As the illusion of ever-increasing complexities and danger is amplified by 24 hour news and the apocalyptic shows on Discovery and the History Channel some may wonder if they need to better protect themselves in their own homes.

Can one’s own home be a safe haven during the worst of storms?

In 2004 and 2005 US was hit by several hurricanes and we saw (or experienced) the destruction of these events. Homes today are being built by high structural standards – however they are designed, in reality, for wind events that occur in mid-sized hurricanes. Get a really big storm (a Category 4 or 5) and all bets are off.

Beyond evacuation and other very wise precautions, you can still provide for a way to get to safety in your own home by building what is called a safe room.. These are sometimes called storm shelters.

A safe room is a small windowless room that has been strengthened to resist the effects of wind pressures and the impact from windborne debris generated by extremely severe weather.  These are becoming rather common in Florida and other hurricane state.

A relatively cheap storm shelter can provide you and your family with a sense of security knowing that there is a space in your home that will withstand the forces of the worst hurricanes. These can also act as tornado shelters.

What is a safe room? It is usually a small space within the home that has special walls, ceilings, fastening systems and doors and are (to use an engineering term) really, really strong They can serve the vital purpose of providing safety for you and your lovelies during those scary events.

I’ve designed a few myself for folks who value the room’s existence even if they never actually use it. Seems a lot like insurance, doesn’t it?

These rooms can be separate or can be some part of the home, like a walk-in closet, which is built like the proverbial brick stink house. They need to be isolated from the main structure so that as the main home becomes unglued and turns into countless fragments, this little oasis of space remains unscathed.

The best way to do this, above ground, is to build a concrete storm shelter with walls that are reinforced masonry, with all the cells (the holes in the concrete block that you have seen) filled with reinforcing bars and concrete. Generally we form and pour concrete slab roof over top. This can be relatively inexpensive do to if you are building your home – it is easy to work into the structure.

One of my clients had me design his master walk-in closet and bathroom into a safe room. Its ceiling was designed to be concrete and rest just below the bottom chord of the trusses. The trusses could blow off and basically the entire home could collapse yet he and his family would remain safe.

Any structural engineer can design such as space for you. FEMA has a great guideline called FEMA320A “Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room inside your house”.

Of course, we can’t nor should we worry all the time. Life has its inherent risks. But, like insurance, a safe room can offer peace of mind – even if you never really use it.

Energy is heat. Saving  energy is mostly about heat management. Let’s cover 10  basic actions to reduce energy usage in your home. These apply to new construction and existing residences.

First, some basic science:

A. Heat energy flows from hot to cold. Its speed of flow increases as the difference between temperatures increases

B. Heat flow is reduced by insulation.

C. Heat can be pumped in the opposite direction – from cold to hot. Air conditioners and heat pumps do this. Pumping heat is cheaper than created heat – about 1/3 the cost or less..

D. Any heat that enters your home during the summer must be removed by your air conditioner.

E. The green-house effect is like a one-way check valve which allows heat to enter but not leave. Heat from sunlight must be stopped before it passes through the glass – not after.

F. Passive operation just happens by its nature. It requires no energy.

Okay – so based upon these simple rules, here are 10 basic actions that will improve a home’s energy efficiency which will save you money. I’ll mention the rule and then what you can do:

1. Rule B – Insulate your home to the max. Few actions will give you a better cost to benefit ratio. This is also passive (rule F).

2. Rules D and E – Large overhangs – this reduces sunlight into the home which would have to be removed. This is passive (rule F).

3. Rules D and E – Reduce or block windows on the western side. If you are designing a new home this can be easy. This is passive (rule F)

4. Rule E – Use reflective glass. Shades and curtains will not work. They will heat up yet not pass the heat back out the window. Your air conditioner will have to remove that heat. You must stop the heat before it goes through the glass. This is a passive method and will save you lots of energy and money in the summer time.

