The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - 101

Ask the Experts
mind that you are keeping your family safe
and comfortable. If you need an Electrical,
Plumbing, or Heating & Air system check we
would be happy to help.
D.J. Ostrom
Ostrom Electrical Plumbing
Heating & Air
www.ostromservices.com
540-253-1559
What stone do I need as a
foundation to the shed I want to
put in my backyard?
If you are buying a pre-fabricated shed and
are going to set it on a stone foundation pad,
you would use a #57 clean stone. You want
to make sure that the stone foundation is
level, 4 " to 6 " in depth, and is 2 feet wider and
2 feet longer than the dimensions of your
shed. You will want to have this work done
before they come to set the shed. #57 stone
also allows water to drain through it, which
protects your shed from water damage.
If you want to put that same shed on a
concrete pad, follow all the same instructions
above, but you would want to use crusher
run stone and compact it before pouring the
concrete pad.
Frank B. Caldwell IV, Roanoke Sales &
Business Development Manager
Rockydale Quarries Corporation
540-491-9006
fcaldwell@rockydalequarries.com
www.rockydalequarries.com
As a Lake-based contractor with
many out-of-state owners, we
often get asked how Virginia
contractor licensing works.
Virginia requires that all of its contractors
be licensed and there are three classes of
contractors:
Class A - Projects have no size limit
Class B - Projects up to $120,000 in value
Class C - Projects up to $10,000 in value
Additionally, contractors are assigned
classifications/specialties that define the
scope of work that they may perform. There
is a multitude of these classifications and you
can find a detailed list of them at www.dpor.
virginia.gov.
For people looking to perform home
additions, major remodeling and custom
homes, your contractor should possess an
RBC classification. The same contractor for
commercial projects would be required to
have a CBC classification. There are other
classifications that can work on your projects
so it is best to consult with the Department
of Professional and Occupational Regulation
(DPOR) to determine what is required for
your project. Additionally, be advised that
Virginia requires all residential contracts to
be in writing and those contracts require a
minimum amount of information to comply
with regulations. Please visit the DPOR
website listed above for more information
and don't forget to ask your contractor for a
copy of the RBC-9.1 Statement of Consumer
Protections form.
Jay Gauldin, President
TBS Construction
540-484-4752
www.TBSBuilds.com
Home Maintenance
What are signs property owners
should look for that may indicate
they need to call in a tree expert
for assistance?
How can you tell if your tree is sick? Often,
there are clear signs that something is wrong.
If your tree has wilted leaves, pay
attention, if they're wilting, they're not
working at their full capacity and the whole
tree suffers. Many fungal and bacterial
diseases can cause spots, blotches, sunken
areas and other blemishes on tree leaves,
fruit and/or bark. Some spots are also signs
of insects.
Do you have dead, dying or dropping
branches? An old tree slows down as it
ages and may no longer produce enough
food energy to support all its structure and
branches will fall. But branch drop can also
be a sign of tree disease. When a branch is
compromised by disease and decay, the tree
will separate the branch from the rest of the
tree's internal system to prevent the spread
of disease.
If your tree has been healthy and
vigorous, this change is reason enough to
have an arborist inspect it. Depending on the
reason, an arborist may be able to prune out
diseased branches and keep the rest of the
tree healthy. If your tree is dropping more
than the occasional branch, and if these
branches are large, it's time to call in the
experts to examine your tree.
Large trees are dangerous. Too many
homeowners are injured each year trying
to climb, prune or remove dead limbs. Let
a professional with training, safety gear,
equipment and knowledge examine your tree.
Josh Salb, Owner
AAA Tree Service
540-529-2714
AAATreeServiceVa.com
What is the first step to control
ever-rising home energy costs?
Your first step is to realize that energy
efficiency, comfort, building durability,
healthy air and sustainability are all
connected. Only building science balances
these connections. An Energy Audit is the
most valuable service a building scientist
provides, ideally completed prior to your
renovations or expensive purchases. A
bona-fide energy auditor is a BPI or RESNET
accredited, experienced professional, with
years of multi-disciplinary, local market
expertise. Recommendations contained in an
Energy Audit report will reduce energy uses,
as it increases home durability, comfort and
air quality. Building Scientists do not use a
" free energy audit " as a sales technique to
sell particular equipment.
During the audit, several hours are spent
collecting data, using blower door tests and
infrared thermography as diagnostic tools,
analyzing your energy bills, completing
a certified energy model and applying
customized recommendations for your
building enclosure, systems, appliances and
renewable technologies. Your comprehensive
report is a " future-proofing " strategy for the
unique attributes of your home, diagnosing
the causes of problems and delivering a
plan to make improvements over time.
This is an investment-grade plan, because
it predicts your return on investment for
home improvement options, optimizes
them for budget, tax credits or rebates and
prioritizes them, for completion in correct
order, without unintended consequences.
Because recommendations always include
quantitative performance criteria, your
successful installation can be verified as
complete and meeting specifications before
contractors are paid.
Monica Rokicki
Principal & Owner
Better Building Works
Betterbuildingworks.com
TheRoanoker.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 101
http://www.ostromservices.com http://www.TBSBuilds.com http://www.rockydalequarries.com http://www.Betterbuildingworks.com http://www.dpor.virginia.gov https://aaatreeworksva.com/ http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker Sept/October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker Sept/October 2023
