Ask the Builder: John, CPBD

2011-10-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

During the last 4 weeks the beginning interior elements have been going into place. First the insulation then the sheetrocking then the painting of the walls and ceilings and the interior trim and cabinets. As of now we are anticipating being done in about three weeks if all goes well.

2011-09-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

The electric meter box is located in the Laundry room and is neatly installed by Encore Electric.
The Gas Fireplace with a raised hearth, which will be covered with slate tile. And the mantel shelf above that we will have a maple cover to match the cabinetry. The face of the firplace will have the same ledgestone that we are going to install on the front entry columns.

Wall stacks are used to supply the heat to the upper floor.

The furnace is 95% efficient, natural gas forced air and the water heater (not yet installed) will be a 60-70 gal. high efficiency to supply plenty of hot water for the home.

With all of the mechanical and insulation installed and inspected, sheetock was delivered on Friday, September 2 and the hangers began their work on Sunday. They should be finished sometime today and the home will be ready for the sheetrock tapers to begin.

2011-08-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Multi Tasking is not only a high tech word. It also suits itself well to construction.
While the plumbing and heating are being installed on the interior of the home, the deck is framed and built. We are using 2X8 pressure treated joists @ 16" on center and screwing down TREX "Accents" decking.

At the same time the windows and doors have been installed and the siding is being applied. First TYVEK is stapled in place and all of the window and door openings are taped and sealed. Then the corner boards are nailed in place as well as the window lintels, trim and sills are installed. All of the window & door lintels are also flashed with 1" "Z" flashing. 2x trim boards are added to the base of each wall and flashed. Hardiplank siding is then nailed and caulked. When the siding is completed the exterior will be ready for the painter.

The exterior front entry has also been completed with the open beams and posts. The base of each post will be framed out and finished with cultured stone. Instead of using hangers to connect the post and beams we used 3/4" Lag Bolts so that there are no metal hangers visible. The underside of the porch will be soffited with Tongue and Grove pine.

THE INTERIOR

2011-08-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

This week with the framing done, although the shell is complete we can continue with the other exterior phases of the project. The roofing has been installed and the deck is being framed. When the deck is finished the siding will begin. When you get to this point it can be difficult to keep the various trades from stumbling over each other, but with a little attention it can be done.

Now begins the installation of the inner workings of any home. The Plumbing, the HVAC and the electrical. We like to have the plumbing done first. This way we avoid having the plumber try to maneuver around any wiring that may have been installed. As the plumber nears completion we will have the HVAC (heating-ventilation-air conditioning) installed. Then the electrician will be called in. I am in the process of completing the electrical plan and should be done this week.

Today I also met with our cabinet people to measure up the various rooms that will be receiving cupboards. We measure this early because it will take several weeks to build and finish the cabinets. I have always been a proponent of custom cabinets verses box cabinets that are purchased from a store. This way each area can be custom fitted, down to the inch, to take advantage of the space. No fillers means no wasted space. So it is important to not overlook this timing, otherwise you may be sitting waiting for the cabinets when you are ready for them.

2011-08-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

As a design and construction company, we play and important role for each of our clients from the time they bring their ideas to us to design them a new home, all the way through to the handing over the keys to the front door upon completion of the project. This home is currently under the design phase with new changes being implemented. It will be ready soon to move to the budgeting phase where the costs are calculated and financing can be put in place.

If you have any questions regarding your project, no matter what stage you find yourself, we are available to help answer your questions. They can be preliminary questions about costs and permitting, or they can encompass the scope of construction that will be necessary for you to complete your project.

Give us a call (360) 733-7206 or post your inquiry here. Or you can visit our Web Site at www.bdcgreen.com.

Regards and good luck with your project.

John Arthur Anderson

President, Blueprint Design Consultants, Inc.

4071 Hannegan Road, Suite R

Bellingham, WA 98226

John@bdcgreen.com

Building Industry Association of Whatcom County

American Institute of Building Design

National Council of Building Design Certification

Master Builders Association, Design Professional Council

Built Green Member

2011-08-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Now that the shell of the home is nearly finished, we can begin with all of the pick-up framing. This entails all of the sheetrock nailers that need to be added. As well as finishing off the bonus room and dormer. This will be

great added space for the homeowners. It is certainly inexpensive living square footage that would normally be lost to the attic. aIt can be used for any number of purposes such as a guest bedroom, a craft room or a great space for games, ie pool table or ping pong for the kids.

