyce says.

“Make a list and then see what you can’t live without,” Alan adds.

Their list included large windows on the home’s east side to capture the morning light, a combination kitchen/great room, a fireplace, a covered porch and an attached garage. Storage throughout and a main floor laundry room were priorities as well.

In the end, they blended their favor-ite elements from the existing floor-plans they had looked at with ideas

chosen from magazines. The couple agree they designed

their home to have all the elements - kitchen, living room, master bedroom and bath, laundry room - on the main floor.

The resulting home includes all of the above features, along with three bedrooms and three and a half baths.

“We went from 800 square feet of living space in the old house to 1,500 square feet here,” Alan says.

The large east windows and covered porch on the home’s south side take advantage of a commanding view of the Iowa River valley.

Having three and a half bathrooms was a dramatic change from the single bathroom shared by the couple and their three children in their old home.

“We didn’t plan to have that many bathrooms originally,” Joyce explains, but their builder pointed out the advantages of having a full bath on each floor, to accommodate overnight guests. Since having room for their grown children and grandchildren to visit was also a priority in designing the home, the three and a half baths have turned out to be a good idea, she notes.

Continued on page 8330 Western Ave., Marengo 319-642-7345

888-539-3210www.ksbiowa.com

CongratulationsAlan & Joyce


Pine trim and hickory laminate flooring carry a rustic theme through the Schumachers’ home. The fireplace is made from bricks re-purposed from Marengo’s Court Avenue and the mantle is from a manger board Alan had saved from his father’s barn years ago.

The Schumach-ers’ home enjoys a commanding view of the Iowa River Valley north of Marengo.

Hickory cabinets in the kitchen, along with hick-ory laminate flooring and pine trim throughout the home give it the simple, rustic look the couple de-sired. The open floor plan encompasses the kitchen and living room into one large great room with a vaulted ceiling. The master bedroom, master bath, a half bath and laundry room comprise the main floor.

A second level loft overlooks the great room and provides office space. A bedroom and full bath are also located on the second level.

The partially finished basement has space for the three grandkids to play, along with a bedroom and full bath, utility room and a storm shelter. A sepa-rate entrance allows access to the basement mechan-ical room and provides easier traffic flow without tracking through the house.

Working in the recycling industry, giving older items new life is second nature to Alan. In fact, the couple had been saving some items over the years with an eye toward using them in their new home some day.

The fireplace in their living room was built by Ken Curry from paving bricks torn up during the Court Avenue, Marengo, renovation. The couple coaxed Curry into coming out of retirement as a bricklayer to build their fireplace. He was assisted by his son, Mike Curry.

The mantlepiece on the fireplace is a manger board from the farm where Alan grew up. It had been worn smooth by generations of cows rubbing against it and Alan used steel wool and tung oil to bring out the beauty of the old wood.

The two-car garage is paneled in wood taken from the couple’s first home and provides a place to dis-play Alan’s deer hunting trophies.

The breezeway connecting garage and home is paneled in barn boards with a ceiling of corrugated tin, both taken from Alan’s father’s old barn.

The couple spent their first night in their new home in February 2011. Although the home wasn’t com-pletely finished at that time, it was close.

“We had the good fortune to build in the mildest

SchumacherContinued from page 7

105 S. Main St., North English319-664-3606 • 877-3GARCIA

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Thanks to the Schumachers for the opportunity to work on your

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winter in Iowa history,” Alan says. The moving process was fairly simple, since their

old home was so close by. They had several garage

sales to help clear out the clutter and after re-pur-posing as much of their old home as possible, the remaining structure was torn down in May 2011.

Area individuals, businesses and building con-tractors providing work and materials for the home include: Phil Marshal Construction, Doug Kinzen-baw, Marengo Ready Mix, Ken Lacina, Nick Rob-erts, Steve Krakow, Ken Curry and Mike Curry and Keystone Bank, all Marengo; Kirk Draper, Atkins; Matt Byer and Roberts Construction, Victor; Rabe Hardware and Kimm’s Ready Mix, Blairstown; Mitch Hughes, Williamsburg; Garcia Carpet, North English; the ArJay Center, Sears and Menards.

