28 - Friday, November 18, 1988 - Nerth Shore News LIFESTYLES BUILDING, RENOVATING Insulation is for soundpro WHEN MOST homeowners think about insulation, they think about keeping warm and comfortable and saving money on their heating bills. But when builders construct top-quality homes, in- sulation is also used extensively for soundproofing. George Leopold, president of Acme Construction Ltd. in Toronto, is currentiy putting the finishing touches on a multi-million dollar custom home on the shores of Lake Ontario. Only the best building materials are acceptable to the owners of the home, so ‘‘all the interior walls, all the floors, all the floor joists, and all the waterlines are insulated with tep quality insulation,’’ says Leopold. “We use fibreglass batts for all the interior parti- tions,2” he says, “and in all houses we build, all the plastic drains — the four-inch stacks, the three-inch pipes and 1%-inch or two-inch pipes, whatever carries water — are insulated. We wrap at least an R-20 in- sulation over the pipes. You don’t want to have someone flushing the toilet upstairs, and hear the noise down below somewhere.” Leopold says adding the soundproofing insulation “tis relatively cheap’? and makes a dramatic difference in the quality of the building. He makes it a standard practice to insulate around bathtubs and whirlpools — not only for soundproof- ing, but also to keep the water hot longer. “‘Whether you put in a whirlpool or a standard tub, the new tubs are so lightweight and thin that if you don’t put in insulation, the water gets cold a lot faster. The insulation reaily makes a difference.” Because of Leopold’s close attention to detail, he and the owner of the lakeshore property developed a good working relationship during construction. The 5,000-square-foot home has five bedrooms and (Sofa Bed) Complete with 5” Futon With Foam Core A Cover and pitiows extra STUDIO COUCH (Sofa Bed) Commete with 6” Futon DAVENPORT 5 DOUBLE (Sofa Bed) & Complete with Regular 6" Futon ® Also available in clear lacquer finish STUDIO fii (3 positions — Couch, Chaise Lounge, Bed) Also available in clear lac- LY quer finish. Complete with $4199 aa 6" Futon : Designer cover extra DOUBLE f Buy Direct from Westem Canada’s largest IMasEsTiC | WEST END £\SOW Ar 2 LOCATIONS | 1655 ROBSON ST. also good ofing home four bathrooms, and throughout the home, building materials are only the best available. Floors in the kitchen and bathrooms are marble, as is the grand two-storey fireplace. The kitchen cabinets are solid walnut; the roofing is tile. A cedar deck wraps sround the home to provide a glorious view of the lake. The eavestroughing is cop- per, and the home is fitted with low E glass windows. “The owners had input on every stage of the job. This way they understand how the house works, in case they have problems later on,’’ says Leopold. It’s a high-quality structure, with a lot of features you normally don’t find in a custom home. The house was tailored to the owners’ dreams — they said they would like to have this, and would like to have that ... we managed to put everything together for them.”’ The home takes advantage of a passive solar heating system, as well as a ground-source system. Although the winds off Lake Ontario can blow pretty cold during the winter months, no one in this home is going to have to worry about keeping warm. Leopold was originally asked to renovate an older home on the site. The house and its swimming pool “thad a lot of problems,’’ he says, and he recorn- mended demolishing both and creating a new house. “It’s a very complicated site, because of the lake. In order io maximize the view of the lake, it’s designed in a Y shape. The home is also built on a hill, so it is two storeys high on the lakeside, but appears to be a bungalow from the other side.”’ Local real estate agents have already expressed in- terest in the house. A couple suggested that some time in the future, it could be turned into a restaurant or smal! hotel. However, the owners are just about to move into their dream home — and they are not selling. *SRILEIR ersian & Oriental Carpets 2236 West 41st Avenue (Kerrisdale) Vancouver, B.C. (604) 261-3555 RIVING ‘SOON! Iran has eased up export regulations, now these exquisite Persian carpets are at their best prices in ten years! , : ae : Ont : : Dp ty Compare our largest selection (over 2000 pieces). Quality and END SALE PRICE on every carpet. We are here today and we will be here tomorrow! 3x5’ 8'6"x9" 8'1"x8'4”" 10°9"x15'9” 10°9"x16" 10’x13’ 6'4°x9'8” 3°5°x5'5” YO"xX7'2” Kirman fine Bokhara fine Kashmar fine Kirman fine Bakhtiar Heriz Keshan Isfahan on silk Qum pure silk Wa European basket systems & Ventilated shelving * Speedy installations * Quality workmanship guaranteed *10,000 closets installed and counting GAIN SPACE AND GET ORGANIZED! , Sale prices till November 23 / 88 PROTECT YOUR LUNGS DON’T SMOKE ¥ British Columbia Lung Association