5. Rule A – Place foil on the bottom of the plywood roof sheathing of your home. This is easiest to do while building a new home. If your home exists, then consider a radiation barrier in the attic. This will keep the attic cooler. This is also passive (rule F)

6. Rule A – Ventilate the attic. This can be passive or active. It reduces the attic temperature which slows the flow of heat into your home. The active, but effective, way is with a powered fan system which operates only at high attic temperatures. An advantage is that this will not operate in the winter when you DO want heat flow into your home. The passive method of ventilation is by effective venting that operates when the wind blows. This is excellent in the hotter states. This requires good air flow both into the attic and out of the attic.

7. Rules A and B – Place the air conditioning ductwork inside the cooled space of the home – not the hot attic. This reduces the heat that flows into the ductwork which eases the work load of the air conditioning system. This is easiest done in new construction. it can be also be done by wrapping insulation on top of the ductwork and not placing any between the duct and the interior of the home thus thermally connecting the duct to the inside temperature. This is also passive (rule F).

8. Rule D – Water heaters should be outside of any air conditioned space. They leak heat. If they leak heat into the home then the air conditioner has to remove it. This action is passive.

9. Rule D – Dryers, ideally, should be outside air conditioned space for the same reason as water heaters. This action is passive (rule F)

10. Rule C – Most water heaters heat their water by running electricity through coils. As an alternative heat can be pumped into the water less expensively. One way to do this is to route the heat being pumped out of your home straight into the water heater. This has multiple advantages. It even works in the winter because the heat being pumped from the cold air outside (this is how a heat pump works) can be used, in part, to heat the water. Per Rule C, pumped heat is cheaper than created heat.

Considering the basic rules you can think of your own ideas of ways to save energy and money.

Remember, it is all about the heat.

There are many airport communities in the United States. I have heard that Florida, Texas and California have the most of them. However I’ve heard of these places in most every state. I live at one myself and usually am met with wide-eye’d surprise when I mention the fact. Most people have similar questions so I though I’d answer a few of them here:

What are Airport Communities?

These are neighborhoods that own and use one or more runways. These runways are often owned and maintained by the community. They can be paved runways or just grass strips.

What are hangar homes?

Hangar homes are regular homes like you see anywhere in the United States with the exception that they have an airplane hangar either connected to or separately located on the property.

Are hangar homes different than other, regular homes?

No. These are regular old homes, large and small, every architectural style, every layout you can imagine, every color – some have garages for cars, some put their cars in the hangar. The main distinction is that these homes have hangars on their property, either attached to the home or not.

Do these homes follow the same Building Codes as the other ones?

You’ll find that the Codes for the homes are the same. The hangar are usually treated as over- sized garages. There are exceptions to this in some areas. In Florida, a hangar greater than 2000 square feet in area will need to adapt to several commercial code provisions.

How to the airplanes get to the runways?

Most communities either have the houses right up against the runway or they are on regular streets. When they want to drive (taxi) their airplane out to the runway they use the same streets that the cars do.

How do the cars and airplanes share the streets?

Everyone one gives the airplanes right of way. If you are driving down the street in your care and see an airplane coming, you just drive into a neighbor’s driveway or off the street and let the airplane go by. They are almost always your friend and there is lots of waving.

Is it noisy at Airport Communities?

Rarely is noise a problem. But like anything, there are exceptions. We have fly-ins sometimes where many airplanes will fly in for lunch or a meetings. Also, homes today are pretty tight and noise from outside does not easily get through. But, for sure, airplane pilots usually love the sound of airplanes. When my wife and I do hear them we always delight and wonder who it is flying in or out.

Do you store things in the hangar besides your airplane?

Of course. Like everyone else we tend to get carried away with various levels of “junk”. Gotta stay on top of it.

Are Hangar Homes Ugly?

They can be. But they can also be beautiful. My own home, if you were driving by the front, would not even be recognizable as a hangar home. The entry to the hangar is in the rear. From the front it looks like a regular home. The way I designed it architecturally softened the hangar portion of the home and you honestly can’t tell it is one. Drive around to the back and you’ll see the large hangar door.

Are Airport Communities Tower Controlled?

