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Live/Work Update: Kitchen Installation

Shawn — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 00:32:52 +0000

Well, the last few months have been a real grind at the Live/Work project. Mostly because I’ve elected to do most of the finish work myself, things have progressed very slowly. There are only so many things you can get done on nights and weekends. (Oh, and did I mention I’m not a professional cabinet builder, concrete contractor, or electrician?!?!)

The good news is that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel! It’s been almost a year, and the last few details are wrapping up – appliances are going in, cabinets are hung, and we’re looking forward to the final inspections. Yeah!

Here are a few (long overdue) photos from the last few months. Thanks for your patience – making time to keep up with Portland Built (while running Kinesis) has been nearly impossible. With the project wrapping up, we’re looking forward to putting more time into the Portland Built site. Enjoy the show!

Concrete Countertop Fresh out of the mold

Concrete countertop for the peninsula

Staining the veneered die wall

Moving the die wall into position

Drawer installation

Penninsula corbel

Light switch dimmer

Counter depth refrigerator. Used appliances are great!

Big thanks to everyone who helped with this phase of the project- especially to John Wallace, who put up with my attempts at cabinetry.

Tiling and Landscaping at the Live/Work Project

Shawn — Sat, 15 May 2010 07:14:03 +0000

A sampling of photos from April and May. View the gallery for more!

EcoVative 2010: Building it Green in Portland

Shawn — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:30:22 +0000

This weekend the Portland Built Crew (a force of one) spent some time at the Portland Home Builder’s Association green conference, EcoVative.

The show was an interesting blend of educational seminars, presentations, and vendor exhibitions. Classes spanned a wide range of subjects, including:

Building Super Energy-Efficient Homes Without Breaking the Bank
Porous Pavement Options
The Energy Trust’s Energy Performance Score (EPS)
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
High Performance Wall Systems

Overall, the curriculum was quite comprehensive. Attendees included veteran green builders, as well as those new to the industry. For builders looking to capitalize on the green building movement, this event presented an invaluable learning opportunity.

One of the great features of the show was the vendor exhibition hall. There were a number of manufacturers, as well as representatives from groups like Earth Advantage and Energy Trust. It was an excellent opportunity to talk one-on-one with industry experts.

In terms of prodducts, local supplier EcoHaus showed off some great paneling made from reclaimed glue-lam beams. This stuff was just gorgeous, and could be used for all sorts of architectural detailing. Anna from EcoHaus said that some customers were even using it for cabinet fronts.

Another interesting product comes from just down the road in Oregon City. EcoWarm is a hydronic radiant board system that takes the place of gypcrete or concrete as the substrate for PEX tubing. At the Live/Work project, we looked at a similar option from a company called “WarmBoard.” Ultimately, WarmBoard’s pricing was astronomically high and fell out of the running. EcoWarm is a similar product, but their pricing is unclear – the painfully bad website has some pricing info, but it’s frustrating for the homeowner. Hopefully, they’ll improve things as the company grows.

On a final note, I’d like to mention one of Portland Built’s Partners, Medallion Industries. Medallion brought several eco-friendly products to the expo, including fiberglass windows from Andersen, triple glazed windows from Atrium, and Serious Window’s advanced fiberglass offerings. If you’re considering new construction, LEED, or Passive House standards, take a look at the Medallion Website.

Bring Google to Portland!

Shawn — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:20:44 +0000

As many of you know, Google is planning to add a high-speed fiber network “trial” to one or more communities in the US. Here’s a bit from their website:

We plan to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Our networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We’ll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.

As a big proponent of high-speed (and hopefully inexpensive) access, I’d like to encourage our readers to go and VOTE to nominate Portland as the city of choice. It only takes a few minutes.

The deadline to vote is MARCH 26th, 5:00pm. Don’t delay!

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Alberta Mercantile: A New Live/Work Development in NE Portland

Shawn — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:26:37 +0000

There’s a great new Live/Work project underway in NE Portland. Dubbed the “Alberta Mercantile,” the project began as a simple concrete box that once housed the Arthur Cole Candy Company.

Developer Brad Fowler contacted Portland Built several weeks ago, and we’ve had a great dialogue about his project. Folwer’s firm, Fowler Andrews, has been acquiring properties on the inner east side for the last 6 years or so. Brad claims he isn’t, “plowing new ground on Alberta” (his words) but I’d say the finished product is well worth a look.

One of the things I like about this development is the scale and scope. It’s a modest-sized building for the area, and they’ve done a nice job of making the retail buildings at a scale that works for the budding entrepreneur.

Here’s an excerpt from the project website:

We began to develop Alberta Mercantile at the start of the recession with one strategy in mind: create small, efficient spaces targeted to the local entrepreneur. Most business are cash-strapped when they’re just getting started or expanding and often can’t divert working capital for tenant improvements.

