BUT, don’t despair…we’re making important changes, all centered around the theme of giving this site a real home and new purpose. You might say it’s time to grow up.

The Past…

Nearly three years ago I began this site mostly as a way to help myself (and others) maintain a visual/written record of small-scale development in Portland. In that time I’ve been contacted by dozens of people from around the world – all interested in some aspect of the site. It’s been especially rewarding to help others avoid the pitfalls I’ve encountered along the way, and to learn about new and exciting trends and products in the building industry.

That said, I never intended Live/Work to be a “big deal”…but, strangely enough, it HAS become a big deal. At last count, we’ve had over 600 visitors per month, with folks arriving at the site from searches relating to everything from “concrete countertops” to “cement siding.” I’ve made new friends and learned about some amazing businesses as a result of this endeavor.

At the same time, I’ve realized Live/Work has its limitations. It’s very niche focus and has lost some momentum as my project stalled. I realized that I needed to expand the dialogue and bring in other interesting topics and areas of focus. The entrepreneur in me also sees an opportunity to expand the conversation…

The Future…

In the coming months I’ll be launching a new site that centers around the products, developments, and businesses working in and around Portland. The new site  will be a combination of both personal projects (like Live/Work) as well as topics relevant to development and building in the place I call home. For now, I’m keeping the focus of this new effort relatively broad. Here are some criteria for inclusion in the new site…

• Do you MAKE something in Portland or the surrounding area?
• Do you make something that has something to do with building design, sustainable development, interior design, construction, or related trades?
• Are you a craftsman (crafstwoman!)? Do you make things with your hands that are unique and memorable?
• Do you contribute to a larger dialogue on the use of space and design?
• Are you working in or around the “green building” revolution?

These are just some general guidelines and I’ll be refining the criteria in the coming weeks. Now is a GREAT time to get in, however, as the new site will be HUNGRY for CONTENT. If you’ve got a product or business that seems to fit this model, please contact me at s[at]shawnbusse[dot]com. I’m just now setting about the process of reviewing what will go in the new site.

But what if I don’t make stuff in Portland?

For those of you outside the Portland area, fear not! The new site (code name PDXBuilt) will feature projects and topics that relate to the main focus areas of the site – even if not directly in Portland proper. Examples might include…

• Businesses with practices that relate to or could affect development in Portland.
• Businesses or individuals who may not live here, but do important work here here (for example, Serious Windows makes a fantastic 3-pane window that is just now being offered through Portland distributor Medallion Industries.)
• People who are making GREAT THINGS that Portlanders could learn from. Chad’s 100k House is a great example of a project that’s built in Philadelphia, but that has great relevance in Portland and beyond.

As always, thanks for your continued support of Live/Work. Feel free to leave comments, send me an email, or simply check back when I announce the launch of the new site.

One of the “issues” we have in the pacific northwest is water intrusion. I recently removed some drywall in my home to reveal dry rot and mildew. The replacement window (installed sometime in the 80s, I’m guessing) had leaked.

Fine Homebuilding has a good article on “best practices” for installing a replacement window. Since I’ll be doing just that in a month or so, here’s a link to the story…

Seems like a great alternative to poured concrete or traditional brick. I’ll look into pricing to see what it might cost. One of the most exciting features of this product is that the “bricks” can be cut with standard woodworking tools. Anyone who’s ever used a brick saw knows what I’m talking about!

Did I mention these bricks are 1/3 the weight of traditional pavers? Hello deck!

Here’s how the math works out:

Removing 8 windows saves us a total of  $2400 in costs, plus another $500 in labor. It’s tough to give up the natural light, especially on the south side of the building. However, this is part of the reality of building. Windows are a major expense to any project, and we made the decision to go with fewer windows that were higher quality, rather than a lot of cheap-o vinyl windows. It’s part of my philosophy that we should strive for quality over quantity…even if it means going with “less” for a time.

Here’s a few images of how the building will look with the windows removed:

• Standard French doors are more energy efficient
• It would be easier to convert the lower level to a living space at some point in the future.
• It will help the appraisal – apprasers, lenders, and just about everyone else sees the roll-up door and thinks “Garage!” The French doors say, “house” which has a higher value

Here’s a few renderings:

As part of my never-ending quest to find affordable housing options, I stumbled across this interesting article in the New York Times. Here’s a brief excerpt:

Mr. Flueckiger chose to build with industrial materials in homage to the region’s history but also to prove that it was possible to create an affordable, durable house that was beautiful and interesting to live in. He began envisioning his design as an alternative to modernist prefabs, many of which sell for about $250 a square foot.

What I find most compelling about this case study is that it’s the first example of seemingly good design on a reasonable budget. While I’ve often admired the modern prefab movement, it’s refreshing to see what can happen when talented individuals apply building cost as part of the equation. The main problem with the modern prefab movement is that it’s still a largely bourgeoisie endeavor. It’s insulting to even think that $250 a square foot falls into the category of “affordable housing.” Hats off to Mr. Flueckiger!

Here’s a great guide to designing a rainscreen system. Kudos to the guys at Build Blog for assembling the info!

I’ve been working with a new builder to develop a more accurate budget for the ADU project. One element of the design that accounts for a HUGE percentage of the overall cost is the kitchen. And, in the kitchen, one of the of the most expensive elements is the countertops.

We’re not building an elaborate kitchen by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a modest space, about 100 square feet, with a standard set of cabinets and appliances. No Wolf stoves or crazy slide-out dishwashers.

Here’s a simple layout:

The blue areas represent where we’d go with solid-surface products (32 sq. ft./15.5 lineal ft.), while the yellow will be a custom laminate countertop.

To give you and idea of the cost of things, I just received a bid for quartz or granite countertops that was about $5600 installed. That’s CRAZY expensive ($175 a sq. ft). The home centers price it between $60-$90, so you can definitely get it for less.

Inhabitat recently did a brief writeup on alternatives Richlite and Paperstone, two paper-resin “green” alternatives. I’m guessing we’re still in the +$70 sq. ft. with these products, and perhaps as high as $100.

One option that’s a real budget-tamer is granite tiles. You can buy either 12×12 tiles or even pre-edged 18×26 tiles at a much lower price. Here’s an example of a local supplier who sells these sorts of tiles (The DIY Home Center). If you do the math, the tiles come in around $16 a square foot. Talk about a savings!