Can you feel the Joy?

Where is the joy and excitement in remodeling the same thing over and over? Bathrooms and kitchens are fun, don’t get me wrong, but the super creative juices only get flowing when big problems need solving. Give me a second story addition, a basement excavation on a slope, a front facade addition in the historic district, or an opportunity to fix a problem that doesn’t have a clear answer until you discover a new building technique. That is where the pure joy is found for me.

Toasted Carport

Levco was recently involved in a project that had us scratching our heads on how to solve it. It was an unbelievably over spanned set of beams used to support a carport structure that had been moderately damaged in a fire. During the demolition of the top, we noticed a propensity to deflect, or bend under the pressure of standing on it. Our gut told us that it was over spanned, but the structure had been standing for years. We immediately brought the team of Tom Trutna, our architect, and Scott Souel, our Structural Engineer, in for a high level consultation.

The bottom line is that there definitely was an issue. The beams we had were 3/4″ x 9 1/2″ and 27′ long. The rough cut 2 x 10s had obviously been re-purposed from another project and were a bit of a spectacle. Boards of this size, what we call “dimensional lumber,”  just are not available any more. From our calculations, with our typical snow load, the beams were 500%  overloaded. There is no way that this had been a permitted job.

Typical flat roof truss

I thought initially that we could easily replace them with trusses made locally at Valley Truss. After all, what better invention than trusses to use to span long distances? I started to think of projects where we have used trusses and was confident that we could come up with something. Not so lucky… I learned that a 26′ truss would need to be nearly 2 feet deep. Stunned, but not beaten or giving up, Carl Madsen, one of our Boise City plan review specialists, issued the permit. However, it came with the caveat that whatever solution we dreamed up, it would need to be blessed by an engineer. I think he knew deep down that we would find a clever solution.

Tensioning concrete structures

Tom had rushed out the day before and had the LVL solution sizing answer for us already, so I met with Scott on site at 4 pm. He studied our situation and mentioned that the easiest way would be to change a few things and go with 14″ LVL’s, but that he had something up his sleeve that would serve both masters. It is called Post Tensioning, and it is used in commercial construction all the time. It involves stringing steel cables to tension the beams, thus allowing it to span the distance and prevent the deflection that would cause them to fail. He shared a case study from a gymnasium in Ohio, where the technique was successfully used to solve a serious problem with Glulam beams and prevent a catastrophic failure. Interestingly, the charring caused by the fire was of little concern to either of them.

Elated, Ron and I agreed that this was going to be the solution we would employ. We also discovered that beyond the over spanned beams, which we thought were our primary problem, the biggest concern from a failure perspective was the possibility of a lateral twist,  This would collapse the entire structure faster that you could say boo. Scott provided us with a simple solution to that issue as well, and as always at Levco, we used our resources to create a clever solution to a complex problem. Odds are this is a technique we will rarely be needed to use, but leave it to us to keep it in our ever expanding bag of cool tricks.

Fast forward a day and I am on the phone pulling into Boise Rigging supply to get the hardware needed to pull off the engineering feat. Simultaneously, I’m on the phone with Scott, who has bad news. As it turns out, to get enough tension on the boards to support the snow load, it would require so much upward deflection that the boards themselves might fail in the tensioning phase, and/or have to have a hump in the middle.

Microlam LVLs

Disappointed and resigned to using 14″ – 25′  Microlam LVL beams, I went about gathering my supplies to shear up the structure to prevent twisting. I then had a pleasant visit with Steve Black, an old acquaintance and the Owner of Boise Rigging Supply, who set me up with what I needed.

The bottom line is that even though it didn’t work out this time, it will in the future. We were able to create a sound structure from a flimsy one that probably should have failed years ago. This is how it goes with residential remodeling and it’d why I love what I do.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Stairs have stopped most DIY guys from contemplating remodeling at different altitudes. Fortunately a building code was developed to standardize how steps are made. There is very little room for being creative outside the box when it comes to the basic requirements for stairs.

Oak Stairs

Now the big box home improvement stores carry pre-cut stringers that can let DIY’er go where none has gone before. We see all sorts of stairway variations when remodeling and unless there is danger the inspectors will overlook pre-existing crazy stairways.

I received this video of unusual stairs to share. we have stay by the book whenever possible, so there is some wiggle room when it comes to existing conditions like head room for instance. Here is the 2009 IRC code for stairs

One of the key ingredients of an approved stairway is the railings and balusters or spindles that create a balustrade.

