As a residential architect specializing in the shingle style, I have decided to try and design an architecturally “A+” 2100 (amended to 2721 sqft) square foot house to make available to the masses for a low cost compared to my one off designs for full service fees. The style will be Neo-New England vernacular design; very simple and boxy to save money, analogous to a traditional cape or colonial, but putting a focus on architectural design and material quality rather than traditional fluff.
Ahh, there is a concrete block 4 square a few streets away from my house - a real unusual house with exposed beveled edge foundation block used all the way up. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it for you.
The CMU wall could be load bearing but you are still constructing a 2x4 frame inside to provide for insulation so it is a redundant system (the 2x4/2x6 wall could do both things). You also have the non-standard construction detailing of how the floors would be hung from the CMU walls (ledger boards? A full wood frame inside the CMU box?).
Given those constructibility issues why not build a standard stick framed wall with a simple non-load bearing brick veneer? The brick will have more appeal than the CMU and may be less expensive of a system.
Cut a wall section and look at the assembly. Maybe with some thought the CMU concept could be streamlined. Meeting energy codes, the custom jamb extensions, how to brace the walls as they go up, how the floor system bears down to the foundation... They are sound like non-standard details that are going to cost more.
I agree that the Old Virginia brick will be expensive but some research might turn up something good looking and inexpensive. I;m not sure you are going to be able to control what home owners are going to use (think white washed bricks...). I guess that is another risk with the CMU.
Maybe you need to embrace your initial problem statement and make it simpler and "modern" to allow for more freedom in material selection. Ditch the traditional roof and brackets, the crown moldings and layers of trim details.
5 comments:
Ahh, there is a concrete block 4 square a few streets away from my house - a real unusual house with exposed beveled edge foundation block used all the way up. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it for you.
thank you!
I just find myself asking why not brick?
The CMU wall could be load bearing but you are still constructing a 2x4 frame inside to provide for insulation so it is a redundant system (the 2x4/2x6 wall could do both things). You also have the non-standard construction detailing of how the floors would be hung from the CMU walls (ledger boards? A full wood frame inside the CMU box?).
Given those constructibility issues why not build a standard stick framed wall with a simple non-load bearing brick veneer? The brick will have more appeal than the CMU and may be less expensive of a system.
Dave,
I would love to have brick...but I would think it would be 3x the cost of cmu considering the material cost and labor...no?
Dave
Cut a wall section and look at the assembly. Maybe with some thought the CMU concept could be streamlined. Meeting energy codes, the custom jamb extensions, how to brace the walls as they go up, how the floor system bears down to the foundation... They are sound like non-standard details that are going to cost more.
I agree that the Old Virginia brick will be expensive but some research might turn up something good looking and inexpensive. I;m not sure you are going to be able to control what home owners are going to use (think white washed bricks...). I guess that is another risk with the CMU.
Maybe you need to embrace your initial problem statement and make it simpler and "modern" to allow for more freedom in material selection. Ditch the traditional roof and brackets, the crown moldings and layers of trim details.
The SanD iego firm Public comes to mind:
http://www.publicdigital.com/projects/Smith/smith-1-big.jpg
http://www.publicdigital.com/projects/Baltazar%20Residence/baltazar%2009.jpg
http://www.publicdigital.com/projects/Fobes/fobes%2011.jpg
http://www.publicdigital.com/projects/Fobes/fobes%2006.jpg
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