Marengo Drywall Co.909 William Ave.

Marengo IA 52301

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In 2007, Bette McGivern, Marengo, made this quilt and gave it to Alan and Joyce Schum-acher as a gift “for your new house.” The couple finally built their new home in 2011 and were happy to display the quilt in their master bedroom.

“This Mud’s for You”

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Blairstown, IA 52209-0135319-454-6200 • Fax: 319-454-9062

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home.Thank You Alan & Joyce Schumacher

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CongratulationsAlan & Joyce!!

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Brian Miller, Owner MarengoCALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

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Thank you Loftus family for choosing us!

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By BRIAN RATHJEN

When it came time for Joe and Kelly Loftus to downsize, a move from their longtime home on JJ Avenue, five miles southwest of Marengo, into town was in order.

The site they ultimately built their new single-level, ranch-style home still gives the couple the feel of living in the country.

A friend of theirs – Mike McBride, a custodian at Iowa Valley Junior-Senior High School – had owned some property along Cherry Street, on the city’s west side. Joe joked that “he had mowed it long enough” and offered to sell.

“We like to see the levee,” said Kel-ly. “There’s people walking up there a

lot.”“… And the deer,” chimed in Joe.

“It makes us feel we’re still out in the country, because we came from the country. We wanted to have a home that felt like country but had the con-venience of town.”

“I live with three men and they’re all outdoors type of people,” Kelly said, referring to Joe and sons Joe “Cory” and Logan. “So we tried to incorpo-rate that into (the house).”

And so it was, the Loftus’ new home, at 1141 Cherry Ave., which they moved into shortly after Thanksgiv-ing 2013. Now, less than three months after moving in, the couple say they enjoy their new house very much.

CONTRACTORSA friend recommended Brent and

Corrienne Dally, owners of Bear Creek Construction, to design the house. The couple worked with the Dallys and a representative of Lowe’s to tweak the floorplan and decide where everything was going to go.

“We found the house plans online and they (the Dallys) would tweak them,” said Kelly. “The craftsmanship from Brent and Corrienne we were very, very pleased with. It’s outstand-ing time that they spent on this.”

Bear Creek Construction was as-signed as general contractors and got everything ready. Joe said he and his wife didn’t have to worry about much of the legwork – just finalizing differ-ent decisions.

“They wanted to know what we wanted. It’s easy to do things that way,” he said.

TOUR OF THE HOMEThe three-bedroom house comes

complete with three bathrooms and a half bathroom.

One of those bathrooms is located just off the mud room, which serves as the entryway for the Loftuses when they come in from the two-car garage.

“We just wanted to keep the washer and dryer hidden away from the rest of the house,” said Kelly. “And the half-bath (is) just for convenience when people are over.”

Downsizing with a feel of the countryJoe and Kelly Loftus move outside of Marengo into ranch home

Continued on page 11


The garage has plenty of hanging shelves for storage. Later on, a heater will be installed to keep the cars warm in the winter.

If there’s not enough storage there, the Loftuses have the option of a

crawl-space beneath the home. Access is through a panel in one of the walk-in closets, just off the master bedroom.

The distressed hickory flooring complements the wooden, rustic feel of the house and many of the furni-


The Loftus’ home at 1141 Cherry Ave., was built by Bear Creek Construction. Owners Joe and Kelly Loftus moved to the new single-floor, ranch-style home after years in the country.

The kitchen island has a sink basin, which was decided on after considering a multitude of options of where to place the sink.

The open area living room is complete with a fireplace and oak flooring. It opens up to the kitchen and provides a feel of openness.

Kelly and Joe Loftus are proud to be in their new home. Behind them is a small office area, just off the front door, where several hand-built items are located.

Continued from page 10


ture and accent pieces throughout the house. Joe himself built such items as a hutch, various accent tables and so forth, and they are spread throughout the main living areas of the home – the dining area, a small office area just off the front door and the living room.