Curved Concrete Stairs

We have worked with all sorts of materials from hardwood to cement. Curved, multiple landings, angled, curved railings, you name it. The joy is in creating a stairway that fits the need.

Who knew that such a simple thing that is usually taken for granted, could be so challenging to make great. Coincidentally we learned that although this curved stair is aesthetically pleasing and is traveled easily in the dark and with your eyes closed. The code is very specific, our landing requirements are not met. The transition needs to be 3′ absolutely at inspection time! Rather than ask for an exemption or special waiver, a temporary landing was constructed to meet code and later removed to suit the client.

If you know of anyone that has a dangerous stairway situation in need of rebuild or are afraid of moving forward with a project because of a complex stairway situation please give Levco a call. On a side note we do ramps and have a strong grounding knowledge of the aging in place population’s needs so we we welcome those that need friendlier stairs in their home.

Structure

We, ” Levco” just encountered another situation where the handy man would not be a good fit. Did you ever get the feeling that the (fill in the blank) just didn’t feel strong enough to hold a few folks in the same place. Weird feeling, trust your gut.

I recall seeing a video of a post accident reconstruction. A newly constructed balcony had fallen off the second story of a home and killed a few people.

I have seen several poorly supported structures in my day but nothing quite like this one. To be truthful a guy could argue that things are under supported all day long. It isn’t until a real failure happens that someone gets to say…”I told you so”

Here in Boise we use building codes like most of the country. I would say we are keeping up with the Jones so to speak. According to Carl Madsen, a residential plan checker of the Boise City building department, building codes went into effect in the 1930′s.  I suppose that there will always be those that ignore the rules. There are homes that have either been built poorly, or remodeled poorly, everywhere here in Boise’s North End. The truth is that building science and building materials have advanced incredibly since then too.

What we found was a concrete slab that was undermined to create a basement addition. (At least that is what we think happened.) With no obvious visible means of support, we were looking at the underside of a slab that was poured on dirt.  Never mind the fact that the structure has withstood years of being the way it was, my gut instinct was to not go under there. I immediately knew this one required the assistance of my team.

Others that have seen the project wanted to demolish the structure and start over, still others wanted to do midnight repairs. I on the other hand was looking for a cost effective cleaver solution to a complex problem. The other caveat is that it would have to meet the requirements of safe and above board…In other words it had to have the building departments seal of approval, by that I mean (A Permit).

The owner was concerned that the home might be condemned. The real life situation is that they had no idea anything was wrong until a snoopy home inspector found the problem and made a small mention of it in their report.

Calculations

Although my Architect, Tom Trutna has a degree in engineering, he is a practicing Architect not an Engineer, in other words he knows his stuff. To be technically correct the City wasn’t going to take the word of an Architect that the structure was fixable. This is when we brought in the big guns.

Scott Soule of Core Engineering. Scott met me at the site and we looked the entire project over. He reassured me that we were on the right track and gave his blessings to the plans. He also provided the six page report with calculations-o-plenty to back up what he and Tom had concluded earlier was the proper way to remedy the problem. (Ala- Alice’s Restaurant)

The good news is that it only took six pages of calculations, some glossy photos, and a few trips to the city to get approval but by golly that is what makes this job interesting. With the addition of several structural beams, lots of supporting columns, and some concrete anchors, we had the problem licked in a few days. Content clients, and a safe structure, who could ask for more. Is this the makings of legendary service? Perhaps. The point is we did the right thing for the right reasons.

If you, or someone you love is concerned about a structure or need reassurance that everything is going to be OK, please let us come evaluate your particular situation. There is nothing more satisfying to me than making recommendations based upon sound advice from my team of remodeling professionals.

Can we fix everything? No. Can we fix most things? Ya-sure, you-bet-ya. It all goes back to our mission statement

Trim & Moldings

Moldings, also called trim are wood pieces that have been incorporated into homes to add detail to flat walls and cover up places where gaps have been left between material. They were the carpenters signature much like a plaster texture on a fished wall.

There are more trims and moldings than flavors of ice cream. There are multitudes of materials and combinations to create a unique look. From solid wood to finger- jointed and MDF there is something out there to dress up a space in style. In most cases we are remodeling in Boise’s historic areas are matching existing materials. Levco occasionally get to add materials that may have been there or do what is necessary to harmonize with an existing material. In rare cases when something cant be found we can have our own custom trim created. Craftsman style is based upon a look that was common at the turn of the century and is not a hard and fast thing. The key is simple, heavy door headers and no more than 3 pieces.

