Latest House Completed

I just wanted to share with all the Wanguhu Residence. Currently a regional shelter magazine is looking at publishing it but it's not definite yet. The house turned out fantastic - 2400sf, steeply sloping lot, energy efficient, tight budget, inventive detailing. I'll put the house on my website more officially in the next couple of months. If you want to see more from a residential modern architect please visit my website.

5 Ways to Save on Building Costs

Biggest Impact in Up-Front Construction Cost (for average size house):

1. Keep Design Simple. Exterior walls should be set to 2' modules, roofs should be single-pitch and have very little variation. Laying out the house on a strong East-West axis will save energy. Think rectangular box for least expensive design. (savings up to $20,000)

2. Use Builder-Grade Windows in Standard Sizes. Aluminum is the absolute cheapest and for some purposes it works perfectly fine. Vinyl windows are more energy efficient but large windows tend to warp so keep to small sizes. I prefer using commercial grade aluminum windows when the budget allows but the cost can be prohibitive (savings up to $10,000)

3. Be Budget Conscious with Interior Finishes. Control yourself and don't splurge. Finishes can generally be high-quality without busting the budget because they are a relative small item in the overall building process. However, there are a lot of temptations out there to splurge. A solid surface countertop like Silestone in a base color can cost as little as $39/sf and that's a reasonable amount to spend for what you get. But upgrade to unusual colors or opt for soapstone or honed granite and you're suddenly you're up to $85/sf. That can easily add $5000 to a project right there. For countertops plastic laminate is the cheapest at $7/sf and can work perfectly well in certain designs.(savings up to $10,000)

4. Use Siding for Exterior Surfaces in lieu of Masonry or Stucco. Cementitious siding products (like Hardie siding) are durable, energy efficient and cost 40-60% less than most alternatives. FSC certified wood siding is also an affordable alternative but there's more maintenance involved in the long term. There's more design options for siding than just a traditional aesthetic. (savings up to $8,000)

5. When using Hardwood Flooring, go for Pre-finished Hardwoods ($6/sf installed). Having to finish the hardwoods on site doubles the cost but it looks better. However, if on a tight budget do you really need site-finished hardwoods? Pre-finished engineered hardwood floors are even cheaper but not by much. If you have a slab foundation then stained or simply sealed concrete floors are the cheapest option at $2-3/sf. (savings up to $6,000)

I post construction costs for every project on my portfolio page. If you want to see some affordable modern house designs, please visit my website.

Coming next: Biggest Savings in Long Term Building Operational Cost.

Latest Work - March 2010

Here are the latest images for the Clarkesville Residence (top two images) that is under construction andthe Wanguhu Residence (bottom image) that is finishing up.

If you would like to see more of our work please view the portfolio of my Austin residential architect firm.

Construction Progress - 11th Street

You've asked for it, so here it is. The lot is 33'wide x 100'deep yet the house feels quite comfortably sized. The house is 3bd/2.5ba and is 1,760sf. There's just enough room for a small yard or garden in the front and a garden courtyard in the rear. The real amenity is the neighborhood. Within four blocks there's 4 restaurants, a cleaners, a pharmacy, a coffee bar and a tv repair shop (every neighborhood needs one).

Finishing Touches: Wanguhu Residence

Kamau and Njambi Wanguhu are originally from Kenya, have two wonderful children and have been anxiously waiting for their house to be complete, which should be soon. The house was quite a challenge to design and build since it straddles a steep hill (more like a cliff), had tight budgetary constraints and bordered a flood plain. To compound matters, when breaking ground we discovered that the site had been an illegal dumping ground that made the soil highly unstable.

Now, it appears the obstacles have been surpassed and there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Plus, as an added bonus, the house is looking very good. Unfortunately the images that are shown were taken in poor light on a cold winter day but they still show the nice siding and stucco techniques that were achieved. Hopefully I'll have some professional images taken that show the interior which is quite dynamic. Stay tuned...

Terrace Duplex Wins Design Award

The duplex Nick Mehl Architecture designed at 310 Terrace Drive won an interior design award! Chelsea+Remy Design did the interior design and won First Place in the Sustainable Residential Category in the Rising Stars category. Here's an image of her work on the kitchen. Chelsea was fun to work with and I would recommend her for any residential design work that involves modern, environmental design.

Jewel Box Architecture

Since the economy took a plunge, I have come across more and more articles about downsizing the average American home. Prominent home builders and even market-savvy architects are starting to offer smaller homes - even "micro" homes - as part of their inventory. The term Jewel Box Architect is being thrown around for such homes that are less than 2000sf with compact footprints and a high degree of craft inside. What a revelation! Those homes have been our bread and butter for years. The house on Crooked Lane perhaps best exemplifies that architectural concept. It was built in 2006 and the owners have really personalized it.

One of my personal favorite houses we have completed recently, the Clarkesville Cottage, exhibits a jewel box quality although to me it seems rather roomy at 1915sf. I wish I had some interior photos of it to show how cozy it is. Maybe that will be part of my next entry...