Archive for January 2024
Factory-Built Housing Can Be Better than You Think
If you are like most Americans, when you hear the term “Factory-Built” or “Modular” housing, you probably think of what you see rolling down the highway on a truck with the house-wrap flapping in the breeze. You think of a tiny house that is just a small step up from a trailer. You think of…
Read MoreLatvian Symbols in Art and Architecture
Latvia has a rich cultural heritage of meaningful symbols that are prevalent in their art and architecture. The Latvian wooden houses incorporate a lot of detail in the wood trim. And much of this detail can be traced to symbols that have roots in the Pagan origins of the Latvian culture. Author Dan Brown brought…
Read MoreUnderstand Your House Plans (Karen’s Method)
I think it is always a challenge for my clients to thoroughly understand the architectural drawings, or house plans, for their new house. Floor plans and elevations are a new language to most people who are not in the building business. It is like hearing a foreign language. You can get some of it, but you probably will miss much…
Read MoreBleaching Oil for Cedar Siding
I was on a job site the other day and we were reviewing the transformation that occurs when you apply bleaching oil with stain to cedar siding. The contractor had already built a sample wall and we were discussing the finishing process. He indicated the siding would be stained, and then stained again six weeks…
Read MoreOur Word of the Week – Ogee
Ogee – Ogee, pronounced like saying the letters O.G., refers to a shape seen often in architecture, woodworking, and even aluminum gutters, of all places. An ogee shape is a curved shape that resembles an “s” shape (on its side) as shown below. It has two opposing curves that make up its length. The shape you…
Read MoreChoosing Paint Colors Is Challenging
Recently I was asked for tips to help homeowners navigate the ocean of paint swatches at the home improvement store. Selecting colors can be challenging. It can be a daunting task. With so many colors to choose from it seems it would be easy to find just the right one. The fact there are millions of colors in…
Read MoreDo I Need a Building Permit?
Get a Building Permit if you are planning a home improvement project such as finishing your basement or rearranging your bathroom or kitchen. The jargon in the construction world is to “pull a permit.” Weird, but that’s the jargon. Often, folks decide to not get a permit for home improvements because they worry this will…
Read MoreDealing with High Ceilings in Small Spaces
High Ceilings in small spaces can be disconcerting. High ceilings in most rooms of a house rooms are great. But high ceilings in small spaces can create the dreaded “elevator shaft” effect. That’s what you can end up with in small rooms with high ceilings. In high-end houses, ten-foot high ceilings, and above, have gotten…
Read More