Here is a partial list of common molding terms from the bottom of a wall up.

Shoe Molding: A quarter round piece often placed in front of baseboard. with hardwood floors this piece can be removed during refinishing to get the sander to the edges. It also hides short hardwood pieces.

Chair Rail Molding: A molding the t circles the room at the altitude of a chair back, often used to protect a wall and occasionally to change colors.

Picture Molding: A molding usually placed at the top of doorways and windows that circles the walls to hand pictures in days gone by.

Shadow Molding: A molding the circles the room usually within 1/2″ if the ceiling used to provide a small shadow and tale the eye away from an irregular ceiling.

Crown Molding: A molding that is more commonly used that is set at an angle in the corner of wall to ceiling. These can be quite ornate.

Craftsman casing and picture molding

In one case we saw   in a hallway and noticed it was not in the main living room. We added some at a constant altitude regardless of the random window and door casing heights and it tied the room together.

Craftsman casing

In another case we added craftsman style casings and window moldings to the new addition and came back 2 years later and updated the original part of the home to tie the two together.

No matter the style or type we can assist in restoring the original look or creating a new one with clever finish carpentry that fits the look you want to achieve.

Roofs

When we talk about roofs it is important to identify the type of roof correctly. Here are the six basic types it is important to grasp that these are architectural styles, so not all steep roofs are Mansard. Many homes have slight variations on these themes and some have several shapes on separate out buildings. Levco has dealt with everything except a Gambrel to date, but  we are only a phone call away from that. Recently we were faced with a faulty shed roof that seemed to fail in the middle as a result of folks setting asphalt shingles on too shallow of a slope. The fix was to add metal roofing. I have a situation where asphalt shingles were placed in a mansard type roof edge and they failed to stick and hold down too.

The slope or pitch of a roof is described in ( a number : 12)  so a 7:12 means for every 12″ in run it rises 7″ in elevation.

Roof Pitch Guide

The International Residential Code IRC for Idaho a low slope roof is anything under 4:12 and shingles should definitely ever be used when the pitch is 2:12 or less. With 4:12 special double underlayment is recommended. What happens is that water starts headed down the roof with gravity helping and it wicks under a poorly sealed shingle or it puddles as the snow load bends the roof down and finds all kinds of ways in. Metal roof is a solution but a “Torch On” membrane would have worked well also. Keep in mind the snow loads when considering low slope roofs from a structural perspective an overbuild of a better slope is often a viable solution.

Other common places for problems occur when a gable roof  terminates into a side of a wall. The siding is rarely flashed property ( the subject of a future blog) and the siding is too close to the roofing so water wicks up into the siding and in some cases into the home through a ceiling or recently through the head casing of a sling glass door. The good news is that when there is a problem the solution is usually obvious to the trained eye. This is where experience plays a huge role. Be sure to contact a knowledgeable contractor to find and fix your roofing problems.

Although we have focused much attention on low slope roofs, high slope roofs have their issues as well. In addition the weight of roofing materials plays a roll in the structure, I have seen many a sway back terracotta tiled roof in my day. With the new craze of DIY shows more than one bearing wall has been removed without proper supports being replaced. A vivid memory is of a garage that had been converted into a living space that I was inspecting for a potential buyer. The ceiling joists had been removed and the walls were bowing out. Another one in my neighborhood that is still for sale where the front room was vaulted by removing ceiling joists again causing a sway back roof and bowing front wall. Are there solutions to these problems? Yup, it starts with a plan and permits, often the advice given during plan review will prevent a structural failure.

Remember we now have a 2 roof maximum before you must rip off and replace here in Boise Idaho. Contact us at Levco builders for all of your remodeling needs.

The new 2009 IRC mandates wired together smoke detectors and Carbon Monoxide detectors be placed at the entry of each bedroom. This means that if one detector alarms then all of them alarm. When remodeling, there is a mandate to upgrade homes when a permit is pulled. Thankfully there are times when it would be a hardship and/or too complicated or expensive to retrofit the entire home. In some cases battery operated devices are still allowed. Essentially, If there is a crawl space below or an attic above then you are able to go ahead and upgrade without too much difficulty.  At Levco this upgrade is discussed early in the project planning phase so as not to be a surprise to my clients.

