Infrastructure Archives

March 1, 2024May 9, 2024

Energy Efficient Homes

Sustainable homes are energy efficient homes. Further, they reduce environmental impact by designs that minimize energy consumption. These homes employ various strategies and technologies to improve energy efficiency and promote sustainability

We incorporate these features in our builds and our clients love them! Here are some common features and practices used:

Proper insulation: Well-insulated homes improve energy efficiency by reducing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. These homes have insulation in walls, ceilings, floors, and windows to maintain a consistent indoor temperature.

Energy-efficient windows: Energy-efficient windows are designed to prevent heat transfer, reducing the need for heating or cooling systems. These windows often have double or triple glazing, low-emissivity coatings, and insulated frames.

High-efficiency heating and cooling systems: Designed to consume less energy, the heating and cooling systems are extremely efficient. These systems include Energy Star-rated furnaces, heat pumps, or geothermal heating and cooling systems.

LED lighting: Often these homes are outfitted with LED or other energy-saving light bulbs, which use significantly less electricity and have a longer lifespan than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Energy-efficient appliances: Energy Star-certified appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, are commonly installed in energy-efficient homes. These appliances use less energy to perform their functions.

Efficient Homes Preserve Resources

Solar panels: Many energy-efficient homes incorporate solar panel systems to generate renewable electricity. These solar panels convert sunlight into electrical power, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources.

Water-saving fixtures: Energy-efficient homes often have water-saving fixtures installed, such as low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads. These fixtures reduce water consumption and help conserve freshwater resources.

Smart home technology: Energy-efficient homes may utilize smart home technology to optimize energy consumption. This technology allows homeowners to remotely control and monitor energy usage, adjust temperatures, and schedule energy-saving settings.

By incorporating these energy-efficient features, homeowners can significantly reduce their energy consumption, decrease carbon emissions, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Thus, setting yourself up for built in comfort and savings for years to come.

Contact the Anderson Construction Group for your home build. Our superior homes are the trademark of our business and the delight of our clients.

October 1, 2023May 9, 2024

Homes for the Future

At Anderson Construction Group, we don’t just build homes; we craft homes for the future. Our commitment to excellence in luxury home construction goes hand-in-hand with our dedication to sustainable and eco-conscious practices. As we look ahead, “Homes for the Future” isn’t just a tagline—it’s our mission.

Firstly, luxury living has evolved over the years. Today, it’s not just about opulence and extravagance; it’s about living in harmony with nature while embracing the latest cutting-edge technology. A home for the future represents the pinnacle of this evolution, seamlessly blending high-end design, eco-consciousness, and the latest technological innovations.

Additionally, sustainability is at the core of our approach. We recognize that the homes of tomorrow must be environmentally responsible, reducing their carbon footprint while enhancing the quality of life for their occupants.

Our commitment to sustainable luxury includes:

Energy Efficiency: We employ advanced building techniques and materials to create homes that are highly energy-efficient. From solar panels to smart home automation, our homes harness the latest and greatest ideas for sustainable living.

Green Building Materials: Our choice of materials prioritizes sustainability, utilizing eco-friendly options without compromising on quality or aesthetics.

What Does a Home for the Future Mean to Us?

These are smart homes in the truest sense: with the incorporation of cutting-edge technology into our designs, Anderson Construction Group works to enhance convenience, security, and energy efficiency. From integrated smart home systems to energy monitoring, our homes are built to make life easier while reducing environmental impact.

Furthermore, our commitment to luxury doesn’t stop at sustainable technology. Every Anderson Construction Group home is made to be a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship. From soaring ceilings to exquisite finishes, we create spaces that are a joy to live in.

Lastly, Anderson Construction Group’s, homes for the future are not just a vision; it’s our ongoing commitment. We invite you to join us in shaping the future of luxury living, where sustainability, technology, and uncompromising quality come together to create homes that are truly extraordinary.

For inquiries about our sustainable luxury home construction services, please contact Anderson Construction Group. Together, we can turn your vision of the future into a reality.

