Architecture, Engineering & Planning EVstudio | Denver & Evergreen Architect | Colorado & Central Texas | Blog » Remodels

You Want to Remove a Load Bearing Wall?

Jim Houlette — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:35 +0000

One of the most common phone calls we receive is "We want to remove a wall, we're not sure if it's load bearing. Can you help?"

We are happy to help!

The first thing that is needed is an observation. Our structural engineers can determine the structural layout, identify load bearing walls and discuss options with you and a contractor. Our goal is to help you achieve the finished look you want while maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Safety and performance are our top priorities. During the project we are always happy to explain all options you have, cost differences and any performance concerns we might have. We enjoy educating homeowners about the structure so they have an understanding about their home and why we may recommend one option over another.

Identifying load bearing walls is fairly simple. Look for interruptions or lapped joints in the floor or ceiling joists, large spans, braces in the attic and beams below the wall in question. In addition, a wall might not be load bearing but it may be needed to brace the structure from lateral forces such as wind or earthquake loads. These walls are called shear or brace walls. Only a structural engineer can determine if a wall is load bearing or is a shear wall. Don't let contractors convince you they know what they are doing. Many do, but you won't know until it's too late.

Every house is slightly different and has it's own unique situation. To remove a bearing wall you will need to support the framing above with a dropped, flush or raised beam. The dropped header is the easiest and cheapest way. However, many people like the look of a flat ceiling with no soffit. Then a flush or raised beam is needed. A flush beam would have to be used if there is living spaced above the wall to be removed. A raised beam is a great option when there is an attic space above.

Flush wood beam incorrectly used without straps as tension ties

I don't like to use a flush beam for single story houses with a rafter/ceiling joist roof system. Many people don't realize that the ceiling joists are in tension holding the exterior walls in place due to an outward force from the rafters. If the ceiling joists are cut to allow for a flush beam that tension can pull the ceiling joists away from the beam. This typically causes a large crack to form in the ceiling and even worse could lead to the exterior wall bowing out. To prevent the separation, light gauge straps are used to connect the cut ceiling joists. The image above is a flush beam supporting ceiling joists. The ceiling joists were cut to allow the flush beam but were not attached with straps. We discovered this situation when we were requested to determine the cause of a large ceiling crack in an old home.

If you are looking to remove a wall please let us know. You can contact Jim Houlette at jim@evstudio.com or call the main line.

Originally posted 2011-08-07 14:45:03.

Why Hire an Architect When a Contractor Offers to Design-Build

Sean O'Hara — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:15 +0000

Design-build is a common delivery method in construction and a popular buzz word in the industry. What it generally means is that you hire a single person or company who both designs your project and builds your project. Design-build can be great and it can be a real mistake. What is important is to know who the players are behind the design-build label.

Just to admit bias to new readers, EVstudio is an architecture and engineering company, we participate in many projects titled "design-build".

Design-build can be a great setup where you have a company that has experts and licensed professionals working on both the architecture and construction portions of the project. They can typically deliver a project on budget and they may be able to reduce your upfront design fees because they bury them in your total project cost.

Unfortunately, what often happens is that the design-build team is an outgrowth of only one profession. You frequently have a general contractor who has decided that they can do the design work as well. Suddenly you are hiring someone to design your home who is only marginally qualified and yet you are paying enough for the service to hire a full time architect. With this approach you are also hiring someone to design the project who is often most concerned about the simplest details and is likely to give you reasons that you can't have something more complex.

What I would advise all clients entering a design-build setup to do is make sure that you know who is actually doing the designing on the project. You should be meeting with the architect directly and be pleased with the design work that you are receiving. When we participate in design-build we meet with clients directly for the design and the contractor meets directly for the build. They only pay one bill but it is distributed according to the work involved. The architect is your advocate and more able to provide solutions based on years of full time design experience rather than excuses.

Another solution that works well for the client is hiring an architect and a contractor at the same time and working as a team throughout the project. We do this with many of our favorite contractors and it is a rewarding way to bring experienced professionals and still give the client an integrated project. While it is not truly design-build it offers many of the advantages.

