building (454)

In-laws, Outlaws, and Granny Flats: Your Guide to Turning One House into Two Homes

June 29, 2011 at 6:08 pm

I’m about to write a review of this great new book by Mike Litchfield. In the interim, check out Mike’s website Cozy Digz for photos from the book: 

Also click on “Cool Stuff” in the left hand column for small house appliances. fixtures, and hardware.

Mike is a former editor of Fine Homebuilding, and author of the best-selling encyclopedic Taunton book, Renovation.

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Builders of Pacific Coast in Korean

June 27, 2011 at 3:51 pm

We just received 3 copies of the Korean translation of Builders of the Pacific Coast by Dosol Publishing company, who did a Korean translation of Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter a few years ago.

With both books, they didn’t just substitute Korean for English, they completely re-designed each book, and it’s great to see their interpretation. These people on the other side of the world appreciating the carpenters of British Columbia…Small world indeed.

(Our book Stretching is in 23 languages.)

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Alt. Build Blog: An Exploration of Alternative Building Techniques and Design Ideas

June 14, 2011 at 2:27 am

“This artistic and colorful fence is in the arts district in Silver City, New Mexico. Part of the fence appears to be from an old stamped metal ceiling.…”

This is a great blog. I love the stuff shown in this series of posts: https://altbuildblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-on-fences.html#more

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Graphic Guide to Frame Construction by Rob Thallon

June 6, 2011 at 3:35 pm

Rob Thallon was a contributor to our book Shelter II in 1978, and has gone on to produce this great guide to wood frame construction. It’s got 100s of clear drawings, from foundations to roofs. Another book on the subject which has received good reviews is Ultimate Guide to House Framing: Plan, Design, Build, by John D. Wagner.

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Officials say man must tear down ‘Phonehenge’ house in L. A.

May 31, 2011 at 9:56 pm

“Los Angeles county officials are demanding that a creative homeowner tear down a 20,000-square-foot domicile he calls “Phonehenge West”–or face up to seven years in jail.

Former telephone technician Alan Kimble Fahey began building the structure three decades ago in Acton, the Los Angeles Times reports. Fahey, who christened the project “Phonehenge” because it sits atop pilings modified from phone utility poles, says he intends to turn the compound into a museum.

The labyrinthine network of buildings where Fahey, his wife, and teenage son live even includes a 70-foot tower covered in Italian stained-glass windows, and a barn. Fahey uses a “motorized cart” to get between buildings, an earlier report said.…”

Post on The Lookout News blog by Liz Goodwin:

https://news.yahoo.com/bloggers/liz-goodwin;_ylt=AtIvEsiBbHxH3mQRbfAltBKYx8Z_;_ylu=X3oDMTE4NjE1b2VlBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9oZWFkZXIEc2xrA2xpemdvb2R3aW4-

Sent us by Paul Adam Brown

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500\′ cable ride across river to Louie’s house

May 21, 2011 at 12:53 pm

I shot this with my GoPro Helmet Hero camera a couple of months ago on a winter evening. You climb up 30 feet to a platform, hook a bosun’s chair on to the cable, and let gravity zing you across the river to Louie’s house in Northern California It’s an ingenious device and Louie has been using it for over 40 years. The first time I did it, I was petrified, but I’ve become accustomed to it and look forward to each trip. Way fun! To get back, there’s another platform and another cable on the other side.

Louie’s a good cook and was making us clam pasta when I arrived. After dinner, along with his home-made Zinfandel, I rode the other cable back across the river in the foggy blackness of night, with a headlight. Hurtling out into the foggy darkness, scary, but coming into the landing platform on the other side, what a relief!

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