Pope-Leighey House Tour
Really cool virtual tour of one of my favorite Frank Lloyd Wright homes, Pope-Leighey. The carpenter who built it said, […]
California Building Code Section 2308 – Conventional Light-Frame Construction
I was recently requested by a residential designer and property owner to review a portion of conventional California roof framing […]
Hiring Building Professionals, Pt. 3: How to Hire a Contractor
A few years back, the federal trade commission (FTC) published a pamphlet to assist homeowners in selecting a reputable contractor […]
Hiring Building Professionals, Pt. 2: Do I Need a Professional Engineer (PE)?
In part 1 of this series on hiring building professionals, we discussed the role of the architect. Our focus now […]
Hiring Building Professionals, Pt. 1: Do I Need an Architect?
When it comes time to build, a large portion of a property owner’s stress can have to do with the […]
Building Permit Expirations
Once a building permit has been obtained, most jurisdictions require that construction on the project commence within a certain amount […]
Should Building Green Be Mandated?
This month marks the publication of yet another new building code — the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) 2012. While local […]
Time to Clean the Gutters
We’ve been getting our first rain of the season here in Northern California — it’s officially time to clean the […]
Thoughts on Conservation
I am pleased to see articles in the press that focus on the consumption-reducing side of conservationism. Sure, buying environmentally-friendly […]
OSB vs. Plywood
http://bct.eco.umass.edu/publications/by-title/choosing-between-oriented-strandboard-and-plywood/