Especially here in our hot humid climate in central Texas. The right windows help keep you comfortable in your home.

The good news: Window manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with new, high-performance windows that help reduce cooling costs in homes.

But have you shopped for windows? Whew, there’s a lot of technical lingo and numbers to sort through. This brief blog post is a little primer on window technology and what to look for.

What do those numbers mean?

U-factor. How fast a window lets non-solar heat pass through it. In technical terms, a measurement of the escape of BTUs per square foot per hours, per degree Fahrenheit. The lower the U-factor, the more energy efficient the window. Austin’s 2010 residential energy code requires a U-factor of 0.51 or lower.

SHGC (solar heat-gain co-efficient). How much solar energy the windows lets through. Indicates how well it blocks heat caused by sunlight. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits, which is what we want in central Texas. Austin’s 2010 residential energy code requires a SHGC of 0.30 or lower.

Air infiltration. How much does that window leak? It’s measured as the amount of air that passes between a window sash and frame, measured in cubic feet per minute per square foot of frame area. The lower the rating, the slower the air leaks, which is what we want.

Visible transmittance (VT). How much visible-spectrum light transmits through a window. The higher the VT, the more visible light.

Light-to-solar gain (LSG). The ratio between the SHGC and VT.

What to look for in windows

Dual- or triple-pane glass units. The panes are separated by a hermetically sealed space that’s often filled with argon gas.

Low emissivity coating (low-E), which rejects unwanted solar heat and blocks UV rays, while still providing a clear view.

Window frames built of durable materials and designed to block the transfer of heat.

Planning ahead

If you’re planning a new home, you have the opportunity to place and shade windows properly — important for day-lighting and for cross-breezes, for example. But that’s a blog topic for another day.

Want more details about energy-efficient windows?

You can find useful information at the Efficient Windows Collaborative web site.

In all of my years of building, these are just a few of the questions I’ve been asked about engineered wood.  So allow me to answer the last question first.

There’s a number of reasons why I use engineered wood.  First, as a sustainable builder, I walk my talk by using reclaimed or recycled materials — such as engineered wood — where possible.  If more builders were to use these materials, we would be putting less waste in the landfills and the price would come down as supply increased to meet demand.

But the most important reason I use engineered wood is that it’s truly a better product.  Ok I hear you saying “Yeah, right.  Prove it.”

Ok, here’s an example.  Have any of you had the experience where the studs in the walls twisted, turned, or bulged and pushed the drywall out of line?  Did the nails pop up?  Why does that happen?

That’s because these days, stud-grade lumber is cut very young, usually at 7 to 8 years, then it’s flashed dried in kilns and shipped to the lumber yards very quickly.  It’s too young and still contains a lot of moisture.  Years ago lumber for studs was harvested when it was 10 – 12 years old and allowed to air dry for up to a year.  But now, with these accelerated harvesting and drying methods, as the lumber dries inside your walls, it moves and creates problems with your drywall.

An alternative is to use finger-jointed studs, an engineered wood product.  I’ve used finger-jointed studs for 10+ years, and I’ve never had a call-back to repair drywall.   (Not to mention, it’s better to use screws in drywall, not nails.) Now the best part is that the price of finger-jointed studs is about the same as that of young-growth lumber.  You just have to do a little more digging because you can’t find the product everywhere; for example, most big-box retailers don’t carry this stuff.

So what is engineered wood?  Normally I would go into a long explanation in my own words, but I found that Wikipedia has done a better job for me.  So I am going to use their definitions of terms.  Call it plagiarism, stealing or whatever.  Since this is not a term paper, I’m not worried; I’m just passing on important information.  Hats off to Wikipedia.

Plywood.

Oriented strand board (OSB).  Made from rectangular-shaped strands of wood that are oriented lengthwise and then arranged in layers, laid up into mats, and bonded together with moisture-resistant, heat-cured adhesives. The individual layers are cross-oriented to provide strength and stiffness to the panel. Produced in huge, continuous mats, OSB is a solid panel product of consistent quality with no laps, gaps or voids.

Glued laminated timber (glulam) is composed of several layers of dimensional timber glued together with moisture-resistant adhesives, creating a large, strong, structural member that can be used as vertical columns or horizontal beams. Glulam can also be produced in curved shapes, offering extensive design flexibility.

Laminated veneer lumber (LVL).  Produced by bonding thin wood veneers together in a large billet. The grain of all veneers in the LVL billet is parallel to the long direction. The resulting product features enhanced mechanical properties and dimensional stability that offer a broader range in product width, depth and length than conventional lumber. LVL is a member of the structural composite lumber (SCL) family of engineered wood products that are commonly used in the same structural applications as conventional sawn lumber and timber, including rafters, headers, beams, joists, rim boards, studs and columns.

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is a versatile multi-layered panel made of lumber. Each layer of boards is placed cross-wise to adjacent layers for increased rigidity and strength. CLT can be used for long spans and all assemblies, e.g. floors, walls or roofs.

Parallel strand lumber (PSL) consists of long veneer strands laid in parallel formation and bonded together with an adhesive to form the finished structural section. A strong, consistent material, it has a high load carrying ability and is resistant to seasoning stresses so it is well suited for use as beams and columns for post and beam construction, and for beams, headers, and lintels for light framing construction. PSL is a member of the structural composite lumber (SCL) family of engineered wood products.