Also the gas firplace has been installed and is ready to be framed in for the finishes that will need to be applied.

After this we will be installing the windows and doors, which were delivered to the site on Friday this past week.

Tomorrow, as well, we will install the deck ledger to the back of the home and begin framing the deck.

2011-07-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

The stairs stringers are cut and installed and the treads and risers are nailed down.

The upper floor walls are then layed out and installed.

With the walls braced and ready for trusses we can get the detached garage framed up.

2011-07-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

Framing of the first floor continues.

With the bracing done the 2nd floor joists can be layed out and installed the plywood layed down and nailed off.

2011-07-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

Now that the foundation has had time to cure and the garage slab has been poured it is time to frame the home.

The treated plate has been bolted down to the foundation wall and the post and beams have been installed. The rim joists are placed on the perimeter of the building and the floor joists are measured and layed out for installation.

The subfloor is 3/4" T&G and is nailed to the floor joists after apply construction adhesive to the top flange of the joists.

With the subfloor now in place the exterior walls are ready to be built. The bottom and top plates are measured and cut and are marked for window and door placement. The studs are marked at 16" on center and the studs, cripples and headers are all nailed into place. Sheathing is applied to the exterior side, and the wall is ready to stand.

As the walls are stood upright, they are checked for level and braced in place. This process continues untill all of the exterior walls have be built and braced.

Clean & Backfilled

2011-07-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Now that the foundation walls have been poured and the forms stripped away we can begin to clean up.

With the forms stripped, the foundation walls can now be waterproofed.

It is always good to get the foundation cleaned up and backfilled. We now have a good level site on which to construct the home.

We will be moving into the framing stage later this week, after a few more days of allowing the concrete to cure. Framing is an exciting phase of the construction as every day you can see progress. That cannot be said about all the phases of the project. Some seem to drag on forever, with little progress, but each day a little bit more gets done. With framing you begin to see the house take shape. You can envision each room as it goes up. Think about how you're going to use it and furnish it. That is real meat & potatoes stuff.

We will have the lumber delivered sometime today for the floor package. That is the treated plate with sill seal to go onto the foundation wall. The treated 4x4 posts and the 4x10 DF beams that will hold the floor. The TJI engineered floor joists that make up the floor platform and the 3/4" OSB T&G that is the subfloor membrane. All of that should be done by the middle of next week and then come the walls.

Along the way, in the coming weeks, we'll be ordering the window and door package and before you know it, the sum of the parts will begin to resemble a finished product.

Stay tuned.

Remember, if you have any comments or questions about your own project, just give me a shout and I'll be able to guide you through the process.

Regards

John

2011-06-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

Is the glass half full or is it half empty? Boy oh boy, life can throw that question in your face twenty times a day. It can turn you into a cynic or it can hone your character and mold you into the person you want to be. That very thing reared its head to take a bite out of my hide on Wednesday. I'll explain what I'm talking about.

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised to have had such nice weather for the excavation and foundation to this point. As anyone who works in the construction industry in the Pacific Northwest knows, these could have been days spent slogging around in the slop and mud which always slows progress. Which in turn puts all of the ongoing building projects behind and therefore everyone is demanding their concrete at the same time, which leads to understandable delays. So to my delight the project has been progressing well.

The phone rings Wednesday afternoon and the proverbial "Glass 1/2 empty" hit me and began to deflate my balloon. When adversity strikes it does the following. Schedules can be disrupted, anxiety & stress is felt by builders, sub contractors and owners alike. If the weather had not cooperated, this situation would certainly have been worse. The problem was that the dig out was not long enough to accomodate the garage being 10 feet from the house. When I was informed, I called our excavator immediately and Ron, who had taken his equipment to another site, pulled it together, came back that evening and fixed the problem.

Like all human endeavors, when mistakes are made, it is how you approach the remedy that makes all of the difference in your success. I did not want to put off the pour of the footings until Friday. The Friday forcast was for a change in the weather, so it was not an option in my way of thinking. Besides, our clients were excited to see the footings poured and the project moving forward and I did not want to disappoint them. Long story short, Ron was back at the site with his equipment by the end of the day, and resolved the issue so as not to delay the project. The Thursday pour was accomplished. A situation which could have delayed us 2 or 3 days was averted. We instead have finished the footings and as of this morning are stripping them and cleaning up the site.

