I haven't blogged in a while, so I thought I'd take a break from landscaping the house and putting together our kitchen to write something about the process of our house renovation (and it ain't done yet).
Something that an architect gets to do only a few times in their life, creating a residence for one's family is an act fraught with anxiety (financial, social), meaning (doing this was a goal we'd had as a married couple for a long while), and intimacy (collaborating with strangers to build the private space we inhabit).
It's also a polemical act, and represents a statement by the architect on what they believe to be possible or a priority when designing buildings. That's a topic fo another post.
(Above: Michelle testing out a future "wall" in our demolished second floor.)
So, it's been both a monotonous and exciting process, and I've learned a few nuggets:
1. It will take longer and be more expensive than you ever thought possible (a truism I already knew, but when applied to yourself it -wouldn't you know?- resonates more.
2. Open-minded people are everywhere. We have gotten so many positive "street reviews" of the house that I wish I could bottle it and drink when needed.
3. Complete drawings save so much time in the field. It reflects the truism that we architects like to spout that you don't save any money not hiring an architect. I couldn't have done this project without the upfront time spent creating our drawing set and details, and really thinking through the design to the extent that I did, regardless of the design "style." It's good to know that he process works - but so few people seem to give it any credit these days, in our retail society. It has been unbelievably fun to see the thing incrementally appear as it did in my head - an abstract complex design reified.
4. But...don't underestimate your contractor's ability to share in your vision and "fill in the blanks" where needed. Mike and Kent have admirably taken the baton and kept running.
(Mike Ayres of Sunset Construction siding the house.)
5. Don't underestimate the structural aspect of adding living space on the second level of a single-story house.
6. Try not to poison the relationship with your contractors. I've pulled back whenever I saw myself doing this, and have tried to be a good client. It's harder than you think! It's the small things that stick in people's craws, nickel-and-dime items. Big budget items are the places to cut when you are stretched.
Also, the more often you are at the site, the more connected you are to the daily process of getting the job done and thus typically the more sympathy you have for what the contractor is facing (intractable sub, difficult technical issue, sickness in the family, what have you).
7. Hire contractors who are personable and repectful. Thus far, our contractors have been (mostly) deferential, quiet and well behaved. You are putting your neighbors through your renovation with you, so pick people you like and that will do good pr. I didn't consciouly intend to do this, but have gotten good feedback from our neighbors and have determined it's rather important, especially when the design is something a little mind-stretching like ours (but no less contextual to Portland).
8. Living in the basement of a house without windows, heat, and a roof is not so much living as being cave-people. I should have got out my paints and gone all Lascaux on the walls.
(Note our espresso maker is hooked up - this is Portland after all)
9. But...having good friends to stay with in town while you renovate is a gift from above. Peter Martin and Carol and Sam Perrin deserve our ultra-gratitude.
10. Getting over the "hump" at 75% completion (waiting on inspections/subcontracors) is the most tedious part of the process, especially with the weather getting worse day by day.
Only time will tell if we get to everything we wanted and remain sane. But my final word of advice would be to try and enjoy the ride. Building is kind of fun in a narcotic sort of way. 
