Common Definition: The way a door opens and closes.
Door Operation Type: Swing x 2
Unauthorized Definition: Doors operate in a variety of ways. But architects and builders prefer some types over others. Pros can be quite opinionated about door types. Disdain is universal for doors that are hard to install or need constant maintenance. Topping the evil door list is the pocket door!
Carter’s Way: A No-Nonsense Method for Designing Your Own Super Stylish Home is an interior design book based on Carter Oosterhouse’s HGTV program. Sadly I’ve never seen his show. But I have read this book. Switching between images of well decorated rooms and Carter pretending to cut boards, at first worried me. Employing a ghost writer furthered suspicion. And suggesting his method leads to “super stylish” homes didn’t help either. Yet buried within these pages are loads of practical advice that may help homeowners take charge of their interior design projects. Continue reading Review: Carter’s Way→
What is Self Contracting?
Self contracting is the audacious idea that homeowners can manage their own construction projects. By eliminating the general contractor (GC), homeowners accept responsibility for hiring subcontractors, ordering materials, permits and warranty issues – in hopes of big cost savings.
Several popular books on the subject fan the flames, claiming homeowners can save between 25% and 42% while achieving a better project. Are these claims true? Can self contracting dramatically increase both savings and quality? Continue reading Is Self Contracting Reasonable?→
With a name like, SoulSpace: Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life, written by a Los Angeles based interior designer. I naturally assumed this text was “new age” babble. I was wrong. Nor is it your typical photo filled portfolio showcasing the latest, soon to be forgotten, trends. Don’t expect a single image, not one. When opening this cover, you’ll find a refreshing alternative to the consumer oriented interior design industry. A book that’s as much self-help guide as design manual. Continue reading Review: SoulSpace→
Common Definition: A person who builds or constructs buildings.
Unauthorized Definition: Someone who can’t stand working in an office all day and would rather drive between job sites, jabbering on the phone. Even if this means talking with crazy homeowners, clueless suppliers and no-show subcontractors. While builders were once exclusively truck driving, swearing, butt crack flashing men. Thankfully brave women are now entering the profession in greater numbers, especially in home-building. Continue reading Featured Term: Builder→
Roofing, Flashing & Waterproofing, is a book in the “For Pros By Pros” series by Taunton Press. A great book for pros and seasoned do-it-yourselfers. Reasonably valuable for curious homeowners passionate about making informed decisions and ensuring projects are completed correctly. Only a few step by step instructions may be tedious for those not actually performing the work. Although even these passages have kernels of valuable construction wisdom. Continue reading Review: Roofing, Flashing & Waterproofing→
Common Definition: A person who designs buildings.
Gary Cooper as architect Howard Roark in The Fountainhead
Unauthorized Definition: Architects are media darlings. The Fountainhead featured Gary Cooper as an uncompromising architect. Robert Reed’s character, Mike Brady was a cool architect dad for The Brady Bunch TV sitcom. Paul Newman was a white collar hero saving lives in The Towering Inferno. For at least three movies, Steve Martin played an intellectual yet romantic architect. However, the funniest architect characters came later when Matt Dillon and Lee Evans both faked being architects in There’s Something About Mary. Sadly few architects in the media are women. Although this is changing in the real world. Continue reading Featured Term: Architect→
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m not a fan of sliding barn doors. Don’t get me wrong, they’re perfect for sequestering horses where a tight seal isn’t necessary. But for homes? Barn doors may look hip and trendy, yet they just aren’t functional. Continue reading Review: Barn Doors for Homes→
Building regulations were enacted to protect everyone’s health, safety and well-being. I tell myself this when visiting a building department. Reality however, appears far from this goal. Instead I usually find a morass of confusing red tape and contradictory information.
No matter how frustrated I get, building regulations are here to stay. Because they carry the force of law, I don’t bury my head. Instead, I ask questions, write down conversations and work hard to understand each rule’s intent, even the ridiculous ones. I’ve seen do-it-yourselfers and Libertarian leaning builders try bucking the rules. Most end up paying hefty fines. Others find trouble insuring or selling their illegal monstrosities. Some even call me after the fact to help calm down angry inspectors.
To help everyone build wisely, below is a basic primer for understanding the typical regulations I’ve encountered during 30 years of designing and building homes around the country. Continue reading Zoning & Building Code Basics→
My wife swears it wasn’t her. Yet we lived in relative bliss before she brought home bags of produce from the farm. Within days our kitchen was infested with fruit flies. I mean hundreds of the little buggers. Whatever the cause, we suddenly had a perfect experiment to answer the burning question: Does wine trap fruit flies?Continue reading Does Wine Trap Fruit Flies?→
Unauthorized Definition: Someone who can’t stand working in an office all day and would rather drive between job sites, jabbering on the phone. Even if this means talking with crazy homeowners, clueless suppliers and no-show subcontractors. While builders were once exclusively truck driving, swearing, butt crack flashing men. Thankfully brave women are now entering the profession in greater numbers, especially in home-building. 
My wife swears it wasn’t her. Yet we lived in relative bliss before she brought home bags of produce from the farm. Within days our kitchen was infested with fruit flies. I mean hundreds of the little buggers. Whatever the cause, we suddenly had a perfect experiment to answer the burning question: Does wine trap fruit flies?