Northwest Renovation » John Perkins

Construction Documents That Fit Your Needs

John Perkins — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:49:21 +0000

A set of construction drawings does not simply show room layouts, dimensions, etc. It documents decisions made by you and your architect. It communicates the big decisions such as which walls get demolished, the shape of the addition, and the location of doors and windows. It also can convey smaller decisions like cabinet hardware, trim [...]

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Construction Documents That Fit Your Needs

Portland Reduces a Major Building Fee! OMG!

John Perkins — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:23:55 +0000

Previously in this column, we discussed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in our entry titled A Little Place for Mom. ADUs are often called “mother-in-law” apartments, and a major hurdle for homeowners in constructing one is the $7,500 to $12,000 in city systems fees imposed. The Portland City Council passed an ordinance on March 3 that [...]

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Portland Reduces a Major Building Fee! OMG!

The Green Expert

John Perkins — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:32:00 +0000

This issue’s musings from across the drawing board ponders what it means to be green. Kermit the Frog got it right. It’s not easy being green. The word is thrown about so cavalierly that the term is poised to lose its meaning completely. If you are planning a renovation project and want to be green, [...]

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The Green Expert

Your Most Important Conference

John Perkins — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:26:31 +0000

When planning an addition to your home, a number of meetings are involved. Which is the most important? You will meet with architects in determining who should design your project. These meetings are necessary, but not the most important. You will meet with contractors to decide who will build your addition. These meetings are informative, [...]

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Your Most Important Conference

Talking with an Architect

John Perkins — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:42:00 +0000

This issue’s musings from across the architect’s drawing board ponders how to talk to an architect. When I was in college, which seems like centuries ago, I had two favorite cartoons. One showed a hot dog shaped man opening his mailbox. He was withdrawing an envelope displaying the statement “You may already be a weiner!” [...]

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Talking with an Architect

The Apple Core: Working with a Contractor

John Perkins — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:31:10 +0000

This issue’s musings ponders how to be sure a contractor’s competitive bid is fair, accurate, and complete. Not only is comparing apples to apples important, getting to the apple core is equally essential. The Seed for a Shiny Apple Place yourself in the contractor’s position. How would you determine how much a project is going [...]

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The Apple Core: Working with a Contractor

Matching You with Your Architect

John Perkins — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:14:53 +0000

This month’s musings from across the architect’s drawing board reflect on matching the client with the architect. Most articles about selecting an architect suggest checking references, viewing previous work, and taking the time to talk to a number of architects before hiring one. These are important aspects in the selection process, and should be followed. [...]

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Matching You with Your Architect

Drawing on Experience: A Little Place for Mom

John Perkins — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:48:46 +0000

Today’s musings from across the architect’s drawing board ponder a city’s support for sustainable ideas and the hurdles one must sometimes cross when proposing cutting-edge green ideas. Once a policy is defined, rules are adopted to put the policy in motion. A project may comply completely with the policy’s intent, but run into rough water when measured against the policy’s written rules. A cute little mother-in-law project I designed illustrates this perfectly.

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Drawing on Experience: A Little Place for Mom