July 1, 2023May 9, 2024

Quality Control with the Anderson Construction Group

Quality Control: Ensuring Excellence with Anderson Construction Group

To start, in the field of construction, delivering exceptional quality is paramount. At Anderson Construction Group, we understand the significance of quality control in every aspect of a build. Quality control encompasses a range of processes and measures that ensure construction excellence, from initial planning to the final touches of a project. Let’s explore the topic of quality control and how it drives our commitment to delivering top-notch construction solutions.

Ensuring quality is the cornerstone of our construction approach, guiding us to meet and exceed industry standards, codes, and regulations. We place great emphasis on meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every element of a project aligns with the highest standards. Moreover, by upholding precision and accuracy throughout the design and construction process, we ensure that structures are not only aesthetically pleasing but also structurally sound.

Quality and its Benefits

Additionally, one of the key benefits of controlling quality is the ability to minimize defects and the need for rework. By implementing robust quality control processes, we can identify potential issues before they happen. This proactive approach saves time, resources, and prevents costly extensions.

Furthermore, customer satisfaction is the core of our business. Through our dedication to quality, we strive to exceed customer expectations and establish community trust. By delivering projects that meet the highest quality standards, we build long-term relationships with our clients as well as our reputation for excellence.

Maintaining quality is an ongoing process at Anderson Construction Group. We believe in continuous improvement to enhance our construction practices, materials, and techniques. We regularly evaluate and refine our quality control procedures, and incorporate the latest advancements and industry best practices. This commitment allows us to stay at the forefront of the construction industry and deliver innovative and high-quality projects.

Lastly, quality is a fundamental pillar of Anderson Construction Group’s construction philosophy. Our commitment to adhering to rigorous standards, maintaining precision, minimizing defects, and prioritizing customer satisfaction sets us apart as a trusted and reliable building company. Choose Anderson Construction Group for your next construction project and experience the excellence that quality control brings.

May 1, 2023May 9, 2024

Expert Witness in Construction Disputes

Expert Witness in Construction Disputes – What You Need to Know

Construction disputes can be challenging to navigate, especially when technical expertise is required to resolve the issue. In these cases, law firms often seek the assistance of an expert witness who can provide specialized knowledge and experience to help resolve the matter. Let’s talk details: here’s what you need to know about expert witnesses in construction disputes.

What Makes A Great Expert Witness in Construction Disputes?

First, an expert witness is a professional who provides their expertise to assist in a legal dispute. A high quality expert is one with extensive education and/or experience related to the case at hand. Therefore, in construction disputes, an expert witness may have a background in engineering, architecture, construction management, or another related field.

What’s The Role?

An expert witness in construction disputes can play a crucial role. They can identify and assess technical issues, provide an independent opinion on the matter, and offer insight into the industry standards and practices.

Typically, the expert witness will review the case materials, including contracts, plans, specifications, and other relevant documents. They will then prepare a report detailing their findings and conclusions. The report may include a description of the problem, the cause of the issue, and potential solutions to resolve the dispute.

Expert witnesses may also be required to testify in court or during alternative dispute resolution proceedings. They will present their findings and conclusions and answer questions from the attorneys and the court.

Selecting an Expert Witness

Selecting the right expert witness is crucial to the success of the case. When choosing an expert witness, law firms should consider their experience, qualifications, and expertise in the specific area of the dispute. They should also ensure that the expert witness is objective and independent and has experience working in legal proceedings.

Expert witnesses in construction disputes are a valuable asset. They offer an independent opinion and provide insight into industry standards and practices. Make sure to choose someone with the right experience, qualifications, and expertise. With the right expert witness, you can be sure the case will be provided information and opinions you can trust.

As always, we invite you to contact our team at the Anderson Construction Group, Inc., if we can be of assistance as an expert witness in construction disputes for your organization.

February 1, 2023May 9, 2024

Custom Home Builder – Heating Options

Building Consulting Custom Home Builder in Horseshoe Bay Spec Home

As a custom home builder, part of my job is protecting each client from the endless sea of options. Every build comes with a specific set of needs and preferences. Straying from those needs and preferences is, 99% of the time, a waste of everyone’s energy.