Each of the three Alberta-fronted retail units within the existing structure are designed to be “turn-key” spaces that require no improvements on behalf of the tenant. These units feature an ADA-compliant restroom with utility sink, separate 3-phase electrical panel, and distribution of all systems including HVAC. These units are 900 square feet, with an additional 375 square feet of mezzanine space. Each unit features 22’ ceiling heights with glazed storefront roll-up doors that open directly on to Alberta Street.

Fowler Andrews has done something even more interesting in that they are pairing the livable areas with a highly visible retail option. I could see someone renting the retail space along with one of the adjoining residential areas. It’s a nice convergence, and the rental option (as opposed to the traditional purchase arrangement) creates a lower-cost alternative. Here are some images from the “living” portion of the project (entrance on 14th)

Fowler’s got some great talent along on this project. The architecture firm Vallaster and Corl Architects has some impressive work in their portfolio (and this project is certaily a great addition!). Bremick construction, the general contractor, really put on a nice fit and finish. Some of you may know them from their work on restoring the Ladd Carriage House (here’s a link to a great time lapse video as they moved the WHOLE HOUSE across the city)

We’ve put together an image gallery, but if you have some time, take a spin over to NE Alberta and look at this great project. It’s the kind of revitalization that fosters much-needed economic development in Portland.

Video: Designing a Better Wall for a Wet Climate

Shawn — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:45:59 +0000

It’s a big day at Portland Built as we officially launch our new video documentary project! The goal is to help visitors better understand the technology, products, and businesses behind the site.

For our first effort we went to the Live/Work project to discuss wall assembly design, thermal bridging, and insulation.

A big thanks to Jeremy Dunham at Polara Studios for his help in producing our first segment. Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

UPDATE: For those of you with an iphone, or if you just prefer the YouTube experience, here’s another version of the video. We’ve had to cut out some sections in order to meet YouTube’s 10-minute maximum length. (click on the image to watch in HD)

Insulation: A Tight Fit Equals Big Savings

Shawn — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:16:04 +0000

Insulation is probably the best place to spend money when it comes to getting a return on investment. It’s cheap, installs quickly, and can make a real difference in the bottom-line costs of operating a home.

We recently hired Noe Gaxiola of Vale Insulation Group (503.799.4436) to insulate the interior of the Live/Work project. Noe came highly recommended by my friend, Jennifer, who worked in the industry for many years.

Like many of the trades on the project, Noe went above and beyond the call on our project. He sealed every single nook and cranny of the building with an expanding foal sealant. This will help keep the heat in and – more importantly – keep cold air OUT. “Air infiltration” is widely recognized as one of the biggest causes of heat loss, and Noe went to extreme lengths to ensure an air-tight building envelope. Here’s a close-up of some his work around an exterior window (the foam gets trimmed once it dries):

What really impressed me about Noe’s work was that he provided a lot of value for a very reasonable price.

While it may appear that insulation is just about stuffing stud bays, there’s actually quite a bit of art/skill to installing the bats properly. In fact, many studies have shown that a major loss of heat is attributed to poorly installed insulation. High R-value insulation does little good if the insulation is crammed and crushed around electrical, plumbing and other obstacles. A good installer like Noe pays careful attention and FITS the insulation in every void.

Big thanks to Noe and his small-but-mighty crew at Vale!

Post Script: There are a LOT of options for insulating a home (blown in cellulose, reccyled cotton, closed and open cell foam, etc). We even considered foam at one point. It’s superior for preventing air infiltration, and would have been the best choice for our vaulted ceiling. Unfortunately, the cost differential between fiberglass and other technologies was a budget buster.

Wal-Mart: Built in Portland?

Shawn — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:17:46 +0000

As reported in the Oregonian and the Portland Business Journal yesterday, Wal-Mart plans to expand its operations in North Portland. The plan is to build a new 86,000-square-foot store in the Hayden Meadows area, just off of I-5. Many of you will know this area – it’s near the Portland Meadows racetrack and Lowe’s home improvement (and, not coincidentally, just over the river from our low-tax-paying friends in Vancouver)

Wal-Mart’s had a tough time establishing a beach-head in Portland. Attempts at a building in Sellwood and Hayden Island were thwarted when local neighborhood associations and politicians joined forces. As of today, Wal-Mart has only one store in Portland, located near SE 82nd and Holgate.

Here are some highlights from the articles:

Wal Mart is touting its environmental commitment and job creation. According to the Business Journal, “The store will create roughly 300 new jobs and feature sustainable features such as high-efficiency LED lighting.”
The Oregonian also talks about Wal-Mart’s efforts to win over Portland Mayor, Sam Adams: “…company executives have been trying for months to win over Adams by pushing an environmental makeover and increased pay and benefits.”

Obviously, Wal-Mart deserves some serious scrutiny about it’s labor and environmental record. But what struck me most about these articles is the fact that Wal-Mart plans to, “raze two vacant buildings to make room for the store, which would be just a short drive for Vancouver residents.” (Oregonian)

Big Box Wasteland

Now, if you’ve ever been to the Hayden Meadows area, you know what it’s all about: Big Box stores. There are no quaint stores or cute coffee shops to be overrun by the Arkansas giant. No – Hayden Meadows is actually a wasteland of EMPTY boxes and failed chain stores.