Laminated strand lumber (LSL) and oriented strand lumber (OSL) are manufactured from flaked wood strands that have a high length-to-thickness ratio. Combined with an adhesive, the strands are oriented and formed into a large mat or billet and pressed. LSL and OSL offer good fastener-holding strength and mechanical connector performance and are commonly used in a variety of applications, such as beams, headers, studs, rim boards, and millwork components. These products are members of the structural composite lumber (SCL) family of engineered wood products.

Finger-jointed lumber is made up of short pieces of wood combined to form longer lengths and is used in door jambs, mouldings and studs. It is also produced in long lengths and wide dimensions for floors.

I-joists. Designed for use in floor and roof construction. An I-joist consists of top and bottom flanges of various widths united with webs of various depths. The flanges resist common bending stresses, and the web provides shear performance. I-joists are designed to carry heavy loads over long distances while using less lumber than a dimensional solid wood joist of a size necessary to do the same task. As of 2005, approximately half of all wood light framed floors were framed using I-joists.

Roof trusses. Structural frames relying on a triangular arrangement of webs and chords to transfer loads to reaction points.

Engineered wood products are used in a variety of ways, often in applications similar to solid wood products. Engineered wood products may be preferred over solid wood in some applications due to certain comparative advantages:

• Because engineered wood is man-made, it can be designed to meet application-specific performance requirements.
• Engineered wood products are versatile and available in a wide variety of thicknesses, sizes, grades, and exposure durability classifications, making the products ideal for use in unlimited construction, industrial and home project application.
• Engineered wood products are designed and manufactured to maximize the natural strength and stiffness characteristics of wood. The products are very stable and some offer greater structural strength than typical wood building materials. Eight-storey Stadthaus, an apartment complex in London, England, was made with cross-laminated timber panels and is the tallest habitable timber building in the world.
• Glued laminated timber (glulam) has greater strength and stiffness than comparable dimensional lumber and, pound for pound, is stronger than steel. Glulam products are also a better environmental choice than steel because they have less embodied energy.
• Some engineered wood products offer more design options without sacrificing structural requirements.
• Engineered wood panels are easy to work with using ordinary tools and basic skills. They can be cut, drilled, routed, jointed, glued, and fastened. Plywood can be bent to form curved surfaces without loss of strength. And large panel size speeds construction by reducing the number of pieces to be handled and installed.
• Engineered wood products provide the natural warmth and beauty of wood. Many products are available in a variety of surface textures and treatments for nearly every aesthetic taste, from rustic to elegant. The products can be easily and beautifully finished with paints, stains, and varnishes.
• Engineered wood products make more efficient use of wood. They can be made from small pieces of wood, wood that has defects or underutilized species.
• Wooden trusses are competitive in many roof and floor applications, and their high strength-to-weight ratios permit long spans offering flexibility in floor layouts.

Engineered wood products also have some disadvantages:

• Some products may burn more quickly than solid lumber.
• They require more primary energy for their manufacture than solid lumber.
• The adhesives used in some products may be toxic. A concern with some resins is the release of formaldehyde in the finished product, often seen with urea-formaldehyde bonded products.
• Cutting and otherwise working with some products can expose workers to toxic compounds.
• Some engineered wood products, such as those specified for interior use, may be weaker and more prone to humidity-induced warping than equivalent solid woods. Most particle and fiber-based boards are not appropriate for outdoor use because they readily soak up water.

So there you have it folks, everything you ever wanted to know about engineered wood.  Well almost.  I just hope that the next questions will be something like, “Hey can’t you use more of that engineered wood?” or “You do use finger-jointed studs, don’t you?” or “Can we change the roof design to accommodate using trusses?” or “Does your scrap get recycled into engineered wood?”  Well, actually most of the scrap on my construction jobs goes into the walls for blocking as part of our aging-in-place design, but that is a whole other blog topic.

(BTW, are you wary of formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?  Me, too. Get info about formaldehyde regulations and structural wood products here.)

Check with my family members, and they’ll tell you I have a bit of a stubborn streak. (Okay, maybe it’s a mile-wide stubborn streak, but hey.) Suppose I’ve got a problem to solve: I’ll do my thinking and get hooked – sometimes too quickly – into a solution. Then, like a terrier with a toy, I’ve got my teeth sunk so deep into my plan, I have trouble envisioning other possibilities.

We see this phenomenon sometimes with home owners.  I’m sympathetic to their plight.

Once, many years ago, I planned a kitchen remodel in my home. Oh, boy, I knew exactly what I wanted. I had it all worked out in my head. I sketched it up on graph paper. I was so clever. Except that when I sat down with my builder, there were – ahem — problems with my scheme. There was the need for a supporting beam, for example. Oh. And there was my clumsy attempt to solve a storage problem. Not to mention expensive plumbing and electrical issues, and my goofy notions about spatial relationships. My remodeling contractor was kind and patient. He pushed my plan aside and walked me backwards: What exactly was I trying to achieve? What were my goals? What did I need? How much did I want to spend? After much discovery and discussion, the final plan solved my problems in ways that surprised and delighted me, while still incorporating some of my ideas.

Here’s four things I know now about planning a new home or remodel:

1.  Let the experts work for you.

I’m good at a lot of things, but I am neither a construction expert (that would be Wayne) nor an architect. My misguided attempt back then to do their jobs for them left me both humbled by my naivety and grateful for their expertise and skill.

2.  It’s great to know what you want.

Do your homework:

• Be prepared to articulate your problems.
• Make lists and goals, and prioritize them.
• Cut out photos.
• Bookmark web pages.
• Draw sketches.
• Know what you can afford to spend.

