In this Warmboard Works we hear from Marc Leveque of Sobek Architects speak about his thoughts on Warmboard and its competitors. Marc is a seasoned architect who has amassed a wealth of knowledge on building materials from his 40 years in the industry.
“I wanted to let you know that people’s reaction to it is REALLY impressive. That’s the truth. No negative on it at all. So good product, and good for you guys, I’m glad you make such a nice thing. I want my clients happy and your product really brings that about every single time.
I always recommend Warmboard to my customers because it’s a replacement product. With Warmboard you can substitute it for the subfloor, which keeps costs down. That appeals to me. When you use cement floors they go on over the subfloor, which is a redundancy. And then you still have to adjust your framing, stud wall heights, and the list goes on. With Warmboard, those extra considerations are non-existent.
Warmboard is, in a kind and decent way, a boring product. It’s perfect; you don’t even know it’s there. That’s why I love it. You install it, no other structural parts are needed, and it solves several problems. That to me is the selling point. Every other product that you get in the market is an add-on, costs are always rising and everybody is pricing their way out of the market.
Warmboard did nothing to enhance or take away from our projects. Most people would think that’s not very nice to say, but it’s a mega compliment. Warmboard didn’t get in the way. It solved a lot of problems without making an architectural statement.
When you have a garage door with all sorts of square boxes in the garage door it makes an architectural statement. When you have a flat skylight in your roof, that’s architecturally neutral. Warmboard is architecturally neutral which makes it easy for me to work around. I’m not interested in changing the shape of my roof, or changing the shape of my floor. That’s what makes it perfect, because it’s not in the way.
Warmboard is one of the best products I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been doing this stuff for over 40 years. Everything on the product is so elegant. It’s so out of the way that you don’t notice it; that’s how good it is.
I had a client that said ‘I want a house that is so great that every boat on the lake stops to look at it.’ And I said that’s a nice dynamic, try this…how about that they drive by and it’s so perfect they don’t notice it, but they come back because they know they have seen something wonderful. Warmboard is that. People walk in, they’re comfortable, they’re happy, they love the house. And Warmboard is a part of that, but it’s so inconspicuous that you don’t notice it. That’s what makes it a winner.
I keep samples of Warmboard in my office. When I show clients what it is, and how great it is they say, ‘I’ve gotta have that.’ Everybody that I know of that has it loves it and there is no way they would ever change it. I have clients tell me ‘it’s like walking on a beach’, and ‘go ahead and try to take it away from me!’"
Sobek Architects is located in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin and provides professional architecture designs, housing and planning solutions for residential an commercial spaces. Sobek Architects also offers the following services:
• Residential
• Commercial
• Hospitality design
• Multi-family housing
• Remodeling planning
• Drafting services
• Home designing
• Building design
They can be reached at 715.356.5170.