That living room, by the way, is an open area built with gathering in mind.

“We’ve been in houses that have had sections before and we liked the openness more,” she said. “And, we wanted the kitchen open to the living room, so that when you’re cooking or eat-ing you can still feel like you’re part of what’s go-ing on there.”

The kitchen is complete with hickory cabinets and continues on the outdoorsy, rustic theme. The kitchen island includes a dual-basin sink, and it was quite a decision to decide on that.

“When we first (built) we couldn’t decide where to put it, how big it was going to be, whether it was going to be an island or a penin-sula,” she said. “Corrienne and the gal at Lowe’s tried a lot of different setups with me on the computer what would work best.

“We ended up going with the sink inside the island because otherwise, when I was doing dishes I would have always been facing the wall and away from the light,” she continued. “That was the big deciding factor … and it was facing the levee. And I like to see the levee.”

The master bedroom has its own pair of bath-rooms, one right off the other. One of the bath-

rooms has a dual-basin vanity along with the requisite bathtub and toilet, but the other has a door where one can take a private shower in the walk-in shower.

Throughout the house, windows are framed with oak trim.

Actually, a variety of woods are used through-out the house.

“When we couldn’t do a type of wood because of price we went with a different type of stain … like we’d use a cherry type of stain on the oak trim,” said Kelly.

CONTRACTORSContractors for the Loftus home are:• General contractor: Bear Creek Construction• Materials: Victor Lumber.• Excavation: Brian Miller Excavating.• Concrete: York Construction and Manatt’s• Foam and Insulation: Jenatae Foam Co.• Drywalling: Marengo Drywall Co.• Gutters: KD Seamless Gutters• Electrical: Jeff Schafbuch.• Stone work: Terry Hawkins.• Garage doors: Over Head Door.• Plumbing and heating: Doug Wiebold.• Cabinetry: Lowe’s.• Appliances: Victor Appliance and Lowe’s.Also, the Loftuses thanked Koenig Construc-

tion, Koenig Trucking, Out Door Creations, Alex Installations Flooring, and Farmers Trust & Savings Bank.


Loftus Home

The garage provides plenty of storage space and room to display Joe Loftus’ photos and other memorabilia from a 30-year coaching career at Iowa Valley High School.

Top – The Loftus’ son, Logan, has one of two main bedrooms in the home. The master bedroom (below) is spacious and – like other rooms of the home – features plenty of oak framing around the windows.

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CongratulationsJoe & Kelly Loftus on your new home!

Recognizing termite damageHome ownership can be an unend-

ing series of adventures, especially for those homeowners who love good home improvement projects. Some projects are fun and improve the value of a home instantly, while others are undertaken to address a potentially se-rious issue.

Discovering that termites are tak-ing up residence where you live can be disconcerting, but termites are a very common occurrence. Understand-ing termites and recognizing the signs of termite damage early on can help homeowners reduce the havoc that such critters can wreak on their homes.

Termites are social insects that live together in colonies. These colonies eat nonstop, dining on wood and other cellulose plant matter. They also eat materials made from plants, like fab-ric and paper. According to the Na-tional Pest Management Association, termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage a year. Studies show that queen termites can live up to de-cades under ideal climate conditions while workers and soldiers live approx-

imately one to two years.While there are many varieties of ter-

mites, all are silent destroyers capable of chewing undetected through hous-ing structures. To eradicate termites, homeowners must first identify the in-sects and then contact a termite man-agement specialist to address the pest problem.

Spotting termitesTermites may not always be visible.