The more details you can provide and the better you communicate them to your design/build team, the greater the opportunity for a superb result, whether it’s for a new home or a remodel.

For example, recently some new clients handed us a rough, hand-drawn conceptual sketch of the home they want to build. Not so much a layout as an idea about how they wanted to live in the home. It was a good start. It gave us a grasp of their concept, and it really helped to facilitate discussion and jump start their project.

Another example. One day last week, Wayne and I were enjoying dinner with a former client. We were reminiscing about her home remodel and, specifically, about her kitchen. “All I knew was that I wanted a laundry room nearby, and I had 37 baking sheets and all this stuff I needed to store. I didn’t know how to make that happen,” she said to Wayne, “but you did.”

3.  Stay open to possibilities.

While it’s great to know what you want, take care you don’t rush to answers and then dictate them to your design/build team.  In your haste, you could miss the opportunity to explore possibilities and, perhaps, to discover better, more cost effective ways to achieve your goals.

This is especially true when it comes to green building and energy efficiency. For example, suppose you want to reduce the cost to operate your home by reducing energy costs, and you’ve decided – woo-hoo — you want solar panels. Well, okay, but hang on a minute. First, let’s make sure you’ve done everything you can to get the best bang for your buck by sealing leaks, improving the efficiency of your air conditioning system, and insulating properly. Otherwise, you could end up with another leaky, inefficient house with a solar photovoltaic system.  Kind of counterproductive.  Sorry to say, but some improvements you make to a home are decidedly unglamorous yet practical in terms of longevity and payback, sort of like investing in new tires or buying socks.

Another example of staying open to possibility: In a design meeting last week, several optional floor plans were spread out on the table. The client said to me, “I’ve been walking around with a vision in my head of how things might look. Now that I see these plans of what’s actually possible, they’re great. But I’m having to reset my thinking so I can wrap my head around these ideas.”

And one more example. Often, home owners get excited when they decide to build a green, energy-efficient home. They get busy reading and doing research. This is great. Once in a while, someone thinks they’ve found the one best answer, and they show up at our door with a fixed idea about particular way to build, or a particular product or material they want to use. Sometimes what they have in mind makes sense.  Sometimes it doesn’t. With green building, it’s not just one thing, it’s how all the pieces fit together. Plus, as my grandma used to say, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. So during discussions, Wayne walks these folks backwards: “What is it you’re trying to achieve with that particular method or product? What do you want your home to do? How do you want to live in your home?  Let’s talk about different ways to meet your goals.”

4.  Take your time.

Whether it’s a new home or a remodel, take your time to get all your goals, requirements, and priorities out on the table. Then you can work with your design/build team to sort through them, examine different ways to achieve your goals, and come up with a great plan that will produce superb results.

1. Be Prepared.  The old Boy Scout motto rings true here.  Builders and trade contractors really do enjoy looking at potential projects, but please be courteous of their time.  If you just aren’t ready to move forward on your building project yet, say so up front so you don’t waste anybody’s time.
2. Hire a consultant. If you’re not ready to move forward or you just need suggestions, hire a builder as a consultant.
3. Ask lots of questions. If you don’t understand something, ask.
4. Listen to the experts.  It’s not their first rodeo.  A good builder knows the business and has seen it before.  He can help you figure out solutions to your problems.
5. Be flexible. You might start out with one idea in mind, but your  budget, the city code requirements, and the materials and necessary techniques might change your mind.
6. Don’t watch too much TV.  Just because you saw it on cable TV doesn’t mean it will work in your situation.  Those TV shows go through a lot of editing to pare them down to 22.5 minutes —  there are lots of decisions and steps along the way that you don’t get to see.
7. Don’t ask for competitive bids. This is the worst way to get the best value for a project.  When you ask for a bid, you’re telling the builder he’s in a competitive situation.  He will now try to be the “low-baller” on the project, and you’ve given him control of the materials and techniques.  See my blog post on Budget-Driven Design.
8. Stay away from allowances.  There really are very few times when allowance pricing needs to be used before you begin construction.  Since a decision needs to be made on an item, wouldn’t it be better to decide up front and know the price going in?
9. Be decisive. Be willing to make decisions once presented with the facts. When it comes to selecting materials or making a critical decision, the ability to act quickly will keep your project on track.
10. Follow up and say thanks. Please let the builder know whether or not you’re interested in his services.  They do their best to follow up on all leads and interviews.  They’re big boys and understand if you don’t want to use them, just let them know.  And, by the way, a well meant thank you or compliment can go a long way.

Lately we’ve had a cluster of inquiries about building with insulated concrete forms (ICFs) and with structural insulated panels (SIPs). In fact, we’re in the middle of a project using both ICFs and SIPS, and I want to tell you a little bit about it.

Now, I’m not the construction manager and expert. That would be Wayne.  What you get from me is the simplified explanation. With pictures.  And cookies and chihuahuas.

The trouble with a story like this is that building a house is a little like making sausage — the process is messy and you don’t get to enjoy the tasty results til the end. If you’re hoping for beautiful photos of the finished product, you’ll be disappointed, because we haven’t finished yet. But the process is pretty interesting, so keep reading.

Alternative building systems

There are all kinds of ways to build a house. One way is conventional wood framing using 2x4s or 2x6s — builders call it stick framing. Structural insulated panels (SIPs) and insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are some alternative structural systems.

