some example of construction design

Some problems on design part of work easy to cause problems on construction.

As I said before. Make a good plan before construction start is important, but construction not a “one plus one equal two job”. Architect even good one, some time still can not figure out every details or can not figure it out right on the drawing. Bad architect or designers really make it worse.


A week and half ago, one of framing contractor come over to consult me about drawing. Because he don’t know how to order material.


Once I saw the plan. This architect have different information on structural plan, on floor framing plan, he have floor joist layout on 24 inches on center, with 4x6 girder support. But on structural details shows, floor joist at 16 inches on center, with 4x8 girder support. It is obviously this architect doesn’t have enough experience on construction. In San Francisco Bay area most of the floor use 16” on center layout on floor joist. But most of roof rufter lay out is 24” on center. Also architect note, floor plywood use 5/8” thickness plywood without tone and grove but ask nail blocking on the plywood connection. This shows exactly this un experienced architect put roof detail requirement on the floor.


This kind of architect either just start work in architect office or he start his own business too early, as owner of course use him because his charge is cheap. He just copy some detail from office file on the drawing without really understand why.


Another problem on earthquake sheer wall. He maked sheer resistant holdown on the less sheer value wall, and miss maked sheer resistant holdown on the high sheer value wall. I am glad this framing sub contractor is a good one, he realize this plan have some unusual things.


You must wonder, is this a draft plan or construction use plan. No kidding it is the plan city building department proved. And it is not the only one. Same problem everywhere. No body realy check the plan very carefully.


I used hire some draft person help me on the design work. Some on really drive me crazy, if the one have not enough experience on basic information, the time I spent on check his drawing will cause me 3 time long for me to draw from scratch to finish. So I understand, the architect put seal on the beginner’s drawing, he never spent time to lock through this plan, when city engineer saw the license architect seal on the plan, he would not even think it will have this kind of problem.


That is the reason I feel glad that the owner got luck to have a good framing subcontractor. Because, if contractor build as the drawing, for sure, it will have a lot unfixable settlement crack all the time on drywall and exterior stucco. The future law suit possibility is very high, and it will bring every one in the case the case will drag very long. Owner can sue general contractor along with framing sub contractor, of course framing sub will complain he did with drawing, architect will complain contractor should point out during contraction with any questions…., owner’s house have to be opened to check the reality construction work quality. Things can be really nasty.


For this case, the framing sub contractor just eat the extra cost by put 8 sheer holdown in to foundation and bought some extra joist material and tong and grove ¾ plywood on the floor. He eat those cost build this home addition better quality as I suggested. But think about it, not every one that lucky. Most case, sub contractor will ask extra charge to general contractor, or owner, and those meter is the first start point of any arguing or lose trust in between owner and general for later on through this project.


Good luck

problem project example of home construction

Problem Project Example

One of client being refer to me, which is a home addition project. before the job start last Jun, I stopped by and consult for them about design idea and how much budget should owner prepare. base on rough drawing I told owner it will cost in between 120k to 150k, and job might take 4 to 6 month. if they want to do some other portion remodel together with it will cost more. and back then the owner doesn't need me refer some reliable crew for them. they will use the crew referred from designer.







After almost a year, this owner end up going in to the court now with the contractor and the job not even finish framing work yet. contractor suit owner for short payment and stopped work. owner try to defense for not making enough progress. So many month past the job still not finish framing work and whole job stopped. now every of owner's friends focus on help owner how to win the court law suit, and if owner can get back some money from contractor or not. 2nd contractor try to took over unfinished job, still having problem, because a lot of things will be charged for extra.






For the owner not only cost more than budget, but also need extra money pay for all the legal settlement. I try to find out how much the owner did contract with first contractor, they told me, it is about 100k. couple of month ago I was called for help, when I see the second contractor’s work, I really don’t like it. They are missing holdown bolt, missing anchor bolt, wrong nailing space on exterior sheer wall plywood panel. Over cut on roof rufter lumber…






Why it is happen. Most of chance is lack of planning for the budget and miss choose contractor. When owner plan to do this extension work. They miss their study or get wrong information from some of friend, and try to save money from unrealistic situation. And get referral from wrong person.






When a contractor can take the job try to follow your unprofessional number, something fishy. A good contractor, will give you a quote by read plan carefully, check job site carefully, try to figure out how much unforeseen situation possibility. Then add up overhead and profit margin. When owner try to cut price. They will try to see if it is possible to cover all the cost or not. If the number being cut too low. They will tell you “no” because the price unrealistic. But if contractor can drop price try to get job first. Either this contractor never understand the job or they try to get the owner first and then charge big change order later.






