RFIs and Submittals: A Construction Guide for Owners
Understand RFIs, submittals, and change records. Learn how to write a clear question, track review actions, coordinate deadlines, and retain current project information.
Home Design
Dream It. Build It.
Interior Construction and Finish Selections: An Owner’s Guide
Coordinate partitions, ceilings, doors, cabinetry, and finish selections. Learn what to record, how to compare installed scope, and when to approve decisions.
Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems: An Owner’s Guide
Plan heating, cooling, ventilation, electrical, and plumbing decisions with your project team. Includes a system scope table, coordination example, and handover checklist.
Building Enclosure: Walls, Roofs, Windows, and Moisture Control
Understand how walls, roofs, windows, insulation, and moisture control work together. Includes a control-layer comparison and questions for your project team.
Foundations and Structural Systems: A Building Owner’s Guide
Understand foundation options, structural load paths, framing decisions, and drawing coordination before construction. Includes owner questions and a comparison table.
Project Scheduling: How to Plan a Building Project
Plan a building project from early decisions to handover. Learn how milestones, dependencies, material lead times, and schedule updates fit together.
Construction Bidding: How to Compare Contractor Proposals
Learn how to prepare a bid package, compare contractor scope, allowances and exclusions, and resolve pricing differences before selecting a builder.
How to Read Construction Drawings: A Clear Guide for Homeowners
Drawings & codes / A visual field guide Construction drawings can look overwhelming at first. Sheets filled with lines, symbols, and technical notes may seem difficult to understand—but they are simply a structured way of communicating how a building will be constructed. After more than 20 years working as a licensed architect, I’ve found that … Read more
What Drawings Are Required to Get a Building Permit? A Clear Guide for Homeowners
If you’re planning to build a new house, addition, or major renovation, an early planning step is checking the permit and submission requirements. Building departments commonly ask for drawings that describe the proposed work and demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements. After more than 20 years working as a licensed architect, one of the most … Read more
10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing a House (Tips from a Licensed Architect)
Designing your own home is an exciting and stressful process. It’s an opportunity to create a space tailored to how you live, work, and spend time with family. But after more than 20 years working as a licensed architect, I’ve seen many homeowners unintentionally make design decisions that create problems later during construction or daily … Read more