Archives for February 2012

Top 10 Remodeling Cost Savings

Computers can generate accurate drawings for preliminary pricing early in the process. This rendering by Hackley & Associates, Architects shows just how intricate they can be.

  1. Consult an Architect & Builder Early – Don’t wait until the bidding process to talk to a builder.  Someone who is intimately involved in building will usually provide good cost saving ideas right off the bat.
  2. Don’t fool yourself– it’s always easier to say, let’s just throw this and that in as long as we’re doing the project.  Those “might-as-wells” add up fast!
  3. Increase Efficiency, not size – It’s always more expensive to add square footage and pour a new foundation than to reorganize spaces such as a Kitchen.  Get better use of spaces by replacing awkward shelves and built-ins. [Read more…]

Robert Frost & The Four Sides of Architecture

Being both an Architect and a Realtor people often ask me about architectural styles and which ones are my favorites.  Instead of focusing on favorite styles, I believe the most important and distinguishing feature for a home is how truthful the materials are to the given style.

Home by Edward A. Anderson Company, Woodstock Ave. Kenilworth circa 1950

Ok, so here’s what that means. Too often today, homes take on a hodge-podge of styles and builderesque details which add to the loss of their basic character and charm.  Of all the factors that go into good design, the most important is what I call Four-Sided-Architecture.   Simply put, this means using the same materials on the sides and back of a home as those on the front.

[Read more…]