Natural Design and logical dwellings. Home plans, design and energy saving tips.

Architect or Home Designer? Let their work decide.

2011-03-31T16:01:00.001-04:00

Most states do not have maximum square footage limitations on custom home designs, stock house plans, plan book houses or home plans. Unfortunately, I live in N.Y.S., and they will not allow me to sell plans over 1500 sq. ft. The NYS education department is quite rude actually. Don't get me wrong, NY has its good points too, just not when it comes to some of their quirky laws.

Therefore, I have turned over all my home plans that are over 1500 sq. ft. to a nice lady in Colorado. She, unlike I, lives in a great State with logical laws. If you plan to build in New York State and want a home that is over 1500 square feet, please contact me directly, and I will provide exceptional alternatives.
If you are looking for a beautifully designed, carefully thought out, natural, green home plan that is 1500 square feet and under to be built in NYS, I am happy to help! Current law is for living space only. Square footage limitations do not include garage or basement areas. I can work seamlessly with you and your contractor if you live out of state as well. I am always looking for a reason to get out of here, especially if my adventures are taking me south. :)

If you live in a state such as North Carolina or Virgina, We can design your home without square foot limitations. Michigan, for example, has a limit of 3500 square feet. If you have a question about your state law, please let me know where you live, and I will happily look into it for my own knowledge. Let me be clear, I am not an Architect or a Lawyer. I am currently finishing college with over 12 years logged working directly under various Architects. I feel there should be different levels of requirements for residential designers. Maybe a certification to show that you're honest, and you know your stuff. A "residential only" seal. I have no interest in designing Skyscrapers, Bridges, Shopping malls or Schools. I strongly feel that Architects and structural engineers that do should have multiple review requirements.

I have seen work from some Architects that should never have been given a license to practice! It scares me that they could take on a project with so many lives at stake. Although there are millions of home design elements, what it boils down to is safety, sustainability, environment, energy and health.
I have spent over 15 years designing quality, logical, natural homes that are energy efficient and material, friendly and low in waste. Unlike many Registered Architects, my focus is directly on home plans and house design. I do not get side tracked on larger commercial projects. To be honest, I just do not enjoy them. Don't take me wrong, I am not attacking Registered Architects. I am, however, venting about some of the current laws and miss-conceptions A lot of registered architects like to slam home designers on the web. I personally don't like to use scare tactics or pass judgment on people I do not know. To each their own.

Having been on both sides of the spectrum, Registered Architects have asked me for help, and I have had a great deal of guidance from the like. My most respected mentor at New Eneregy Works was not a Registered Architect. He was a "home designer", like me.

I end my rant with this, let previous work and ones business reputation hold more weight than a title.

Wade Fox, AIBD
www.foxdesignstudio.com

AutoCAD, SketchUP and Shaderlight

2011-03-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

I spent the last month seriously debating Softplan, and I almost bought it... While browsing the internet for what I consider the most professional looking rendering (as per my taste) I have decided to stay with SketchUP and AutoCAD with a plugin. This is a good time to throw in the fact that all of these programs run on Mac and PC, with Mac being a leap I plan to make here soon.

In my eTravels searching for the "look" I admire most, I found Shaderlight. This is plugin for SketchUP. It is so easy to take a floor plan or elevation from AutoCAD ( $900.00 for LT) throw it into SketchUP (FREE) and run Shaderlight in SketchUP (FREE) Take a look at the examples of the renderings shared from everyone in posts above and then look at what shaderlight can do with a sketchUP drawing. I was floored, and even more amused when I tried it on one of my previous SketchUP projects. http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaderlight/show/

My main reason was this, Google and AutoCAD are innovative market leaders. They have the money and customer base for development. SketchUP also offers free access to 3d warehouse which saves a ton of time and new ideas roll in everyday. http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/

My final reason is this, we need to stay competitive in today's rough economy. I feel we need our work to stand out from the thousands and thousands of home plan renderings offered on websites like www.coolhouseplans.com. They all look the same, and I find that quite boring. I am in this profession to have fun, and just maybe, make a little money as well.

