Tag: house design

You may be wondering what components PencilJazz includes in a thorough set of residential architectural construction plans. This chart will give you a general idea of what is included in a full scope construction set, although assignments vary in scope as does the level of detail needed by the client.

Often, things like the Electrical Plan and Framing Plan are combined onto the Floor Plan, eliminating two sheets or more. The Window & Door Schedules might fit on a Plan sheet too. But this is the information you should hope and pay for to have a complete set.

Not every plan set will require every component on this list to accomplish the goal, but these are the components that belong in a truly complete plan set.

Why Hire an Architect?

The most important reason for hiring an architect to design and plan your house is because you want an exceptional, excellent design. However, the reasons go deeper. Here is a good way to consider your decision.

You want the builder to know every little detail of your house before he prices it or begins construction, so that he builds exactly what you want without any misunderstandings.

You want to be sure, when the builder prices the construction that the price includes every aspect of construction. Without a thorough plan, the pricing is open ended and is certain to grow more expensive during construction.

Excellent design includes more features, better circulation and more enjoyable aesthetics than you originally imagined were possible within the assigned limitations.

Excellent design includes smarter decisions for construction techniques to achieve optimal energy efficiency, maximum use of space, and to apply your dollars primarily where they are the most beneficial to the success of the design.

You are about to spend an enormous amount of money on a real estate investment that will appreciate in value much faster if the design is excellent.

You are planning on living in this new house for a long time, and you want to enjoy the house as much as you possibly can for many years to come.

Because you enjoy achieving excellence. You are not satisfied with ordinary.

My favorite brand of standard residential exterior doors is Thermatru for their durability, insulation, and weatherstripping. Andersen also has an extensive line of pretty good doors. You may also have your architect design a wonderfully creative front entry door and line up a good craftsman.

http://www.thermatru.com/

http://www.andersenwindows.com/

http://www.trustile.com/

http://www.affinitydoors.com/

A wood alternative siding such as fiber cement siding is able to match the traditional look of wood, with substantially lower maintenance expenses. It is extremely durable, dimensionally stable, and resistant to everyday “dings”. As is the case for natural wood, fiber cement must be primed and painted or stained. However, the material’s superior paint adherence properties reduce the frequency of recoating. The only additional maintenance required is simple cleaning; the exterior may be washed with a garden hose to remove dirt and debris as necessary.

Although a wood alternative siding like fiber cement mimics the traditional appearance of wood, its physical properties provide several advantages. All wood and wood-based products absorb water when exposed to moisture; the ensuing expansion places continuous stress on the material over time. More importantly, the subsequent growth of internal mold and fungus can foster decay that goes unnoticed until the damage requires expensive replacement. In comparison, fiber cement does not experience this type of swelling and warping and does not rot. The product also remains impervious to woodpeckers or wood-boring insects.

Fiber cement resists the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays and does not succumb to the stress of freeze-thaw cycles. Another important attribute that sometimes goes unnoticed is the material’s non-combustibility – an especially important feature when considering siding products in locations where fire hazards are a concern. Due to its superior durability and resistance to damage from extreme weather conditions, the material can be used in virtually any climate.

http://www.certainteed.com/products/fiber-cement-siding/lap-siding

http://www.nucedar.com/

The CertainTeed company seems to be the USA company with the highest density, highest R-value batt insulation for exterior walls. Their 5.5 inch fiberglass batt yields an R-value of 21. That is 2 points higher than most other batt insulation. This still is not enough to rate your wall with LEED, but it helps.

Certainteed Batt Insulation PDF

There are a staggering number of textures of stone veneer available to an architect for the application to a wall of a home. In every region of the world, these textures reflect the types of stone available in that region, as well as the aesthetic sensibilities of the local population. Add to that a number of surfaces that were invented by manufacturers to resemble some natural stone. A stone veneer can be genuine cut stone applied by masons one stone at a time. A stone veneer can be genuine cut stone assembled into panels that install more quickly in the field. A stone veneer can be panels made of synthetics or concrete shaped, surfaced and colored to resemble stone. Again the possible textures seem to be endless. If you like the idea of applying stone veneer to your home, there are many places where this will enhance the beauty and endurance of your structure. It is a worthy component to consider when designing your architecture. Here are some examples to click and enlarge.

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This company is the biggest. It doesn’t mean it is the only good choice. But just to get you started getting familiar with this component of a residential photovoltaic energy system, you could start on this page:

Aurora by Power One