How to size your home? Use our worksheet! When planning a new home, determining the right size at the onset can be difficult. Many variables can contribute to its size—including varying homeowner needs, vaulted ceilings, two-story spaces, or outdoor spaces. What’s more, some municipalities or HOAs set minimum and maximum size. Many [...]
Home Standby Generator The recent power outages across Texas and the work-from-home trend highlight the need for a home standby generator. Home standby generators (HSG), like AC units, are installed on a concrete pad exterior to a home and provide emergency power when electrical service power is cut off. In the late [...]
Installing Radon Mitigation System If you live in the Midwest, Northern Plains, or Mountain West states, the odds are fairly high you need an active radon mitigation system installed. For existing homes, if you are located in a Zone 1 or 2 county, the odds are very high it has unsafe radon [...]
Wetlands Home Located adjacent to a large wetland and near the Kettle Moraine glacial landform. The design is inspired by the natural surroundings, Wisconsin farming communities, and white winters. The house is sited on a knoll of native grasses providing a natural overlook to the flora and fauna [...]
SOLAR PANELS CONTAIN LEAD-DID YOU KNOW THAT? Clients frequently ask about installing solar panels on their homes. Saving on energy costs while reducing CO2 emissions is consider a win-win, but when homeowners realize photovoltaic (PV) panels contain lead, that can complicate the equation. According to a Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy study conducted [...]
ASBESTOS AND OLDER HOMES Due to the fire and corrosion resistance of the naturally occurring mineral, Asbestos was used in a wide range of home products until the 1970s. Undisturbed, asbestos poses no threat. However, the minute the owner of an older home decides to drill into drywall, remove floor tiles, remove their [...]
FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM HOME RETROFIT A portion of our professional service is dedicated to fire remediation remodels. This work provides great insight into both the initial cause and how a fire spreads through a structure. In older homes, fires can start by old “knob and tube” wiring, new HVAC systems wired incorrectly to [...]
Two Rivers The Two Rivers property is located on a knoll overlooking two converging rivers near the Columbia River. The design is counterintuitively focused not on these rivers, but inward toward a courtyard garden, making the vast vistas from the knoll secondary. The house is arranged around [...]
Floor Plan A Kitchen B Breakfast C Dining Room D Entry Hall E Mud Room F Service Stairs G Powder Room H Family Room I Pantry J Art Wall Prospect Remodel The Prospect house, in Shorewood, WI, was originally constructed in [...]
Palisades Addition The Palisades house, in Whitefish Bay, WI, was originally constructed in 1950. The owners wanted an addition over the garage to accommodate a new master bedroom suite. The design objective was to have the addition look like it was part of the originally constructed house. To [...]
