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Common Land Surveys Available From EVstudio in Colorado

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:39 +0000

EVstudio has a Colorado Professional Land Surveyor as part of our team and provides a variety of surveys to meet our clients' needs. Four of the most commonly requested surveys are improvement location certificates, land survey plats, improvement survey plats and ALTA/ACSM surveys.

IMPROVEMENT LOCATION CERTIFICATE (ILC) – The simplest survey which includes the size of lot, size of structure(s), existing property corner evidence. Commonly requested for real estate transaction, simple and inexpensive. Only marginally useful for design work.

LAND SURVEY PLAT (LSP) – Also known as a boundary survey. Utilized to determine boundary lines and corners, determine encroachments, and/or construct new improvements on your property, etc.

IMPROVEMENT SURVEY PLAT (ISP) – Basically an LSP with some additional information regarding existing observable improvements such as streets, curb & gutter, sidewalks, dry utilities, wet utilities, etc. Can also include easements of record and topography if the client so desires. Utilized for more extensive proposed improvements and as a base for design services.

ALTA / ACSM SURVEY – Pretty much a cafeteria style survey where the client can pick items from an Optional Table A and create his own survey for specific purposes. The base required portion of any ALTA definitely meets the requirements of an LSP and includes some of the elements of an ISP and includes record Title research of easements and encumbrances to the property. Table A consists of additional options that can be shown depending on the goals of the project, requirements of the lender, etc. This is the 2005 version of Table A:

Originally posted 2010-01-21 00:09:38.

De Bruin Virtual Tour

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:24 +0000

There is a Virtual Tour of the De Bruin Duplex on Homestore.com.

This half of the duplex is currently for sale through EV Real Estate.

Originally posted 2008-10-06 16:17:58.

EVstudio in an Architect Who Accepts Credit Cards

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:19 +0000

We've had a few clients ask us if we accept credit cards for payments and yes, we're happy to. We have long realized that every construction project has a different financing and we want to work with you to make your project work. Architecture fees are often one of the largest items that you pay for prior to having your financing in place and a credit card payment can help stretch that out.

Now, we don't insist on credit card payments either. If you are able to pay with cash or check, that is still our preference, it saves us on the large credit card fees and we really appreciate that.

If you have any questions about the available options when hiring EVstudio as your architect, please ask and we'll figure out what works for you.

Originally posted 2009-03-22 15:49:38.

Avoid Costly Future Alterations: Free Fair Housing and Accessibility Presentation

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:18 +0000

This week the Department of Local Affairs (DORA) Civil Rights Division offered one of four free lectures on Fair Housing, Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodations. The lecture is given by DORA's fair housing expert, Jennifer McPherson, she covers the local, state and federal fair housing regulations.

This is a must see for architects, real estate agents, housing property managers, and owners of rental housing. In addition to the free lecture DORA provides stacks of detailed brochures and other materials you can take and hand out at your office to build awareness.

The material covered in this presentation includes an overview of the many levels of fair housing regulations, how they overlap and how to be sure you comply. Fair Housing regulations cover a broad range of classes and vary at the Federal, State and Local level.

Federal Law requires that one can not discriminate based on:

Race
Color
Religion
Sex
Handicap (disabilities)
Familial Status
National Origin

Colorado State Law adds:

Marital Status
Creed
Ancestry
Sexual Orientation

Local Ordinances (City and County of Denver) add yet again:

Age
Military Status
Gender Variance

Keeping in mind that fair housing covers many different protected classes the most common issue for architects is disability. Many of the discussions I have had with clients that must provide accessibility in their buildings revolve around the loss of square footage in a living room or bedroom due to more space required in bathrooms and kitchens. Of course, if these requirements are carried out within the building it could result in very costly alterations in the future in order to comply. During this lecture you are given clear ideas of how to communicate why these requirements are necessary.

Educating architects, real estate agents, developers and owners on this topic is one way to ensure we are preventing future noncompliance. This key for the DORA Civil Rights Division because currently the division is a reactionary or complaint-driven agency. Meaning, the division needs to improve its education and outreach to transform into a more preventative department.

The more we can educate our clients the more we can provide fair housing! The next FREE lecture is June 1st 9:30 am-11:30 am offered at 1560 Broadway, Conference Room 110 B (first floor), Denver. The following two lectures are offered September 7, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and November 2, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at the same location.

Another helpful organization to check out is Fair Housing Accessibility First. This site gives you a detailed look at design and construction requirements with regard to accessibility.

