Category Archives: Architecture & Design

The End Is In Sight

Posted on October 7, 2009 by jeremybell

Once again, I have to apologize for my lack of updates. What’s it been… 3 months? It’s embarrassing how much time I’ve let slip by. I’ve received a number of emails inquiring if we’ve run out of money or if … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction, Finishings | 16 Comments

Strapped Out

Posted on March 24, 2009 by jeremybell

Our ICF foundation has 2 5/8” of foam on the exterior, which created a minor aesthetic challenge for us. To ensure everything was flush once we added the cladding, we needed to strap the exterior walls out to compensate. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Stairway To Heaven

Posted on March 10, 2009 by jeremybell

I suppose I could have come up with a slightly less cliched headline, but whatever… our stairs were installed yesterday and I’m pretty excited. We went with white oak for the treads, which will eventually be stained a dark brown … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

It Looks Flat, But It's Not

Posted on November 17, 2008 by jeremybell

We’ve obviously shied away from a traditionally pitched roof, however one common misconception about the house is that the roof is flat. While it definitely appears that way from the ground, it actually slopes away from the structure at around … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Structured Analysis

Posted on November 10, 2008 by jeremybell

We’re expecting to finish the framing this week, so I figured this might be an appropriate time to reflect on what we encountered along the way. Aside from a few tweaks, I’d say the framing has turned out quite well. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Construction Drawings

Posted on August 4, 2008 by jeremybell

Our construction drawings were submitted to the city a few weeks ago, so we’re in a bit of a holding pattern while we wait for our building permits. This process usually takes around 10 business days, so we’re expecting we’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

ICF to the roof?

Posted on July 15, 2008 by jeremybell

I’ve already discussed the benefits of using ICFs for our foundation, but we’re now considering using them to construct the entire building envelope. We had originally expected it to be cost probative, but after getting a few quotes it appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Eco / Green | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Lines of Communication

Posted on July 4, 2008 by jeremybell

When compared to the construction itself, I suppose this may seem somewhat trivial, but I believe communication and collaboration are critical factors that shouldn’t be overlooked. Especially in the design stages of the project. Working with a constrained timeline has … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Under The Garage

Posted on June 23, 2008 by jeremybell

I don’t believe this is particularly common, but we’re planning on building two extra rooms in our basement by excavating the space under our garage. In a typical garage, the floor is simply a concrete slab that sits on top … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Day by Day

Posted on June 22, 2008 by jeremybell

After spending the better part of 2 hours trying to craft this into a witty and/or clever post, I’ve come to realize there isn’t a particularly glitzy way to spin this, so I’m just going to cut right to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction | Tagged , | Comments Off