The Three Phases of Your Design Process

Design and construction documents for permit are created through a three phase drawing program. Each phase is independent of each other in both scope and in cost. An designer may be responsible for one, two or all three phases, with other architects being used to draw what remains. All three need to be completed to form a final construction document’s package that will illustrate your desires and dream. A complete set provides you total control of the construction process and mitigates the possibility of missing decision points that then are made by sub-contractors and contractors possibly without proper notice. Complete sets alleviate concerns by building departments, planning departments, fire departments and ARC committees that details in the drawings have been thought through.


When some items are not drawn or specified in the final phase drawing set, a change-order requisition could be made by the contractor. Any change order will raise the final cost of your home, and delay the move-in date. Care should always be taken to ensure that all elements of your dream are covered and detailed thoroughly. The three phases of preparing drawings is listed here describing what each is to accomplish in the process:

Phase One – Preliminary Design Phase

  • Helps to coordinate overall design between yourself and those that have jurisdiction over development of the site.
  • Helps determine, at sketch level, a broad viewpoint of your dream on paper.
  • Your other design team members give broad advise with little detail at this point
  • Develops the overall dream.
  • Determines the style of your home.
  • Determines minimum room sizes and their needs.
  • Determines if any special needs exist such as handicap issues.
  • Determines your wants verses dislikes.
  • Coordinates all issues regarding the lot with your dream.
  • Lot is surveyed by licensed surveyor and prepared for a site plan.
  • Geotechnical Soil report made by licensed soil engineer for the next phase.

Phase Two – Schematic or Permit Design Phase

  • Creates drawings that are used for submitting to Architectural Control Committees, building and planning departments.
  • Your design team develops construction details for your permit package.
  • Your decisions about exterior details, aesthetics and finishes are finalized.
  • You will be meeting with all the other design team members to develop selections that will be shown in the phase three set. You should meet with the following design team members at length to determine major finish items;
    1. Cabinetry designers to determine final cabinet layouts and design.
    2. Interior decorators to determine flooring, wall and ceiling finishes.
    3. Landscape designers to determine landscape arrangements and irrigation needs.
    4. Hardware suppliers to determine door, cabinet, bath, fireplace hardware.
    5. Plumbing suppliers to determine tubs, sinks, stools, faucets, gas piping and meter needs.
    6. HVAC installers to determine heating and cooling items, duct needs, gas meter, and other environmental issues.
    7. Electrical installer to determine electrical needs, wiring, low voltage, electrical meter and transformer issues.
    8. Lighting suppliers to determine interior and exterior lighting, and compliance to exterior ARC requirements. Also to receive “cut sheets” for all lighting items.
    9. Structural engineer to determine the upper structural and foundation design.
    10. Window and door suppliers to determine those items and their rough opening dimensions. And also to determine compliance to codes and ARC requirements.
    11. Exterior finish suppliers to determine compliance to code and ARC requirements through acceptable details. And to acquire samples of all finishes for ARC and building department reviews.
    12. Finish carpenters to determine all exterior and interior millwork and moldings.
    13. Fireplace and wood stove suppliers to determine fireplaces, resolve any code issues, and ARC compliance.
    14. Appliance suppliers to determine needs and space requirements of all installed appliances.
  • Structural drawings and engineering are incorporated into details and drawings. Includes mitigation designs for ground movement, ground swelling, sub-surface ground water issues, and issues regarding surface water penetrations.
  • Architectural Review Committee changes incorporated for final approval.
  • Structural engineer to review final phase 2 drawings and “wet stamp” appropriate pages for permit and construction.
  • State and health department approval documents secured for plumbing items such as septic fields and water wells.

Phase Three – Final Construction Documents

  • Designer or architect prepares final CAD based drawings for construction.
  • Integrates information developed from all your phase two meetings.
  • All drawings from the phase two schematic set included.
  • Creates final construction drawings for the general contractor to use.
  • Helps to create a hard cost determination and establishes who will be the contractor.

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Code Required Inspections

Does the code require building inspections ?

