The Consumer has to bring the Builder into the project early so he can guide you and the Architect away from bad ideas. Handing your completed plans to a Builder after they are drawn isn't going to help you. No Builder is going to tell you after you spent 30K for your plans that there are problems and have to be redrawn, especially when you tell him you are getting bids from 3 other Builders.
A new Builder doesn't know, what he doesn't know but you the Homeowner will end up paying the price.
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Below is a beautiful custom home with an awful flaw. What a way to ruin the look of a home.
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It's not the best photo but I'm talking about the decorative detail positioned on top of the roof on this Custom Home. This pic is on one of our homes, unfortunately. The homeowner handed the completed plans to us to build. We were not brought into the design process, only the build.
This is the kind of roof detail that makes us crazy. It has to be hand crafted on site. No matter how we build this detal it's going to be a maintenance issue. It's a bad idea and a future issue!
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Open roof valley.
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A closed roof valley looks better but it's an ongoing maintenance problem that leads to higher costs and roof leaks. In the big picture it's a bad idea.
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Buying a lot on the low side of the road isn't ideal. The best lots are the ones where the house sits up on an elevated site. This beautiful house is on the low side. There are drainage and visual issues. The steps up to the front door looks grand but some of that height could have been used to improve drainage. Whatever you do, don't scrimp on the fill dirt. It's better to set the house higher than necessary as it will improve the view of the house from the street. Take the money you saved from buying a lot on the low side of the street and spend it on fill.
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A roof valley is the place where two roof lines come together. It becomes a chanel for water to flow off the roof surface. This fireplace chimney is placed right where water gushes down the valley. Fireplace chimneys are suseptable to roof leaks normally so placing a chimney in this area makes the situation much worse! Definitely a leaker!
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I wonder where the water is going in a hard rain, no less a hurricane with 100 MPH wind driven rain! The finished floor level for this Orlando Custom Home, was set way too low. Water will flow into the house and garage given the right circumstances. Poor site supervision on this one.
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Wooden shutters may work in dryer and less sunny climates but not in "OTown"! You can paint them on all sides and they still rot right off your home. I've seen cedar shutters fall apart in less than a year! Wood just doesn't weather well in Florida. In fact, avoid any wood on the outside of your home. A wooden front door properly protected from the elements is acceptable under the right circumstances. Fortunately, they now manufacture composite materials for shutters. Wood shutters on your dream home, Bad Idea!
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Foundation height set to low! The water runs down the driveway into the garage and you can't stop gravity. Hello, water flows down hill! Inexperienced Builder. On going problem, bad idea!
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Foundation height set too low! Front walk and door threhold at same height. You can't stop this door from leaking, especially in a driving rain! Better get sandbags for a hurricane! There should always be a step from the porch level to the living area slab. On going problem for the homeowner. Bad Idea!
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Isn't this a beautiful front entry elevation! Perhaps, for someplace up North or a dry climate. This is a "Major Leaker!" Not an elevation for Orlando. The overhang isn't deep enough to protect the double front doors. Experience teaches me a roof protecting the front door must be at least 10' deep. The weatherstripping around the door, threshold and even the handle set will leak! Bad Idea!
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Same thing here! Bad idea, built in problem.
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I know, this is a beautiful detail. It's the kind of thing Architects put on plans to dazzel their Clients or to meet height restrictions in a community. First, it's a flat roof. Any roof with a pitch less than 3" in 12" is susceptible to leaking. I know, it's done all the time on commercial buildings and they leak. Second, the 4 vertical roof projections will leak over time and so will the places where the railings are atttached. Am I being overly cautious, no! The homeoner is going to deal with the built in problem not the Builder or Architect. This is why you need the Buillder invoved in the project before the plans are drawn. Somebody has to keep the Architects feet on the ground. Another bad idea!
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Atrium Glass- you don't see them on new homes anymore because they leak. In fact you can't stop them from leaking no matter what you do. The glass, sealants and aluminum all expand and contract at different rates.. The end result, water leaks. Clients paying me almost $20k to roof over the window. Bad design idea!
Above: Architects draw this detail on plans all the time! Awe, isn't this a cute look. I can see Romeo and Juliet standing there now! Romeo, oh Romeo go get a bucket for this leaker! A little balcony overlook with a wrought iron railing that's attached to the deck. A pair of French doors that swing in, little overhang to protect the doors from the rain and a saddle type threshold on the doors. Recipe for an on going headache. You can't stop the doors and the balcony deck from leaking even if the installation is perfect. I have to fight with wrought iron installers on every house to stop them from screwing the railings to the deck. Bad design idea!
Above: This detail is better but you have to look closely to see why. Pair of French doors that swing out with a bumper type threshold (educated guess) that seals fairly well. I know this because I can see the door hinges on the outside of the French doors. Little roof overhang protection and French doors that don't seal very well. Even though this detail is better than the photo above, I bet the doors and the balcony deck still leak in a wind blown rain. Bad design idea!
Above: Fireplace chimney, not really a bad idea but an area of concern. I would bet 80% of the existing chimneys in Orlando leak! I'm not saying this is executed poorly but most FP chimneys leak due to poor design and Builder execution. I can't tell you how surprised roofers, framers and painters are to see me walk the roof looking for quality issues. That tells me they don't see many Builders up there checking their work. Trust but verify. Bad idea!
Above: Skylights! You don't see them on new homes anymore for a reason, they leak. They make lots of noise in a Florida rain storm too! They keep redesigning them every few years but they still leak. Remember, what works in another part of the Country where it's dry doesn't work in the Florida tropics. Bad design idea!
Above, the valley where the 2 roof planes come together traps water. It was designed poorly and executed as drawn. An on going leak problem as long as you own this house. This is where you need an experienced Builder to help you interface with the Architect. After the plans are done it's too late. Bad design idea!
Above is something you see all over Orlando. The solar pool heating company will tell you we install solar panels on tile roofs all the time. Sure they do but the real issues don't show up until after their 20/20 warranty expires. 20 minutes or 20 miles, whichever comes first! The short answer, solar panels cause roof leaks especially on tile roofs. Don't believe me, ask a roofer not the solar pool heating salesman. The homeowners end up ripping the panels off the roof to solve the roof leaks. Solar panels on a tile roof, Bad idea
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