After a year off due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance hosted more than 150 people Wednesday evening, October 13th for the third annual Building Berks Awards &  Trade Expo at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading.

Event attendees were able to watch videos of winning projects while enjoying appetizers and a signature cocktail made with ingredients from one of the evening’s winners, Reading Distilling Guild.

D&S Elite Construction, Inc. won for our work with Christ Episcopal Church and was awarded in the Commercial Renovation/Restoration category, in collaboration with Muhlenberg Greene Architects.

This year 25 amazing projects were nominated across 10 categories. The 25 nominated projects represented over $123 million in total investment, nearly 2,000 construction jobs, over 700 jobs created and/or retained and over 2.2 million total square-footage developed, renovated, or newly constructed. The full story can be found in our organization’s (GRCC) quarterly magazine, Commerce Quarterly.

The event and awards were developed in 2018 as an opportunity to spotlight and celebrate innovation and positive economic growth and development through construction projects in Greater Reading, Pennsylvania. Applicants submitting nominations for projects were asked to include all parties involved — from the banking institution to the contractor to the municipality — to honor everyone involved in making projects in our community come to fruition!

The nominees of the 2021 Building Berks Awards are part of a larger story we have been telling about Greater Reading for some time — our region is growing and is primed for even more development. The 2021 nominated projects are more than just the walls and square footage, they represent opportunity, growth, jobs and possibilities for our region. All nominated projects must have been completed between July 2019 and July 2021.

We want to thank everyone that voted for us! We are looking forward to celebrating again in 2023.

During the spring of 2021, D&S Elite Construction, Inc. worked on-site at Christ Episcopal Church to replace 51-custom made Marvin Ultimate Venting Picture Windows. The original 60” h. x 38” w. windows featured a single pane, stained glass and metal frames design that was visually interesting. Nonetheless, over 50 years’ time they had lost their functionality, becoming drafty and costly to repair and maintain. Muhlenberg Green Architects worked with the Church to produce a design styled like their windows located within the connecting lobby of The Church and Parish Hall.

The installation offered a couple of challenges due to the existing conditions of the building. The exterior being brick and granite wanted to remain uncompromised while still allowing for a proper installation structurally while maintaining a weather tight seal. We also needed to properly remediate asbestos caulking that was found on the exterior of most of the windows. Each section of windows needed to be properly quarantined and a licensed asbestos remediation contractor assisted in the removal of each window unit and completed the roper remediation of the asbestos caulk before any installation could occur.

Our installation began by creating a wooden subframe that was secured to the existing masonry opening. That subframe was wrapped with flashing tapes as an added protection being we had direct contact with the masonry.  We then fabricated custom aluminum sill pans which were installed at each sill location.  We utilized a Flex Wrap tape on the pan as an extra means of protection as well. The window unit was installed into the sill pan and secured directly to the subframe using a mechanical fastener. We then applied, inflashing tapes to the legs and the head of the window in the recognized traditional method. This method allowed us to maintain the existing copper head flashing that was previously incorporated into the granite slabs on the exterior of the building. A frame extender was installed on the exterior of the window and caulked into the brick using a bronze colored caulk. For the interior, prior to any trim installation, we applied a continuous bead of spray foam insulation around the entire perimeter of the window jamb and subframe jamb to achieve an airtight seal. We then applied a wood ½”x 3 casing and a quarter round backband. All of the interior sills were removed and replaced with Impala Black Granite to match the black interior trim color.

We took a phased approach to complete the window replacement as to limit the disturbance both within the church and on the outside of the building. Staff was still utilizing the church so we needed to develop a detailed schedule to keep the church operations running smoothly. All of the upper level windows were replaced first followed by the lower level to expedite the manlift and get it off site due to the unique challenges of working in the city. The people at Shuman Development Group were nice enough to allow us to use a parking spot in their parking garage to store the lift and we decided to complete the entire second story in sequence prior to beginning the first floor so we could have the lift removed form the site as quickly as possible.

The project was completed in 36 days and actually finished almost three weeks ahead of schedule. We were able to collaborate with both Marvin Windows and Muhlenberg Greene Architects to develop a detail and a process that proved to be successful in not only the installation of the windows but also the efficiency of the install. We were extremely happy to get this project done for the church and the community.

See Christ Episcopal Church project >

Read the article in Religious Product News - November 2021 addition >

American Crane Building Expansion
D&S Elite Construction, Inc. recently started a project to build a new manufacturing building for American Crane & Equipment Corporation, at their Douglassville, PA location. This building will expand the company’s manufacturing capacity.

​Contact us for your next project! Call us today at 610-385-0475or visit our Commerical Construction pagefor more info.

Here is quick checklist of questions to ask your contractor and tips that will make your next project go smoothly.​

1. Review your estimate. Does is have the necessary detail? If not ask for clarification.
2. Does your contractors experience match your project?
3. How can your contractor help you save money via good project decisions? Ask them to review the long term versus short term costs.
4. Do they have the ability to spot problems with drawings before they happen?
5. Do they have the expertise in permitting and in your location?
6. Have they explained the maintenance cost of your final project?

Our trained and skilled contractors ensure safety, quality, and satisfaction on every job. Our number one focus has and will always be our customers. With every D&S project, we ensure unsurpassed quality and customer satisfaction. As the general contractor, we first create the highest level of trust and integrity with our clients. We value our role in the success of your project. At D&S we strive to not only meet your expectations, but to exceed them. Call us today at 610-385-0475or visit dseliteconstruction.com/our-services/general-contracting for more info.

Whether your home is big or small, a home renovation can have a big impact. Updating your curb appeal can create and impactful first impression. Swapping out old your tile or countertops creates a quick kitchen upgrade. The key things to consider when deciding to proceed are your budget and priorities versus desired look and goals.

D&S can help you renovate and update your home. Our high standards and focus on customer satisfaction will ensure that by choosing D&S for your residential construction projects we will meet your construction needs. Call us today at 610-385-0475 or visit dseliteconstruction.com/our-services/residential for more info or for a free quote.