Departments of Building Safety enforce the building code in two ways. The first enforcement comes at the time of permit submittal. The department reviews the drawings to see if the code is reflected in the proposed work. The second time the code is enforced is at inspections. According to the code, the permit holder or their representative needs to notify the building official that work has been completed to a point that needs an inspection.

The code specifies that a foundation inspection is done once all forms and reinforcement is in place prior to any pouring of concrete. I have known several municipalities who either allow or request that this inspection be completed by the structural engineer of record. When that is done, the engineer then creates a letter they sign, seal and submit to the building official for recording. I have seen in these cases that the inspections by the structural engineer of a foundation can happen in two phases; one at the time of pier or footing creation, the other at the forming of foundation walls. Check with your building official as to what they would like to have. Concrete is very unforgiving if your inspection is done to late or by the wrong person.

A “rough in” inspection of each mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems is to be done prior to a framing inspection according to the code. I have seen municipalities create two framing inspections. The first one prior to any of these systems being installed and the “final” framing inspection to be done at the same time the mechanical, plumbing and electrical inspections are done. The rough in inspection of these systems is basically all the pieces except for the finished items that are installed after drywall installation.

The code requires if your home is being built in a flood hazard area, that a registered design professional submit documents showing what the elevation is of the lowest floor, or basement floor.

The code requires frame and masonry inspections after all the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems have passed their inspections. It is to be done after the roof, masonry, firestopping, draftstopping and bracing are in place. Again I have seen municipalities define this inspection differently with different items to be done or not done.

Because the inspections are the enforcement piece of the code, the code allows the building official to create a list of inspections as they feel is needed in order to see compliance.. The code does require a special inspection of any fire-resistance-rated construction such as a common wall between two units that are attached to each other.

Final inspection of the work is required just prior to occupancy once all the work is completed.

At each point of inspection, the work basically has to come to a halt until the inspection is done and the work done to that point is satisfactory to the building official. This is why it is important to make sure to have the work reviewed and corrections made before calling on a building official to make their inspection. If a building official notices things that are wrong, they will write it down. Then the contractor needs to correct the work and call for another inspection. Failing inspections can really disrupt a construction schedule. Especially those schedules that are tight to make certain deadlines happen. So, a word to the wise here. Do the work once, do it correct even if it takes time. You will appreciate not having to wait for return inspections just because something that takes a few minutes to correct stops the construction for a few days.


Therefore, understand that each Department of Building Safety may have a different list of inspections and what should be complete or not started at those times.

REF: 2012 IRC Section R109

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Permit Fees in the Code

What Does the Code Require in Permit Fees ?

Over the years since I began my practice in 1984, I have noticed that the fees associated with obtaining a building permit has increased. Some of that is to be expected as a result of inflation. But some has to do with what is now included in the fees.

The 2012 IRC does not allow any construction that is required to have a permit to commence without all fees being paid in full. (2012 IRC Section R108). In the past, there was a schedule of fees listed in the code. And so identical homes built in different locations incurred similar permit costs. This 2012 IRC code does not do that. It allows the fees to be created by the jurisdiction itself. The valuation with which a permit is based upon is to be for the value of the work under the permit, which will include both materials and labor. The fees may include other unrelated items. I have seen this as some municipalities have included fees for parks, emergency services, road improvements, and schools among other things. It is amazing to me what the final number usually turns out to be. And so the same identical home being built in different locations can have very different permit costs.

So a word to the wise. When looking to purchase a piece of ground for your dream, take time to visit the department of building safety that will issue the permits and find out what all the fees will be. This is certainly one of those items that can effect your dream of building a custom home.

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Habitat

Look for What Already Lives on the Land !

When you are purchasing a piece of property to build your home, remember, even though there may not be a house on it, it is probably home to many species of plants and animals. It is easy to dismiss this on a piece of property we want to build our homes on. But reality is that it is home to other things. And should those other plants and animals be a protected species as declared by a jurisdiction, you may find some restrictions placed on you for what you can do.

This is not necessarily as obvious as an eagle’s nest in a tree on the property. It may look more like a moist or wet spot on the property. It may be a stream, pond or lake that serves not only as home to one species, but may be a source of drinking water for others.