Subterranean termite homes are usu-ally formed in soil, where the termites build elaborate tunnel systems that channel through to above-ground food sources. Drywood and dampwood ter-mites may live within the wood they consume and be undetectable until the wood collapses or rots away. Home-owners often realize they have a termite problem when they witness swarming termites. At this point there already may be a mature colony at work dam-aging a home. Swarming, winged ter-mites form in a mature, established colony. Winged termites emerge and

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Thanks Joe and Kelly for choosing



By BENJAMIN EVANS

Driving up the steep incline on Tim-berview Drive the day after a snow-storm is frightening. A front-wheel drive sedan, already beat up from an unrelenting Iowa winter, barely makes it up the frozen hill on which the dif-ference between pavement and dirt is indiscernible. The front wheels spin, then catch, then spin, then send the sedan sliding into park outside its tar-get destination: 2464 Timberview Dr, just outside of Williamsburg.

And there sat the house, tucked away in a rural development, light charcoal gray in color with white trimming and dark shingles. It was built one-story tall facing east into the west side of a long, sloping hill that rolled into a small wooded area a few acres back.

Alex and Courtney Achen, the own-ers of the near six-acre property, said

they built the house in that location because of the view. Any person could see why, as the land had a sort of Mid-western hard-working-but-majestic feel: the unhindered and thin snow drifts, the Walden-esque location, the tree lines. The name of the area was loyal to its natural amenities: the tim-ber was quite a view.

The Achens are a relatively young couple, he aged 30, she aged 27, and had lived in Iowa City before building a house on Timberview Drive. They lived in a duplex in Iowa City, which etched out a priority when building a house closer to Courtney’s workplace: privacy.

“Before you could see your neigh-bors having dinner, so it’s nice having privacy out here,” Alex said.

Both hail from small towns and Courtney has worked at Kinze for sev-en years, so a place out in the country seemed like an ideal spot. Alex wanted

a newer home, Courtney wanted “tim-ber” so a new house on Timberview Dr. was a good fit.

“It’s nice being back in the country,” he said.

THE TOURUpon walking into the Achen

house, the guest is greeted with natu-ral light and an open floor plan. Down the hall, past the first floor laundry room on the right, the genesis of the light is clear: large win-dows line the west walls from the living room, complete with fireplace and built-in shelves, to what my mother would call a beautiful kitchen on the right.

The minimalistic, fresh decor, from dark chocolate leather fur-nishings to bowls of

brightly-colored oranges, accent the granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. White lights hang over the dining room table tucked away in a nook near another set of large win-dows, while wooden bar stools line the kitchen island.

Another right, past the kitchen, re-veals two bedrooms and a bathroom. One bedroom is a guest room, deco-rated with equal care, while another bedroom the beginnings of a nursery.

Achens enjoy new home on edge of WilliamsburgThe Achens built their house outside of Williamsburg near Parnell on a near 40-acre plot of land. Here the front of their single-level house is shown. The Achens said they plan on do-

ing more in the yard after the winter season.

Congratulations toCourtney & Alex Achen

on your beautiful new home!

319-338-2800


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One of the favorite aspects of the Achen home is the open floor plan. The living room, kitchen and dining nook are all lit by natural light from the windows to the west.

Alex put a hand over her stomach and, with a glow and smile, said the couple was ex-pecting, so the room wouldn’t be quite finished until the baby arrived.

A retreat back to the living room, past the warm fireplace, is the master bedroom and, more notably, the master bathroom complete with his and hers sinks, a luxury bathtub and a well-endowed shower. Just off the bathroom is a walk in closet.

The journey to the basement can be tak-en right off the living room, and though it is not yet finished, the Achens said they plan to finish it in a couple years.


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contractors on a successful year!

130 Cyclone DriveWilliamsburg, IA319-668-2145

THANKS to Courtney & Alex Achen for choosing us to be part of your home project!

We haul Gravel, Bulk Mulch, Dirt! We also provide landscaping, seeding and sodding for your home

or remodeling project! Give us a call.

The living room includes, along with the windows, built in cabinets and a fireplace.

The kitchen includes stainless steel appliances, dark wooden cabinets and an island with a sink. This is just off the living room, which is to the right.

Achen Home - Williamsburg

HOPP’STRENCHING SERVICE

668-2163 • 668-2660 • Cell 319-330-6185

*Water *Sewer-Septic Systems *Excavating & All YOUR Digging Needs

Thanks Courtney and Alex for allowing us to install your

septic system.


