Ethics, Anyone?

Please, please, please! Don't ask me to copy another building designer or architect's design for your home! 

You might say, "I'd never do that!"...you know the difference between right and wrong...but would you ask me to change the plan a little so it would then be different?  A lot of people have asked me to do just that!

As the cartoon above implies some folks might think there are 3 ways to go: Right, Wrong,...and something inbetween (because it just 'depends')!

You might really believe that by adding 2 feet across the back of a plan, or changing the roof from gables to hips is enought to keep you (and me) out of trouble.  But the truth is, it is theft.  I think the law calls it 'theft of intellectual property.' 

What's a future homeowner to do?  Of course...go ahead and collect all those model home floor plans, take pictures, and make a binder.  You like the Master Bath of one plan and the Front Elevation of another. Show them to me when we discuss what you want in a home...but DON'T ask me to copy them! 

I want to see those designs to get an idea of the style, flow and features you like.  But you are paying me to custom design something unique just for you! Please let me be creative so we can both be proud of the outcome!

Mother-in-law Suites

Hopefully the lady pictured isn’t your mother-in-law!  But you might like to know that I’m asked more & more often to design houses with additional living space attached to the main house.  Often these spaces are called ‘Mother-in-law Suites’ for lack of a better name!

Usually clients want a combination sleeping/living area with a small kitchenette and bath combined.  But sometimes the client can afford to make a separate living & eating space.  Others simply want a second master bedroom & bath area.

It’s my job as a building designer to figure out three things: 

1.       What features best meet the client’s needs with regard to cost and space?

2.       How can I design the space so it flows nicely with the main structure?

3.       How can I plan for future uses of the space, either for this owner or to make it attractive to a potential future owner?

I will usually ask questions about the person living in the proposed space.  Can they use stairs? Does the bathroom need to be handicap-equipped? How many square feet can the project take up?

I like to offer the in-law suite a nice view of some exterior space.  But I have to find out if the main family wants privacy outside.  That might lend itself to a small, side porch off the suite instead.  And if the project is part of a remodel I have to think of the existing structure, roofline and exterior finishes.  I want this big addition to have a look that makes people think it has always been there, even if it is a separate structure not attached to the main house.

More than once I’ve had clients whose family needs changed within just a few years after building an in-law suite.  Those folks are then happy if we have taken the time to plan for a future use.  Sometimes the suite can become a game room, home office, or even be converted into an extra garage or storage space.  This means we have to think about how the suite attaches or is approached from the main house.

All these thoughts make it so important to have a discussion with a building designer!  Contact me and I’ll show you some examples of similar projects I’ve done for other blended families!  My website is:  http://www.ellensullivan.net/

Plans on the internet..to buy or not to buy?

Before the internet came along, magazine aisles carried books of house plans.  The consumer bought a book with 200 plans, and then set about squinting at small sketches, page after page. Folks would be overwhelmed by the small pictures and all the pages they had dog-eared .  They would realize none of the plans were exactly right, and then go buy another book!

In the past 10 years or so it has become popular to shop for house plans on the internet. While the consumer saves a few dollars initially, the outcome is generally the same.  After squinting for hours at plans on the computer, none are perfect.  Rather than dog-eared pages they have stacks of print-outs with circles around the features they like best.

What’s a potential homeowner to do? 

Many just go ahead and buy the plan which is closest to meeting their needs, then build a house with a lot of things ‘wrong’ with it.  They spend years saying, “If I had it to do over again…”  For instance, stock plans on the internet often just estimate the room sizes (usually rounding up generously).  A bedroom might be marked ‘11x14,’ but when the blueprints show up the actual size is more like 10’-2” x 13’8”.  This type of misrepresentation can cause a lot of frustration!

The second way a lot of people deal with the problem causes building designers and architects a lot of headaches.  Clients will bring in a plan printed from a house plan website and say something like, “I want this house, but add 3 feet across the back.”  Actually, they are asking the designer to plagiarize a plan!  Some people think that if the plan is changed, it’s no longer the original.  But the laws in most states allow for the ‘spirit’ of an artistic idea.  The courts will side with the original designer!  And I'm sure you agree, we don’t want to be sued!

Now, if you have bought a plan and want some modifications, you do have a legal option.  Your building designer can draw an ‘addendum page’ which describes modifications to the original plan.  It will be easy for the builder to understand, and it keeps the designer out of trouble!

What about the guy who just shows up with a stack of several print-outs? A truly good and creative designer will only glance at the print-outs, then proceed to ask enough questions to design an original plan for the client.  I have a 2-page list of questions I ask clients, and it is amazing how we are then able to create a design just for them!  And often for about the same price as an internet plan!

Take a look at my website 

http://www.ellensullivan.net/

and contact me for a custom plan! Don’t settle for a ‘cookie-cutter’ design!

Egress - Want a Way Outta Here??

Egress is a big deal when you’re designing a new home. If you check with Webster’s, you’ll find this word simply means  ‘an exit from a place.’