Very few are. In our community we have two grass strips. Each pilot announces when he or she is getting ready to use the runway. It is a smooth running and safe operation.

Are there only one kind of person that live at these airport communities?

Diversity is the common thread among owners of hangar homes. You will find diverse interests, backgrounds, skills, knowledge, professions and the like. The one thing we hold in common – we love and own airplanes.

How big are the homes and how big are the hangars?

I’ve seen sizes ranging form puny to huge. I’ve seen hangars from spaces a bit bigger than a car garage all the way to gigantic 4000 plus square foot structures.

Are airplanes always expensive to own and to fly?

Planes, like anything, can range widely in type, expense, etc. Some can be very expensive. Some are pretty reasonable to own and fly. Many folks choose to build their own airplane – right there at their homes. There are owners, like John Travolta, who have very expensive jet airplanes at their airport homes. But jets are rare at fly-in communities. Travolta’s runway is very long and wide and likely one of a kind in the United States.

Doesn’t John Travolta live in an Airport Community. Have you met him?

You’re right. He does. He actually lives a few miles from me. You can likely find pictures of his home on the internet. Yes, I have met him. Seemed to be a very personable guy. Sure loves aviation. He wondered how long our runways are here at my neighborhood. I had to think for a second – I had never really thought about it. Difference between flying big airplanes and small ones.

I’ve found that most pilots have heard of these places. Many have likely thought it pretty expensive. But you will find, if you research it, that it can be an amazingly affordable lifestyle. It is really a matter of researching what is out there and learning a bit about the types of homes you can buy or build. Once you have decided to do this, you will likely find many resources of help and advise. It is, indeed, a lifestyle like no other. You’ll make friends like never before.

- Stock plans can save time in selecting a home. Since the designs are done and there for your review, you can select quickly and save time. Usually the plans are displayed as floor plans and exterior views. Depending on the catalog you may get just one front view, and sometimes you’ll be able to see a few other views to help you understand the design. It’s a mail-order solution. Mail-order items ha If you are considering purchasing stock plans from an internet site or from a book, make sure you are aware of what you are getting and its value to your project.

“Stock Plans” are construction plans which you can order from magazines, catalogs or the internet. Some builders also offer stock plans. These kinds of plans are not custom but can still be an excellent way to start off your construction project.

Stock plans can certainly be a great way to obtain construction plans. However, to many, the custom nature of building a home demands nothing less than a fully custom home design. Many would never consider using a predesigned set of plans.

Stock plans have their pros and cons. Let’s take a look at each:

Pros:

- Stock plans can be less expensive. Prices for a set of plans can be a thousand bucks – or less. The plans are listed like a menu and the prices for the plans are clearly posted. Once you’ve decided on a plan it is an easy process of clicking and buying. You choose the form of the drawing and the quantity.
ve been part of our culture for a long time – from mail-order brides, to mail order kit-houses from Sears.

- Stock plans are usually collections from a variety of viewpoints. This can be stimulating as you browse through the plans and views. You’ll find “new” ideas that you likely have not considered before.

- Stock plans catalogs can kick-start your imagination. They can get the creative juices flowing. Stock plans can truly be a valuable launching point to explore new ideas.

Cons:

- Stock plans are usually not ready for permitting. If submitted for permits without additional actions they will likely be rejected.

- It is quite common today that building departments will require that the plans be sealed by an Engineer or Architect. It is a good idea that you check with your local building department to see what the requirements are. The process of getting plans stamped is not an easy one. Professional Engineers and Registered Architects go through years of college, internships and testing to acquire their licenses and are expected to take responsibility for the plans being up to Code and sufficient. Many, if not most, will require a re-draw or, at a minimum, several revisions and additions to bring the plans up to standards. Their fees will depend upon what they do for you, but it can run quite a bit more than the original plans. This will also add time to the process thus reducing the time advantage of stock plans.

- Some revisions are inevitable. Because the plans are not customized for you it is rare that you will not see things you want to change. This can be expensive because most of the stock plan companies are not set up for individualized attention.