There are other systems, too — adobe, steel, masonry block, for example. But we’re only talking about SIPs and ICFs here.

About the project we’re working on

In this project we’re working on, the home owners have a concrete dome home. Talk about solid!  They wanted to add on to their home but wanted flexibility in the form and layout. Two major requirements were that the addition be able to withstand up to 200 mph winds, and that it be be super insulated and super energy-efficient.

After much discussion and research, Wayne and the home owners decided to build the walls using insulated concrete forms, and to build the roof structure using structural insulated panels.

Building with ICFs or SIPs is not for every project. But they make a lot of sense here.

Let’s talk first about insulated concrete forms.

Insulated concrete form (ICF)

An ICF form

ICFs are usually made from expanded polystyrene (EPS), much like the material in a styrofoam beer cooler.

The form consists of two foam panels held together by plastic ties or something similar. It’s roughly the size of an ordinary cinder block.

The forms are stacked together like Legos and reinforced with metal rebar.  And then the forms are filled with concrete, which cures to provide the structural wall system.

Here’s a photo of the ICFs stacked together to form the walls of the new addition to the home.

Windows and doors are bucked in with wood framing.

Steel reinforcement supports the walls, because the next step is to fill the cores with concrete.

Here’s a close-up of the core, filled now with concrete.

The exterior walls will be carefully wrapped with Tyvek to keep out moisture, and then they’ll be covered with stone and metal.  It’ll be really handsome.  The inside walls will be covered with drywall.

With foam + concrete, the walls are 11″ thick. The thermal mass of concrete slows temperature swings and provides an effective air barrier against the summer heat. The foam provides insulation. Together,  they add up to a 50-80% savings on utility bills.  R-value is a measure of the efficiency of insulation in a home.   With this wall system, you get an effective R-value of 32.  Not too shabby.

Now let’s talk about the SIPs used for the roof structure.

Structural insulated panels (SIPs)

Think of an Oreo cookie. (This is the cookie I promised you.  Get your own glass of milk.)

SIPs were used to build the roof structure.  The SIP we used here is two sturdy panels — oriented strand board (OSB) — glued under pressure to a super insulating layer of rigid foam (either polystyrene or polyisocyanurate).

The SIPs came from the factory cut and labeled, with detailed plans that tell the construction crew how to assemble them.

Here’s the framing crew attaching the SIPs to the ridge beam.  It was really fun watching them.  They used a crane to lift the panels up to the second-story level.

These SIP roof panels are a little more than 8″ thick.  They provide an excellent insulation and air infiltration barrier.

The panels will be covered with a metal roof.  A metal roof is important here for longevity and for harvesting rainwater.

Wayne has used another kind of structural insulated panel made from compressed wheat chaff. You can ask him about that.

Pros and Cons

The upfront cost of construction using SIPs or ICFs can be greater than traditional stick framing, but you have to balance that against the ongoing energy payback to the homeowner. Building with ICFs and SIPs can speed construction, but it takes a lot of careful upfront planning and engineering.

And then there are environmental factors to consider.  There’s a high embedded energy cost of the concrete in ICFs, but that’s balanced by the fact that it lasts longer.  The foam used in both ICFs and SIPs is a petroleum-based product with its own environmental cost, balanced by the overall energy savings in the home.

The point is, no one solution is perfect.  You just have to stop and think through the pros and cons and decide what makes sense for you and your goals.

Want more information?

If you want details and technical specs, please let me know.  I’ll be happy to point you to information about the products we used, and Wayne can talk with you about construction details.

Oh, yeah, the chihuahua

Here’s Pequeno, who came out with the framing crew that day to supervise the installation of the SIP roof panels.  Sweet little fellow.

Did my remodeling story have a happy ending? Keep reading and find out.

Getting started

I moved to Austin from Louisiana last August, trading beignets for BBQ and a new job. I found a great condo in the center of town that was tired-looking and needed new life. Sort of like me. It was perfect. I had been itinerant for a full year with all my belongings in storage. To say that I was desperate for a space of my own is not an exaggeration.

A friend had recommended Wayne’s contracting services following her major — and stunning — remodeling project. So I took the bait and jumped into the world of remodeling, handing my life and money over to a complete stranger.

I am happy to report that this remodeling stuff isn’t that bad after all. I survived with my sanity intact. Unfortunately, some subcontractors with whom I had the pleasure of working did not meet such a fortunate fate. I don’t get it. I only called them 167 times a week at all hours of the day and night. Grow up, guys.

Week 1

Wayne and Mary took me out to Maudie’s. What a great omen, I thought to myself! This will be a happy and harmonious working relationship. And as fate would have it, we all ordered the same thing. Chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce and house margaritas. This must be karma! We are at one with Mexican food. It did not escape my attention, however, that Wayne pulled out the remodeling contract shortly after my second margarita. Aside from the fact that I was seeing double and had temporarily lost my ability to comprehend the English language (a rather awkward conundrum for a speech pathologist), I had to go to the bathroom but couldn’t find it so I signed on the dotted line and off we went into the world of demolition.

Week 2

“Don’t worry, Mev. The twelve-foot-high mound of trash piled in your living room and the dust clogging your A/C filters are only temporary. Trust me! That grunge coating your windows? Not to worry. Someone will clean it up as soon as we figure out what it is.” Thank you, Wayne. How can you expect me to trust you when I cannot even breathe? Twelve A/C filters later, I resigned myself to a life on oxygen.