This is exactly why I like working with people who are committed to our clients needs. Who are not in it just for the paycheck. Who have been reliable partners for many years, and who will place our clients interests ahead of their own. That is a commodity that seems to be missing so often in todays world.

Mission Accomplished - "Glass half full"

2011-06-14T04:58:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 13, 2011

The house is now staked out on the lot and today we began the laying out of the footings of the home. This process normally takes two or three days and we should have them poured by the end of the week. #4 rebar must be cut and tied into the footing for structure and the vertical #4 rebar place according to the engineering. Once the footings are poured and given a day or so to dry, the forms will be stripped, cleaned and the process begins again for the setting of the stem walls.

2011-06-08T19:29:00.001-07:00

I tell people when I talk with them about construction that there are a thousand and one decisions that need to be made throughout the building project. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities in the creation of your dream. Let's talk about an example when you are just beginning. It is important to decide at what elevation you wish to have the top of the foundation. This ultimately determines how many steps you will have to go up or down to enter or exit your new home. This can be important depending on your physical condition or can be important for the asthetic value of your home, ie. your curb appeal. For example, a country or farm style design looks much nicer with an elevated front porch. A contemporary home can be elegant with a zero grade approach to the front door. Or if you are my age you may not want to have many steps into your home thereby making it more accessible. So determining the grade or elevation of the top of foundation is critical. It does not seem like rocket science but like all things if you take your eye off of the ball, before you know it, it is too late to make any changes. Concrete is very unforgiving. Once in place, changes are expensive.

A typical foundation in the Pacific Northwest has an 8" thick footing with a 24" stem wall to create the crawlspace. This is topped with 6" sill seal, a 1 1/2" treated plate, your joists at 16" on center (either 9 1/2" or 11 7/8") and a sheet of 3/4" tongue and groove plywood. This is your sub floor and its height above grade determines the number of steps you need to grade.

I will continue, each day to talk about the myriad of decisions and issues that you will have to make and am always available to you for information you may need no matter where you are at in the process. Just drop me a post and I'll get back to you in a timely manner.

Thanks for listening,

Regards,

John Arthur Anderson, CPBD
President, Blueprint Design Consultants, Inc.
4071 Hannegan Road, Suite R
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360 733-7206 Fax (360) 733-4596
john@bdcgreen.com

Building Industry Association of Whatcom County,
American Institute of Building Design
National Council of Building Design certification
Master Builders Association, Design Professional Council
Built Green member

2011-06-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Today is Wednesday, June 8. A bit overcast but not raining. So today is when the move in of equipment will happen. Sometime this morning the excavator will show up and will start the excavation of the new home. Ron Reimer has been selected as the excavation contractor. He has been a trusted partner on many of our building projects over the years and Jim and I are pleased with his professional approach and his way of interacting with our clients that leaves them confident that the work is off to a good start.

At the site the position of the new house will be staked out and grades will be determined. This home will be a two story house with a 30" crawl space. First there is quite a bit of earth to be removed to get the site level then he will begin to dig the hole to create the surface for the footing to be formed and leveled.

If all goes well, we should be ready for the foundation contractor by the first of next week.
Building construction is a very exciting process and one that presents new challenges each and every day. Stay tuned and follow the that process with me.

If you have any question about the process from start to finish, post your question here and I'll get back to you soon.

Regards,

John Arthur Anderson, CPBD
President, Blueprint Design Consultants, Inc.
4071 Hannegan Road, Suite R
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360 733-7206 Fax (360) 733-4596
john@bdcgreen.com

Building Industry Association of Whatcom County,
American Institute of Building Design
National Council of Building Design certification
Master Builders Association, Design Professional Council
Built Green member

2011-06-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hey, there is summer weather in the Pacific Northwest. Just in time we are breaking ground on a new home next week. Whether you are in need of a custom home design, you are remodeling, building an addition onto your home or building a new home, if you have any questions about the process or would like to talk about any issue pertaining to your project, let me know. Just place a post here and I'll get back to you right away.

I always get a charge out of the emotions people go through when beginning their building project. The atmosphere is filled with excitement and the shutter on the camera never stops for the next several months during construction.

