May 15, 2017

Commercial Ramp Design – Guidelines, Criteria and Dimensions

The 2006 International Building Code dictates the rules for ramps used in commercial buildings. The rules apply to most ramps in a building excepting ramped aisles in theaters, curb ramps and vehicle ramps in parking garages. The code also covers those conditions, but they have their own sections. The running slope (slope in the direction

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Drinking Fountains – The Plumbing Fixture That May Be Overlooked

The 2006 International Building Code requires drinking fountains in all occupancies except dwelling units and and sleeping units. This section of the code has frequently been overlooked. However building departments have begun enforcing the requirement with some regularity. Generally you are allowed to tie your drinking fountain into a kitchen sink but it cannot be

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Typical New Custom Home Cost Breakdown

Construction Cost Per Square Foot for Single Family Custom Residential Homes 2015

In a continued effort to try to set client expectations as appropriately as possible at the start of a project, I have embarked on a research project that aggregates real data on new homes recently built. The result is a conceptual pricing tool that can be used in design programs to balance feasibility of overall

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Home Maintenance – It Can Save Your Life

We do a fair amount of work observing structures after a fire.  Sometimes those fires start from a child with a cigarette lighter or an electrical short due to faulty installation. We primarily inspect for structural integrity but sometimes we consult on how to properly install a new fireplace. Other times, in the instances of town homes, we have provided direction on how

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Structural Engineering Residential Custom Plans

Creekside Apartments in Spearfish, South Dakota

At the beginning of the summer in 2013, EVstudio was asked to provide structural framing and foundation plans for a Garden Apartment community in Spearfish, South Dakota. This community consists of five building types including two walkout scenarios. All foundations are Ribbed Slab-On-Grade foundations with one to two additional floors of wood framing above. The

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The Importance of (Well Built) As-Built Drawings

We have done a large variety of residential and commercial remodel, addition, tenant finish, adaptive re-use and historic preservation work over the years and one thing seems to ring true as the single, most important component of a highly accurate and well developed set of plans: a quality set of as-built drawings. A lot of

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