Week 3

It has come to my attention that things get done faster if I bring donuts. But not just any donuts. What’s wrong with Krispy Kremes, I ask? No, it has to be Shipley’s. OK, I can do that. Shipley’s is on my way to work. But then it has to be chocolate Shipley’s, and it has to be a truckload. OK, OK. I can do that. I just want to move into my condo! Wayne listens as he slowly, contemplatively fondles his donut. I feel for the first time that he has empathy for me. He nibbles on his chocolate Shipley’s, looks thoughtfully at me as I share my concerns about deadlines, and he offers the magic word: schedule. I am so grateful for the end in sight that I even drive to Round Rock Donuts, the donut Mecca of Texas, and buy him a giant apple fritter out of gratitude for proposing a completion date. But no, the stakes have been raised.  Now it’s tequila. What a cry-baby, I think to myself. OK, OK. Will Patron Silver do? He says yes and off we go into the world of change orders.

Week 4

“Wayne?”
“Yes, Mev?”
“I was just thinking I want to make a few changes to our original proposal. Nothing major. Just some electrical work, painting modifications, and a new vision for the renovation and how it will impact humankind.”
“No problem. I am here to serve you. That change order will cost you 216 dozen donuts, a magnum of Patron Silver, and $176,429.”
“OK.”

I couldn’t sleep one night thinking about the master bathroom.

“Uh Wayne?”
“Now what?”
“I was just wondering. What’s that weird box doing in my master shower? We didn’t talk about that. I know you’ve had a long week but can you wake up just long enough to explain it to me?”
“We had to do it that way, Mev, to hide some water pipes. Now go away.”
“But I don’t like it, Wayne. It’s weird.”
“Let’s deal with it in the morning.”
“OK, Wayne, but it is morning. It’s 4:45 a.m.”

Happily, the box problem got solved and I now have the most beautiful bathroom in Austin.

Week 5

I should interject here that tile, grout, and I go way back. It has been a tumultuous relationship. I narrowly escaped a PTSD diagnosis following tile-related remodeling projects in Tucson and Santa Fe, where I once lived.

“Hello Ron? This is Wayne’s client Mev Jenson. Remember me?”
“How could I forget? You call me every day about grout.”
“You’re doing the tile work on my Austin condo renovation. I know it’s 3:17 a.m. and you were probably sleeping, but I just wanted to make sure I told you Smoke Grey and not Natural Grey for the master bathroom grout.”
“Got it.”
“One more thing, Ron. Do you think Smoke Grey is the right choice?”
“Go away, Mev.”
“OK.”

“Uh, Ron? Hi again. Don’t hang up! I have this irrational fear that my grout lines will be discolored. Can you promise me that you will seal the grout?”

Click.

Week 6

I don’t know what it is, but choosing paint colors drives me nuts. Who knew there were so many options and so many choices to be made? It really should be a pleasurable experience. I mean, who doesn’t like color? I think the fact that there are 2,347,986 choices may have something to do with it. Damn that Kelly-Moore! Do I want Banana Crème, Acapulco Aqua, or Iced Chai? Do I want contrasting trim? What’s the difference between eggshell and satin finishes and who really cares? Do I want light colors that open the space or dark colors that recede? And what do those color terms really mean, anyway? Isn’t “recede” a word that applies to hairlines and not paint? Speaking of hair, mine is rapidly becoming Grey Morning Mist, or is it Weathered White? And so I made the decision to boldly move forward on my own into the world of the color wheel and let it spin me as it may. That hefty bundle of paint samples was my constant companion, occupying my front seat for months. It came with me to work, where I would longingly reach for it during a quiet moment, hoping for inspiration. It sat on my nightstand, waiting to comfort me during those sleepless nights when I felt blue and wanted to feel pink. Although I respect the role of a design consultant, I knew that such services would be limited in my case because my tastes are so specific and because all my stuff was still in storage and only I could imagine what it would look like.

“Hello Jaime? This is Wayne’s client, Mev Jenson. You are painting my condo. I know it’s 2:36 a.m. but I was just wondering if you think Banana Crème or Acapulco Aqua is the better color for my guest room? “
“I’m sleeping, Mev. Go away.”
“OK.”

“Hello Jaime? I’m so sorry. This is Mev again. I couldn’t sleep and wondered if you might join me in an iced chai to discuss colors that have names like Iced Chai and Mocha Motion.”
“Go away, Mev.”
“OK”.

“Hi again. It’s me. The sun is about to come up and before you get started on your day, I wanted to run this idea by you. I want my master bath to have a Zen-sexy feel. Like what the Dalai Lama might choose if he weren’t celibate. Any ideas on good colors?”

Click.

“Hello Jaime? Hello? Anybody there?”

Week 7

The crew is getting testy. I’m hoping the plumber won’t get wet feet and walk off the job. Just my luck, the floor guy will fall through the cracks. And I sure hope I won’t have to ground the electrician. The crews have finished their parts and only Jaime is left. Sort of. I can explain. I changed my color palate only 27 times, so don’t blame me. Blame Kelly-Moore. Jaime took it relatively well. The night he hung up on me, he was transported by ambulance to the state mental hospital. They diagnosed it as client-induced temporary psychosis. Huh? That’s just plain nuts. How come they didn’t blame Kelly-Moore? They induced it with their 2,347,986 color choices, not I. I have been visiting him in the hospital every day. He seems to be getting better. When I visit, I hold his hand, and we speak of happier times when color wheels were sources of inspiration and not tools of torture. Damn that Kelly-Moore!

