Building in Palmetto Bluff: Steps to Permitting & Site Prep
This is the story of how we started our new build in Palmetto Bluff, from issuing the Approved Permit Plan Set through to beginning the build by our construction team, Simplified Construction. Mid 2020, when the pandemic was wreaking its worst, my wife and I purchased the land behind our home in Moreland Village, within […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff – Understanding How Design Influences Lumber Costs
Begin a conversation around building a home for a potential client, and one of the first questions will be, “How much will it cost?” Now is not the time to ask such a question as during the interview phase of talking to prospective builders. Costs will be approximate and not anything a builder can commit […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: Applying New FEMA Flood Requirements to Design
Living in the lowcountry involves recognizing that your home will need elevating if you are anywhere near saltwater, as storm related flooding can be a real possibility. The height of that required elevation is derived from 3 factors: Flood Datum FEMA Flood Zone (or Base Food Elevation) where your land resides (e.g. AE13) Statutory freeboard […]
Renovating in Charleston: A Primer on Restoring a Limewash Exterior
Type “limewash Charleston SC” into any browser, and your search results will undoubtedly deliver multiple pages featuring our downtown home and office at 95 Broad Street. The bright orange edifice of this historic building, known to local historians as The Major Peter Bocquet House, is the backdrop for many an artist’s rendition or a bride’s […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: A Custom Home Completed and a Tally of Costs
Every project has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and our custom build project in Palmetto Bluff, in Bluffton, SC, is no exception. From the trepidation of launching into an unknown start, to the adrenalin of the building going vertical, the long slog of construction, and on through trim and painting to when the interior […]
Charleston SC: An Affordable Housing Project Begins in Union Heights
These uncertain times push us all to consider just how we spend our days and to see our neighbors in a kinder light. Times are scary, and this post is the start of our story of how we are trying to help. I once watched a great TED Talk by Rev. Bill Stanfield of Metanoia. His premise […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: Staying Cool in a Steamy Southern Climate
As our custom build in Palmetto Bluff will be our primary residence, it is not an unreasonable goal to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. In the mild climate of the lowcountry, warmth in the winter is not often hard to achieve, but when it comes to achieving cool in the […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: A Look Back at Construction Timeline and Costs
Our build at Palmetto Bluff is now in its final week or so. We will update with a final blog on the finished home, but until then, I thought it would be useful to use this space to reflect on the process, those things that went well and what we could improve on. This has […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: Flooring that Evokes A Historical Feel
At 4800 square foot of heated and cooled space, our custom build at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC requires a lot of flooring. When planning how we want the look and feel of the home to be, the choices we make in a building are always a balance between cost and personal preference. As this […]
Building in Palmetto Bluff: Tips to Prevent Water Intrusion
Every house in the South worth its salt has to have an outside space. Code says that if that outside space is elevated, it needs a functional railing. Yet how many times have you seen railings begin to rot and disintegrate after only a few years? What separates a good builder from the crowd is […]
