How do you know which of the things you like will make for good archi-candy? If you have an affinity for baseball and baby back ribs, does that mean you should build a home around those things? Does that mean your house would be a big round ball smothered in sauce?
Read MoreDepict Your Goals To Your Architect. Don’t Worry, You Won’t Cramp Their Style
I am going to talk to you about two couples that called me to design custom homes, how they got their priorities across (nailed it), and saved thousands doing it. You can too.
Read Time 5 minutes
Read MoreYes, you can add a second story!
To some of you, this topic might sound a bit random when compared to the other broader topics in my blogs. I select the subject matter based on the number of times I’m asked a particular question. I have not only heard this one over and over, but the fact that so many people are asking if they can add a second story means they don’t understand the process in the first place. You’ll see what I mean in a minute.
4 minute read time
Read MoreHow to Determine Your Construction Budget? Start Here... Save Thousands
Nailing down your approximate budget and priorities will save you thousands of dollars in the long run. What I’m NOT going to do is tell you how much a second story addition costs. What I AM going to do is give you a means of making some estimates based on average costs per square foot. If you want to know if your foundation can hold a second story, yes, you should call an architect. If you want to be able to discuss with your partner if you can afford even to CONTEMPLATE adding a second story, keep reading.
Read time 6 minutes
Read MoreHow to select your contractor
HOW TO SELECT YOUR CONTRACTOR:
I’m sure you’ve found some random articles online like, “The 5 questions you need to ask contractors”, or “The 3 things you need to look out for when selecting a contractor”. If not, you should go find some, as there are millions of them, and most of them are helpful. I want to focus on something else here....
Read time: 4 minutes
Read MoreHow To Select Your Architect
You always want to select short female architects who listen well, and have lots of advice of how to spend your millions of dollars. Kidding. Here are some REAL things you should consider.
Read MoreThe Difference Between Building Permits
Nothing Says Fun Like Building Permits! Do you even need one? Unless you are building a fence, changing out your front door, or painting your house, you will need one of these two types of permits. However, I wouldn’t let the possibility of needing a full building permit deter you from doing the remodel that you want.
read time 4 minutes
Read MoreClean out your crap before you bother modifying your home
Seriously, how do you know how much of what type of space you need if you have rooms and rooms full of crap that you don’t even like? Before I remodeled my home, I went through every single item and got rid of enough useless stuff to make the VIP list at my local Goodwill Store. You should too.
Read MoreShort on Money? Try Phasing Your Construction Project.
Phasing is a lot like a puzzle with the exception that there is more than one way to put the pieces together. I know what you are thinking.... great... tell me something I don't know! Here's how to do it successfully so you can break up what would normally be an unattainable goal into smaller manageable pieces.
Read MoreHow to nail down your priorities!
If you and your partner the type of people that work well together, or even don’t work well together but expect that you both will be participating in the decision making process during your construction project, then there are a few things you need to think about so you can get through the process and not kill each other.
Reading time: 5 minutes
Read MoreHow to stay within your construction budget
You must plan for the unknown as inevitably there are surprises in every construction project. One of the few things all home owners commiserate about, regardless of whether they have been through a construction project or not, is the idea that projects always go over budget. Want to avoid this? Pick one: Higher contingency or higher architectural fees.
Read time: 5 minutes
Read MoreThink outside the box
Sometimes strange and unexpected things can create an amazingly unique architectural feature for you to enjoy every single day! There is nothing more gratifying than listening to your gut about something that inspires you and doing something about it. Even if it might seem a bit strange at first, think outside the box and go for it!
Read MoreIt doesn't need to come from a magazine to make you happy!
It has become the social norm to poo-poo images of beautiful, skinny, perfect looking women in magazines and belabor the point that the photos are ‘Photo-shopped’ and manipulated to look amazingly perfect. Why is it then that so many people see images of perfect Living Rooms overflowing with cookie cutter pillows that match the vases, which match the rug, that match the light fixture, and believe THAT is supposed to be the perfection to strive for?
Read MoreWHO AM I & WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
- · How do I pick my architect?
- · Do I need an architect?
- · How do I pick my contractor?
- · Does this wall need to move?
- · CAN it move?
- · Do I need an engineer for that?
- · Is the engineer supposed make that determination before I have an architect out?
Sound familiar? Prep for your project before you call me and save yourself some dough!
Read MoreEmpower yourself! Give yourself permission to ask questions
You don’t know what a soffit is? You aren’t expected to have all of the answers or know the ‘lingo’ before you start your project, but you have to become familiar with it as your project progresses. Like anything, the more knowledgeable you are, the more successful your project will be.
Read time: 3 minutes
Read MoreJust because you can’t figure out how to make it work, doesn’t mean we can’t
Put your priorities together in order of importance, and don’t add unnecessary items to your scope just because you think that is the only way to make something work. Let US figure out how to cost effectively make your priorities work.
Read MoreWhat Should You Ask Your Architect To Draw?
Be aware that there is a difference between asking an architect to draw as much of your wish list that will fit within a given budget and drawing a wish list to see what the budget will be.
Read MoreWhy You Should Be Honest With Your Architect About Your Budget
I’m sure that you have heard horror stories about projects going over budget and have friends whispering in your ear about not telling the architect what your ACTUAL financial cap is, but let me explain why that doesn’t benefit you.
Read MoreLiving at home during your home improvement
Living at home during a home improvement? Think about the following things and talk to your contractor before making any decisions:
- It could cost more
- Is it safe?
- It can be emotionally taxing
- Set ground rules
- Setting up a pseudo living space
Challenge your architect to create something meaningful for you!
Create something unique that gives you joy! Even the smallest of details can end up being that one satisfying element which is your daily reminder that you nailed it!
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