“Hi Jaime. It’s Mev. I know you must be sleepy from all the meds, but I need to share something with you.”
“Who?”
“Mev. Mev Jenson. I’m Wayne’s client.”
“Who’s Wayne?”
“OK, so Jaime, there’s just way too much yellow going on in the condo. I cannot spend the rest of my life feeling as if I am living inside a banana. We need to repaint some of the rooms.”
“Zzzzzzzz.”

Week 8

It has all come together, by some miracle! My condo is now a home wrapped in delicious colors, organic textural tile, and exquisite lighting thanks to an exceptional crew. The pile of debris actually disappeared, and I cannot wait to make the space my own. Lowe’s will be relieved to have me out of their stock room, where I set up a temporary shelter during the past eight weeks.

This renovation could not have happened without the expert guidance of a Graduate Master Builder, who happens to be a general contractor with the patience of a saint and the generosity of heart to bring a homeowner’s dreams to life. He also has good taste in tequila. True, he did not ultimately accept donuts or tequila in lieu of payment, but who can blame him?

Some Things I Know

The truth is, I do know quite a lot about remodeling. Be specific about what you want. Trust yourself. Stay on top of all the things that are important to you because your contractor isn’t a mind-reader. Don’t assume he gets it. You need to tell him. Know your budget. Take charge. It’s your project. Choose someone with good credentials and a solid reputation.

I also know something about donuts. Apple fritters are the way to go. Bear claws will do in a pinch. And maybe I do know just a little about the meaning of life. I think it has a lot to do with relationships and how they are forged with laughter and love.

Happy Ending

And so my remodeling saga draws to a close. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Even though I now count donuts in my sleep instead of sheep, that really isn’t such a bad thing. I was never that fond of lamb, anyway. It has been a remarkably creative, fun, rejuvenating experience with a general contractor partner who listened, responded, and joined me every step of the way. The condo took on new life and so did I.

The process has grafted me into a new family of friends. We are a mosaic of colorful Talavera tiles intricately arranged and forever bonded. With grout. Oh dear, I hope someone remembered to seal it.

[Editor's note:  See photos of Mev Jenson's remodeled condo.]

She made careful, thoughtful selections and worked closely with us and our skillful trade contractors to get what she wanted.

We transformed an awkward master bath into a restful, Zen-like retreat. An upstairs bath was re-made in lovely, handmade Talavera and saltillo tile. We installed new wood floors, new lighting, new plumbing fixtures, and a refreshed kitchen. Our mason did handsome stonework in the entry courtyard and back garden. Our experienced painter consulted with the home owner and helped her narrow down her selection of colors for the walls.

The results are gorgeous, and now it’s a really beautiful, comfortable home.

Of course, not everything you do in a remodel is for looks. We also upgraded mechanical systems, moved some utilities, improved the use of storage space, and made many other practical improvements. In any remodel or new home, it’s always our job as general contractor to suggest ways to make your home more functional and efficient.

And did we mention how much fun we had? Good humor prevailed throughout the project, with everyone laughing along the way. You can read the home owner’s post on our Solluna Builders blog, where she tells about keeping the crew supplied in donuts and about the perils of the dreaded colorwheel.

Another recent experience:  I was using a construction material that was new to me.  I missed a few details in the planning  process.  I think the manufacturer and the sales rep assumed I knew more about the process than I really did.  For better communication, I could have asked more questions, and they could have spelled out the details in advance.

So how do I use jargon?

These recent experiences caused me to stop and think about my own use of jargon and assumptions when building and remodeling homes.  As I spend more time in this industry, I think I’m often guilty of using jargon and then just assuming the client knows what I’m talking about.

Definitions

Pondering this, I paused and dipped into the web for quick definitions.  An assumption is “something taken for granted.”  Wikipedia says jargon is “terminology used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest.  Much like slang it can develop as a kind of short-hand, to express ideas that are frequently discussed between members of a group, though it can also be developed deliberately using chosen terms.  A standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage among practitioners of a field.  In many cases this causes a barrier to communication with those not familiar with the language of the field.”

In other words, when I make the assumption people understand my jargon, it causes a barrier to communication.  That’s not good.

Jargon has its uses

I thought back to my previous career where I spent more than ten years as a visual communicator in commercial advertising photography.  There, it was my responsibility to interpret the art director’s layout and create the photographs they imagined.  To communicate, we used lots of terminology, slang, and jargon to communicate.  Somehow, it all worked out and we achieved the end result desired.

As a builder, my job is to interpret plans from the client and architectural designer and communicate these ideas – using lots of jargon — to trade contractors and vendors to achieve the desired end result.  In other words, I juggle chainsaws.  (Ah, there – I used jargon on purpose.)

When jargon gets us into trouble

The trouble is, communication can break down quickly when I let the use of standard building industry jargon spill over into my conversations with homeowners and when I assume they know what I’m talking about.  Throw on top of that the use of energy efficiency and green building terms, and you have the potential for a sticky thicket of miscommunication.  And that’s not good.

Communication techniques

So how can we get past the mistakes that can result from the reckless use of jargon and assumptions?  Here are a few communication techniques I try to practice:

At the very first meeting with a new client, I start by admitting that I sometimes slip into jargon that might be confusing or misunderstood, and I ask them to challenge me when I do.