Smoke

Smoke detectors detect smoke by two basic types, photoelectric detectors and ionization detectors. Smoke is the precursor to fire which as we all know is deadly. There are all kinds of harmful ingredients in smoke and if working properly they detect and alarm loud enough to alert the occupants. Theoretically folks will have early warning and use the time wisely to get out to fresh air and safety. Studies have shown that they are not always successful waking children so parents be warned.

CO Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide on the other hand is a byproduct of incomplete combustion that is not necessarily a precursor to fire and is odorless and invisible. It kills by working at the cellular level. Your oxygen carrying hemoglobin of the red blood cells prefer carbon monoxide to oxygen.  Once in your blood stream, your cells have no oxygen to use for cellular metabolism so you begin to suffocate at a cellular level. A faulty furnace or combustion chamber can cause it. One neighbor of mine took the flu off the top of the furnace in the basement “to get the extra heat that was being wasted and escaping”. They survived thanks to having few windows that were not broken out. Common symptoms include headache and drowsiness. Severe long lasting neurological complications have resulted from moderate exposures.

Combination detector

Dual Acting Units Levco has located several dual acting devices that work. They look good so I encourage everyone to update their devices to the dual acting ones. Both First Alert and Kidde make them and they are available through your favorite big box store. This one also talks telling you what to do.

Through my years in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) there has been too many saves from smoke detectors to count. Not to mention a reduced number of house fires. It was common place for us to check smoke detectors on medical calls and replace batteries or offer free devices for the needy.  I believe that mandatory implementation of this life saving device is long overdue. I was inadvertently exposed in the line of duty to Carbon Monoxide during a major incident many years ago under the Bay Bridge. I have cared for those who have suffered long term sequelae, such a sad unnecessary situation. I have had a detector installed in all of my rentals and in my own home for years. In fact that detector was my first indication of my furnace failure ten years ago.

An Old Home

I recently had the wonderful experience of providing my services to a few home inspections. No I am not a certified inspector but I know my way around a home. This all stemmed from the NARI home tour and a family that was anxious to find a home in Boise’s North End, a historic area that is loaded with charm. They had recently sold a home and were currently renting in the North End. They were pretty sure they found the street they wanted to live on and it was just a matter of keeping an eye on the MLS. I discovered through a dear realtor friend Donna Jacobson, that the technology exists to help perspective buyers keep an eye on such a narrow search parameter.

We first met at a stucco home. As I walked through, I noticed that it that had all the signs of being renovated in an unloving way and major attempts to put “makeup on a pig”. The home did not meet my “Has to have good bones” requirement nor did it have the space they needed as a family. I believe that my observations confirmed their suspicions.

The next call I received was an excited call about a potential keeper with plenty of room that they had “locked up” with a tentative offer with contingencies. Upon arrival I noticed a corner lot with a great turn of the century set of neighboring homes. This one had charm and elegance. There was a real home inspector on site too. I performed my walk through and had time to listen to the couple and ask lots of questions. I was able to point out a bunch of stuff that could be fixed and should be fixed. I mainly looked at what could be done to adapt the home to be more livable for them, add energy efficiency and maintain the charm.

An Inspector

Then I received a complimentary copy of the home inspection. Initially I was pleasantly surprised. The inspector was sensitive to the fact that the home was built in a different era and much of the deterioration and or quirks of the home were expected from a home of this age. Sure there were buckets of stuff on the list that needed attention but all in all the structure was sound. I was not as kind, but I get the sentiment. My take is that it has been poorly maintained for years and it shows. I added to the list and essentially reiterated that there are a bunch of “must fix prior to occupying” and another list of things that could be done once they settle in.

After reading the inspection again I noticed a disturbing twist. The inspector was dabbling in making subjective statements about the cost to repair the home and minimizing the severity of things that he had not completely evaluated. The inspection is suppose to be an objective evaluation of the condition at that moment in time and a list of things that should and must be repaired. Incensed by the cavalier inspection report I wrote a scathing letter to the perspective buyers discrediting the inspection. I also included a ball park price matrix to assist them in making a proper offer on the home.

Money Pit

At Levco Builders we try to be as up front and factual as possible. We have found that sugar coating things backfires quickly. Who wants to see the world through rose colored glasses when they are the financially responsible party. As it turns out this family has very little experience living in an older home and it could potentially ruin them financially. Remember the movie The Money Pit? When it comes time to evaluate a home for purchase get an objective second opinion and a third f that is what it takes. These are no times to be making foolish decisions with your hard earned cash. It is a buyer’s market and don’t you forget it.