So, when it’s time for the client to make a choice, I consider it my job to be familiar with all available options. Then I can present only the two or three most viable. Then the client isn’t worn out in their dream home’s infancy.

One choice to make for each home is how to heat the place! Heating is a traditionally costly and inefficient necessity. While things like internal wall insulation can help, we need to treat this problem at the source. An option I always consider is a heat pump- there are a few kinds, so ask your custom home builder about what may work for you.

Regardless of the type you choose, you’re looking at a system that saves money as you go, is safer with less maintenance, and get this. In warmer weather, you can reverse the system to cool your home! This isn’t a perfect system, as it becomes less effective with extreme heat, and can be taxing on a power grid in extreme cold.

You’ll likely want backup plans on hand for the hottest and coldest days. However, here in the hill country, the savings can be astronomical! That tradeoff is for you and your custom home builder to work out.

Always Ask Your Custom Home Builder

No single climate control solution will work for everyone, but going in with all viable options can help find yours. Be sure to share your needs and preferences with your custom home builder so they can narrow things down for you.

For any questions, or to start working together on your custom home, please feel free to reach out!

May 1, 2022January 1, 2023

Upgrades That Increase Value Pt. 2

Upgrades that increase value make up most of the choices faced by homeowners who are building their homes from scratch. In our last blog post, we covered some of the most common simple upgrades that increase both the value of a home, as well as its eco-friendliness (which also translates to wallet-friendliness)! In this post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the surprising pros and cons of such upgrades, and asking questions to see how well they work for us. For instance:

Is it Really an Upgrade?

There are some “upgrades” that, depending on your circumstances, may not be upgrades at all! Let’s see about a classic choice for home sustainability: Solar Panels. These are often the default when thinking about how to make your home more cost-effective and eco-friendly.

To ensure your home is ready for solar, you have much to consider. If a roof is too small, the panels won’t be able to absorb enough light. If your neighbors have tall trees or houses that shade your roof, they won’t get enough light. Perhaps your roof isn’t on an optimal angle (based on your location), they won’t get enough light. If your roof is angled the wrong direction relative to the sun, you guessed it! They won’t get enough light!

There is a structural aspect that is often overlooked, as well. It is important to determine if your roof is structurally engineered to handle the weight of the solar panels. If not, you may create a major problem without realizing it.

Provided you have the ability to accommodate all these needs, there’s one more important question: how long do you plan to stay in this house? Solar can be expensive, especially if you don’t qualify for the associated incentives and rebates. It can take years to achieve a return on the significant investment of solar panels the old-fashioned way!

However, let’s assume that money is no object. Your roof is ready for solar, and you have a great team standing by to install. According to a study by Zillow, solar panels increase home value by an average of 4.1 percent! Based on this information, you may well get your ROI (and then some) on closing day!

In Closing

As you can see, there are so many benefits to adding upgrades that increase value. From cutting down on costs for yourself, to making some extra money when selling, and even to providing future owners of your home the benefits of eco-friendly living as well! Make sure to assess your budget and the abilities of your builder when beginning a project. You might find that there’s even more in it for you that you think!

March 1, 2022January 1, 2023

Home Orientation Pt. 2

Home Orientation Tips (Pt. 2)

Home orientation can have such an astounding effect on your heating and cooling bills, especially here in Central Texas where the summers get so blisteringly hot! Some natural assistance in cutting those costs is always helpful, and leaves more room in the budget for the fun stuff. Let’s jump back into some of the ways nature can help you out!

Take Cover!

Tree cover, that is! There are a number of ways that strategically placed trees can benefit your bottom line. Last month we talked about the sun’s differing summer and winter paths. To recap:

Summer Sun: rises north of true east, travels high in the sky, sets north of true west
Winter Sun: rises south of true east, travels nearer to the horizon, sets south of true west

So, where do the trees factor in?

Imagine planting a row of deciduous trees (birch, crape myrtle, mesquite, oak, etc.) in your south-facing yard. In the summer, the canopy is full, and you have plenty of shade for playtime and yard work. In winter, the leaves have fallen, and that low-lying southerly sun can shine right through your windows!