I tell clients to stop and ask questions as soon as they come up.  Don’t wait for an explanation, because it might never come.

The trade contractors we hire are experts in their field.  They must also know how to communicate with clients in a very effective manner.

People all have different learning styles, so I know that I might need to present information in many different ways to make sure it’s understood.  I try to say what needs to be said at least three different ways.

As I learned in elementary school, I have to be good at show-and-tell.  It’s always helpful to have visual aids, samples, brochures, website information, and so forth.  There’s nothing better than allowing clients to discover information about a product on their own terms.

Patience.  Never lose it. Sometimes it’s frustrating to have to repeat myself, but it’s always worth it to take the time and make sure everyone reaches a common understanding.

Put it in writing.  Emails, contracts, letters, whatever.  The written word can’t be forgotten like the spoken word can.

Stop me

None of us are perfect communicators, but we should all do our best.  Do me a favor?  The next time we start a conversation and I wander off into jargon and assume you know what I’m talking about, just kick me in the shin and say, “Hey, talk to me in plain English, will ya?”

How do you plan for enough storage when you’re remodeling or planning a new home?  I called up Debra Blessman, CPBD, of Select Home Design to pick her brains about storage space.

Mary: What about the storage problem?  When you’re working on a home or remodel design, how do you help nutty people like me come to grips with the amount of storage space they really need?

Debra: One of the first questions I usually ask people is this:  How organized do you want to be?  Do you really want a place for every single thing in the house?  And they say, “What do you mean?”   Well, I say, are you tired of storing all your Christmas stuff in the attic?  Or would you like to have a closet where it can all fit neatly?  “Wow, I hadn’t even thought about that,” they’ll say. “But my Christmas tree is so large.”   And then I see their eyes glaze over as they mentally inventory their stuff.  When we’re talking about Christmas stuff, it dawns on them they’ve also got Thanksgiving stuff and Halloween stuff.  Not to mention camping stuff, plus the toys they’re saving for the grandchildren, and more.

Mary: For me, I don’t have so much holiday stuff, but I do have books and books and books and stacks of sheet music and nowhere to put it all.

Debra: Okay, and then there’s the discussion:  What would you like to do with your books?  Do you want them easily accessible in a library?  Viewable to your house guests?  Or would you be happy to pack them all up in a closet?  I’ll ask a client:  Do you want built-in bookshelves in your new house?  Or do you want wall space to put up your own shelves?

Mary: Me, I’ve got some nifty modular shelves I’ve used over and over.

Debra: There’s some stuff people want to store for easy access but not in plain view.  Right now, I’m working with some people to design window seats with storage underneath and both open and closed shelves on either side.  Some stuff you want to be on view, and other stuff you don’t.

Then there’s the whole issue of kitchen storage.  I met with a remodel client on Friday — nice large home where the “pantry” is twelve inches deep and seven feet tall.  Needless to say, she wants a huge walk-in pantry in her new kitchen.  I said, Well, of course, but tell me:  What do you want to put in the pantry?  Are you just concerned about storing food items, or do you want to store small appliances?  Are you a Costco shopper buying large quantities at once?  What kind and size of appliances do you want in the kitchen?  Are you a gourmet cook, or do you barely boil an egg?

Mary: Because their answer indicates how much kitchen equipment they’ve got, right?

Debra: Right.  I also ask:  Do you entertain frequently, so you need extra storage for napkins, serving dishes, tablecloths, and the like?

Mary: I hear you asking about lifestyle, instead of just asking people about their stuff. Why is that?

Debra: Good question.  When I ask people to just make a list of all their stuff, they sometimes draw a blank.  But when I ask about how they live, it starts them thinking about the things they have and how they use them.  They start to think about how they live and what they really want in their home.  When they’re purchasing or looking at an already-built home, they’re thinking really basic:  3 bedrooms, 2 baths.  They’re not thinking about that next level:   “We entertain at home, we need room to store our serving stuff, chafing dishes, glassware – it all needs to be close to the kitchen and easy to get to.”

When I’m designing a new home or a remodel, it’s my job to get people to think about what they need.

Mary: I know what you mean.  I have some of my kitchen stuff in boxes in the garage.  It’s a hassle to dig through to find the things I want when I’m planning a dinner party.  My mother’s crystal, for example – I love to use it, but it’s in the garage!

Debra: Nice place for it.

Mary: Yeah, buried behind enormous bags of dog food.

At this point, we stopped and made a list of the kinds of things people usually need to store:

Holiday decor
Hobbies and crafts
Luggage
Sports equipment
Exercise and fitness equipment
Camping equipment
Linens
Books
CDs/DVDs – movies and music
Home office supplies, equipment, business and tax records
Audio/visual equipment
Kitchen – dishes, small appliances, recycle centers, cookware
Tools and gardening equipment
Seasonal clothes storage
Special collections – LPs, dishes, artwork
Games and kids toys

Debra: I’ve designed highly specialized hobby/craft rooms a time or two that have amazed me, and I’m a hobby/craft person!  Most have been part of the utility room.  I’m talking specialty knee space areas and their heights, special areas for wrapping presents and even specialty storage for rolls of ribbon and wrapping paper, special islands with specific drawer sizes for tools, spools of thread and dividers for buttons etc., specialty areas for the kids to sit and do crafts, just on and on like that. Obviously, this isn’t all specific to storage, but it’s part of that getting clients to think about how they truly live and how organized they want to be.

