Author Archives: Jonathan

The ZBA has put our plans on the agenda for review in April. Our architect says the process should be smooth, since we are not in violation of anything but what’s grandfathered in and can’t be changed (such as the … Continue reading →

We’re looking at alternatives to the initial driveway design and extra car parking spot idea. A semi-plan view further illustrates the idea:

We look forward to eliminating a large part of our existing driveway.  Here are our architect’s first plans for how that might look. Our own initial idea was to park the car inside the screen porch during the cold (and … Continue reading →

The existing house doesn’t comply with the zoning bylaws. When built in 1910, the setbacks from the property line must have been narrower than they are today, because two corners of the house extend into them, most significantly on the … Continue reading →

The architectural elevation drawings are ready!  They show the vertical views of the three sides of the house that will change during the remodel. That odd notch you see on the back (South-facing) corner is necessary for getting through the … Continue reading →

After a month of consideration and discussion with our architect, we have worked out the majority of the circulation and layout (what designers call the “plan view”) of all four floors, from basement to attic.  The following drawings are created … Continue reading →

What dimensions would a rainfall cistern need to be to (a) hold all the rain that falls on the roof over the average year, and (b) satisfy all the indoor water use of a family of four for an average … Continue reading →

As Hurricane Irene knocks wrist-thick branches from the trees around our house onto the roof, I can’t help thinking of Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn, and his observations (p. 114 – 118) about maintenance based on choices of building materials: … Continue reading →