My final comment, I love to invent, draw my ideas, furniture and other crazy ideas I dream up daily. I do not want to be tied down to an expensive program that only draws house plans. ($3185.00 )

The only flaw in my plan is not being able to kick out a detailed material list. This was a major factor I considered. If anyone knows of an alternative, I would appreciate your input.

The Otterbox Defender Iphone case

2010-02-17T00:04:00.001-05:00

This blog was intended for reviewing architecture however any design as good as the Otterbox defender deserves a thumbs up. This 4 piece iphone case has a two piece, hard plastic shell that gets wrapped by snug fitting molded rubber housing. The hard inner shell protects the iphone from being crushed while the rubber outer shell protects the phone from shock. The Otterbox Defender case is not too large to fit comfortably in your pocket and gives you an extra secure grip on the sometimes slippery iphone.
Combined with a “face in” screen protective iphone clip and a built in screen protector, my iphone is over six months old still looks brand new. The Otterbox Defender has rubber flaps that snap in place located at all areas needed to operate your iphone. The charging slot, headphone jack and the courtesy switch have rubber covers that snap into place. The built in covers keep the dirt and water out while allowing easy access to your phones accessories. I bought the Otterbox with my iphone six months ago and it has help up great. No problems, no complaints. Highly recommended for the 3g or 3gs.

Building a fish tank into an existing wall

2010-02-16T23:49:00.001-05:00

Here we show how adding a simple header and cutting a hole in the
wall was able to free a significant amount of space. The original fish
tank & stand restricted the area to a smaller dining table. Building the tank into the wall allowed for storage at the opposite wall & a means to hide the wires, filters and equipment. Picture framing the opening transformed a tank of water into a piece of art.

You can see here how the simple pine picture frame conceals the spaces around the tank with out having to frame the tank in tight space. A single silicon caulk bead allows the trim to look as if the tank was sized for the opening.

Remember that houses and glass move over time and during temperature change. Be sure to size the rough opening for the tank to allow movement. 2 or 3 inches is sufficient.

This is where we started. The base for this tank was custom made, heavy duty and beautiful. We saved this base to be used for a coffee table or future TV stand.

The finished project. This built in project was a fun and easy job for the most part. I recommend you consult a local professional to size headers for bearing walls and Electrical should be GFI. To make cleaning easier we plan to run water and drainage to the area.

Google

2009-11-15T16:32:00.001-05:00

Trying blogger with windows live writer…

I will let you know what I think. Seems easy enough to ad links… home plans link test..

The word wrap seems to work well too.. By the way, I love windows 7.. AutoCAD runs great and I have not had a single issue. Switching from edit to preview and source is simple as well.

Technorati Tags: windows 7,architect,fds,fox design studio,wade fox,naples

Solar Farm Project

2009-10-29T11:21:00.006-04:00

Fox Design Studio is currently working with Fields Construction on the design of several Solar Farms. The proposed Photo Voltaic site will be built in New Jersey, Arizona and in Bath NY. I have included a rendering of a test farm currently being built and run at Fields Construction headquarters where they are testing several various panels / brands for efficiency versus cost and footprint. For more information, please email me at info@foxdesignstudio.com

2009-04-19T22:24:00.001-04:00

testing blogging from my iphone!

Green, Eco-friendly post and beam timber home

2009-04-16T15:12:00.012-04:00

I am posting this Post and Beam floor plan / house plan on my blog as an example of how simple architecture can prove to be difficult. The client realises the benefit of a well designed, passive solar, energy efficient home however their need for space makes this project a bit difficult. We need to tie a HUGE garage and workshop into a modest simple while maintaining a design that looks as if it were always there, in one with the natural surroundings..... This is coupled with the steep slope, the clients wish of minimal roof lines, a magnificent northern view and the need for maximum free passive solar heat in this cold north east climate. This Post and Beam floor plan that meets all of these requirements. I meet with the client Saturday and will post their reaction.

Fox Design Studio is thrilled to tackle a new passive solar, green design challenge.