Paths on the ground may be how something moves from one location to another maybe only once a year, or maybe daily. Holes in the ground may be evidence of burrowed animals.

The point is that the more the property is located in the wild so that a home can be a secluded place of refuge, the more that property may be home to other things that are protected by a jurisdiction. I have known new land owners who became frustrated because right after they purchased a piece of property, they preceded to remove vegetation or drain swampy pools of water that were stagnate. Then someone in a government agency took notice and suddenly they found themselves defending their actions and incurring fines and orders to undo what they did. And jurisdictions may require replacement of habitat to be done by licensed firms, not by the land owner. Which in turn creates a lot of cost that could have been avoided.

Some properties lie within the boundaries of habitats of animals who are hunters themselves. Bears, mountain lions, bobcats, eagles and hawks are carnivorous hunters. New land owners should understand that once they develop a piece of property, these animals and birds of prey will probably visit and could target pets, other domesticated animals and birds or in some cases the owners themselves. Landowners will have limited means afforded to them for protection. Government agencies tend to side with protecting these animals and their need for food, water and shelter. Land owners are expected to develop a property and use the property in a way that does not invite trouble. If they don’t, government agencies generally will fine or even imprison those that are negligent.

So, when you get ready to purchase a piece of ground in order to build your dream. Get out and walk it from end to end looking for any signs of habitat. Go in and talk with those bureaucrats that may have some say on what you can do with the property. And then review how that impacts the use of the property for your dream home. It is so disappointing when new potential owners have not taken the time to do this. They see the great views the property offers. They see the price as a great deal. And they can envision their own dream on the land. But they forgot that other things were there first and that those things could be protected in some way.

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Know How the Land Drains

Water Drainage and Your Home Design

I can remember when it would rain and sometimes water would show up on our basement floor and my parents would try their best to mop it up. Water is one of the most intrusive elements we live with in a home. One of the very basic functions of a home is to put a “roof over our head”. What does that mean ? Well, it means that a home provides us a safe hideaway from the elements of weather. And one of those is water. Water can damage a home’s structure and its finishes. Water if allowed to gather inside a home can promote decay and disease even. So keeping water out of a home is one of the most important things an Architect or architectural designer has to design around.

One of the ways water can enter our homes is from the parcel of land we purchased. Designers, engineers, architects and building officials refer this issue to the topic of site drainage. Does the site have a natural way of allowing rain and snow melt to run off and away from the building? Or does it gather the water into pools and slowly removes the water by soaking it into the ground itself? Or is it a combination of the two?

When you want a custom home built, you want that home to be safe from the destructive effects of water. And so one of the crucial pieces of designing a home is how water on the ground is kept from damaging it. I am amazed at how this one item can effect the home’s design. It effects how high the home is built relative to the existing ground. Which if there is a “height restriction” on the home relative to the existing ground, then the design required height of the floors do to site drainage could result in a home with limits on roof pitch and the total area the home takes on the ground. And those in turn can limit design styles that work. And so site drainage is an important part of how the land effects the home.

In order to keep surface water from entering a home, there are three basic areas of design that need to be addressed. First is the basic need to keep surface water from moving up to the home. Good home designs address this through a use of roof gutters and down spouts that route water from the roof of a home and release it on the ground at least five feet or more away from the exterior walls. That water is prevented from flowing back to the home by having the “grade” or the finished surface of the ground shaped in a way that water that gets on it flows away from the home. Planning and Building Safety departments may as they have along the Front Range of Colorado require a perimeter system of surface membrane and rock extending out on the ground for the first five feet from a home. This buffer area is sometimes limited in its use for plants, bushes and trees. Many jurisdictions with this required buffer do not allow plants of any sort in this area in order to prevent owners from needing to irrigate any portion of this buffer.