This helps provide some extra warmth to your living areas (see previous blog post for floor plan tips), and takes some strain off of your heating system.

More Home Orientation Tips

That’s not all though!

Concrete, asphalt, and gravel driveways hold an immense amount of heat in the summers, and can easily overheat a house in these Central Texas summers. While this outdoor radiator effect can be reduced by laying the driveway east of your house where it will only be exposed to the gentler morning sun. Before cooling in the afternoon shade, you can once again employ some native foliage to mitigate your climate system use. A nicely shaded, east-laying driveway will save you some summer money, andkeeps a comfortable space for vehicles and chalk art!

There is a never-ending list of benefits to considering the orientation of your home! These principles make a great start, and hopefully serve as inspiration for how to get the most out of YOUR home.

Contact the Anderson Construction Group, Inc. today to get started building your very own Custom Luxury Home with efficiency in mind!

We have more tips to share so check back next month!

February 1, 2022January 1, 2023

Home Orientation

Home Orientation (Pt. 1)

Home orientation is one of the most important aspects to consider when looking at a home’s efficiency and comfort! By simply taking a few cues from your climate and surroundings, they’ll do much of the heating and cooling work for you, whether you’re building a new home, remodeling the one you have, or deciding which one is right to buy.

Sunny Side Out

First, let’s look at the sun: we all know it rises in the east and sets in the west. It also swings low through the sky in the winter, and shines down from a sharp angle in the summer.

Therefore, large south-facing windows will gather plenty of warming sunlight in the winter, and the high summer sun will be at too sharp an angle to overheat your home. To increase this effect, consider a roof with significant overhang, and orient your longest walls to the north and south. Just like that, you’re passively saving money year-round!

Thanks to that low sun path, the north sides of hills can find themselves shaded all winter long. If you get to choose, try setting up on the south side instead.

Floor Planning

The arrangement of rooms within your home can also have a dramatic impact on your energy use. Don’t waste the heat collected from those south-facing windows on a laundry room or staircase. Put those to the north, and they’ll act as a buffer from the northerly winter winds. You can take advantage of that southerly light and heat for your living room or kitchen instead.

Make sure the western end of your house is prepared for bright afternoon light. That could be a study that warms and brightens as the day goes on, or a dining room where the whole family can watch the sun set together!

The east, of course, gets sunrise. This is a great spot for bedrooms with large windows, so you can wake with the sun and take advantage of that early warmth. It will also cool quickly, ensuring you aren’t overheating as you head to bed in the evening.

In some places, it’s nearly impossible to orient your home to exact compass points. Luckily, all of these benefits can still be obtained with up to a 15-20 degree shift from true north!

This all makes a great start to the principles of home orientation. We still have more to share though, so check back next month for Part 2!

November 1, 2021January 12, 2023

Infrastructure and Building Safety

Building Consulting Building Inspector and Custom Home Builder Anderson Construction Group

Infrastructure and Building Safety is such an important topic. In April of 2021 President Biden proclaimed the month to be “Building Safety Month”.

The significance of maintaining and upgrading our building infrastructure was recognized.

2021 brought on crisis after crisis. The catastrophic freeze in Texas, the condo collapse in Florida, and the devastating fires in California… the hits kept coming.

These moments taught us all, as a nation, how very important our home and its safety is. We can no longer ignore our infrastructure and building safety.

Thus, it caused many rethink how and even where they live.

Sustainable features saw record highs in sales including water collection systems, and solar power. Features that previously may have seemed extravagant or unneeded, suddenly became a way to stay alive. Some were previously prepared while others weren’t.

We have long believed in and practiced sustainable building. Safety is of the utmost importance to us. Both of these items are at the very core of what we stand for. We pride ourselves on being comfortably elegant sustainable custom builders.

Our founder has an extensive background in building and construction safety. You can learn more about David Anderson by clicking here. Click Here

Lastly, you can read about Building Safety Month here. Click Here