Visit our Web site @ http://www.bdcgreen.com to learn more about our design firm.

2011-05-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Memorial day has always been a special day for me. As a Vietnam Veteran, this day, for me, has always been a time to reflect and remember. The Anderson family has served their country with distinction thoughout the 20th and now twenty first century. Today my son is serving.
God bless all those whose lives have been forever changed and enriched by their love of country.

In this post I would like to talk about the permitting process. You have to start with an appreciation for those who work in the local building jurisdictions. Their work days are often filled with confrontation with those who do not appreciate their jobs or those who are trying to get by with something regarding their project. which brings me to the topic of compliance.

Compliance is not a four letter word. It is always best to be forthright in your dealings with the building department and to strive to have all of your forms filled out properly and in order, so that you can build a solid reputation as someone who knows what needs to be done and always makes that happen.

Jumping through the proverbial hoops to get your building permit can sometimes be frustrating. But, I can tell you that if your goal is to comply and you deal honestly with the building officials, your project will go much smoother, and you will receive your permit in a timely manner. If you make the opposite choice, then expect delays and frustration. Don't blame it on the building department. By having all of your application forms in order and any other information they may require, ie. water verification, septic or sewer info, deed of trust etc. when you get to the counter, it shows that you respect the process and appreciate the help that they give you. I suspect that you like to be thought of in that same manner while performing your job.

If you have any questions about the process or just would like insight into what may be required of you, just send me a note and I'll get you what you need to begin your project on the right path and with the right attitude.

John Anderson

"Attitude is a little thing that make a big difference" Winston Churchhill

Look Before You Leap

2011-05-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

We are beginning the construction of a new home and are in the process of calculating costs and completing all material takeoffs. I designed this house plan in consultations with my client over the past 3 months and it is time to put the pedal to the metal.

There is an old story about a man traveling to Chicago and trying to make his way around the city and finding it to be a difficult proposition. He wandered for a while and ended up in front of the then Sears Tower. As he tried, in vain, to picture where he was and then how to get to where he wanted to go, frustration set in. Even as he opened the map of the city, which he had purchased, he was overwelmed by the scope of what lay before him, and the task seemed an impossible mission. Suddenly it dawned on him that if he went up to the top of the Sears Tower and got his bearings while looking out over the city, indentifying the places he wished to go would become an easier task. After returning to the street, he felt assured of the direction he needed to go and had the map of the city and the location of his venues now tatooed in his mind. The moral to the story is this: Have the complete picture of the task in your mind before you start. A roadmap, as it were, of how to get from point A to point B. It requires careful planning and a method of organizing all of the pieces on paper in black and white. Creating your roadmap for success.

With that said, we can begin. I filed the application for the building permit 4 months ago and have just received notice that it is ready to be picked up. I have gone over the houseplans and have calculated all of the building materials to be used. I then compiled them into an excel speadsheet to organize each area of construction and determined the estimated cost of construction. This is my roadmap. It gives me a complete picture of not only the construction costs, but the order in which each area of construction must be completed and an accurate timeline for the scheduling of each sub contractor and the completion of the project.

At the building site we have measured and staked exactly where the house is to sit on the property. We have taken elevations shots with the laser transit to determine the amount to be excavated. We have layed out the site for where to store the spoils of excavated material, installed the silt fence for storm water runoff protection and can now begin the dig. The excavation sub contractor has been scheduled and it is time to move dirt.

This is always an exciting time for clients as they can begin to see the physical progress of their project and start to dream of an actual move in date. Stay tuned for further insights of the construction process.

John Anderson

Introduction

2011-05-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here it is May 25, 2011 and spring has not yet shown its face in the Pacific Northwest. There is much to be grateful for however. Business continues to be tepid but we have overcome the past 2 1/2 years of downturn and we definately are experiencing a slight upturn.

If you are thinking of building your own home we can help. First with the plans you will need for your building department. Then we can walk you through the process of permitting and all that that entails. We have created many forms for you to use in order to put your building project together and start you on a successful path.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing about the process of residential construction. I hope you join me as I outline the many issues you will have to deal with during the months that it will take to complete your home. If there are any questions you have or would like to post, I will be monitoring continuously and will get back to you quickly.

Good luck,

John Anderson