I love my radiant heat. There’s nothing cozier on a chilly winter morning than a toasty warm floor greeting your cold feet. More and more, clients are asking me about radiant heat for their homes. What used to be thought of as a luxury is going increasingly mainstream, thanks to the comfort and energy efficiency
Several times a month, I find myself in some variation of a phone or email conversation with a prospective client that starts like this: Client: Hi. My contractor suggested I contact you. Me: How can I help you? Client: We’re doing a [describes project] and we thought it would be simple and we could just
In the mid-20th century, there seemed to be little reason to insulate a new California home. Mild winters and summers, combined with seemingly plentiful, inexpensive energy meant homeowners could crank up the heat without breaking the bank or worrying about their carbon footprint. In the 21st century, however, we know that the beauty of floor-to-ceiling
What Are VOCs? VOCs – volatile organic compounds – are carbon-containing chemical compounds that vaporize easily at ordinary temperatures and are released into the air. VOCs are all around us. They can occur naturally – they give certain evergreens that “piney” smell – or in man-made products – like paint. They are common in many
You recycle, you compost, you turn off lights when you’re not using them, but have you ever wondered what else you can do to improve your home’s “green quotient?” One way to make sure you’re doing everything you can to save energy and water and protect our environment is to do a green audit of
Do you have an “almost-launched” young adult living with you? Need space for an aging, but still independent, parent? If so, you have new reasons to consider adding a second unit to your home or lot. If you have some extra space, even an extra bedroom, creating a separate, legal living space can be a
Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials in the word. Globally, about 10 billion tons of it are produced each year. Since the Romans pioneered its use more than 1,000 years ago, architects and engineers have used it in everything from skyscrapers to suburban backyards. Chances are, your home uses it somewhere
Earthquakes are a fact of life in the Bay Area. The same geologic features that create our dramatic mountains-meet-ocean vistas mean we have to live with a little bit – or sometimes a lot – of shaking. California’s building codes are continually updated based on emerging research and lessons learned from each quake to make
Permits are among the top things people complain about when planning a building or remodeling project. It’s understandable: permits are sometimes a pain to get, they cost money, and they slow things down just when you’re eager to start on your project. It can be tempting to sidestep the whole permitting process, especially if you’re
Last month I mentioned converting to LED lighting as a simple way to improve your home's "green quotient." Today, I'll take a more in-depth look at LEDs and what you need to consider when converting from incandescent or CFL to LED bulbs. Why Convert to LED? Energy Savings - LED bulbs use at least 75%