The word ‘egress’ sounds like a self-inflated term! Why not just say an exit from a place?  Well, I like the word!  It implies a certain importance which it deserves.  Why does it deserve this?  Because egress from a residence is of great importance in special situations.

Let’s say someone forgets to blow out the candles on the coffee table before going to bed.  About 2:00 am you awaken coughing.  You look out into the living area and it is filled with flames and smoke! You can’t run to the front door, or even the back door.  The only way out is whatever means available from your bedroom.  Let’s pray you don’t live in a post WWII house with  narrow, or extremely high windows.  Your bedroom could become a death trap!

Or, let’s say you recently built your home with the current trend of having a master bedroom on one side of the house, and all the other bedrooms on the other side.  The same scenario develops, but this time you have children in those rooms on the other side of the house.  Their windows need to be easily reached from inside their rooms, as well as big enough to fit through. 

The International Building Code sets these requirements for egress:  “Windows in designated sleeping areas must have a minimum of 5.7 square feet of operable space.  This opening space must be a minimum of 20” wide and 24” tall. And the open area cannot be more than 44” above the floor.”

If you want to stay with standard, single hung windows (the type which are fixed in the top half, and the bottom half raises) the minimum size window for a bedroom is 3’x5’, which sits about 20” above the floor.  If you like casement windows, the minimum size would 2’-6” x 5’. 

As your building designer I will keep in mind features to keep your family safe, as well those which make the house attractive and comfortable!  Please contact me in Denton, Texas, through my website:  www.ellensullivan.net

Avoid a Remodel Disaster

About half my business is in designing remodel projects.  The goal is always a happy ending to the project!

Remodeling projects can run the gamet from adding on storage space behind a garage to tearing out interior walls and creating new uses for existing spaces.  No matter how 'small' the project may seem, it pays to consult a professional building designer.  We can plan the space and offer suggestions to enhance your needs and ideas.  This can ultimately save you time and money! 

A simple addition to the back of a garage might negatively impact the view from inside the house.  Or it could be an eyesore from the backyard.  The addition of a small gable could bring life and style to the garage addition without breaking the budget.  The idea is to not allow an addition to negatively impact other living areas!

And my ultimate goal for the exterior of any addition is to have the look of 'always being there.' Nothing spoils the look of a house like an addition which is obviously an add-on!

For more information, please see my website at:   www.ellensullivan.net

Styles and Trends When Planning a House

It’s important to let your building designer or architect know about special decorating features you want in your house.  Don’t assume anything should just wait for your decorator! 

For instance, in the 1920’s it was very popular to install stained glass windows in houses.  A homeowner might spend a fortune on a custom window, and then leave it exposed to the elements on the outside surface.   These windows were very poor insulators and often developed cracks due to expansion and contraction of the lead used to construct the design.  After some years that expensive window became a big problem!

The trend is back, but with an updated twist. A stained glass window should be installed from inside the house with a small space between it and a fixed glass, exterior window.  Of course, it’s best if the stained glass window is designed after the fixed window is installed.  But some people don’t want to wait!  So, it important to tell your building designer or architect of your intentions.  We can then be sure to call for a fixed glass window in a certain size.  It would be a shame to have the divider bar of an operable window cast a shadow behind the stained glass. It would also detract from the exterior view of the house.

When you are planning a home or remodel project it is important to tell your building designer about all the special features you want.  Your building designer can guide you to many ways of planning which will pay off in the future!

Take a look at my website and contact me for more good design ideas:  

http://www.ellensullivan.net/

What Would the 4th Little Pig Build?

We all know the three little pigs set out to build their dream houses.  They differed in style, concept and construction; straw, sticks, and brick.  And we all know what happened!  The first two little pigs lost their homes to the big bad wolf, and the third one was safe inside his solid brick house!

However… I believe there was a fourth little pig!  He knew that houses now aren’t really made of solid brick.  The brick we see is just a veneer, and the winds of a North Texas tornado can toss those bricks in a hurry!   

The Fourth Little Pig did his research.  He discovered an amazing product called HardiePlank Siding.  This cast-concrete product is attached directly to the studs, which are attached securely to the foundation and to the roof system.  When the big bad wolf came knocking on this door, his cheeks nearly popped trying to blow the house down! 

And this little pig could choose to design his house to reflect many architectural styles, not just the boxy, late twentieth century look of an ‘all-brick’ house.  And another bonus for this smart little pig:  HardiePlank siding holds paint for years and years!  If he chose a top of the line Sherwin Williams or Kelly Moore paint, he wouldn’t have to repaint for 20 years!

It is my job as a building designer to introduce you to products that might enhance the look and value of your home.  I don’t get paid by the HardiPlank people; I just love their products.  My own home is 100% HardiPlank (with a few brick columns).  See a couple of pictures of my house below.

Recently I have designed projects in the Dallas, Ft. Worth, Denton, Collin county areas, as well as the mid-cities and outlying areas! If you’re needing a plan for your new home or remodel project; please contact me at either 940-368-4060 or at   

http://www.ellensullivan.net/