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Chronicles of the Design & Construction of Two Waterfront Hurricane Proof Dry Stack Modular Green Custom Homes
1. Villa Lagoon, Wilder Italian Style Home
2. Nasello Italian Style Home
Set of basic, early floor plans for Phase II addition - Jan 07, 2006.
View PDF file here.
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We seem to be on the same page and progress on house plans should move foreword. My suggestion for the front stairs is to consider a front door level landing to the North with a seating height rail around it and wall-hugging stairs from the door to the ground to the South. Basically we are looking at about 2,800 sq ft of heated / cooled space. Ted still needs to configure the bathrooms, closets, HVAC & hot water tank area, and general closets (something I lack in our Phase II).
Garage entrance will be on North face of the building. Porches and Living room area to the South.
One question is insurance. Ever since the recent bad storms, the insurance companies seem to be much more resistant to write general homeowners as close to the water as I want this Phase II to be, and the original building is. The insurance agent, has suggested that the two buildings might have to be connected for him to be able to get insurance for the new part. I am hoping that this is not the case, but if it is, we will do what we have to for compliance, even if it is what I consider to be a temporary connection. The agent is convinced that the DAC-ART building materials are so storm resistant that distance from Little Lagoon should not be an issue, but he may have to do some work-arounds due to blanket rules. Our new Post-Katrina flood zone is called Zone X... sounds intense.
It is now November.
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The taller part of the house has gotten a re-design making the center windows a decorative panel instead of a real window on three sides. Ted sent this drawing back in May. It will make furniture placement in the bedroom a lot easier. But, it is going to mean that I will be paying for some fancy custom molds. May 20, 2024 plans are here in .pdf format. (not final plans) |
It is now March 2007.
I realize that most people who make the decision to build will move much faster thru the planning process. Since my architect has many other projects he is working on, and the fact that he tended to 'back-burner' my plans was not a problem. The extra time gave me the opportunity to save up more money and my personal life was full of many time-consuming changes during this time. But now it is push, push, push to get this built in 2007.
I have hired Dan Zehentner, who has built 3 houses for my good friends Becky and Warren Gottseegen. When people are so happy with their builder that they re-hire him for future projects, you know it is a good recommendation. Dan likes unusual projects and I think he will be a great fit for this DAC-ART house project.
Yesterday we had a meeting w/ me , Dan and our engineer , Anil Badve. Anil has worked on several DAC-ART projects. It seems that the local building regulations have really tightened up since the construction of our 600 ft² building. Dan says that now, the building inspectors require several different 'official' surveys to be done during construction. This is going to cost about 4 times what survey work cost the first time.
I am bugging Ted to get on with finishing the plans. He thinks we have enough to get a permit, but Dan and I don't want to start this project with out fully understanding how it will all come together. Ted has a lot going on, many projects underway, so it may just be the 'squeaky wheel' that gets oiled. Because of the post hurricane GoZone tax incentives, my project needs to be built in 2007.
April 04, 2025 Update.
Drawings arrived by email last night. Wall section pages should be ready in a day or two I was told. This is good, moving closer to final plans.
April 04, 2025
See this in-progress set of house plans here in PDF format
Old Copper Lanterns
Meanwhile, I have been watching eBay for some nice lanterns for the exterior of the house. I found someone selling 4 matching copper exterior lanterns that had come off a home in Winter Park, FL. He was offering them in two sets of two. He had misspelled the words in the auction title so not too many people had found his auction I believe. Also, he listed them as 'tin'. I emailed him privately and asked for a very large photo which he sent. I wrote and asked him if he was sure they were tin to which he replied that he tested them and they were non-magnetic responding. I bid on both sets and got all four for under $200.
The 4 lanterns arrived today. He had done an excellent job of packing them and no glass was broken. I am not sure exactly where I will use these. I figure I need 8 exterior lights. Two on either side of the garage door, two for entrance, and two for each side of the doors to the porches to the South.
I have also been corresponding with someone in FL who has a large number of new exterior light fixtures and interior sconces to sell, he is suppose to get back to me with a price and some idea of freight.
Move on to the next steps along the way
Villa Lagoon Tile
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Original WebsiteVilla Lagoon Phase I completed in 2003 | New Website-2007-2009Phase II North Elevation w/ Frieze |