Originally posted 2010-04-13 00:01:57.

Q&A

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:14 +0000

One of our primary goals in writing the EVstudio blog is to answer your questions about EVstudio and your larger questions about architecture, planning, development, construction, new urbanism, real estate, Denver issues, Colorado issues, AIA issues etc. Please let us know any questions or issues that you'd like to see addressed on this website and we'll turn around answers ASAP.

Looking forward to your input. Thanks

Originally posted 2008-06-01 21:41:36.

New Website Coming

When You Need Concrete Repair And Restoration

evstudio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:06 +0000

If your concrete walls, walkways, floors or driveways have become stained or dirty, then concrete restoration could help you to fix these problems. Concrete restoration can make your surfaces look new again, without the hassle and expense of completely replacing the concrete.

Special power cleaning tools are used to efficiently renew the concrete. Then a sealant can be applied, which will protect the underlying surface from water and oil stains, which would sink in, on unprotected concrete. However, in certain extreme circumstances concrete repair is the only way to restore concrete to its original condition.

Concrete restoration can help with many different cleaning and sealing issues, as well as stabilizing a building foundation and fixing broken or cracked concrete. One common problem with concrete is that cracks will often form. The cracks can develop for a variety of reasons including stress fractures, water damage and heavy use.

It is recommended that they be repaired as soon as they are noticed, so that they will not expand. One small crack can cause water damage, erosion and moisture penetration. Movement and structural cracks are another problem that can be fixed through concrete restoration. Deteriorated or pitted surfaces can be remedied with a special based polymer mortar, which can also help to repair delaminated and spalled surfaces.

If you need a concrete job done in a hurry, then a Perma-Patch can be applied, which will set in about 15 to 20 minutes, and allow light traffic in about an hour.

The preceding article was provided by
Elite Concrete Restoration

Originally posted 2011-10-09 14:05:11.

Toilet/Water Closet Wall Clearances and Space In Front

evstudio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:21:11 +0000

It's often tempting to try to squeeze bathroom spaces when designing a house. A comfortably sized bathroom is worth the extra few inches though.

The IRC says the minimum width from the centerline of the toilet to the nearest cabinet or wall is 15", making 30" of wall space an absolute requirement for your toilet. It also mandates that you have 21" clear in front of the toilet.

We generally find 36" of wall space to create a much more pleasant bathroom space, and design our bathrooms to that criteria. We also provide at least 24" clear in front of the toilet where possible.

In master bathrooms, a toilet room/water closet is frequently designed for privacy - generally pushing the walls out another few inches to 42" will keep the space from being claustrophic, as well as allowing room for the door swing in and room to turn around.

Originally posted 2009-08-13 09:39:06.

New Page on EVstudio.us "Top Ten Reasons to Choose EVstudio"

evstudio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:21:05 +0000

There's a new page on EVstudio.us. We've listed the top ten reasons to choose EVstudio:

1. EVstudio is your architect for life. We are willing and able to work with you on any project type and we will still be here in 10, 20 even 30 years. With other architects you have to shop around. With EVstudio you know that we'll be able to help you on the next project whether its your home, your office, your child's school or your neighborhood church.

2. We listen to your needs rather than applying a preset solution on your project. Yes, we have our own personal preferences and we will lead the design but we know that you'll be the one living, working or playing in the space for many years. Therefore we do a very extensive programming piece at the beginning of each project and then work with you at each step to insure that we are meeting your goals.

3. We are flexible in our approach and will work with you to help you through the project. We have come to realize that each proposal that we provide to a new client is slightly different from any that we've done before. We tailor our services to meet your needs.

4. We have the experience necessary to design your project whatever the project type or style. We have experience in custom homes, multi family housing, offices, retail spaces, restaurants, banks, medical spaces, master planning, industrial buildings, warehouses, community facilities, schools, performance spaces and many other project types.

5. We will give you all of the information that you need to make decisions. If you have a question we will give you a thorough explanation. Our website and blog are indicative of our style.

6. We will explain our pricing to you and help you understand how the scope of the project ties to the fee. Our fees are standard rates and we clearly explain what is or is not included.

7. We have a broad range of ability that we bring to each project. In addition to our architectural knowledge we understand site design, structural design, electrical layouts, planning processes and other disciplines. On residential projects we take on these tasks and on commercial projects we lead the team in the tasks.