Compare good contractor and bad contractor. Good contractor is reliable. They take things seriously. That make them plan the contract carefully, once contract signed, they will feel obligated for all responsibility both on job quality and financial number on the contract. Bad contractor, the have bad habit for not being serious for anything at all. They will never be responsible for your job, they just have talent to bill you extra.






But mostly owner don’t take professional people consulting suggestion. And don’t have enough knowledge for construction. Only cut price, but don’t know how much will out of range. Both good and bad contractor know when owner cutting price out of range. Bad contractor will feel your really don’t know any of the construction. So they have more confidence to nail you after job start. And they will more confident to use unskilled cheap worker to do your job because you don’t know what is good job what is bad job.






Good contractor care about their name. so they will try to use high skilled worker or sub contractor to do the best job. Bad contractor since they don’t even know what is good job, they always try to hire cheap worker or sub to save their cost and make best profit themselves from your low price contract, they never care about your house your job. Even some time they hire temporary worker from homedepo, after work drop of them without pay them. Some of worker come back to job site still material or tool to get pay check compensation.






Construction not 1 plus 1 equal 2 business. Before sign contract consult some people have both knowedge from design and construction. Review contract and check plan carefully, it will help a lot.






Good luck for every one.

Try to being a smart owner then end up bloody tearful experience owner builder

Try to being a smart owner then end up 

bloody tearful experience owner builder

This is the most common situation for experience to be an owner builder or dream home owner.

“Go find a professional contractor even you fill your going to pay little more, don’t do like me went through with bloody and tearful journey, it is not worth it, and in the end I really not saving anything.”

This is the word I heard form one of my client 5 years ago, he’s colleague said this before my client hire me for his dream home in Palo Alto California.

It is seams like very one know, get 3 or more contractor bid and choose the middle one. Yes it is not wrong, but in reality it is all depends. 

Most of  in bay area are high educated or high income entrepreneur. People have most strong demanding habit. They always think construction guy not as smart as themselves. But they forgot one thing. Every business has their own business nature, knowledge, and construction is the most complicated and full of uncertainty business nature. And also need faith in-between job and contractor, owner and contractor…

Like I always said, this business is not a one plus one equal two business. Actually it is never end up like two. Most my experience is bigger than two. Most people not hire me which hired some cheaper or expensive bigger crew are all end up less then two.

It is not because whose smart whose not, it is all because this business has strong business nature unlike other business. Since all architect never can figure out all the detail on the design, and also since owner never can figure out what they really want until everything finish. It is add a lot uncertainty on the project.

On the other hand, contractor have all different background. Some from being either carpenter or other trade prentice, some from architect background, some from business management background some from realtor background. They don’t have same knowledge. Which means they all have different way to do the estimate.

The main different is the personal characteristic. Most honest contractor can give farley realistic estimate than any others. But owner hardly to know, who is the one being honest. We know, the similar things or human most of the time go together naturally. Referral is very important. If your friend hired this contractor before. And their quality and work attitude feel well. That is most important information. You should go for this contractor not only base on his price. Since it is referral the same contractor won’t bid big different price if the project not quite big different.

I mentioned before for a 3000 sqft new house, the price could be 150k to 200k different.

Most of cheap contractor have those problem

1. they never really read plan carefully before give you quote. They just check 1^st 2^nd page of plan lock at how many square feet of house, the times $ /sf. Average. The reason for this is they are not really can ready plan well.
2. they want to get more job as much as possible because they can not management their cash flow well, the keep dig bigger hole and use dirt to patch previous smaller hole.
3. they have all the cut corner subcontractors follow with him or his crew try to do everything themselves without use better professional sub trade. (sometime ok, sometime not. But at least he save a big chunk of sub profit margin)
4. they have very good technique for playing with change order after get in the job, since 9 out of 10 owner like cheap bid and then they add a lot extra charges at the back.

Next article I will tell you some real story for hired cheap contractor end up with. But for now I just want to tell you. Do not go to the contractor which is very cheap and a lot cheaper than any other bid ever 90% chance you will suffered and end up cost even more.

Common problem number 1 about build your dream home.

Common problem number 1 about build your dream home.

This article I would like start talk about common problem before you really start build your dream home. And this is one of biggest problem and is a trigger of all the rest of problem.

If you believe faith, you will believe a good start is the key for the whole smooth experience until the end no matter anything you want to do.

The problem is:  Either you get a great architect made a supper great design, but once you start get contractor estimate you realize it is far over your budget. Or you get a cheap designer or you did design almost your self, you think you get best floor plan, but actually you will realize there is a lot of mistake can not build or not clear to be build during construction. You have to pay much more on contractor change order for the adjustment during the construction.

Unfortunately 99% of good architect don’t have knowledge about how much it will cost for the design detail he or she draw. Especially the best architect. Because the are good at on imagination and design, and they have a lot of big deep pocket client believe and respect their imagination. And enjoy their professional work.

Cost is owner’s business. You hire me a good architect, you should have enough money to build what every I draw. Other wise lock for the cheap designer.

99% of cheap designer or owner helper never good at 3 dimensional imagination. They play floor plan only like playing puzzle. Then have no ability to imagine how the 3 dimensional space work, how 3 dimensional building structural work, how 3 dimensional architecture element work.

Build is owner’s business. You hire me cheap. Because I drew what every you want me to draw. I am cheap because I am actually just a drafts man put owner’s design together.

The price of design a 3000 to 5000 square feet single family house, could from $25,000 to $100,000. the price of design a 1000 to 1500 square feet home addition could from $3000 to $18,000

The cost of build a 3000 to 5000 square feet single family house could from $550,000 to $2,500,000. the cost of 1000 to 1500 square feet home addition could from $180,000 to $500,000.

I am not try to scare you. I am telling the truce. It is a big difference on cost. For so many years design and build business, I see a lot of crazy situation. Just be ware of this common problem.

There some tips for you.

1. Find right architect. When you interview architect. if it is expensive good architect,  not only pay attention on the great work he or she did. Don’t only concentrate on enjoy nice picture of there work, ask about where those project located and how much it cost to build this great works. Go visit project and talk to the owner if possible. If it is cheaper architect or designer, also need go visit project and talk to owner to visualize the actual building, feel the design, try to find out if any problem during construction.
2. before architect settle the final design sketch with you, you might start contact         your prudential contractor. Let them take lock about your project. If it is good contractor, they might can give you ball part range of the cost. And might also will give you some suggestion on design. Either you picked expensive architect or cheaper designer.
3. start interview contractor even you don’t have final design, take lock the picture, or visit project of their previous project. Ask how much the project cost, you can get the sense of how much money vs. what kind of house you could get.

Good luck wish every one have dream come true and enjoy your dream home and dream life.!

don't let sweet dream become nightmare

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Don't let your sweet dream become 

nightmare! 

Don't let your biggest life enjoyment become disaster

An announcement & and  introduction of this blog

Have a dream home is the most joyfully part of live, every one wished. But it is a extremely complicated process for every on to achieve this goal. not only complicated, but also full of unpredictable steps. like I alway tell my client or any one ask me about building their own home. be good prepare, this job you will never get one plus one equal two answer. never! if it is happy ending, it will bigger then two, if you went through bad experience, it's count small than two. but I wish every of you have the happy ending.

 In this blog, I will tell you some real story from bad project which I have to help them solve problems during their job progress. so you could know what you should be ware of.

In this blog, I will also explain you how to be good prepared, if your thinking to build you own dream home, or already start build your own dream home. I mean good prepared, not what you think is good, is what I suggest is good. 

In this blog, I will cover from pick and choose property to start design to look for contractor until move in, all the process.

In this blog, I will also direct you where and how to look for right material to fit your style and budget.(additional fee may apply)

In this blog, I will answer your simple question by e-mail free once every two weeks, for any topic related question.

In this blog, I can even refer you a good reliable or easy work with agent, architect, contractor, material supplier...( additional fee may apply)

In this blog, I can also help you schedule a site service for you to help you solve bigger problem or give you supper valuable suggestion ( additional fee may apply for site visit)

You will feel the value, enjoy the value, get educated with the value, and this value is from my talent, my talent in both design & construction even in art background and knowledge in investment. those talent not from me it is from God because every one's talent is God gift. if you really think it is value to you, it does helped you, please don't thank me, thank him. thank God. 

Every time I finish one of my project, or help some one solve the problem, when I see how satisfy of my client, when I see the joy from their happy face. when we became another good friend, that kind of joy, the only word I can say is: God! thank you! thank you!

This blog will help me to use my knowledge to the max. To help more people as much as possible, to bring me the most joyful live ever! ever!

My vision can really understand your dream!

My experience can really help you get it right!