I was going back though some files today and somehow encountered Google Street View from 2007 … Holy cow! What a difference a decade-and-a-half can make. The 2007 images were taken just a month or so after we moved in, so very little had been done.
[After: This was taken in 2010, if I recall … the trees out front have grown a good bit, of course.]
[Before: A good bit more … "feral" …]
Mira (former Eichler owner in San Jose) asked me about building a new pool at her new house in Denver. I bemused not having posted a definitive pool-building blog post, but in answering her questions, I kind of did. I'll include it below.
Pool process posts are also below in the blog: Part-1 // Part-2
[This was an impromptu snap of the MicroEichler. Find more pics on Instagram.]
…
We started with the "after" in Part-1 … in Part-2, we'll delve into the before and walk you through the two pools we've built.
But first with the extreme before.
in 2011, we entertained the thought is putting in a pool… this would seriously disrupt the backyard we had worked to plan and develop, but the summers were getting hotter and we were getting less enthused with watering and caring for a lawn that we simply looked at and didn't use that much.
From the initial post, we got a good bit of feedback including a visit from Royal pools. And I meticulously measured and drew the layout of our yard — this would be a rendering that would see countless versioning over the next 10 years.
[It's amazing that our final pool looks so much like the original rendering from 2011!]
[It's amazing to look back and see how far the yard has come from the first time we looked at the house.]
[The first iteration found us clearing and cleaning up a lot, but ultimately left us with a yard that was pretty, but not terribly usable.]
…
THE POOL: FROM RENDERING TO REALITY (PART-2) // BeforeRead More »
We were giving a friend a tour of the neighborhood the other day and I was reminded that I've never done a comprehensive, final "pool post". In-part, the delay is because the process was a bit tumultuous — and in-part because there are some things that are left unresolved because of that. That said, we're super-happy with the pool overall — especially in the 100+ degree weather we've been having.
I posted a pool-building-tips post a while back when a friend was planning their own pool — and the first pool we built was fairly well documented. In this post, I'll present an unfettered view of our building process with as little Photoshop as possible. Let's start with the quick before and after:
We started the planning with some pretty extensive plan-drawings that I developed in 2012 when building our first pool. As a graphic designer, I stuck with what I knew — Illustrator. Converting the document to metric, I could make each inch one millimeter and get the measurements razor close.
[This was one of the final renderings looking at options in pool depth. As in all things: best to go slightly bigger than slightly smaller]
…
The Pool: From Rendering to Reality (Part-1) // PlanningRead More »
It's been a few months since our panels were installed and we started production — and all is going well. We chronicled the investigation phase and doing so helped us to openly share information about the project with all folks involved. We're happy with the installation and would recommend Got Watts (GW) for anyone else who is chasing down solar… we also just roughed-in our taxes and the rebates promised hold true. Yay! An unexpected bonus: It has been fun watching the daily production of energy.
[The metrics provided by the Enphase app are quite detailed — it's been fun to watch.]
…
We've been exploring the idea of photovoltaic (PV) solar for a while, but are now pulling the trigger. Of course, the Coronavirus pandemic hasn't made this easy, but hopefully we can start to compile a team to get panels on our roof sometime this year. I'll create a few posts to try to keep things in one place for all of the parties involved.
Step 1 // Identifying the goals
There are a lot of reasons people might choose to install PV-solar. For us, the primary driver is cost-savings. Our average electric bill is about $300/month — higher in the summer with air conditioners and lower in the winter when the gas kicks on for the boiler. With solar, we'd opt to use more electricity and less gas (i.e.: use the mini-splits in the winter for heat) — then there's the eventuality of an electric car at some point (for everyone — not just us). If we were to boil down our motivating factors into a list:
…
In a recent renovation, I kind of* invented something: the $5 house jack. Using two pieces of material — in this case: composite decking (with good compressive strength) — and some common hardware, we were able to lift the beam holding the house, the 1/2in necessary to install a secondary support post. Check it out.
[The house jack in action … below a cut-to-size 4X4 post]
…
As a builder, every time I pick up a hammer,
I realize something that I got wrong as a designer…
By day, I spend my time as a designer and design-educator dreaming up new ways to solve visual problems with a bit of beauty or interest. However, early-on in my career, I took a strong liking to the craft of production… on the journey, I've picked up a few new monikers: builder, maker, craftsman (or the latest: "super-detail-oriented-customer"). Between cabinetry designs, bath renovations, door installs and now audio builds, I'm keeping myself busy.
This has given a unique perspective on how to get stuff done that looks great and works well. I has also dispelled the idea that "good design" isn't about uniqueness, but has as much to do with what can be produced — and repeated if necessary… and last a long time. This spans the gamut from material choices to installation techniques… and along the way, I've learned a few things. Here are three tips that might come in handy when planning a project:
[Over the years, my boots have seen a lot of muck, but each time I step in it, I learn something new.]
…
The latest set of stencils are available at EichlerStencils.com and the Eichler Network has stepped in to get the word out.
Special Thanks to Marty Arbunich for his interest and to Dan Smith for the interview and great attention to detail in the article in general. Given their format, word count is at a minimum, but here in blog format, I can expand a bit on what Dan said in his original text.
…
Eichlerstencils.com + Kind words from the Eichler NetworkRead More »
Redneckmodern chronicles the renovation of an Eichler-built home in Concord California… since then, it has also become a repository for Eichler-specific know-how; general renovation information; and, mid-century-modern restoration tips.
It all started as joke between friends*, then became a blog, then something else. We're still here even if the project is almost complete… you might pick up something from our mistakes (and successes).
…