The second area of design is not so visibly evident. It is what is called waterproofing or dampproofing of the exterior side of the foundation wall that is covered by soil. Water that gets under the surface of the ground by soaking into it can flow back to the foundation. A foundation is by itself not able to keep water out of a home. Concrete and concrete block systems are permeable to an extent. Water can penetrate the surface and it soaks into the concrete or block. Once the foundation is saturated, the water will start to weep out of it into the inside of the home. And any cracks or fissures in a foundation will become pathways for water to get into a home. A preventive measure for this intrusion is a system of dampproofing and or waterproofing. This is basically a membrane coating that is applied to the exterior face of the foundation wall below the ground that is less permeable to water. Water gathers on its surface and can flow down to the third area of design, which is the perimeter foundation drain system.

Once water that gets to the exterior of a foundation is diverted downward, it still needs to be removed before it gets under the foundation wall and flows up the other side into the home. And we call this system a “foundation drain”. It is a system of pipes that is at the level of the bottom of the foundation that has holes in it to allow water to gather inside. The pipe is surrounded by rock which is covered by a water permeable membrane that allows water to get to this drain pipe without allowing the dirt to move in and plug things up. This drain is then usually tied to a plastic pit called a “sump pit” that the water can flow into.

Once the sump pit has water in it, a submersible water pump then activates to send the water back up an ejection pipe that is then routed to a point of discharge safely away from the home.

When these three systems (A system to divert surface and roof water from flowing up to the home, a system of waterproofing or dampproofing a foundation, and the perimeter drain system) are designed well, most water can be prevented from entering a home and causing damage.

Can water still invade by overwhelming these systems or finding other ways to get in? Absolutely. These systems are not a guaranteed cure all. And should never be thought of as such. This is only basic to getting some protection from water. Some sources of water, such as a rising water table in the ground, or an underground stream to name but a couple can be nearly impossible to control. Even with more extensive systems such as concrete “admixtures”, and membranes under foundations and concrete floors, and water stops that are cast into the concrete can be very expensive additional items. They may or may not work. Remember water will flow into an area of least resistance. And the very best beginning point to keep water out is through the three main design areas of water control.

Keeping water from flowing up to a home in the first place is paramount to preventing this intrusive element from doing damage. Note how the land handles water in the first place, and then raise the home up out of the ground and slope the grade so that water does not have a chance to get up to the foundation and you will be more apt to keep water out.

Gary Miller
Principal and Architectural Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Next Week’s Blog Subject: Your Land and its Natural Habitat Issues

The Code and Drainage

What does the 2012 IRC code state on the subject of drainage of intrusive water from the home?

Know that in my experience here, that departments of Building Safety and their building officials along with Planning Departments sometimes have modified these requirements to requirements that are more stringent. It is very important to review these with your building official to determine what is ultimately needed.

In section R401.3 it requires that the lot be graded away from the building to a point where either water can gather in a safe place from the home or into a drainage system for storm runoff. The ground is not allowed to be closer then 8 inches from untreated wood framing of a home.

(Most builders I know keep the finished line of soil surface to be a minimum of 8 inches below the top of their foundations, instead of the 6 inches that the code states as a minimum. They do this because they don’t want to use treated sheathing along the foundation perimeter line when sheathing edges come within 8 inches of grade.)

From that point, the code requires dirt to have a minimum fall of 6 inches in the first 10 feet away from the home. If that is not totally possible because of another building or a property line, then a sloped swale or drain is then needed to divert water away. Any impervious surfaces such as asphalt or concrete within that ten feet of a home need to slope away a minimum of 2 percent. Or in other words they need the grade to fall in ten feet distance a minimum of two and a half inches.

