Flat Roofs and Roof Decks: What You Need to Know
At our firm, we focus on creating high-end modern homes often pushing the boundaries of form and material. One of the signature forms found in many modern projects is the flat roof. In today’s blog, we look at how flat roofs work and what you should know when considering one for your next project. Flat […]
Naturally Artificial: Concepts of Treeline Home
Last month in our “Naturally Artificial Post” we discussed how context can inform an architectural response and tie the place to the functions of the program. This enhances the sense of place and creates strong exterior connections. We gave specific examples from the “Hub House” at Coffee Ridge. Let’s discuss another example only this time […]
Structures and Wall Bracing in the Building Code
The International Residential Code (IRC) acts as a guide for many architects and contractors building one and two-family dwellings. One of the most challenging areas in the IRC deals with structural requirements. A deep dive into wall framing and bracing walls, as an example, reveals a lot of complexity that can be difficult to navigate. […]
Wellness and Sustainability for your Home
Beginning as we know it in 3000 – 1500 BC with Ayurveda, and manifesting more recently with the first wellness center in the U.S. opened by Dr. John Travis in California, wellness is a household concept.
Construction Drawings and Contracts
Construction drawings and specifications can be considered contracts between you and your builder. The more detailed the contract, the more precise the scope of work for the builder and their sub-contractors. Let’s discuss what makes your contract work better and why you want to have a detailed set of drawings to communicate your intent.
Secrets in Finding a Great Contractor
One of the biggest challenges that many new homeowners face when building a custom home is finding a great contractor. The relationship between owner, contractor, and architect should be that of trust and good communication. Here’s our advice on how we determine if a contractor is a good fit for the team.
Design Phase 3: Construction Documents
We have discussed Schematic Design which answers the “what” and Design Development which answers the “How.” The next step is to communicate the information to the general contractor, the subcontractors, and the material suppliers to help facilitate the logistics of building the project. This communication comes in all forms with a lot of information to […]
Design Phase 5: Construction Administration
It’s time to build your house! It’s time to hand the construction drawings from your architect to your contractor to start construction, right? Well, not exactly. Don’t let your design team off the hook that easily. Their knowledge of the project is overwhelmingly valuable to you all the way to the end. How are architects […]
Design Phase 4: Bidding and Contracts
The smallest phase of the architect’s scope is all about distributing information and helping find a great contractor. The bidding phase is set up for the more traditional “design, bid, build” approach to construction and design, in which the main purpose is to provide consistent information to all contractors bidding on the project. The Traditional […]
The “Big Picture” Process for New Homes
Looking over our blog posts, we realized we have described how to start your project and bits and pieces of the various stages, but needed a post that brings it all together from beginning to end. Understanding the process from beginning to end in a general way gives you an overall view of the steps […]