Site Logo

Life of an Architect

  • Podcast
  • about me
  • Questions / Contact
  • F. A. Q.
  • Do you want to be an Architect?
  • Architecture Books+
You are here: Home / My Work / The Art of Residential Construction

The Art of Residential Construction

May 23, 2011 by Bob Borson 11 Comments

One of the neatest tricks about modern residential design is that everything looks so obvious, clean and organized … and it takes a lot of work and coordination to make things look easy.

I recently had a coordination meeting on site with the contractor, site superintendent, and the foreman for the HVAC company. Our task was to make sure that all the air conditioning registers were laid out where we wanted them and they looked like they were where they were supposed to be in relationship with all the other things going on in the ceiling

Complicated Ceiling Drawing

The ceiling plan above – what a cacophony of lines. This is a composite drawing that I put together so that all the information from different designers and consultants would show up in one place. The resulting drawing indicates the location of the following items:

  • Structural Steel Beams
  • Recessed Down Lights
  • AV equipment (speakers)
  • Linear Slot Diffusers
  • Rectangular Supply and Return Air Registers
  • Duct work pathways (approximated) and sizes
  • Location of HVAC equipment on the roof and it’s penetration spots

To provide some perspective, that drawing has about 1,650 square feet of space shown – the entire house has over 16,000 square feet. Consider locating over 800 light fixtures and 40+ speakers, making linear slot diffusers and rectangular supply and return air registers – all while missing structural beams and air conditioning duck work. Whew! It is enough to make your head explode and this is why you always provide construction observation!

Finding out that your light fixture spacing doesn’t work because there is a beam conflict is expensive if you make that discovery while actually hanging lights. One way that we coordinate all the installation items in a cost-effective manner is by marking the locations of everything on the floor with spray paint. This isn’t rocket science but it is good construction technique.

Art of Residential Construction

Straight Yellow Line – This is the symbol for a linear slot diffuser. See that leaf print in the concrete? It just worked out that way As a bonus, I had the contractor place a leaf in the concrete anticipating the creation of this post and ultimately this photograph. It’s just another example of how organized my brain is and how forward thinking I am. I do it all for you because I’m a giver.

Art of Residential Construction

White Circle and Gray Blob – in this instance, the white circle represents a speaker in the ceiling. The gray blob is the spray paint equivalent of an eraser.

Art of Residential Construction

Green Circle – in this photo, the green circle’s represent recessed down lights.

Art of Residential Construction

Straight Yellow Line with a Swoop – maybe you could guess?….. a slot diffuser and the swoop is the direction that we want the supply line to take.

Art of Residential Construction

Orange Lines and Swoops – the orange lines represent where we are bringing sheet rock up to the underside of the decking. We do this to control noise movement from room to room and to reduce the areas above the ceiling to conform with fire zone requirements per building codes.

Art of Residential Construction

Green Circle – recessed down light

Art of Residential Construction

.

Art of Residential Construction

Yellow Rectangle – ceiling mounted air register

Art of Residential Construction

Green Dot – recessed wall fixture … in this case a step light in a stairwell.

The entire house is covered in spray paint hieroglyphics as if some urban graffiti artist snuck in and tagged our project … but once you know the language and the intent, there is a story being played out on the floor. Most of our projects are not anywhere near this large or complicated so this is not a typical level of coordination. The intent and process on all of our projects is very similar – but a little more relative to their size and complexity levels. This is also an indication of pride, craft and coordination from the contractor, after all … it is their language. I am just an interpreter.

Try and gets some construction graffiti on to your project.

Happy spray painting!

Bob-AIA scale figure

even better stuff from Life of an Architect

The designation between House and Home
An Architect’s House – The Flood
Being an Architect is Hell ... My "New" House
Knoll Hardoy Butterfly Chairs
Mosaic tile: Modern House Detail
Do all architects lead glamorous lives?
Life of an Architect Playhouse Competition 2012 - Round One
056: Starting A Design Firm
Writing your resumé
My Favorite Color

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: My Work Tagged With: a day in the life, Architects, Construction Observation, Construction Process, contractors

Search Life of an Architect

Trending on Life of an Architect

Architectural Graphics 101 - Symbols
Architectural Graphics 101: Finish Schedules
Architectural Graphics 101 - Window Schedules
Ep 117: Graphic Matters
An Architect's Office
Architectural Graphics 101: Cover Sheet
Architectural Graphics 101 - Wall Types
Graphic Standards for Architectural Cabinetry
Do you want to be an Architect?
Graphic Standards - Part 2

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAndroidiHeartRadioby EmailTuneInRSS

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Apparel for Architects

T-Shirts for Architects - Bob Borson

Support for Advice or Guidance

Thanks!
Other Amount:
Project Reference or Support for Questions Answered:

My “Serious” Disclaimer

The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

Pages

  • Comment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Architecture Books+
  • about me
  • Questions?
  • F. A. Q.
  • Do you want to be an Architect?
  • Podcast

Life of an Architect | Bob Borson

  • View lifeofanarchitect’s profile on Facebook
  • View bobborson’s profile on Twitter
  • View bobborson’s profile on Instagram
  • View bborson’s profile on LinkedIn

Archives of Awesomeness

Copyright © 2023 Life of an Architect

 

Loading Comments...