- Stock-Plans are considered by some to be reused plans. This might or might not be important – but if you are looking for a home that is as unique as you and as customized as the building process is itself, stock plans might not be the best way.

- Stock plans are designed for mass-appeal, like cars and other consumer goods. This is beneficial for factory created goods because its the only way there can be duplication of efforts which save us money. But home building is quite different from manufacturing in a factory. Home building is done stick by stick in the field. It is always custom. Some would consider using a mass market home plan for a custom building job would be like custom building car and ending up with a Ford Taurus. What’s the point?

- Homes in our country have a wide variety of needs specific to the area. Stock plans try to adapt themselves to all these area. Areas of the country have snow requirements, basements, high winds, earthquakes, cold and hot temperatures as well as many other factors that are unique to each. Also certain types of building systems will be prominent in certain areas. Generic plans can’t cover all the possibilities. You will also find that the local tradesmen can easily identify the stock plans and sometimes ready themselves for problems – though increasing their prices.

Local builders’ stock plans will usually side step many of these problems. They will generally be ready for permits and will be recognized locally. You combine this with the builder’s ability to have the plans modified for you and this can work quite well. They may not be entirely custom, but still be an excellent way to begin.

In summary, stock plans are valuable for study and education and are fertile source of ideas. They, however, will likely turn out not as inexpensive as you first think, or as quick, and certainly will not be something designed exclusively for you.

Having a professional working for and with you to develop a custom design based upon your ideas, your notions, and various ideas you have collected from many sources, as well as his or her experienced creativity will allow you to take full advantage the truly custom nature of building a home.

Remember, home Building is the only industry which remains truly custom in nature – the designs should be as well.

Imagine, it’s been a long day. You are tired and laying in bed thinking of the day’s activities. Sleep does not come easily because you are excited. You look around the new room – your room; so vivid in your recent dreams but now so real in fact. The coffered ceilings, the perfect built-in video area that your spouse designed; the smells; more exciting than the “new car” smells that you have experienced. Everything about the home is perfect. The bathroom, patterned after that resort where you spent your honeymoon, the window with the view; the parlor just like grandma’s home in Michigan. You always loved that space – and its associations. The kitchen is the best you have ever had; designed and built based upon your study of the experts, your own experiences as well those of Aunt Betty’s. Every nook, every cranny, every detail is just as you and your loved ones wanted. No compromises, not this time. It’s exactly what you want.

Four times I have had this experience. I must say that to say these were fulfilling would be an understatement. I could even liken it to the birth of my kids. Not in the exact same category but the similarity is quite real. And like all hard-won goals, these have been pinnacles of my life. The truth is that many experience this feeling – many have. You may have as well – and if you have you know of what I speak.

I am certain that many wonder how difficult this is to achieve. Some may wonder if it is even possible. Please trust me when I say that it is absolutely obtainable. It is well within many, many people’s means to be able to achieve a custom built home; a habitat which is their own space – created for them or by themselves alone.

Today may be one of the best times to do this.

So What is a Custom Building?

Custom building is the action of designing and constructing a home precisely and uniquely to one’s own taste.

It is one of the last industries where the creation of such uniquely individualized products is economically feasible. Other industries, today, rely upon duplicity of effort, in the form of mass production, to keep prices of various items to a level of affordability. Few could afford a car or computer or radio or any of the myriad of items available if each item was custom designed and built for the user. Actually mass manufacturing is a key to our material success in this society but it, inherently, must be guided by mass appeal.

A custom designed home, however, is a unique kind of product. even though it is designed and built entirely to the specs of an individual it can be actually achieved, quite realistically, for a cost quite similar to that of the existing, mass-appeal units. Why? It is simply because most homes are built in the same way; regardless if they are designed for mass appeal or alone for an individual. And, since homes tend not to depreciate too much, newer homes can commonly be built for cost very similar to purchasing those already built. Isn’t that interesting? It turns out that building can commonly be of similar cost. Yet it would likely have much greater value – at least to the first owner. Since the owner is attempting to recover his costs to build, when he sells an upscale, custom home, he will usually choose costs similar to the cost if you actually had it built it yourself. And that is not to mention the savings if you did your own contracting.

