This is the first in a series of posts that relate to the design phase of building a home.
Build, Design, Both?
It was always my intent to do the physical work. My background is in construction, specifically in bridge work. My father made a living for most of his life as a builder. My brother has been a general contractor for over a decade. So the idea of hiring a contractor to do the framing, foundation, site work and a myriad of other tasks that make up the building of a home was never in the cards. I would swing the hammer, with as much help from friends and family as I could get.
By extension, I have always intended to act as my own General Contractor.
When it came to the design of the home, I knew early on that I might have to make some comprises. Would the building department accept Owner Builder drawn plans? Would I end up with a well built, but ugly box? What if I missed something?
The Designer of Record
Once research began in earnest, I quickly realized that not only did I want to build this home, but that I wanted to design it. My growing interest, or passion, for building science made this quickly evident. After a few phone calls and some internet research , I discovered that I can, in fact, submit my own construction drawings, or plans. They still have to pass inspection, but unstamped drawings are permitted. This would make me the designer of record. And what, exactly, does that mean?
Research, and lots of it. If one really intends to design a home, they have to know at least something, about everything. Even though some of the work will be performed by sub trades, it behooves the designer to have as good an understanding of the technical aspects involved as they possibly can.
In addition to a mind blowing amount of research that will need be undertaken, designing a home - actually producing working drawings - requires tools. Or more specifically, a medium. In my next post, I will discuss the tools I am using, what their purpose is, and why I choose them.
DIY Design & Architecture
Is architecture really something that lends itself to DIY? The dictionary defines an architect as A person who designs buildings and in many cases supervises their construction. For the home we intend to build, we are talking about envelope design, a site plan, septic plan and floor plans.
I am sure opinions will vary, but for us it was not a hard decision, for several reasons.
The first is to save money, of course.
Second, I want to be involved in the technical details of the home. The task of finding an architect that we could work with, who was experienced with super insulated, air tight construction was a daunting one. Given my desire to be involved in the minutiae, and that working in tandem with an architect to fine tune the envelope, or floor plan, would likely prove expensive, the decision to DIY it was made.
Third, it has always been our intention to have a simple home in terms of appearance. Multiple rooflines, dormers and other architectural features are not high on our list.
As a final point, if in the end we cannot come up with floorplans we are happy with, or an aesthetic that is pleasing to our eyes, we can still fall back to plan B, and hire an architect to assist us.
Just because you read about it on the internet...
Just because you read about something on the internet does not make you an expert. This adage is not as tried and true as never stand up in a canoe or let sleeping bears lie. It is, however, still worth considering.
Despite my desire to be involved, am I really qualified. Can I design a structure that will not only have to pass a building inspection, but will eventually shelter my wife and daughter?
The answer, of course, is yes I can.
With respect to the basic structure (walls, a roof, etc) - we are not reinventing the wheel here. People have been building their own homes as long as we have been building homes. I am not planning anything revolutionary in terms of the frame, or structure. Not to mention it will need to be code compliant. The sole purpose of a building inspector is to ensure that a home is safe for occupancy.
As for the parts of the home that are not as conventional, such as increased air tightness, or extra insulation - will I get it wrong? And more importantly, what are the consequences if I do? For the majority of cases, wasted money is the answer. However, there are some situations where getting it wrong would affect more than our bank account. I will go over these, in detail, as the envelope design unfolds.
In the next post, I will discuss the tools I am using to assist in the design, as well as general planning and organization.
Build, Design, Both?
It was always my intent to do the physical work. My background is in construction, specifically in bridge work. My father made a living for most of his life as a builder. My brother has been a general contractor for over a decade. So the idea of hiring a contractor to do the framing, foundation, site work and a myriad of other tasks that make up the building of a home was never in the cards. I would swing the hammer, with as much help from friends and family as I could get.
By extension, I have always intended to act as my own General Contractor.
When it came to the design of the home, I knew early on that I might have to make some comprises. Would the building department accept Owner Builder drawn plans? Would I end up with a well built, but ugly box? What if I missed something?
The Designer of Record
Once research began in earnest, I quickly realized that not only did I want to build this home, but that I wanted to design it. My growing interest, or passion, for building science made this quickly evident. After a few phone calls and some internet research , I discovered that I can, in fact, submit my own construction drawings, or plans. They still have to pass inspection, but unstamped drawings are permitted. This would make me the designer of record. And what, exactly, does that mean?
 |
| There is a lot of reading to do... |
In addition to a mind blowing amount of research that will need be undertaken, designing a home - actually producing working drawings - requires tools. Or more specifically, a medium. In my next post, I will discuss the tools I am using, what their purpose is, and why I choose them.
DIY Design & Architecture
Is architecture really something that lends itself to DIY? The dictionary defines an architect as A person who designs buildings and in many cases supervises their construction. For the home we intend to build, we are talking about envelope design, a site plan, septic plan and floor plans.
I am sure opinions will vary, but for us it was not a hard decision, for several reasons.
The first is to save money, of course.
Second, I want to be involved in the technical details of the home. The task of finding an architect that we could work with, who was experienced with super insulated, air tight construction was a daunting one. Given my desire to be involved in the minutiae, and that working in tandem with an architect to fine tune the envelope, or floor plan, would likely prove expensive, the decision to DIY it was made.
Third, it has always been our intention to have a simple home in terms of appearance. Multiple rooflines, dormers and other architectural features are not high on our list.
As a final point, if in the end we cannot come up with floorplans we are happy with, or an aesthetic that is pleasing to our eyes, we can still fall back to plan B, and hire an architect to assist us.
Just because you read about it on the internet...
Just because you read about something on the internet does not make you an expert. This adage is not as tried and true as never stand up in a canoe or let sleeping bears lie. It is, however, still worth considering.
The answer, of course, is yes I can.
 |
| Shelters have evolved over time, but they all have one thing in common. They need to be sturdy. |
As for the parts of the home that are not as conventional, such as increased air tightness, or extra insulation - will I get it wrong? And more importantly, what are the consequences if I do? For the majority of cases, wasted money is the answer. However, there are some situations where getting it wrong would affect more than our bank account. I will go over these, in detail, as the envelope design unfolds.
In the next post, I will discuss the tools I am using to assist in the design, as well as general planning and organization.
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