If you are considering a remodeling project that requires design work, such as an addition, kitchen, or major bathroom remodel, one of the best ways to approach the work is to use a design/build company. By “design/build,” I mean a company that does both the design work and the construction. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

One of the most common types of remodels done in older Portland neighborhoods is the renovation of the attic (or “upstairs”). People back in the early part of the 20th century must have been more athletic than us today, because usually going up the “stairs,” alluded to by the word “upstairs,” was more like climbing a ladder while ducking to clear low headroom and carrying an armload of daily laundry, or other detritus. Some of those goofy Japanese TV ninja-style course competitions pale... more

Zhulei (sounds like “Julie”) is from China, and married Portlander David Soriano after meeting him in her native country where he was teaching English, studying Chinese, and traveling as a foot-loose bachelor. The couple have two children, Calysta, 3, and Alex, 15 months. David now works for Nike and helps in product development where he frequently travels to Asia while Zhulei raises the children in a consciously bi-lingual way. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

When you want to “renovate” an old home, sometimes stuff happens, and you just have to roll with the punches. When Noel Larson’s house suffered a house fire, the first thought was to do the usual fire restoration, such as remove the charred wood and alleviate the smoke damage and smell. This would have been tough enough, on this noble 1914 French Provincial stucco home right on Alameda ridge in Portland; but things were bound to get more complicated. And then, more complicated still. This... more

In the world of “Do It Yourself,” there are the wannabes and the masters. Fred Smith is one of the masters. I have been involved in construction all my life, and have seen good jobs and not-so-good jobs. A lot of time, when people want to do part of the project themselves, I cringe, because I know that their workmanship will reflect on the overall job…and it usually isn’t very good. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

In the greater Portland area many homes that were built before WWII have unfinished basements. Their main function then was to accommodate furnaces, laundry areas, storage, and even sleeping. Today, remodelers receive calls to convert these spaces into more modern usage such as family rooms, entertainment areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms, plus storage/utility areas. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Being your own GC can be a lot easier when using experienced consultants. Tom and Marie Quarles bought their acreage in Beaver Creek with a 1980s era home that they planned to remodel into what Marie, a gourmet cook, called a “truffle house” — not too large but very rich inside. They hired their friend Benjamin Tarcher, a San Francisco architect, to design it. After interviewing several contractors, they decided to try to build it themselves with the help of Skändia Design, Inc., as a building... more

Installing a pre-hung door is one of those things that a carpenter learns by doing. It becomes instinctual and automatic after a while, but the steps involved can be analyzed and explained so that almost anyone can understand the basic process. If you want to do it yourself, I advise you to try a few inexpensive doors first (such as interior doors), so you can get a feel for the job and learn to trouble-shoot some of the surprises that may come up. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →