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Complete vlog of design-build project from concept to completion.

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Recent Posts

  1. Site Work and Layout
    Monday, November 15, 2010
  2. Getting the Details Right
    Saturday, November 06, 2010
  3. 3-D Home Plan Images
    Saturday, May 01, 2010
  4. Dealing with Expansive Soils (Yazoo Clay)
    Sunday, August 23, 2009
  5. Mississippi Yazoo Clay
    Wednesday, August 19, 2009
  6. 545 People
    Sunday, August 16, 2009
  7. Designing to cost (continued)
    Tuesday, August 11, 2009
  8. Designing to Cost
    Monday, August 10, 2009
  9. LEED
    Wednesday, July 29, 2009
  10. Local "Green"
    Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Recent Comments

  1. MicroConsole on Building the Envelope
    10/17/2010
  2. Lorraine - Bedding on 3-D Home Plan Images
    10/13/2010
  3. Fat Loss 4 Idiots on Elliptical Arches
    9/6/2010
  4. bathroom fan experts on Elliptical Arches
    9/2/2010
  5. Energy Efficient Doors on Energy Efficient Doors
    4/14/2010
  6. round rugs on Cyber Scale Model of Home
    3/19/2010
  7. Ron on Dealing with Expansive Soils (Yazoo Clay)
    9/18/2009
  8. Bart on Building the Envelope
    8/22/2009
  9. A. Barnhart on Energy Efficient Doors
    8/10/2009

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Site Work and Layout

  By  August the construction documents were developed and we were ready to begin the site work.  I had visited the site several times during the plan development phase to check the topography and solar orientation. Thick underbrush and woods made this a bit of a challenge, but we were able to get a good general idea of a ridgeline that would provide a good natural elevation above some otherwise low ...

<< MORE >>

Getting the Details Right

     A couple of months ago I was presented with an opportunity that has taken all of my time, focus and effort. I was contacted by a couple who were in the  process of having a home designed, which they wanted to evoke the look and feel of a popular Natchez Antebellum home, The Rosalie. Unfortunately, (or fortunately for me) the designer they were working with was used to churning out basic stock type builder plans, and really didn't understand or listen to what her clients were telling her.
   Three thousand dollars into this process, ...
<< MORE >>

3-D Home Plan Images


  No matter what your taste or budget, I can help you get "there" if you tell me where "there" is. Why settle for a stock home plan, when a custom designed plan will fit your site and your life so much better? Especially when all design fees are refunded when I build for you!




 Its good to finally get around to posting another article here! I've been keeping busy with custom plans ... << MORE >>

Dealing with Expansive Soils (Yazoo Clay)

 


 


Yazoo Clay is a common term used to describe what engineers would call soils with small particles and high plasticity, and therefore a great propensity to expand and contract due to changes in moisture content. Much of what is referred to as foundation problems is actually an underlying soil problem.


As I alluded to in the previous article, the usual recommended practice ...<< MORE >>

Mississippi Yazoo Clay

   I imagine everyone in Mississippi has heard of the issues with the expansive soil known as Yazoo Clay. As a builder or a homeowner, it is the stuff of nightmares. I have always insisted on a soil boring to determine its presence on a building site. The common remedy is to have a 5-7' barrier of non-expansive soil between any Yazoo Clay and your footings. When the site requires a great deal of excavating and hauling off of expansive soils and then importing and compacting non-expansive soil in its place, the costs can be exorbitant. I have recently talked ...<< MORE >>

545 People

I really dont intend to turn this into a political blog, but I ran across this and just had to share it...

545 PEOPLE

By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal ...<< MORE >>

Designing to cost (continued)

So if building costs can be such a moving target, how in the world can you custom build and be able to meet your criteria for your house, and stay within a budget?


 


This is a problem that the typical design-bid-build process addresses very poorly.


 


Too many designers will be glad to ...<< MORE >>

Designing to Cost

 


 


A recent client has prompted me to address again a subject I have tried to convey on my website regarding cost to build and designing toward a target cost.


 


The amount of disinformation regarding building costs being perpetuated by the housing industry and real estate market is beyond my belief, and ...<< MORE >>

LEED

 Check out this link for more about sucess of government involvement in building practices

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/5872/is-the-leed-program-a-fraud ...<< MORE >>

Local "Green"

   

 O.K. folks, I wasn’t going to do this, but I suppose I’m about to “let my slip show”.


Let me state my personal opinion and position on green, particularly the governments co-opting of the environmental movement.


 


Let me start by clarifying that I have always been an advocate of sustainable, sensible and healthy utilization of resources.  ...<< MORE >>