Now, pay attention here. You will find model homes or predesigned floor plans can and are modified in limited ways. These are commonly called custom homes but this is a misnomer. Actually, these are “customized” homes or models. This could be considered a form of “custom” it is more similar to getting to choose the color of your car or if you want leather or cloth seats. This would not really be custom, as defined here. Homes where you have a few limited choices of modifications are “customized” homes.

Custom homes, as defined here, are homes uniquely designed and built. These are not homes from stock plan companies. These are homes that are designed for you.

This is an experience and something that is quite within reach of many, however there is much to know if you want to avoid the pitfalls. It is advised that before you venture into this adventure of a lifetime, make sure you obtain a good understanding of the process so that you will not fall into some of the traps that can exist.

It is something you may well think you deserve. If so, you should go for it. Happy Building!

I think most folks have a pretty good idea of and an appreciation for what Structural Engineers do. Basically, we keep things standing. We make sure that the buildings and the homes that folks use will remain in the form intended.

The field extends beyond buildings. Watch the wings flex upward as your airliner leaves the runway. Most folks give it nary a thought as the wing deforms, by design, into the shape that will carry you and your travel brethren through the halls of air.

It is one of those things we tend to take for granted. I do – and I am one (”I are one” as the old poem goes). I crawl into the roller coaster and give not a thought to the possibility that the thing might fail. I mount the free standing stairs, or venture out over that glass overhang at the Grand Canyon, or the Golden Gate in San Francisco, the last thing on my mind is that it could fail.

Well, not exactly. I do have the faith but as an Engineer myself I must admit that I always look at the structure and try to figure out how they did it, what the likely problems were that were solved, and marvel.

Structural Engineers create drawings and specifications, perform calculations, review the work of other engineers, write reports and evaluations, and observe construction sites.  They have a uniquely significant responsibility for protecting the public relative to the other design disciplines since so many safety issues ride upon their decisions. Structural engineers must ensure their designs satisfy given design criteria, predicated on safety.

The theories of Structural engineering are based upon physical laws and empirical knowledge of the structural performance of different types of materials. Knowledge and performance in the field depends upon a detailed knowledge of loads, physics and materials to understand and predict how structures support and resist self-weight and imposed loads.  It depends on the knowledge of materials and their properties, in order to understand how different materials support and resist loads.

A structural engineer will typically have a four or five year undergraduate degree, followed by a minimum of three years of professional practice before being considered fully qualified.  Many students who later become structural engineers major in civil, mechanical, or aerospace engineering degree programs, with emphasis in structural engineering.  My own field of study was Engineering Science and Mechanics – which was in the aerospace department

Structural engineers are licensed or accredited by different societies and regulatory bodies around the world.  Usually, just prior to or shortly after completing their bachelor’s degrees, engineering majors take an exam that, once passed, affords the test taker the designation of engineer-in-training (E.I.T.). To eventually obtain the PE designation (Professional Engineer) one must obtain a passing score on the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam plus a passing score on 16 hours of structural engineering licensure examinations.

Structural engineering specialties for buildings include:

• Earthquake engineering
• Façade engineering
• Fire engineering
• Roof engineering
• Tower engineering
• Wind engineering

In one form or another the field has existed since humans first started to construct their own structures dating back to to 2700 BC when the step pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser was built by Imhotep, the first engineer in history known by name.  If one looks at many of the ancient buildings, like St, Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, it becomes obvious that there was quite a bit of engineering know-how in those days. I’ve personally marveled at the dome and  wondered how I would have solved the problems it posed to the builders of the time.

The above is mostly the technical side of structural engineering. Additionally, these can be combined with skills in architectural design and construction to achieve an excellent and valuable balance in a professional.

The profession is in demand in many areas where a PE seal is required on documents to obtain permits. Some folks are surprised that they need a sealed drawing just to permit a simple backyard shed.

