Stock House Plans – The Good, the Bad…and the Unknown

By David Porter AIA - Consulting architect to the Garlinghouse Company since 1989 You have looked through lots of plans magazines or you have spent hours sitting at your computer looking at plans services' websites and there it is; bingo....a rendering or photograph of that dream house you have always wanted. ...

Read more...

Architect, Designer, Engineer – The Differences and Which Do I Need

By David Porter AIA - consulting architect to the Garlinghouse Company since 1989 Since I am a licensed architect, I would be remiss if my answer wasn't just, "of course, you need only an architect." But, nah, for your use in designing a house, that isn't necessarily so. I will first explain...

Read more...

Building Green

By David Porter AIA - Consulting architect to the Garlinghouse Company since 1989 By now, you have probably heard loads about everything "green" - building green, living a more "green" lifestyle, and on and on.  "Green" is the new, overly used, buzzword thrown at you from twenty directions each day.  What...

Read more...

Defining Reality for the Owner-Builder

By David Porter AIA - Consulting architect to the Garlinghouse Company since 1989  So, you are contemplating building a house. You have the option of trying to build it on your own or to hire a professional, licensed, experienced builder. Hmmm, already just reading over the words, "professional, licensed, and experienced"...

Read more...