Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology /Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center (the Center is a joint effort of MIT and Italian oil company ENI) unveiled one of their latest breakthroughs in solar technology, a solar cell printed on coated paper.  Though only 1-2%  efficient and years away from commercial viablility, the paper solar cell points towards a not-so-distant future of lightweight, lower cost solar cells that could be installed by a homeowner instead of the current heavy metal framed panels that must be installed by professionals.  Read more in the CNET article here.

Until the day you can buy a roll of solar paper at Home Depot (good luck finding what aisle that would be in), try the folks here in Seattle at Solar Epiphany. Tell Eric we sent you!

From the “Do we really need that” category comes the lastest in door knobs… from Seattle’s own ModKnobs comes the hockey puck doorknob. Maybe you know a Canadian homeowner that wants to bask in that Winter Olympics glory every time they open that bathroom door?  Well, this knob is for you.  A bit spendy, but less than a ticket to a gold medal Hockey Game.

Seattle’s DPD is putting out a call to homeowners to legalize their existing, unauthorized backyard cottages without penalty before June 30, 2010.  Owners can apply for a building permit up until June 30, and have until December 31, 2010 to obtain the final inspection of the unit.  There will be no penalties for owners that take advantage of this grace period.  The fine for having an illegal backyard dwelling unit could entail per-day penalties and a one-time penalty of $5,000.
Usually, only floor plans would be needed for this type of permit application.  Permit fees will vary with the size of the backyard cottage.  Read the City’s Client Assistance Memo 116B for more information regarding requirements for backyard cottages.  The city council passed an ordinance on December 4th, 2009 to allow backyard cottages (DADU’s) in all of Seattle.  Previously, they had only been allowed in SE Seattle during a two-year pilot project.   They also have lots of useful information on their Backyard Cottage website.

Feel free to contact us for any help with navigating the often tricky waters of permitting your project with Seattle’s DPD.   We are currently working with clients in Ballard on a new backyard cottage that will be under construction this Summer.

If you are thinking of remodeling or adding onto your home this year, and taking advantage of idle contractors,  the Seattle Remodeling Expo is a good place to compare windows, doors, cabinets, appliances, flooring etc.  It’s all under one roof and you can come back a 2nd day on one ticket. The show runs Friday January 15th to Sunday January 17th at the Washington State Convention Center and is open until 9pm Friday and Saturday and closes Sunday at 7pm. The entry fee is $6 (check the Seattle Times for a discount coupon).  Kids under 18 free.  You might have to wade (literally?) through the hot tub exhibits to find the stuff actually applicable to your remodel, but the one-stop shopping aspect is worth it.
Be wary of contractors/vendors you find here though – I’ve had clients find what they thought was a great cabinet vendor at the show only to have their kitchen remodel turn into a nightmare due to this vendor. You still need to check their references and hear from some past clients.  Word of mouth referrals are still better than taking a chance with someone that talks a good talk.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, and go early on a weekday if you can. Breaking it into two days might even be better – take a quick walk through everything, then come back with a list of certain manufacturers/products to investigate.  Happy Remodeling Expo-apalooza!

After a several year test period in southeast Seattle (south of I-90 and East of _I5), the City Council on Nov. 2^nd unanimously approved an ordinance to allow backyard cottages to be built in all of Seattle.

Backyard cottages, formerly known by the not-so-friendly-sounding term DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit) have been championed by many homeowners, local politicians, architects, and urban planners as a way to increase density in our city and also give homeowners extra income to allow them to afford high mortgages and property taxes.  One homeowner is quoted by the City as describing a backyard cottage as a “mother-in-law unit with a little more breathing room”.  

Of course, there are limits to where backyard cottages can go:  in the backyard, obviously, and your lot will need to be 4000 sf or larger.  And you can’t only have a backyard cottage if there already is an attached mother-in-law (ADU) unit in your house at present.  Continue reading ‘Coming Soon: Backyard Cottages in Seattle’

Here’s a story from the Seattle Times about houses vs. trees – specifically, cutting and moving some street trees in order to move two old houses slated for demolition.  In the photo from the paper is Jeff McChord of Nickel Brothers house movers.  I’ve had the pleasure to work with Jeff on several house move projects, and find him to be truly interested in saving old homes from the wrecking ball and thus preserving a little more of our historical urban fabric.  Yes, I’m a bit prejudiced here on the side of house moving, but not because it might land me a job… I think it’s an amazing opportunity in our throw-away society to save resources and community history at the same time.  What do you think?

Last Fall the Seattle City Council approved some changes to the Single Family Land Use Code (aka Zoning) that affect what many of my clients are able to do with their addition and remodel projects.  It was signed into effect by the Mayor in October and can be found here.  The section of the land use code  (chapter 23 of the Municipal Code) affected can be found here.

So what impact does it have on a single family home owner looking to add on to their abode?  The biggest change is in the lot coverage allowance.  Your house, porch, decks (depending on height above grade), eaves, and garages all count toward this “lot coverage“.  Previously, the code allowed 35% of the lot, or 1750 sf, whichever was greater, to be “covered” with house/deck/etc.  The new zoning is the same for lots over 5,000 sf, or 35% of the lot.  So a 5,000 sf lot would be allowed 1,750 sf.   If the lot is under 5,000 sf though, as many are, there is less coverage allowed.  The new formula allows for 1,000 sf + 15% of the lot area.  So for a 4,000 sf lot it would be 1,000 sf + (4000x.15) or 600 sf, or 1600 sf.  That’s 150 sf less than under the old code.  I’ve created a short table below showing the difference in the old and new zoning codes as related to allowable lot coverage.

While that’s a bummer for homeowners looking to expand, the code also changed how decks and eaves factor into the lot coverage. It used to be any deck over 18″ above the ground counted as lot coverage; the new code only counts decks above 36″ or higher.

And roof eaves longer than 18″ used to count towards lot coverage also, making the defacto eave on most new houses a measly 18″.  The new code allows for a whopping 36″ of eave to not count toward lot coverage.  This is good news for owners of Craftsman Bungalows and their typical 24-32″ overhanging eaves.  I can’t emphasize enough the importance of a decent eave overhang in our rainy climate; keeping water off your wall and windows extends the life of the paint, wall, window, and house itself.   Much of the new “modern” home architecture sprouting up around Seattle has done away with this important roof overhang, meaning the materials and workmanship must bear the brunt of the weather and water.

There are many other tweaks in the single family zoning code, including removing the corner lot bonus for calculating lot coverage, as well as the height-limit averaging provision.   Peaked (or gabled) roofs now must be at a 4:12 slope (instead of 3:12) if they are above the 30′ base height limit (with a maximum of 35′).  There are changes relating to detached garages also.  I haven’t found an easy-to-decipher list of all the changes, so I’d recommend hiring a design professional to help you if you want to know how the new zoning code might affect your addition or remodel project.

From Studio DEC. That’s Intern Elf Shawn and Santa Dan.

Things are slowing down all across our economy, and residential building and remodeling is no exception. If you have the money or credit for a remodel or addition to your house, 2009 might bring lower bids from contractors, lower material prices, and much better scheduling for contractors and tradespeople that have been booked solid in years past.