8. We have an unparalleled staff. This may sound a bit cliche but it is very true.

9. We have great references from our past clients. Please ask us and we can provide written letters of recommendation or give you contact information of past clients who you can speak with.

10. Finally, it is all about the quality of plans. We take great pride in the product and it shows. Each set is checked by the project designers and at least one principal architect before it goes out. Where there are tricky spots in the plans we draw the solutions. The plans are frequently cited as the reason we have many builders who only use EVstudio.

Originally posted 2009-02-01 00:43:20.

Understanding R-Value and Insulation

evstudio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:42 +0000

This post is provided by Earthcore SIPs.

There are many conditions that determine the effectiveness of any building material to provide comfort and energy efficient performance. R-Value is only one of these factors or measurement tools.

R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow through the defined material. The higher the R-Value the less heat will transfer through the wall, making the system more energy efficient.

R-Value is determined by testing or by the addition of tested components. When “effective” R-value is used, it represents that at a given condition or circumstance, the system performs the same as a product with the “real” R-value.

It is important to understand the conditions at which the “effective” R-value was determined, and see if your application is the same. For example, a masonry wall may have a high “effective” R-value for a 5 hour test period, but have a very low R-value during a 24 hour test period. Where “real” R-value products will have the same R-value during both test periods.

There are several items to consider when evaluating R-Value and it’s effect on your project

Effective R-Value

An example would be masonry products. Masonry product have a very low R-Value but have a high thermal mass. Foam type products have a high R-value but low thermal mass. There is not a standard measurement or number for the energy effectiveness of thermal mass. While R-value resists the flow of heat, thermal mass delays the transfer of heat but does not reduce it. During a short period, thermal mass has the same “effective” R-value, so it is sometimes advertised with this R-value rating. It is not a real R-value but, under those conditions, an “effective” R-value. Please review other technical bulletins for more details and other related items.

Installed R-Value vs Advertised R-Value

It should be noted that R-Value of an item is the value that was tested in a laboratory and is real, but the item may not perform at the same R-value when installed. Most insulating materials obtain their insulating values from trapped air spaces, often the higher the density of air pockets, the higher the R-value. If these air spaces are compressed, a lower R-value will result. For example, batt type insulation may be rated at R-19 in its free state, but requires a 6 ½” thickness to obtain that value. When this material is installed in a 5 ½” frame cavity, the batt is compressed and the R-value is less than R-19. Likewise, putting two batts in the space for one does not increase insulating value; it might even reduce the R-value. Review the Technical Bulletin on Air Infiltration in Insulation for more related information.

Nonuniform Material

Whole wall R-value is the term used to describe the average R-value for the total wall taking into consideration variations and non-uniformity’s in the insulating material. Often, the R-value of the insulating material is advertised without stating the effect of the total system.

An example would be installing an R-19 batt insulation in a 2×6 frame wall. The resultant “whole wall R-value” is the average of the R-19 insulation and the R-5 stud. Tests have shown that the actual “whole wall R-value” of an R-19 wall system to be R-13.7, much less than the R-19 advertised. This applies to all non uniform wall systems.

The R-value of building materials may be effected or altered by the following items.

Non uniform material
Thermal shorts
Material compression
Air infiltration in the insulation
Humidity
Temperature swing or range of environment
Effects of time and aging.

Along with R-Value, several other factors need to be considered to determine the overall energy efficiency of a building structure.

Thermal Mass
Air infiltration in the building
Radiated heat gains
Internal heat gains
Latent and Sensible heat transfer

Originally posted 2010-03-05 00:01:00.

Planning for Housing and Community Development

evstudio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:40 +0000

This post comes from Stephanie O'Hara, Planner Analyst for EVstudio. Immediately prior to joining EVstudio she worked for Jefferson County, Colorado for 6 years in various planning roles. EVstudio looks for planning opportunities in both the public and private sector:

While working at Jefferson County I developed the 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan which is a strategy for housing and community and economic development. The plan outlines goals, objectives and policies based on the housing and community needs for low to moderate income, homeless and special needs populations.

The plan was developed over 2 years with extensive community and stakeholder involvement. A technical steering committee was formed consisting of non-profit organizations that serve the target populations, representatives from participating jurisdictions and governmental/quasi-governmental entities involved in housing, and community and economic development.

The public was involved throughout the process. Numerous community meetings and events were conducted as well as a 30 day comment period when the final draft was completed.

Originally posted 2009-02-25 00:01:48.