2009-04-10T00:55:00.014-04:00

F.D.S. is excited to be working on a green project in our hometown Naples, NY. This new project is a Post & Beam structure mixed with conventional construction also known as a "hybrid". The new residence will feature passive solar design, Geo-thermal heat, green building products and Eco-friendly, energy efficient construction methods. The biggest challenge of this project is the sloped building site. The 200 acre property has an incredible northern view that we would like to be visible from the master bedroom, kitchen and the living area while having the maximum benefit of southern exposure. In short, the majority of the glass needs to be on wrong side of the house... I am eager to share this project as it progresses on this blog throughout construction. The photo shown here is the schematic view of the entry.

Please contact us via email at info@foxdesignstudio.com or visit our website at http://www.foxdesignstudio.com/ for more info.

Foam Insulation, R-Value is over R-ated

2008-11-04T12:05:00.024-05:00

For those of us in the building and design business we hear it often, Actual R-Value is not as important as a sealing the building envelope. What I hope to accomplish with this post is yet another attempt to get the word out to homeowners. I constantly find myself in a passionate discussion with the majority of my clients as to why I highly recommend they do not build a new house and fill it with the "pink stuff". A list of reasons any homeowner should utilize the benefits of foam insulation could go on for miles. I am going to list two of the main elements I admire most about this product.

Save up to 50% on utility bills...

Yes, there is an increase of initial cost for foam insulation. This may deter most contractors and lower end spec home builders however; my clients build their final dream homes. This is where they plan to retire, and live out the rest of their lives. The cost savings over the years are well worth the initial expense. One particular house we designed costs under $500.00 per year to heat! Even with the huge increase of cost for fuel, his heating bill hardly budged.

A healthy alternative for a healthier home...
Let's start with this, the amount of moisture that will pass through a 4x8 sheet of drywall due to vapor diffusion in one heating season is about 1/3 of a quart. If you were to add a 3/4 inch hole to this sheet of drywall, the amount of water from air leakage would be around 30 QUARTS! Now, let’s think for a minute about all of the holes we have in our walls from electrical outlets, cables, telephones, photos and pictures nailed to the wall.... This translates to major air leakage! With soft foam, these cavities are sealed and remain sealed throughout the life of the home. (Hard foam can allow air gaps to form from the structure moving, studs shrinking and so on, but that is a different conversation) No matter where you punch a hole into a wall filled with foam, this puncture will not allow moisture to flow into the wall. A wall filled with a fibrous material will let the moisture in and allow it to move throughout the entire wall cavity. What does this mean? Fibrous insulation can promote moisture, (which results in mold and mildew) sound, heat and drafts to travel freely, foam will not. Why is this important? No one likes a loud home, Heat is something we never want to loose and what happens when we leave an ice cold glass out during a hot humid day? Condensation! Is this what you want to happen in your walls when the warm, moist air of you home travels through the fibrous insulation and comes into contact with the cold exterior wall? Not in my house. That being said, not in my client’s homes either.

Fact: 90% of all building failures in the US are related to moisture. ASHRAE

There are so many other good reasons to use foam insulation.
-Foam expands into holes, cracks, rim joists and areas other insulation can not.
-Foam seals around plumbing, wiring and electrical.
-Contractors receive less callback due to moisture related issues.
-Foam does not settle or compact.
-Homeowners benefit from reduced heating and cooling costs.
-Foam reduces airborne dust and fibers.
-Foam reduces the size requirement of HVAC equipment.

Quality home builders, Architects and Designers around the globe are specifying foam as the only insulation they will accept in their homes. Homeowners need to demand that it be used in their homes and when their contractor fights to use the pink stuff, well; maybe it is time to find a new contractor. Let's face it, everything has its time to come and go. The time has come and gone for fiberglass insulation.

What this blog will offer.

2008-10-29T11:57:00.003-04:00

This blog will be focused on discussing Natural Residential Architecture, proper design, building products, and aesthetics. Once or twice a week I plan to share my experience, professional opinion, tips and my passion for Architecture. My goal is to share knowlege I have aquired through experience and study with homeowners, designers, contractors and students. I look forward to feedback and sharing ideas. My apologies in advance to the grammer buffs out there, please feel free to set me straight!
If you have ideas, tips or advice of your own you would like to share please visit the web site at http://www.foxdesignstudio.com/ or send me an Email . Thanks and see you back soon!

Wade Fox, AIBD