Boise farmers market

I am noticing a trend that seems to make sense here in Boise Idaho. Folks are deciding to stay in smaller homes.They are satisfied to improve their living spaces rather than opt to move out of the city into a sprawling home in the suburbs. The green benefits include less travel, less space to heat and cool, often less landscaping to maintain and cities compress and are far more efficient when it comes to city services and infrastructure.

I purchased a small home several years ago and is being used as a rental. It is a  2 bedroom one bath 900 sf  brick home built in the 1950s that housed a family with 4 boys. It is now the home of a single woman that uses the other bedroom as a home office.

Levco recently added a small addition to a 2 bedroom 1 bath 1100 square foot home in the North End to house a young couple that decided to expand slightly, adding 800 square feet of living space. The addition retained the charm of the neighborhood with a small energy efficient home. It is now a 2 bedroom 2 bath with a wide open kitchen and master suite.

The trend is also being seen across the country and has been the topic of many articles. Perhaps the most interesting book on the topic was written by Sarah Susanka in the Not So Big House. In it she stresses the changing way we use homes now and how to maximize utility and space saving ideas without sacrificing privacy.

High window in tub / shower

Projects we have done that add value to smaller homes include adapting older homes by opening up kitchens to be the primary socializing and gathering spot. Changing walls with doorways into half walls. Another big value item is defining a master suite that includes a bathroom connected to the largest bedroom. Developing attics and basements into functional spaces speaks to adding utility and adding privacy. Updating bathtubs to be tub shower combinations with a high window is another common modification that speaks to how we live now. In the old days a weekly bath was the trend.

Smaller updates include skylights and solar tubes to bring in more natural light and safety updates like adding Egress windows and integrated smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The key to remodeling a smaller home is to have architectural consultation prior to deciding on what and were to spend your hard earned dollars. Adding function in my mind trumps everything.

I doubled the size of my 750 sf  home 15 years ago to add a master suite and open up my kitchen. My children started sharing a room but eventually required their own rooms. I think the master suite is going to stay but the emphasis on having so much to do and spending less time at home is contributing to smaller spaces and less excess in our lives. Let’s face it we all know that the more space we have, the more stuff we acquire to fill it.

4 Skinnies in a row

Thankfully, a trend I have seen stop was a gold rush, so to speak, for realtors and developers of lot splitting and home raising to add infill skinny houses. They were sprouting up everywhere in the late 90′s and usually involved a 2 story home on a 20′ wide postage stamp lot. I must admit there are some well done ones out there, but the majority were tacky. Thankfully, rules went into effect that mandate offsets for the second story and an emphasis on 1 1/2 story homes with rear loading alley garages which made them loose their charm. They were considered starter homes and were unfortunately built with “Cheap” in mind. Thus leaving an entire inventory of homes built to last for a decade or so maintenance free and a population that can’t afford to maintain them when they start falling apart.

The bottom line is that maintaining the charisma and charm of an older home and updating it is a viable option and one to strongly consider rather than shipping out to the country. There is nothing Levco can’t do to explore options on paper to make a vintage house a home for the modern family in the old parts of town, especially when that home has ‘good bones’ .

Top as is / Middle & Bottom as was

I just successfully completed another trip to the Boise City Historical Board. They are charged with determining the appropriateness of remodeling projects in the city’s 7 historically significant areas primarily in the older parts of downtown Boise. The process is reasonable enough… first you meet with staff and they have authority to take in your documents and approve things that don’t involve the front facade of a property. If it does, they prepare you for the commission meeting. This usually takes 4 weeks. Then the hearing has several predictable steps including having ample time to make a case for your project. Then citizens can voice concerns, Then all of the commissioners having and opportunity to voice and opinion and make motions to solidify their voice on the issue and vote if they propose a motion.

In 1992 when the historic areas were designated all the homes were inventoried and photographed. Then someone in their infinite wisdom was given the power to decide whether the home was contributing or not. There are multiple principals that help the person make their decision but only some of them need apply. Having had a major alteration should equal elimination from consideration but, as I have found, that is not always the case. The problem is that the front facade of the home becomes essentially locked, in an as is state. The battle is created when folks go to improve their properties and discover that they are prohibited by the historic standards that are applied. The joke is that a neighbor with an noncontributing home can do whatever the heck they want to.