All of us rely on engineers. It is a profession well worth considering if you are considering building a career. Like all other professions, it is not difficult, as long as one can confront the basic sciences and make sure he or she never passes a word that is misunderstood. Doing so is generally the first step towards failing at a subject. Folks I have helped in mathematics were not stupid, they had just been looking the other way when a basic concept was taught and missing that link they lost out and concluded that mathematics is difficult. Is is not – if one does not skip.

If you are looking do get into the profession, contact your state Engineering Society. They will be complete delighted to fill you in on the requirements and point you in the direction of a great and fulfilling field.

If you need specific advice, feel free to contact me.

All of us have it. It is a human trait. In my opinion it is too often reduced in importance by folks who insist that everything is simply a rearrangement of what we have already seen. In my opinion this is completely untrue. If it were the case then one would have to ask the question, “Where did it start?”. If all creation is simply the result of what we’ve seen, then was what we see created? If that was also the rearrangement of preexisting data then the question would continue right on back and actually become a bit ridiculous.

In my opinion all of us create. We create uniquely. It gives us the greatest joy of our lives. Regardless of the creation – as long as it is ethical, it feels good and is good.

I am fortunate to be in a field where creation is part of the package. An engineer and designer considers creation his or her stock in trade. As I have said in other articles, if you are lucky enough to do something which causes the clock to spin (meaning that you loose the sense of time – and actually forget that time is passing) then you’re a lucky person.

I’ve dabbled at many things – one is animation. In 2008 I decided to make a little animation, right after the Summer Olympics of that year, defining the term “tectonics”. Most folks know the mostly commonly used meaning which is a geological term describing the movement of large plates along the surface of the earth. However look the word up and you will see that it has an entirely different meaning as well. Likely the meaning I am talking about is a more senior meaning from which the geological term derived.

Some might think it is corny – but I’ve included it on this page – upper right.

The setting was actually created in my CAD program. The other settings, the stadium, the Greek building and the pyramids were brought in an scaled from Google 3-D. I learned a lot about 3-D while making this animation.

Well – it has happened. The lead paint that we used in building, so many years ago, has now come back to haunt us. It has been the subject of the EPA’s attention for a long time, but now new laws are in place that need to be known and followed by any who are in the renovation or repair business – and this includes owners of such properties.

Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP)

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.

On March 31, 2008, EPA issued a new rule aimed at protecting children from lead-based paint hazards (79 pp, 847K). The rule requires contractors and construction professionals that work in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities to follow lead-safe work practice standards to reduce potential exposure to dangerous levels of lead for children in places they frequent. To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning April 22, 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

This also affects Property Owners

Property owners who engage in renovating, repairing, or preparing surfaces for painting in pre-1978 rental housing or in space rented by child-care facilities must, before beginning work, provide tenants with a copy of EPA’s lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) (11 pp, 1.1MB). en español (PDF) (20 pp, 3.2MB). It is the responsibility of the owners of rental properties to document compliance with this requirement; here is a sample of EPA’s  pre-renovation disclosure form (PDF) (1 pp, 53K) which can be used to fulfill this requirement.

More importantly, after April 22, 2010 (THAT IS NOW FOLKS!) property owners who are going to perform any of the aforementioned actions in any rental housing built before 1978 rental housing or in any space rented by child-care facilities must be certified and must follow the lead-safe work practices required by EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Remodeling (RRP) rule. So this does not only apply the Contractors. If you are an owner, doing your own work, you need to be aware of an comply with these fules.

As I understand it, a property owner can become certified using the application for firm certification (PDF) (9 pp, 642K) plus (of course) a fee payment to EPA. The Agency has up to 90 days after receiving a complete request for certification to approve or disapprove the application.

Property owners who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs themselves (and in today’s economy more and more owners are doing their own repairs) should also consider:

• doing some training on how to work with lead paint safely.
• Maintain records of what you are doing (to cover yourselves). You want to show that you and your helpers have been properly trained and are doing what you need to do. Here is a  sample recordkeeping checklist (PDF) that might help. It was developed for the contractors but is great for owners as well.
• And ready a few other guides (Read about how to comply with EPA’s rules  Guide 1 and Guide 2

Of course when you get your training you will become familiar with all the important issues.

