Replacing Eichler garage and entry windows and more.

Hi,

Welcome to San Jose--did you say which set of Eichlers you're in? I'm in Willow Glen (Fairglen tract)

For your future reference, there's a listing of some companies affiliated with the Eichler Network that provide service and repair:

http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENServ.html

Window glass
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You don't say why you want to replace the glass in the garage. Is it noticeably fake? When you replace it, you'll use tempered glass by code--possibly with reflective film for heat reflection. Just wondering if it's really worth your while.

Front door
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To the best of my knowledge, Sargent made the original locksets but they didn't wear well and people ended up replacing them. I'd suggest you choose a name-brand lockset (such as Schlage or possibly Kwikset) with an extended throw (tongue) so you're ready for an original escutcheon if you come across one. (They are out of production and notoriously hard to find.)

I think the frontdoor electronic release was made by NuTone. I'd suggest you check the Nutone website for a local Nutone repair/parts service (there's one in Campbell, I think) to see if they have any replacements or can fix yours. You can also search EBay for Nutone (I picked up a front-door electronic release a few months back).

Please e-mail me directly if you want some good recommendations for purchasing front doors as well as front yard glass and window glass.

Good luck.
Jake

Welcome to the neighborhood, Chuck.

I am also in the Fairglen tract. I have an excellent reference for a door company in San Jose, if your are interested. It is owned and operated by the two guys who started the door business for Southern Lumber, before going out on their own. They did some custom closet doors for us and were a real pleasure to deal with. If you are not the DIY type and want someone to handle this "soup to nuts" for you, send me an e-mail at [email protected] and I will give you their contact information.

Cathye

Jake,

I agree with you about tempered glass for the pane adjoing the door, but does the building code in San Jose require that the glass above the garage be tempered? Interesting.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with window film for the garage. Maybe if I were storing non-Trader Joes wines...

If I were Chuck, I would:

1. Remove the Plexiglass
2. Measure it. Determine maximum thickness for replacement pane (a single pane of double strength glass would probably fit just fine).
3. E-mail me for a good recommendation for a local glass replacement company (great prices).
4. Place an order for three panes of double strength glass. This company turns around most orders in half a day.

Frosted glass is not difficult to obtain. I'd bet you'd have a hard time finding a glass shop that didn't have it.

Thanks all for the responses. I'm in the Mossbrook area (don't know what the neighborhood is known as actually...mossy?). It's behind Castro Middle School off Campbell Ave.

The pexiglass is noticable fake, it is wavy/bumpy, and tinted yellow. I haven't checked out glass stores, but I figured it might not be a big deal.

I've read about the escutcheon shortage. Haven't faced it yet but I do want to provide the offset needed in case I come up with an idea.

Jake, I can't seem to find your email address. I do plan to do a lot of the work myself.

Thanks again,

Well,

In Connie M's fine (but now discontinued) Eichler newsletter, we were called "Westgate". More generally we're in West San Jose, or more to be more precise, we live in Bev's Bicycling Borough.

Robert (two doors down)

P.S. I'll help you do the glass if you want. Should be pretty simple.

Thanks Robert. Meeting my neighbors and I don't even live there yet! Plan to close on the 6th, have the place tented, then start work on it. Move in date is undecided.

The only glass I'd be concerned with are the pieces over the garage, they're pretty big so help would be greatly appreciated.

I plan to do what I can to restore this place at least on the exterior. I'm hoping I can find a blank wood garage door to replace the steel one there now. I'm even wondering if I can glue grooved siding to the panels and (except for the horizontal lines between the sections) get close to the original look.

I don't see myself going back to the original sliding door style, though that is a possibility I suppose. Just more work.

Thanks again,

Chuck

:oops: Sorry, I got you confused with another new Mossbrookian. I'm on Mossbrook Circle, you're moving into the just sold house on Mossbrook Ave, right? Anyway, still love to help out. My email address is eichler at fenerty dot com

Robert Fenerty

Look forward to meeting you. Yes, I'm buying the one with the large trees in front on Mossbrook Ave.

I tried to decode your email address, but somehow it didn't work.

Mine is home at chuck white dot com with no spaces and so forth.

Chuck

My email address is eichownr at rawbw dot com.

There are companies that will do garage doors with the same grooved siding style as the original. There are a couple of homes done one street down from me and I think they look pretty good (they went with sectional, but you can hardly see the join from the sidewalk).

I was debating having my single garage door replaced (the original one is is need of help) but I think I have finally decided to do it. The decision got easier when it turned out a favourite car is about to have an expensive paint job and I want to park it in the garage afterwards. I will email you a garage door company that someone recommended to me that does that grooved style.

The garage door is a large part of your front facade so maintaining the Eichler look here is key, IMHO.

Good luck with your move.

Jake
Farirglen tract Willow Glen
San Jose