LEE WETJENWilliamsburg319-631-5133

Call for your siding needs!Proud to be a part of

Courtney & Alex Achen’s building project!

The guest bedroom is one of three bedrooms in total. The bedroom has a bathroom just next to it in the hallway. The master bedroom is located just off the living room and has a master

bathroom to the left. It also includes a walk-in closet.

The kitchen includes stainless steel appliances, dark wooden cabinets and an island with a sink.

ShinglesGot ’em.

WindowsGot ’em.

SidingGot it.

MillworkGot it.

Tricycles?Don’t got ’em.

DoorsGot ’em.

CountertopsGot ’em.

Laminate FlooringGot it.

HardwareGot it.

Ceramic TileGot it.

Custom CabinetsGot ’em.

Homeowners and contractors: If you want to build or improve a home, you want Gilcrest/Jewett’s wide selection of quality materials and products. (But, if you

want a birthday present for the kids, we’d suggest shopping elsewhere.)

Gilcrest/Jewett: Building Relationships Since 1856.www.gilcrestjewett.com

Iowa’s exclusive distributor of Windsor Windows & Doors.

CORALVILLE319-338-0089

WAUKEE515-987-3600

MARION319-377-1593

ALTOONA515-957-0027


CalDerwooD hoMe Country charm laced with modern conveniences

By J.O. [email protected]

Erick and Billie Jo Calderwood’s new rural Brooklyn home features lots of modern conve-niences surrounded by plenty of country charm.

Everywhere you turn, there are bits and pieces of family history. For instance, the upstairs guest bedroom features a headboard made from a win-dow that came from the old Calderwood farm-stead that once sat on the property.

There are also decorative tables and wall hang-ings sprinkled throughout the home made from old window shutters. They were designed and built by Bill Schultz, Billie Jo’s father.

Above the rock fireplace is an old antique pho-to showing running horses in black and white.

“I wanted it because it was like one that hung in my grandparents’ hallway,” said Billie Jo. “My dad had a collection of them.”

The front door entryway features an old Brooklyn Rural Route 1 mail sorting table. The table was gifted to the couple by Jim and Sue Eichhorn of rural Mahaska County.

In the master bedroom is an old trunk that, according to the couple, was brought to America from Europe by Erick’s ancestors.

“It almost got thrown away,” said Billie Jo. “When I discovered its history, I said ‘no way.’”

Located at 3689 V18 Road, the 2,800 square foot home includes a full walkout basement and unique built-in screen porch off the kitchen.

Blake Bushong of Montezuma designed the home. Blake is a student at the University of Northern Iowa and a friend of the family.

“We took him our ideas and he just did it in his free time,” Billie Jo said.

Bruce Baustian Construction of Brooklyn built the house, which was finished in mid-February 2013.

“He is local and we knew he did very good work,” Billie Jo said.

The couple worked with as many local and area contractors as possible.

All the materials for the home, including the Marvin Integrity windows and self-closing quiet touch Mid Continent kitchen cabinets, were pur-chased from Brooklyn Building Center.

The counter tops were built and installed by


Erick and Billie Jo Calderwood’s new rural Brooklyn home.

The wood-burning fireplace features is encased in rock. The running horse photo is like the one Billie Jo remem-bers hanging on her grandparents’ wall growing up.

The basement of the Calderwood home features a hand-built bar designed by Marcus Hollingshead, the fiance of Billie Jo’s daughter, Kelsie Sheets. The cabinets behind the bar were purchased at Habitat for Humanity Restore in Des Moines.

Christian Calderwood’s basement bedroom is decorated in John Deere green and yellow. He enjoys collecting toy John Deere tractors and Old Thresher’s Reunion buttons. He also likes old Chevrolets and has decorated his bathroom with old signs.


OK Tops in Brooklyn.The home also features Mid Conti-

nent maple doors (interior and exte-rior) throughout.

