Another thought on the architect
shiltsy
9 years ago
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9 years agoshiltsy
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Ok, another thought
Comments (19)I'm a little afraid to say much because I can't come up with something that gives clear direction. but here I go anyway. I think a general concept of Spanish/Medit/veggie can certainly work if done right. I think the plan should be maybe a little more formal than you think--or maybe, help me someone, STRONGER and leaner than you think. The house is not symmetrical but to me it is somehow strong. And I would think in terms of fewer, larger portions in yard, not lots of tiny areas--sort of the clutter thing, but maybe even more somehow identifying some lines of sight or lines related to the house. Less of a jungle, for your house, would look better. I wish I could actually put it in the right terms. For example, you need to be thinking of what you see when you walk out your front door, and what is seen--the house behind the garden--from the street. Not "what you see" in terms of pretty, color, etc but what is lined up with what, doors, entry etc. The wine barrel thing is not so bad--I can't use terra cotta well outdoors all season here, it cracks in winter, but if I were in a non-freezing zone I would because it just looks so timeless. What I would point out is that what can look funky with the barrels is that they can stick up too high and be unrelated to the ground, not grounded, whatever. You could specifically try to avoid that by having some kind of graduated heights as you mentioned--higher container surrounded by lower, blending into ground--or by other plants around them--or if a tall container is a specific focal point. But avoid multiple things randomly sticking up out of the ground scattered over the area. Have a purpose for a barrel. It should not be just to avoid another better form of raised planting--although the "temporary" concept can be part of your plan--if you're tearing up the whole yard, you may well need to actually USE the yard for your beds; otherwise if only doing a few planters you could have left the grass. You need very few if any garden ornaments in this size yard--especially if you are using several containers. Same for rocks, rock paths. YOu can't eat them; they just take up space, add extra elements. You can have paths to allow you to get around and to your plants or to provide a clearer line of sight, but there should be a reason. Have larger groups of plantings of similar type--sweeps. You might want to even go slower on your veggies at first and use enough good-looking, including evergreen, unifying herbs/shrubs/groundcover and add more "crops" as you feel things are working out and as you see what looks good enough for front-yard gardening. That might have been a reason not to kill all your grass before the plan was made, but I understand how you got there! Since I really can't do this myself, the main distillation might be,less is more for now, simpler larger plantings and let the complexity develop more over time if it is really needed. Good luck....See MoreI thought An Architect is responsible for structural stability
Comments (9)The issue often hinges on the laws of the state where the project is located. In most states, 1 & 2 family houses that conform to the structural requirements and span tables of the applicable 1 & 2 family dwelling code do not need an engineer's stamp or an architect's stamp. However, in most states, when the design of a structural element or system is not defined in the code (steel/laminated/ composite beams, trusses, discontinuous lateral bracing, etc), it must be designed and stamped by an engineer. In some states the design can be done by anyone if the building official accepts the supporting information (manufacturer's tables, etc). There are also jurisdictions where there is no building code for residences. Therefore, when an architect suggests that there might be an additional charge for a structural engineer he/she is usually anticipating that some part of the structure might be required by law to have an engineer's stamp or, even when an engineer's stamp is not required by law, the architect might still feel the design should come from or be checked by an engineer. The areas where that is often desirable is for structural steel connections, composite steel & concrete, post stressing of concrete slabs on unstable soils, unusual/discontinuous lateral bracing or in earthquake zones, cantilevered beams, trusses not designed by a manufacturer, drifting of heavy snow loads, investigation and repair of existing structures, etc. A major side benefit is that a structural engineer's errors & omissions insurance will help protect the owner from the cost of property loss or third party lawsuits in the unlikely event that some part of the structure fails....See MorePella Architect vs. Anderson Woodwright, thoughts?
Comments (1)From a customer service and product quality I'd rank Marvin the highest then Anderson. I would not even consider Pella as an option. Just look around here a little and I bet you will come to the same conclusion....See MoreAnother food for thought...regarding price increases
Comments (21)I agree that pricing for things made in China haven't changed much, but I'm not a disposable type of buyer and try to avoid buying China chunk as much as I possibly can. When it comes to our home or personal items, I'm not a disposable buyer and am willing to pay for quality but like Oly, I'll shop around or just do with out. Food is where I see prices rising the most. Someone mentioned how prices haven't changed much but sizes have descreased which to me still equates to a price increase. I've stopped buying a lot of the things we used to splurge on and tend to buy in bulk and repackage foods into smaller servings. We don't buy chips, treats or snacks and I always cook at home, but other than a few staple items, I don't buy much from our local Krogers or Meijer. Our fruits and vegi's are from a local farmer's market and organic (when available) . Dairy is from a local farmer, our meat is from an Amish poultry farm or Costco. Tonight I stopped by Ulta with my daughter to buy my preferred shampoo/conditioner. The kind I use lasts a long time so it's been a while since my last purchase. Of course the bottles had shrunk by a couple of ounzes and the price had still creeped up. I asked a lady on the floor if there was a comparable product for less and she showed me a few. I chose one that I'm familiar with and I'm hoping it will be fine, but my favorite has hit a number and size that's beyond what I feel is reasonable so I'm moving on. When it comes to my pants and the hems, maybe it's a demographic thing, because 12.00 is reasonable, but 15.00 in our neck of the woods is a lot. Sushi, I was thinking along those lines as well and I actually stopped by the Credit Union today so I'd be prepared to pay cash. She didn't ask me to but I know she'll appreciate it....See MoreUser
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