What I find ironic is the fact that Wal-Mart wants to be an environmental ally by…tearing down two buildings! It’s not clear if they have a plan for recycling the demolished materials, but I’m guessing they will quickly level the existing facilities and add the rubble to a nearby landfill. Even if they manage to reclaim the used concrete, the cost in terms of embodied energy is incredibly high.

A Better Plan

What I’d like to see is some serious design innovation. Could we integrate one of the existing buildings (heck, how about two of them?) into the new design? What about offering a road-map for new buildings that includes a strategy for decommission? Maybe we turn the old “boxes” into some sort of community attraction that brings visitors (and new customers) to this economically and aesthetically blighted region? Or, maybe, we figure out a way to bring nature back into these asphalt catastrophes. I don’t have the answer, but simply repeating the same idea (build a box, tear it down, build a box) seems like a huge waste of resources and opportunity.

The Dead Boxes

As part of the research for this article, I found a few sites with incredible imagery. Top of the list goes to the work by Brian Ulrich, who has produced “Ghosts of Shopping Past,” an amazing visual account of abandoned malls, shopping centers, and big box stores. Here are a few of the photos from his collection:

There’s a fantastic interview with Brian on the website The Morning News. Check it out, along with DeadMalls.com (a really ugly site with some interesting information).

Side Note: Personally, I’m all for converting these spaces into giant volleyball facilities where I can go play….but that’s just me.

Post photo: Wal-Mart in La Junta Colorado. Photo credit, Brave New films

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Picking the Right Roofer in Portland

Shawn — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:50:51 +0000

It rains in Portland. It rains a lot. If you own a home in Northwest Oregon, you know that Portland winters can be merciless on roofs. Just this last summer I spent a week of time on top of my house, repairing a really bad roofing job around my chimney.

What Makes for a Good Roofer

Most crews can handle the basics of 3-tab roofing installs. A nailer and a bundle of shingles isn’t rocket science. Where you start to separate the good from the bad comes in how the roofer handles the penetrations in the roof system – the chimneys, vent pipes, and (most importantly) the skylights.

Skylights are notorious for causing problems in roof systems. Poorly installed skylights cause countless issues with wet insulation, mold, damaged drywall, dry rot, and so forth. Most of us have seen the telltale signs of a bad install – stains around the perimeter or “downhill” from the skylight.

Roofing: The Devil in the Details

So, when you’re selecting a roofer it’s important you get someone who pays close attention to the details. Take the crew on the Live/Work project, for example. Here’s a detail of the flashing on the top side of the skylights:

See how the flashing directs the water away from the skylight? It’s cut nice and low, so it looks good, but still does the important job of keeping water away from the edges of the skylight frame.

A Great Roofing Crew

The roofers on this project, T-Mix Roofing of Portland, also went the extra mile on the shingle installation. Most roofers use 15# roofing felt, with shingles nailed on top. Todd’s crew first put down a butyl-rubber membrane, followed by a layer of 30# roofing felt, then a layer of shingles. We didn’t ask for this level of effort, but as Todd said, “the last thing I want is to be called back to a job.”

Moral of the story – the next time you’re looking to hire a roofing contractor, get into the details. Find out what underlayments they’ll use, the brand of shingles, how they’ll handle the flashing and venting, etc. Ask for references, and call on them. There are a lot of companies out there that do the fly-by-night routine, so take your time and find a reliable business.

Big Kudos to Todd and his crew for a job well done!

Post Script

In my effort to find a roofer for the Live/Work project, I called two businesses who didn’t return my calls. One roofing company had a big website filled with glowing customer testimonials; the other company came recommended by a contractor I know and respect. While it’s good to get into the details of a bid and experience, sometimes the “business basics” (like, RETURNING A PHONE CALL) are good indicators of the business’ attention to detail.

Portland Metal Roofs

Build it Small: Portland’s Harpoon House

Shawn — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:29:20 +0000

Last weekend I visited the Harpoon House in Portland’s Buckman neighborhood.

Owners Matt Kirkpatrick and Katherine Bovee were kind enough to show me around and talk about how their dream of a small home is growing into a reality. Some highlights include:

<500 sq. ft. footprint on 2500 sq. ft. of land.
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for a super-energy-efficient envelope.
Triple-pane windows.
Eco roof with no composition shingles!
No garage
Anticipated LEED certification

This is Matt’s first house as a designer, and it’s impressive to see the level of ambition for someone so new to the field. Even more remarkable is that the couple was able to pull off the purchase and financing in a decidedly un-friendly lending climate (When I asked Matt what the biggest hurdle was about building, he didn’t hesitate to reply, “the bank.”)

As the project moves forward, we’ll update with new developments and site walk-throughs. This is a great example of the growing “small house” trend and it will be interesting to see how closely this project meets the couple’s needs.

http://www.harpoonhouse.net/

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