There are a large number of project delivery methods in architecture and construction, please ask questions or give us a call.

Originally posted 2010-01-20 00:01:06.

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.

Put a Light Switch on the Bed Wall in Your Bedroom

Sean O'Hara — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:00:03 +0000

If you're the type of person who likes to climb into bed and watch TV or read a book before bed you probably don't enjoy getting up to turn off the light. What I'd suggest is putting in a 3-way switch for your bedroom lights next to the bed along with the one by the bedroom door. Better yet, put in a dimmer and you can adjust the lighting level to exactly where you want it.

These little details can make a real difference in your comfort and enjoyment of your home. When the time comes for construction of a new home or a major remodel, work with an architect to really look at the way that you live in your home. If you're going to put in the effort, you'll benefit from thinking through the details.

Originally posted 2011-08-04 23:44:58.

Helical Pier Foundations

Jim Houlette — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:59:45 +0000

Helical piers are typically used when repairing failed shallow foundations. The helical piers are a deep foundation system that can be placed alongside existing foundations with very little interference.

However, helical piers are also used for new construction as an alternative to typical straight shaft drilled piers. EVstudio recently designed a new foundation using helical piers due to high water table and swelling soil. With a small surface area on the steel shaft the helical pier is very stable is highly expansive soil. We have also recently used helical piers for an addition to a home. There was no soils report, but the house was on drilled piers. A drill rig for new drilled piers could not gain access to the backyard, so helical piers installed using smaller machinery was recommended.

The real advantage helical piers have is their use for repairing moving foundations. The entire existing structure can be underpinned using helical piers that are bolted to the bottom of the foundation. Once the structure is underpinned the moving soil below the footing can be removed, establishing a void space separating the structure from any future movement.

PROS
Fast Installation
Can be Proof Tested
Negligible Uplift Pressure from Swelling Soil
High Tensile Resistance
Moderate to Small Equipment Needed

CONS
Specialized System
Concerns with Corrosion

Learn more about different types of foundations

Originally posted 2009-12-11 00:54:22.

Historic Preservation and Sustainability – One Strategy Contributing to Both Goals

Elicia Ratajczyk — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:51 +0000

Dean and I had a very interesting meeting with the Heritage Resources Program Leader for the Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service last week and during our meeting we began discussing the idea of sustainability and historic preservation. This very topic will be the theme of the upcoming 2010 Saving Places Conference which is presented annually by Colorado Preservation Inc. and has become something of a hot (and sometimes controversial) topic in historic preservation circles as of late.

Both Sustainability and Historic Preservation are passions for me personally, and have played a huge role in my pursuit of architecture. I believe that sustainability is much more than “green building” and must effectively balance environmental, economical & social concerns in order to be successful. As a very important social concern in the built environment, I view the practice of Historic Preservation as both the source of many important sustainability concepts, methods and strategies and also as a valuable Green Design strategy in and of itself. Not much more than 100 years ago, most buildings were built according to many of today’s “green” standards out of necessity. They were built according to long standing practices that took the natural forces, site considerations and efficiency of the building and it’s site into account because that was the only way that you could afford to build. Materials, transportation and resources were not as readily available as they are today. In addition, they were built using local materials and craftsman who were experts in using regionally important practices, a concept only added to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Rating Systems as of 2009! It is a broadly held misconception today that all old buildings are not energy efficient. It wasn’t until somewhat recently (starting in the 50’s & 60's), that buildings and their systems started becoming seriously inefficient with the widespread availability of cheap materials and energy which made it economical to build this way. Many historic buildings have terrific thermal envelopes and incorporate great green building strategies such as passive solar design & natural ventilation. Preserving an existing historic building can be a very effective sustainable design strategy for today and can preserve local cultural resources, conserve natural resources, keep tons of waste out of the landfill and often save money at the same time!