Another example of combining storage and functional space is a tool bench in the garage.  Or exercise/fitness equipment and the space to use it.  I believe some folks get hung up because they’re thinking they need a separate space for the activity and for the stuff –they can’t see how we can combine activity and stuff.  That’s where I believe the best “flex” rooms come into play.  If the room is the right size and has appropriate storage for the all stuff you’ll use in the room, you’re going to end up with a room that’s actually used more of the time.

That all make sense?

Mary: Sure, that makes sense to me.  I need my piano and my stacks of music and books all in one place.  So, how do you walk your clients through the process?

Debra: I assign homework:  Make a list of your stuff.  How often you use it.  Where you want to store it.  Must it be speedily accessible, or is it okay to take a little longer to get to it?  Is it okay to get down on your knees to dig out something you use in the kitchen only rarely?  Do you need glass cabinets for display?

Let’s go back and talk about kitchen pantries.  Some people are okay with a traditional closet-style pantry with shelves, but others want the “pantry” to be built-in cabinetry. Very beautiful, efficient use of space for storage but pricey.

Mary: How do you feel about walk-in closets in the bedroom?

Debra: Wouldn’t have anything else if we have the space to design it in.  Big discussion:  Do you want just shelves and rods, or a built-in dresser?  Cubbies and built-in shelves where each pair of shoes has its own little spot?  It goes back to that question:  How organized do you want to be?  For people who travel a lot, I’ve designed closet islands with a countertop where you can fold and pack your bags.   Another thing with closets is where to store out-of-season clothes.

Mary: So what should people do to plan properly for storage in a new home or a remodel?

Debra: Walk around your house with a camera and a note pad.  Make a list of what you have now.  Start thinking about getting rid of stuff you don’t want to keep.  Think about future purchases.  And start imagining how you want to live in your new home.

What a helluva ride we’ve had this year in central Texas. The worst drought on record, devastating wildfires, and record high temperatures — we’re wondering what next year might bring. Could some of this be caused by man-made climate change? Could green building eliminate some of these problems? Can we really change the way we produce and use energy? The real problem with asking these questions is we have to think about them and try to come up with answers.

A few times this year I found myself in situations where I had to defend using green building techniques.  For a moment let’s not worry about trying to change the world, but look at what green building really is and how it could help in the dire situations we’ve witnessed this year. Besides, the term “green building” troubles me.  It’s so misused and abused, its meaning is being diluted.

While talking to several people about rain water collection systems, I was asked:  Since we aren’t getting any rain, what good would a rain water collection system do? Plenty, I said. We are getting rain now. It might not be enough to fill the lakes, but it can fill collection systems. One inch of rain on 1,000 square foot roof yields 623 gallons of water.  It’s free, and it’s yours — no having to compete with your neighbor with the well and the deepest straw drawing your water out of the ground. And for almost the same price of putting in a well, you can install a potable whole-house collection system – a simple case that demonstrates that green building doesn’t cost more, it saves. Ok, so you’re on city water? At least get yourself a couple of rain barrels, collect water for your garden, and beat the watering restrictions. And don’t forget — we do end our droughts with flash floods. It will rain again.

Could better building techniques have saved more homes during the wildfires? Yes, I believe so. I’ve driven through Bastrop a number of times and seen the destruction. For example, in many of the homes that were spared, metal roofs played an important part. Better tree clearing and yard maintenance also helped in some situations.  As an old Boy Scout, I am reminded of our motto, “Be Prepared.” I think an awareness and use of better building techniques would help.

With 2010’s record heat came record energy use. How many times did we hear there might be rolling black-outs? How high did your electric bill get this summer? How many stories did you read or hear about the increased cost of production and that our demand is going up? Texas is becoming a victim of its own success. As our economy grows and more folks move here, our demand for energy will continue to increase. Can we meet that demand with our current methods?

Ok, so if for no other reason in the world, energy savings should be the best reason to build a green home, build an energy efficient home, build a high performance home or whatever you want to call it. If you really don’t care about trying to lower your utility bill, please stop reading this blog and you might as well unsubscribe to this newsletter because we’ll continue to talk about energy efficiency. I have never yet met a man or woman who doesn’t want to save money on their utilities. Most of the calls we got this summer were for energy efficiency. The true believers are building for the future. It doesn’t matter whether you’re are doing it only to help save our only planet (you will be helping) –  it just makes good personal economic sense. Reduce your home’s energy load and you save money.

To achieve energy savings, green building is about how all the pieces fit together to create an efficient, functional home. This is the part I love. It’s not just one thing that makes a sustainable home — it’s everything.

• You need a design that’s right for this area, the building site, and your family’s needs.
• You need materials selected with care to make sure they’re functional, healthy, durable and easily maintained, used efficiently, cost effective, and aesthetically pleasing.
• You need a well-planned heating, cooling, and ventilation system that will reduce your energy load.
• You need energy-efficient lighting and appliances.
• You need . . .  well, if I kept going, I’d have to write a book instead of a blog post.

Guess what else?  Here are a few other benefits you get with a green home – it’s

• healthy
• comfortable
• efficient
• durable
• low maintenance

So what’s up for next year?  If I had that crystal ball and could predict the future, I wouldn’t be writing this blog post because I would have won the lottery.  But I will make a few predictions:

• Energy demand will increase.
• Energy costs will continue to rise.
• Severe weather will continue to happen.
• We will see more drought and wildfires.

So what can we do?

Be Prepared.