The upstairs features an open floor plan with the living, dining and kitchen flowing together as one room. The master bedroom, guest room and office, which the Calderwood’s call the “Iowa Room,” are also upstairs. Just off the kitchen are the mudroom and a separate laundry room. There are 2.5 baths up-stairs.

The full walkout basement is half finished and features one bedroom and a full-size bath that the couple’s son, Christian, calls home. Christian is a John Deere fan and has decorated his room in green and yellow.

He also likes old Chevrolets and has decorated his bathroom with old signs.

The basement entertainment area,


[email protected]., 7:30-5; Sat., 7:30-Noon

229 W. Front St., Brooklyn, IA 52211

BROOKLYNBUILDING CENTER®

Thank you Tyler Busch and Erick & Billie JoCalderwood for choosing Brooklyn Building Center

PROUDLY SERVING BENTON, IOWA AND POWESHIEK COUNTIES

1-800-877-1258 • www.manatts.com

Call or visit our website to fi nd a ready mix plant near you!

Ready Mix ConcreteAll Year With

Prompt Service


One of Billie Jo’s favorite places to spend a fall day is on the screened in porch located just off the kitchen area.


FREE ESTIMATES1329 Michael Avenue, [email protected]

Michael VanTomme Owner

Thanks Erick and Billie Jo! We enjoyed working with you.

DESIGN . BUILD . ENJOYYour Satisfaction is Guaranteed

which Billie Jo refers to as the “man cave,” features a hand-built bar designed by Marcus Hollingshead, the fiancé of Billie Jo’s daughter, Kelsie Sheets.

The cabinets behind the bar came from Habi-tat for Humanity Restore in Des Moines.

There is also a fully encased concrete safe room in the basement, should a storm hit the area.

The home features Climatemaster geothermal heating and air installed by Ternus Electrical, Heating and Plumbing of Tama. The company also completed the plumbing work in the new home.

Erick, a licensed electrician with Collum Elec-tric in Brooklyn, did all the wiring in the new home. All the wiring runs underground.

Should the power go out, the home features a GE backup generator that automatically switch-es on. The generator runs on propane.

The laminate flooring, carpeting and tile was

Calderwood

The extra-large master bedroom features its own bath and large corner windows to allow plenty of natural light in. The trunk shown is believed to be brought from Europe to America by Erick’s ancestors.




Thanks Erick and Billie Jo for letting us build your

new home

BRUCE BAUSTIANCONSTRUCTION, Inc.

General ContractorNew Homes • Remodeling

Decks • Garages

Over 30 years experience

506 W. Pershing DriveBrooklyn, IA

641-522-9403

CalderwoodContinued from page 20

purchased and installed by Witte’s Home Decorating in Brooklyn.

The rock work around the wood-burning fireplace was done through Baustian Construction.

Daryl Hall poured the basement walls and Minnaert Concrete of Brooklyn did the flatwork (base-ment floor, driveway and sidewalk). Manatts supplied the concrete.

Van Tomme Landscaping of Grin-nell built the retaining walls that adorn the front of the home. The greenery was planted by a Calder-wood family member from Omaha, Neb.

The appliances throughout the home were purchased from Victor Appliance.

The headboard in the guest room is made from a window that was in the Calderwood farm house that once stood on the property. Billie Jo’s father, Bill Schultz, built the headboard.


Shop Floors Sidewalks Driveways Patios Skidloader Services Free Estimates

Shawn Minnaert, Owner • Insured Home Cell 641-522-3077 641-990-9833

Thanks for letting us do the concrete fl atwork on your home project.

Call usfor allyour

concrete needs

OK TOPS 641~522~3030

240 West Front St., Brooklyn, IA

• Formica • Wilsonart • Pionite • Granite • Quartz• Custom Laminate or Solid Surface

• Marble Vanity Tops • Under Mount Sinks

We help make your kitchen

one-of-a-kindLOCALLY CUSTOM

MADESPECIALIZING IN

CUSTOM COUNTERTOPS

Thanks Erick and Billie Jo for putting

your trust in us

The open kitchen floor plan features an island, quiet touch self-closing cabinets and modern Kitchen Aid appliances purchased at Victor Appliance.

fly off looking for mates. Afterward they will locate a new breeding site and form another colony, potentially spreading infestations through mul-tiple locations. Winged termites are attracted to light and can be seen by windows and doors in spring.

