Photograh of stick framed roof - don't do it like this
I know NOTHING about construction, but I DO know that I need more storage space. With that in mind, I keep looking up at the entrance to my attic, which is in the upstairs hallway. I have used a ladder to have a look, and see what appear to be rafters everywhere! In doing some research, I have learned that these are “trusses”. In a remodeling show on television, I saw an attic makeover wherein they built supports between the attic floor and the roof rafters (the support looked like a ladder lying on its side). In addition, they put supports horizontally across the peak of the roof, joining the already existing rafters (creating an A shape at the peak). Can these things replace some of the existing trusses, to open up the center space? I am not looking for additional living space, only storage space. I do not need to be able to stand; I only need to be able to put boxes, etc. up there. I would also like to replace the existing small, square hatch, with a long, rectangular drop-down hatch and ladder to facilitate access. Last on my “wish list” would be a light in the attic with the on/off switch in the hallway below.?
Obviously this is coming from a real novice vs. someone who has some sense of architecture and construction. Can this be done? Will it be SAFE?
The Architect’s Answer
Wendy, the modifications you can make to your attic construction are dependent on how your roof is built and what supports it. The short answer is that you need an architect, engineer or someone very knowledgeable about wood frame construction to look at your specific situation and evaluate it. By very knowledgeable I mean someone who is capable of beam span calculations with varying point and uniform loads, that is someone who can do the math. I’m a residential architect in the Seattle area and I’d be glad to come out and look at it and tell you what’s possible. Read More »
The Architect's challenge - designing the remodel of a 1940's bungalow on a steep slope in Seattle
I came across the following ad on Craigslist recently and while I didn’t offer my services to them it seemed worth writing about in a blog about residential architecture. It touches on a number of issues that I’ve written about in the past. In particular my article on writing the project program for a remodel discusses these issues in general. In this article I will address the issues the add raises for a site I’m working on in Seattle. Read More »
Posted in Remodel Design Examples | Tagged contemporary design, Critical Area, ECA, Evironmentally Critical Area, garage, Project Program, Remodeling, Seattle, site constraints, sloping lots, steep slope |
By laura | Published:
May 5, 2009
Lush flower garden with water feature
I have a new favorite blog to visit. The title of this post comes from the heading on her blog “Garden Porn - is that a pistil in your calyx or are you just happy to see me?”. This woman is absolutely amazing. Michelle Derviss is a landscape designer from Marin County, California and I love her work.
Lots of Landscape Ideas
She posts on a variety of topics. You’ll, of course, find lots of different kinds of gardens and landscapes highlighted (her own designs and the designs of others). The photos from her travels are stunning (see Bali photos, 2007). There are posts about some of the technical aspects of her work such as making a mosaic wall, putting in a stone wall, drainage systems and the like. She posts about environmental and health issues. Not only is there a lot to look at in her blog but there are great articles that go with the photos. Can you tell that I am enchanted? Read More »
A carriage house I designed in the High Point neighborhood of West Seattle
Hello Rick,
In terms of truss construction, what is the most cost effective design for a garage with loft including a shed dormer?
Answer
That’s a pretty open ended question with lots of answers dependent on the specific conditions. For the purpose of this answer, as the architect I’ll make the following assumptions: Read More »
This is a monthly-ish reminder about a significant feature of the blog, which I hope you will find useful. There is an “Ask the Architect” page where you can post a question. I’ll do my best to answer your question in this blog (as well as on the “Get Satisfaction” website). Go ahead, try it. Ask a question!
Really, some of my best articles have come in response to questions. So please…. ask away.
Posted in Misc | Tagged Ask the Architect |
It’s a global economy and a small world.� Katherina Saunders, owner of Ella’s Kitchen Company LTD in the UK found me on Twitter.� I visited her website to see who was following me and found all of this cool kitchen stuff.� OK, I know it’s a tiny bit off of my beaten path but I also know of a couple of readers and a couple of clients who would be very interested in her wares. Read More »
By laura | Published:
April 29, 2009
Outdoor fireplace with cypress mantle
There are many ways to heat your outdoor space. One way that is especially handsome is an outdoor fireplace, particularly when it either reflects or complements the architecture of the home.
Outdoor Fireplaces for Heating
The fireplace in the photograph above nicely complements the space in which it is set. It features a large stone boulder slab for the hearth. It is similar to a fireplace that Rick designed for the Mountaineers where he picked out a hearthstone boulder and created a fireplace around it. One of our favorite sources of stone like this is Marenakos near Preston on I-90. Read More »
I live in Edmonds and my property is zoned RS-8. I have a couple of questions. I have a shop that is about 330 square feet and it is actually classified as a garage. I would like to convert it into a Mother In-Law Apartment. It has gas and and electricity already. I am wondering if the zoning in Edmonds will allow me to convert it into a cottage with added space.? I have an attached 2 car garage already in place. Do I need to have the plans drawn before I get a permit? Thanks.
The Answer
The technical term for “mother-in-law apartment” in the City of Edmonds is Accessory Dwelling Unit or ADU for short. ADUs are permitted in single family zones in the City of Edmonds under very specific conditions. Earlier this month I answered a similar question about adding an ADU to a basement in the City of Seattle. You will see that each city has widely different answers to the same question.
Read More »
SW Manning Street slopes significantly
Steeply sloping lots pose serious
design challenges for Seattle architects. This is the 2nd article in a series where I describe how we dealt with those challenges on
a home I designed on SW Manning Street in West Seattle.
Let’s recap. The lot slopes steeply down from the street (front to back) and the street slopes significantly (side to side). The view is to the north and east although a little south of east is the West Seattle Bridge, which we don’t really want to look at. We decided for a variety of reasons discussed in the earlier article to place the entry on the downhill side of the lot. Read More »
A home we designed in West Seattle on a steeply sloping site
A lot of my work as an
architect is within the City of Seattle. Almost every home I’ve designed the last few years has been affected by Seattle’s steep slope critical area regulations. Designing a home for a steeply sloping site is a lot more complex than simply working up a floor plan and exterior appearance that you like. In this article I’m going to discuss the issues and challenges that we dealt with in the design of this home in West Seattle. If you want to build on a sloping urban infill site, you’ll be facing many of these same issues no matter where it is.
Read More »