It is important, however, to approach a Historic Preservation project with sensitivity when considering incorporating green building strategies. Slapping some PV panels onto the building would be an even less successful green strategy in a historic preservation project than it is in any green building project. Depending on the intended use of the project after completion and the historic preservation goals for the project, there is a broad range of green building strategies that could be incorporated into the project. For example, beyond upgrades to the buildings equipment and fixtures, alternative power sources such as geothermal, remote wind power or remote ground mount PV installations could be considered (especially for remote or “off-grid” locations) that are hidden underground at the building site. In addition, rigid insulation and wiring can be effectively hidden behind traditional plastering methods at building interiors to upgrade the thermal envelope and systems, if necessary. These are just a couple examples of how the addition of new technologies can be incorporated into a project without compromising the integrity of the preservation goals. The important and pivotal piece of the success of the project becomes the prioritization and communication of the project goals. Effective project planning, prioritization of the project goals and a little bit of creativity and innovation can lead to a very successful and sustainable historic preservation project!

Originally posted 2009-10-15 00:15:30.

How Can You Tell if a Door is Fire Rated

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:45 +0000

When you're putting together code reviews for remodels and additions in commercial projects, its often important to know which existing doors are rated.

Figuring it out is pretty simple, in order to qualify as a rated door it has to be labeled. So look at the door (typically the hinge side) and there should be a metal plaque with the rating on it. If the plaque has been painted over, clean it off. If you don't find a label, then chances are its not rated.

Originally posted 2011-08-18 00:01:24.

Do I remodel or start from scratch?

Sean O'Hara — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:46:35 +0000

We have done quite a number of residential remodels in the last of couple years, and one of the first questions that people ask their architect is often "do you think I should remodel it or should I tear it down and start over". This is not an easy question to answer and it is very project specific, but there are a few starting points that I use.

Is the building structurally sound? Some structural fixes are easy but some aren't worth the effort. If the building is going to require a lot of work to make it safe to remodel then that tends to push the needle towards tearing it down.

Does the structure have historic value, is it on a historic register, in a historic district? If you answered yes, then you most likely have to look at a remodel or a serious amount of paperwork and meetings. There have been a few purchases that have fallen through for this reason.

Do you like the style of the existing house? Again, if you like the aesthetic of the house then remodeling may make sense. It might also make sense if the house has an expensive exterior that might be hard to rebuild within your budget. We did a remodel in Bonnie Brae where the exterior was all stone, brick and expensive tile roof so the exterior stayed.

Does the existing house preclude you from doing what you want to do? This is a multipart question, does the house sit on the site in a way that makes expansion difficult, does the room layout really not work, do the levels in the house not work or are the ceilings too low. Those aren't always remodel fixes and may mean starting fresh.

Do you have enough room to go out, or do you need to go up (or down) also? Adding levels to an existing house definitely adds complexity and may point towards starting fresh.

On the other hand, does the existing house allow you to get away with something that you couldn't do if you scrapped? We're currently doing a feasibility on a multi-unit building in Denver that is built to the property lines, if it were torn down it would have to be rebuilt 5-10 feet from the property lines and the site would yield less units. On a smaller scale, your existing staircase or window design may be built in a way that we couldn't build from scratch.

What are your plans for the house? Consider what your goal is, are you just doing a fix and flip or are you planning to stay for the long haul? This will have an effect on just how far you will need to go with your changes; how far do you chase that old pipe, how much do you insulate existing walls and do you really need to replace the furnace or the windows.

There is also an obvious need to look at the costs of your options and you can look at involving an experienced contractor or builder to aid in this analysis. You need to figure out just how many of the systems will need to be remodeled or replaced in order to bring the house up to current standards and codes. As architects we can give you a lot of advice but you should consider bringing on someone who works with material and labor costs daily.

There is another option to consider, if the house just doesn't meet your needs but you can't make the numbers work on tearing it down, you might look at selling and buying a lot that makes more sense.

Finally, if you are facing this dilemma or are looking at property to purchase and need some advice, please give us a call. EVstudio has experience and advice for your remodel.

Originally posted 2008-06-29 23:44:39.

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Structural Implications for a Residential Deck to be Designed for a Hot Tub

Kacy Landsittel — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:46:26 +0000

From time to time EVstudio is asked about the feasibility of retrofitting an existing deck to accommodate a hot tub and in some cases to design a deck for a hot tub on a new project. Here is some basic background information on the structural implications. Keep in mind every project varies and EVstudio can provide a thorough analysis of your existing or future conditions if you are considering such an endeavor.