Other signs of termites include ac-cumulation of soil or dirt at the base of wood structures or the founda-tion of a home. There also may be

fissures or cracks near wood sur-faces. Sometimes “frass” or termite droppings can be seen. They appear

as rough, granulated sawdust.Covered mud tubes, or channels

of mud leading from the soil up the foundation of a home, are indicative of the presence of termites. Even if termites are no longer present in these tubes, that does not mean the termites have moved on. They sim-



Termites


ply may have chosen a new path to your home.

Keeping termites awayOnce termites have been identified, it

is time to eliminate them. This means getting rid of water and food sources

that are close to a home.* Repair leaky faucets and other wa-

ter drips in and around the house.* Keep gutters and downspouts

clean.* Seal entry points around water and

utility lines or pipes.* Divert water away from the foun-

dation.* Keep lumber, firewood or paper

away from the foundation of the home.* Clear away stumps and tree debris.* Prevent untreated wood from con-

tacting the soil.

Treating termitesIt is very difficult for homeowners to

get rid of termites by themselves. Very often they require the work of profes-sionals. A termite exterminator will conduct a visual inspection of a home and property and may do extensive testing involving expensive acoustic or

infrared equipment to probe the soil beneath the house.

Depending on the species of termite, the exterminator will suggest various treatments. These may include the ap-plication of pesticides and making ar-eas around the home less hospitable to termites. Severely damaged wood may need to be removed and replaced.

Termites are problematic in many areas of the world. These insects often stay hidden and do serious damage that can cost homeowners a fortune. Treating termites promptly is essential.


Witte’s Home Decorating142 Jackson Street

Brooklyn 641-522-4500306 West State Street

Williamsburg 319-668-9933OR

It’s time to get rid of the Winter Blues!New fl ooring and blinds will liven up your home.

We have hundreds of laminate, ceramic tile, duraceramics, vinyls and carpeting samples to

choose from at both locationsFREE ESTIMATES & EXPERT

INSTALLATION OF ALL PRODUCTS“We enjoyed working with Erick & Billie Calderwood

on their beautiful country home. Our laminate, duraceramic and carpeting

enhanced the beauty of their gorgeous home.”

Contact Gene or Becca!www.BurgInsuranceAgency.com

116 W. State St., PO Box 7Williamsburg, IA 52361

(319) 668-2241 • (800) 765-1281

Ternus ElectricELECTRIC - HEATING - AIR CONDITIONINGSELF STORAGE - PLUMBING & BACKHOE

Ivan TernusBusiness 641-484-2521

Home 641-484-50181010 East 5th St., Tama, IA 52339

• Save money with energy saving LED lights and retrofi t kits. ~ Recessed LED Can Lights ~ Fluorescent LED Replacements ~ LED Under Cabinet Lighting ~ Outside LED Wall Lights

• Never be without power again with an automatic backup generator – from small residential units to large commercial applications.

• Feel the warmth of radiant cove heat without the high cost of propane or natural gas. Add to just one room or heat your whole house.

Give us a call or email us to discussyour next electrical project.

We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.Brooklyn - 641.522.7483Grinnell - 641.236.6587

EMAIL - [email protected]


A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYMortgage rates are still near all time lows. If you are

considering the purchase of a new home or want to refinance to a lower rate on your current property, let’s schedule a

meeting. And don’t forget, UICCU does not charge the 1% origination fee usually attached to mortgage loans.

Ryan Doehrmann319-341-2130rdoehrmann@uiccu.orgwww.uiccuryandoehrmann.com

You can join if you live or work in Eastern Iowa.

2014 showcase of homes

Documents

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rosss home

adams home

adam vargasons home

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steve vargason

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