Unless the ground has a minimum peculation rate of 4 inches per hour, all foundations into the ground that separate habitable or usable space from the earth, must have a perimeter foundation drain system installed. They must discharge their contents by either a gravity method or a mechanical method to a point that is approved by the building official. If the drain is a perforated pipe, it needs to either be wrapped in a water permeable membrane or surrounded by rock or stone larger then the holes in the pipe. That pipe if not wrapped, needs to have at least two inches of gravel underneath it and covered by not less then 6 inches of that same gravel on the other sides and top. A filter membrane is then required on top of the rock. This is to prevent silting of the pipe drain system. 2012 IRC Section R405

Waterproofing and dampproofing concrete or concrete block foundations is covered in the 2012 IRC in Section R406. These are two separate types of systems to keep water from penetrating a foundation. All foundations that surround enclosed or habitable spaces (example would be basements, storage areas and “under-floor spaces” aka crawl spaces must have one of these systems applied to the foundation from its top of footing to the finished grade. Waterproofing is a more severe method of keeping water away. Its required when you have a water table that is high or another source of water that is severe. Dampproofing is for all other light to non existing water issues. There is a list of approved products for each in this code section. All joints in membrane waterproofing must be lapped and sealed with an approved adhesive.

I would say from my experience is that most foundations of homes are dampproofed as opposed to waterproofed. I see a lot of dampproofing using the top item on the list in the code. That is bituminous coatings. The methods listed in waterproofing involve a lot more materials, man hours to install and can be intense in their details. However, if a home is to be built in an area where water is a problem, then waterproofing systems must be used. You need to discuss this issue with the building official since waterproofing is going to be much more expensive system to apply, but certainly worth it to prevent the damaging effects of water.

The other remedy of course is to not have any enclosed spaces or habitable space below the finished outdoor grade in the home. Basically this only happens if you build a home on a slab over grade. This eliminates the code requirements for perimeter drains, dampproofing or waterproofing systems all together.

Gary Miller
Principal and Architectural Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

The Code and Temporary Utilities and Uses

What does the Code state about temporary things like utilities and other temporary uses ?

Long before utility services are connected to a home, “temporary utilities” such as “temp power” are needed. Contractors need electricity to run the tools and lighting needed to build a home. The Code says that permits are issued by the Building Official of the Building Safety Department for any temporary structures or uses. Those can include but not limited to electricity, water, sewage containment, gas, and phone services. I have been a part of projects in Adams County, Colorado where the temporary permit for electricity had to be obtained from the State of Colorado and not the county. So it is important to discuss these permit needs with the Building Official ahead of time, since construction is highly dependent on this.

Sometimes temporary electrical power can only be obtained for a time with the use of gas powered portable generators. The use of these can also be regulated because of their noise. Contractors may be limited to certain hours of the day if these are used. Temporary heat is sometimes provided by portable gas heaters. Care and monitoring should be given when these are in use to prevent accidental fire.

In some construction situations, the building department along with the fire department may require temporary fire suppression systems be installed until the permanent system is put in place and inspected.

Temporary construction buildings and offices may need permits as well. Those buildings must meet all the regulations in the code while on the project.

The timetable for temporary permits to expire is 180 days after they are issued. However the Building Official may extend these for good cause. The Building Official may at their option discontinue any temporary permit at any time they feel it necessary and thereby order the temporary item to not be used further.

Ref section R107 of the 2012 IRC

Gary Miller
Principal and Architectural Designer
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Arts and Crafts Style

What defines the Arts and Crafts style of home ?

The Arts and Crafts movement in architecture began in England in the 1800s. It was brought to America in the early 1900s. The idea was to move away from the Victorian style and go to a simpler style that emphasized simple lines, exposed joinery and natural materials. When the Ranch style came into being just after WW II, the Arts and Crafts movement went into slumber until recently when we see renewed interest. The Arts and Craft style is sometimes closely associated with the Bungalow style.

Arts and Crafts style utilizes natural materials to their fullest. So we see real stone, exposed finished wood, wood shingles and brick both on the outside and inside of the home. In this style, it is not uncommon to see built in furniture and even hand-crafted light fixtures custom made to the home.

Inside, while extending the exterior details into the interior of the home, the fireplace becomes the central feature of the living room. It is usually large and replicates the details on the exterior of the home. The Arts and Crafts movement is the birthplace for the “open floor plan”. Instead of the boxed feeling of individual rooms and long hallways found in Victorian architecture, the common rooms are more open to each other and the hallways are minimized as much as possible. Ceilings may have exposed wood beams.

