The International Building Code and the American’s with Disability Act set the rules for ramps in new construction and remodels. In most cases you need to have handrails on both sides, but there are a few ways to avoid handrails. The first way is to keep the rise of the ramp to no more than […]
Ramps that Don’t Require Handrails, Slope and Rise Read More »
Unless they get one in their car tire I am willing to bet that the average person does not spend a lot of time thinking about nails. I actually do think about nails quite a bit, but then again I am a structural engineer who, for years, has specialized in timber construction. But how long
Getting Nailed: A Brief History of Nails Read More »
There are many ways that openings like doors and windows come into consideration with respect to how we, at EVstudio, design foundation walls. More specifically, there are special criteria that go into a foundation wall design for residential garages because the threshold of door openings are at grade elevation. It is firstly critical that the wall maintain a
Foundation Wall Height Design Considerations for Residential Garages Read More »
Common building bricks come in three grades which indicate the bricks resistance to weathering. The weathering general refers to how much rain is expected and how low the temperatures get. NW: Negligible Weathering – Typically used for interior applications as well as a backup for face brick. For areas with minimal rain and above freezing
Grades of Solid Clay Masonry – Bricks Read More »
BIM (Building Information Modeling) One of my Architecture professors once told me that the materials and methods you use to express your design will also affect the design itself. For example, building a model out of clay pushes your design towards a more monolithic structure, while using paper tends to lean the building toward a
BIG BIM, little BIM = Good Design Read More »
High Performance Coatings: What are high performance coatings? Most of us do not know the difference between coatings applied in a house versus high traffic / high wear coatings applied in places like schools and recreation areas or light industrial spaces. Coatings typically serve two purposes, the one that comes to mind is the aesthetic
Simply Paint? …..High Performance Coatings Read More »
Part 5 –Permits, Building Design, Contractors, …and more Permitting With the lot purchased and the home footprint and location refined, it was time to get a set of permit documents ready for submission. Each county is unique with its permitting process and requirements can vary drastically; this is ever apparent when building in counties west
Designing a Dream, Building a Mountain Home, All Under One Hat Read More »
9442 North Capital of Texas Highway
Plaza One, Suite 500
Austin, TX 78759
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