It’s interesting how the most challenging projects also turn out to also be the most rewarding. That was the case with today’s featured home renovation. This two-year labor of love presented Asheville builder Sean Sullivan with numerous challenges, but ultimately Sean’s company, Living Stone Construction, achieved spectacular and award-winning results.
Living Stone Construction Brings Home Gold From Las Vegas
On February 5, 2014 Living Stone Construction was presented the Gold BALA Award (Best in American Living) for “Whole House Renovation” of the Bertsch-Furimsky project, which took place at the NAHB International Builders Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Living Stone has won many awards on both the state and local levels, including in 2012 when they received the award for “Best Whole House Renovation” from the NCHBA for this same project. However, the Gold BALA award is the company’s first national honor.
Welcome to Living Stone Construction
Living Stone Construction and “The Rockcliff” Shine at 2013 AHBA Parade of Homes
Living Stone Construction had yet another successful showing at the 32nd annual Asheville Parade of Homes. On the weekends of October 12-13 and 19-20, people all over the area were able to visit Living Stone’s craftsmen built home “The Rockcliff”, which is located in the beautiful Southcliff development.
“The Rockcliff” which was designed by Jason Weil (Retro + Fit Design) and decorated by Laura Sullivan (ID.ology Interior Design), served as the front cover of the 2013 Parade of Homes magazine and drew in more traffic this year than in any other previous year. Over 100 people signed up to receive Living Stone Construction’s newsletter with design ideas for a potential future build with the company.
Living Stone Construction Has Another Successful Year at NCHBA STARS Awards
On September 17, Living Stone Construction attended the 2013 STARS Awards Gala in Charlotte, NC for the sixth straight year and hoped to have yet another successful evening. The STARS Awards Gala is a prestigious ceremony that recognizes residential custom homebuilders all throughout the state for their superb work during the year in a wide variety of categories. Living Stone went into the ceremony with high expectations and did not leave disappointed.
In all, Living Stone walked away with four awards, which included: Best Television Commercial (The Living Stone Difference), Best Brochure/Marketing Piece for a builder, Best Single-Family Detached Home with a sales price of $250,000-$500,000 (The Rockcliff Residence), and Best Addition (The Thiemkey addition). Living Stone was the only builder out of the Asheville HBA to receive awards that evening.
Husband and Wife Team Receive CAPS Accreditation at 21st Century Expo
Living Stone Construction’s President, Sean Sullivan, and the Principal of ID.ology Interior Design, Laura Sullivan, recently traveled to Charlotte and completed the four-day CAPS course seminar and received accreditation in doing so. By completing this course, Sean and Laura are now considered Certified Aging-In-Place Specialists (CAPS), meaning they are well versed and obtain the necessary skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place.
The Importance of working with ID.ology Interior Design
Managing Moisture in Your Home
Managing moisture in and around your home is one of the most important things you can do to ensure its longevity, make it comfortable to live in, and prevent damage to its contents.
The National Association of Home Builders’ MyHome Press has published a handbook for home owners, “Home Maintenance Made Easy,” and the excerpt below contains helpful advice on how to control your home’s moisture.
High Performance Home Benefits
New high performance homes incorporate the latest building science principles to control temperature and humidity, maintain indoor air quality and increase energy efficiency. Although your home may not include all of the latest air-sealing, ventilation, and moisture-management technology, you will be more comfortable in your home and it will last longer it you do everything possible to manage moisture. This includes replacing filters, controlling humidity, and—when outside air is cool and dry—allowing fresh air into your home.
Living Stone Builds Green
And, we’re proud to be among the few builders who are certified to construct:
OUR CERTIFICATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
Having an ENERGY STAR Home is Important
ENERGY STAR. It’s the little label with the big message: Better is Better. 
Living Stone is proud to offer new homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. The ENERGY STAR label means that your new home has been designed and built to standards well above other homes in the market today. It means better quality, better comfort, and better durability. It also means that your new home is a better value for today, and a better investment for tomorrow. The ENERGY STAR label gives you the peace of mind that your home has undergone a better process for inspections, testing, and verification to ensure that it meets strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ENERGY STAR certified homes are better because they are designed and built to provide homeowners:
Peace of Mind. The result of a home that’s built better.
How To: Curb Appeal, Our Office Renovation
How To: Protect Your Home From Water Invasion
How to: Use Advanced Framing Techniques for Energy Efficiencies
How to: Replace Your Windows
How To: Use Superior Walls for Your Foundation
How to: Get your Home Energy Rated
Easy Ways To Green Your Home
Green building, where new homes are built using materials that conserve energy and environmental resources, is one of the fastest-growing segments of the home building industry today. But for the owners of the millions of existing homes in the United States, remodeling is the only way to incorporate green.
NAHB Remodelers offers the following suggestions to home owners who want to increase their home’s efficiency, decrease costs, and take advantage of the other benefits that green offers:
1. Install maximum insulation.
Forty percent of the energy consumed in a typical house goes to heating and cooling. Adding insulation is an easy way to increase efficiency. Insulation is rated by its ability to resist heat flow, known as “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the more effectively the insulation resists heat flow. Adding insulation will help save energy costs, increase comfort by better controlling temperature, and improve indoor air quality by eliminating gaps through which dirt, dust, and other impurities can enter.
2. Install high-efficiency windows.
Beware Unscrupulous Contractors
What Can You Expect From Living Stone?
OUR MISSION
To take our clients’ dreams beyond their expectations.
OUR VALUES
Communication. We will provide you with regular, timely, accurate information, so you can make the critical decisions for an on-time completion and a beyond-expectations result.
Quality. We set out to provide a home that will be a source of pride and comfort for generations. We’re exacting in both craftsmanship and materials—providing the very best of both. And we relentlessly refine our processes as we seek new materials and technology.