The porches in this style usually have thick columns and exposed wood beams. These are sometimes tapered smaller at the tops. Most are made of wood, brick or stone, or a combination of those. The roof lines have wide soffits, and are lower in pitch then other styles. Wood corbels may support the wide eaves.

Gary Miller

Principal and Architectural Designer,

Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Utilities

What role do utilities have on your property ?

As a youngster, I recall traveling with my parents through the countryside. There were these white colored cylinders that resembled submarines. And in fact as I grew up as a kid, I used to go visit friends and family and play around the tank imagining it to be a submarine. Nowhere in my mind was what this object was really used for.

Utilities transform a blank piece of dirt into something that can be developed. They serve to create opportunity to use the land other then to grow local common vegetation. They add value to what you purchase.

Utilities come in two broad formats. One is those which the owner of the property develops on their own. And the second type are those developed by outside sources and are brought onto the property by easement. Last week, I wrote about easements. They create areas of land that can not be built upon because of something like a utility passes under or over it. Easements create a dedicated space for maintenance of the utility without disturbing the home or building on the parcel. We call those utilities “stubbed in”. Easements are not established from the point on the utility the property owner assumes responsibility for maintenance to a home or building.

Within each of those two broad formats, there are several different utilities that can come that way. Those include electricity, gas, water, sewer, phone, Internet and cable television. Electricity, gas and water services from outside sources usually flow through a metering device before they can be used so that the cost of those utilities becomes proportionate to the amount used.

Electricity which powers almost everything in our homes can come from a local utility company and can either be stubbed into the property by underground cable or overhead wires. Water, sewer and gas services from outside sources are typically brought in by underground means. Cable television, Internet and phone can either be overhead wires, or underground.

People refer to developing their own sources of utilities as “being off the grid”. For a variety of reasons, one or more utility may need to be created by the land owner. Typically when this occurs, permits will need to be taken out from the Department of Building Safety or other agencies to establish those. Electricity can be created from solar panels, windmills, or hydroelectric means. Sources of water usually come from wells dug deep into the earth. Owner provided sewer services come in the form of underground leaching fields and tanks. Gas services can be seen as above ground bottled gas containers like those I played around as a kid. And television, Internet and phone services can come from handheld devices or satellite dishes.

In order for parcels to have their own sources of water and sewer, those lots usually are not located within a city or town and have a sizable area. This is because local governing bodies have rules and regulations on how much distance these two items must be minimally separated by. There can also be rules on how far away they must be from property boundaries since being to close can altar what the neighbor can do on their property. More and more I have seen governments only approve of domestic use water wells if they are fitted with a meter. If the property owner exceeds the amount of water approved, then a fee is assessed. So, if you purchase a piece of ground that does not have utilities on or into it, research what the local governing body has to say about these items. Utilities have a significant cost to put them in place, whether they are stubbed in from outside sources or developed right on the property. But those costs usually add value to the property that exceeds the costs involved. I have known individuals who’s whole motivation to purchasing property was to develop utilities into or on the property and then sell it for a profit.

Purchasing property that already has utilities developed makes that property easier to use. And if your dream is to have a new custom home, then that dream is faster to see happen.

Gary Miller
Principal and Architectural Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

*Next week the subject will be about drainage and its importance.

English Cottage Design

What is English Cottage Design About ?

English Cottage Style

On the exterior of an English Cottage style home the roof is usually steep pitched. Roofs may have cross-gables and may even have clipped gables. The roofs over entries are usually front-facing gables where one side is steep and straight and the other side is curved like a slide. The homes that this style mimics were built mainly in between 1920 and 1940 in England. The roof then would be thatch covered or made to look like thatch by soft rounding shingles over hip and ridge lines.

Exterior wood doors are typically arch or round top in shape. The hardware is decorative to ornate. Windows are usually casement tall and narrow units segregated into small panes, sometimes turned into diamond pattern. Decorative timbers may accent the building lines.

The home overall on the exterior is small, asymmetric and one to two stories in height. Chimneys are usually over sized and use stone, decorative stone, clinker brick and are topped with chimney pots. Exterior wall surfaces can be made of stucco, shingles or lap siding.