Construction work in the Florida Keys is a stop and go proposition these days. Sometimes work gets done and sometimes nothing gets done for weeks at a time. Currently there seems to be more stop than go for my project. After a full day of getting the foundation rebar placed as per the designer’s plans, the work stopped. As a surprise, during this visit to the job site there as actual signs that progress was about to start up again!…
We were blissfully ignorant of the workings of the Keys. I was spending my time making design decisions for my “dream home” without the cruel realities. Our original designer did not tell us he had heart disease and he died during the process. His boss was a thief, stole money and did not finish the design work. Due to the cost of an ICF house was about $900,000 we decided to go with a more traditional concrete block and metal…
The first physical part of the work is now done! Hurrah! After 18 years after purchasing the lot, and 4 years after starting the design build process, we have something real in the ground! The first step is to have a surveyor determine the exact location where the house is to be located on the lot, as approved by the City of Marathon. The surveyor marked the property lines, the setback of the house on the lot, and pier locations.…
A few years ago I started to comment on my efforts to build a retirement home in the Florida Keys. After four years of: an architect who died, another that stole money and more importantly time, design cost over-runs, a new designer, new contractor bids, delays due to Covid, cost inflation, the loan process, etc, we have finally started construction! I am here in Marathon for the duration to review construction, solve problems in real time and make sure I…
Considering that we made the decision early on to have a concrete house we have to take into account the extra weight of the whole structure. The “soil” (sandy marine clay and rock fragment) we will be building on is probably fill the developer threw on top of a marsh to create “dry” land and from the surrounding canals. Considering the average elevation of the lot is +3.5 feet above sea level, you can bet the foundation will be sitting…
Design Consultants This has been, and seems to continue to be, one of the hardest parts of the project for us. There are different designers who are able to submit approved drawings to a government body for approval. The two main ones I will talk about are architects and engineers. All can services can be as per the design professionals expertise and licensing. Architects, as design professionals, typically complete more parts of the process. An architect may do only the…
Construction Drawings Construction drawings are a set of plans and specifications which are used to carry out the agreed upon design ideas. These plans are usually the ones submitted to governmental agencies for review and approval. Contractors use these drawings to bid projects by calculating costs for materials, labor, overhead and profit. Most people do not realize that plans and specifications are legal documents! They are part of the construction contract. “I give you money and you build this.” The…
As a student of this work, rather than a teacher, I am going to take information directly from two articles that can better explain the need for both dehumidification and air conditioning in areas of high humidity. From Fine Homebuilding Magazine, “Excess humidity can encourage the growth of mold and even damage a house’s structure and furnishings over time. Many homes control indoor humidity with a dehumidifier. A liquid refrigerant passes through evaporator coils, which contact incoming air. Moisture from…
Since we live 3,000 miles away, the design process is being done with starts and fits. Some times it’s hard to get a concept across by phone. I have started to sketch out design ideas, scan them and email them to our designer. It seems to take forever to create design ideas, get them refined, sent out, reviewed, commented and reviewed again. By that time we have rethought the ideas and have come up with additional ideas and changes. I’m…
Now that we are into creating the construction drawings we need to make “final” decisions on things. I like my information organized. What sized window is going where in the house? Is it frosted as a bathroom window may be? Does it have mullions? Does it open up and down, or sideways? Does it not open? How high from the finished floor does it start? After looking at it awhile a home owner could figure this schedule out for themselves.…