Although the deck's structure is hidden from view in the above example, this was a project in Clear Creek County that EVstudio designed a deck addition for which the owner had a small existing deck above his garage and wanted to retrofit the home to accommodate a hot tub.

Well right off the bat it should be known that water itself is relatively heavy, being 8.35 lb per gallon or 62.43 lb per cubic foot. Then there is the weight of the empty hot tub itself, which can range quite a bit depending on the manufacturer. For this example I’ll use a larger than average size tub of 8’x8’ that can accommodate 6 people and weighs 550 lb when empty. And the volume of water for this tub is 500 gallons. So the water alone weighs a total of 4,175 lb. Then you have to include the live load of people. Yes, the hot tub was intended for 6-8 people, but you must still consider the situation of people overloading the intended occupancy, therefor use the floor live load used for the rest of the deck, typically 40psf for residential. If the hot tub occupancy is overloaded, the volume of water would be displaced and possibly reduced if the water spills over the edge. Be careful assuming this and reduce the water load or live load at your own discretion. The total anticipated weight of the tub and water equals 4,725 lb. So given that the tub is 8’x8’ a value of almost 74 lb per square foot (psf) plus the floor live load of 40psf for a total of 114psf is the basis for which one would need to design the deck. Most hot tub manufacturers should be able to supply you, your engineer or architect with a pound per square foot value of the tub and water, but probably would not include the occupant load.

To provide some perspective on this 114 psf value, decks without a hot tub are designed with a floor live load of at least 40psf or the snow load for a particular locale if greater than 40psf, which can be obtained by contacting your local building department. For example, a residence in a particular area of Evergreen, CO needs to be designed with a 50 psf snow load (greater than the live load of 40psf), otherwise known as roof snow load. So, to add a hot tub to the equation, one would need to add the 74psf hot tub load to the 50 psf of the snow load for a toal load of 124 psf. You must still consider snow load on top of the hot tub. However you don't have to consider the 50psf snow load and the floor live load at the same time.

If the local building department allows load duration factors you can value engineer the deck using a load duration of 1.15 for the snow load, but you must still use a factor of 1.0 for the floor live loads and hot tub.

Another thing to be careful of is the location of the hot tub on the deck. Keep in mind you may design a specific area for a hot tub, but how is the homeowner to know he/she can't move the hot tub to the other side of the deck.

Something to consider when incorporating a hot tub in your deck.

Originally posted 2010-06-14 00:01:26.

When Should You Contact an Architect? What Phases of Your Project Can an Architect Help With?

Sean O'Hara — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:49:52 +0000

There is a common conception that the architect is the person you contact when you need plans for your project. That is only partially correct. In addition to your plans, a good architect can help you with many of the other phases of your project. Some of these services they will perform themselves and some of these services they can hire for you. At EVstudio our services have included:

Land selection and evaluation
Real estate services
Pro-forma, rent and cost analysis
As-built surveys and drawings
Conceptual design drawings
Schematic design drawings
Pricing and opinions of probable cost
Demolition plans
Design development drawings
Construction document drawings
Bidding, negotiation and contractor selection
City processes and planning services
Detailed specifications and product recommendations
LEED and sustainability consultation
Master planning
Site planning and civil engineering
Structural engineering
Mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineering
Construction administration
Construction management
Plans review
Local partner for out of state firms
Plans library development
Subject matter experts
Evaluations of existing structures
Entitlements and permitting processes
Interior design
CAD system design
Three dimensional models
Computer renderings
Marketing materials
Changes of occupancy
Contracts and agreements

The important thing to remember is that the architect has experience with most of the aspects of the project. They've seen many projects through. Choosing to involve them from the beginning to the end of the process will allow you to utilize their expertise and will allow them to help execute the right design for your project. Please feel free to contact EVstudio at any point in your process and we're happy to get involved with your project.

Originally posted 2009-03-31 13:00:11.