Bottom line, this is might important to know. Ignoring the new rules can lead to fines of up to $37,500 per day!!!

I am facing, as are all Certified Contractors, my continuing education requirements in the upcoming month or two. I need to do this one. Though as the Engineer Designer I don’t need to worry about this (even when I design for older buildings), I want to make sure my contractors and owners know about it. I also have a Daycare center (an older building) and I need to make sure that our managers know about this

Oh my gosh – I just remembered that I was the contractor for the renovation of a pre-1950’s in Central Florida within the last couple of years. I better get cracking.

Hope this article helps.

Want to talk briefly about hiring a draftsman or designer who is not a registered Engineer or Architect.

There are many very excellent designers who are very capable in training, experience and natural talent to design you a beautiful home. I want to be on the record stating that I endorse this action and think you can make an excellent choice and decision if you wisely choose such a talent.

I work with a few folks are are not registered professionals yet whom I consider to be extremely fine designers. Over the years we have worked up an excellent rapport and trust. I’ve grown to trust their work and will gladly seal their drawings after a few tweaks here and there.

If these folks have designed many projects they generally have worked up a successful menu of details that will pass engineering muster. Sometime, when working with a draftsman/designer for the first time, there are a few more back and forth issues at the beginning. But these are largely ironed out over time and it becomes an excellent mutual endeavor.

I’ve written in other articles my views and opinions of the DOT.COM E-plan world out there. These are a different situation entirely and hiring a designer/draftsman is a far better choice, in my opinion. These “stock” plans are often incomplete, void of required details and are always unsealed and can’t be used to obtained permits in Florida and many other areas of the country. The problem with these folks is that getting revision is very expensive, very time consuming and quite commonly impossible. With a locally hired draftsman (drafts person actually ) a professional Engineer can at least work with a human being and get the plans adjusted to the required standards so he can place his seal. Normally, too, he or she, the Engineer,will want their  name somewhere on the drawings.

The Engineer protects his professional position by taking control over certain aspects to the plans which meets the strict requirements of Chapter 471 (the Florida Statute which governs the engineering profession).

While the Engineer Designer is an expert designer, I am always happy to work with talented and skilled designers (non-Engineers) who are experienced, have good communication, and are professional in attitude. They often produce excellent work.

So if you have found a draftsman designer, and would like to work with the Engineer Designer to review and make sure the plans meet structural muster, go for it.

Put us in contact and I will be happy to lend my own skills to the project.

Let’s face it, design and construction is a team sport.

Residential Renovations

When all it needs is a little nippin’ an tuckin’!

• Let’s face it, sometime moving is not an option.
• Some homes are regal and rare – but old fashioned. Functional Obsolescence is a problem with many otherwise wonderful older home. The fact that your home has two bathrooms (however small and boring) was quite a thing when it was built. But it just doesn’t cut the mustard today. Some times the kids are growing and moving is not something that will enhance family life, new space is the only solution. We can design it for you.
• Ten pounds in a five pound……. Family is growing but moving is not feasible. Especially with prices for existing homes sitting at all time highs. The cost of building can, many times, be far less than purchasing a new place. We can help.
• Some areas, like St. Petersburg, and others, are fast running out of buildable land. Renovation and updating existing homes is the only viable solution. We can design something for you.
• Going Up? We can help work out unique solutions like adding a second floor. Such designs can be tricky and you need someone who spans the realm of skills to deal with spacing planning as well as the engineering issues. We are there to help.

Many of our clients are builders who have worked up some ideas with their client in a preliminary way and turn it over to us to make it work. By the time we are called in, many of the parameters have been worked out. We take care of the final touches, the renderings, and, of course, the final plans.

We can handle your project, whether or not you have ideas… whether or not you are a builder or a homeowner.