The frustration I had was with as case just like this one where it should never have been considered contributing. Unfortunately I asked the person that made the determination and she took it personally making my uphill battle even harder.

Proposed

I found an original photo of the home which should have been enough to convince the commission that the home had been significantly altered and should be removed from contributing on the spot. Unconvinced, they allowed a continuance. Thank you commissioner Smith.

In the months between hearings I was able to find and internal document that guides just such commissions through out the country on how to make good judgements and exercise wisdom in determining tasteful alterations so as not to lock the front facade of contributing homes.

At my second hearing we were able to produce a fantastic sketch in the form of a rendering of the proposed new front porch.

Our stated rationales for the project were:

1. To improve security because the use of the property had changed from tenement house to a single family home with two apartments.
2. Eliminate the lights from the Co-op parking lot from shining directly into their home.

In the end the commissioners voted in our favor after arguing esoteric things about mimicking a historical look. They unanimously voted to remove the home from contributing which allowed us to create our project, citing that the neighborhood had substantially changed that these alterations were both practical and sensible.

The victory is bittersweet because the commission wimped out in my opinion by removing the home from contributing status too. This prevents anyone in the future from saying that they allowed a front facade alteration to a contributing home in a historical district. The joke is that had the home been left contributing the commission could have used this project as a feather in the cap for how to do a tasteful alter a contributing home. I suppose that would have made their job more difficult in the long run.

The bottom line is that I won, (Wahoo!) and get to do what the owner wants. There will be more battles to fight in front of the board, and I made a convincing argument without offending anyone. I know more about the process than I did when I started so here we go, time to get a permit and see what she looks like all finished.

Post Script:

Finished Project

2-8-2012 As a foot note we are nearly a year later. Last night I appealed a technicality about a window all the way up to the city council where, I won again this time in a split decision. Finally the threat of fines and misdemeanors have been lifted from my head, and the project can be considered complete.

My contention is that there is a huge misunderstanding of how to make decisions at the staff and at the historical board level based upon their overly strict interpretation of national guidelines as laws.

The Mayor and city council seem to have a better handle upon the problems that exist with the historic preservation department than I thought. Mayor Bieter recused himself from the hearing on grounds that he grew up down the street stated that this home was his first lawn mowing job.

After the hearing, The Mayor asked to meet with my client and I. He wants to discuss the issues that frustrate and stifle homeowners and contractors within historic districts, with the intention of improving the process.

When the dust settles, something very good may come of these exhaustive hearings, endless anxiety about law breaking, not to mention the real dollars spent unnecessarily, and hours wasted.  The lost potential productivity within the city government alone was astriomical. My dream is to be a part of the solution.

Harmonizing arches

Architectural elements are an essential part of bring character to a home or any building for that matter. Growing up with an architect for a father, I was exposed to things that most kids miss and or take for granted. Seeing the beauty in design like arches, corbels, roof lines, and massing gives one an appreciation for good work. It is not long till you realize what differentiates a good looking structure from a bad one.

Craftsman Head casing

Different architectural styles and influences from around the world are all around us. Functionality is another area of design that also turns me on but I will leave that for another time. Recently we were able to capture some examples of cool architectural we’ve been involved with and have influenced decisions that might otherwise get overlooked.

In one case a picture molding found in a foyer was carried throughout and adjacent apartment that might have been overlooked for crown molding.  We would have been introducing a new element not congruent with the era. In another case we influenced the owner to add harmonizing window arches above windows in a new addition.

the three amigos

Occasionally cool things just happen, I noticed a series of arches that just happened to align and reminded me of a mountain range. I especially like finding original elements in old homes that have been left original. That is as close to time travel as it gets for me. There are many other examples that I see all around me and as I capture them I will share. With my eyes wide open, there are so many opportunities to appreciate the work of others and add a bit of character to our own projects. One of our unspoken goals is to make it look like it was never remodeled. Obviously, much of my work is done in the historic districts of town. Unfortunate, for some bizarre reason the historic commission in Boise Idaho insists that we remodelers differentiate new from old with an offset.

Architectural plans

I understand that most design build firms prefer to do their own plans in house, Levco is no exception. There are some amazing drafting programs that allow us to do that but… When it comes to designing anything complicated I always defer to the professionals. Architects have degrees and experience with a myriad of theory and have the wisdom to help come up with workable plans on paper. As much as I enjoy just jumping in and executing a plan, I admire those that come up with a great plan on paper for me to execute.