Does your firm stock your preferred sketching pens, or do you have to supply your own? How violently frustrated do you become when your last good pen dies and it's 5-1/2 hours until you can get to the art supplies store for more of them?
Feb 21, 20 2:51 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
ummm... my office stocks all sorts of pens. I only use the pilot felt-tipped and I must remove the sticker or else it's pure hot garbage. Besides that, I supply my fountain pens and ink but will expense my duel-tipped markers.
Feb 21, 20 2:56 pm ·
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atelier nobody
I work in an engineer-led company where architecture is the red-headed stepchild. We finally got them to start stocking rolls of bum wad, and I saw this week that the glues sticks I requested over a year ago are finally here.
Feb 21, 20 3:22 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
maybe it's time to start looking for a better office.
Feb 21, 20 3:28 pm ·
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atelier nobody
Believe it or not, I actually really love this job, despite the frustrating bits. It's the first job I've had in a 24-year career where I've felt my particular strengths are fully appreciated, even if the projects I get to apply them to probably aren't going to make it on any magazine covers.
Feb 21, 20 3:54 pm ·
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archanonymous
We get anything we want short of microns. They don't stock any trace though.... Vellum only.
Today I had one of the worst professional days I’ve ever had, culminating in spending TWO HOURS answering an RFI on ind foot, because rather than have a desk set of drawings and specs I had to chase everything down on a server or in the cloud. Contemporary office practice just completely sucks.
I also spent a not totally insignificant amount of time today changing the word “ducking” to the correct fucking in texts to my support system. Damn autocorrect.
What do the esteemed architects of Thread Central think about using 12mm acrylic solid surface as a floor in a residential bathroom? Coefficient of slip resistance looks/ feels fine and I like the idea of no grout joints to ever clean, and a continuous impermeable connection to some solid surface wainscoating... (this is for my own house)
Feb 25, 20 10:05 am ·
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OddArchitect
Interesting. I wonder if it would be hard enough. Also how would you account for the reduction in size with with the bonding process? I'm thinking of around the perimeter of the room.
Feb 25, 20 10:14 am ·
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archanonymous
There's a document from Dupont about hard-seaming in Corian and thermal expansion/ structural movement.... It seems like if you use a thicker silicone adhesive bead and have a small room, you can get away with hard-seaming wall/wall and wall/floor corners. How awesome would it be to just be able to spray down your entire bathroom with no regard for getting finishes wet or cleaning grout?
Feb 25, 20 11:27 am ·
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axonapoplectic
I wonder what the cost comparison is between that and an old school terrazzo floor.
Feb 25, 20 11:42 am ·
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proto
we've done it as wall panels turning to tub deck to apron for a large alcove tub. sizing vs thermal expansion vs corners wasn't problematic. I'm curious on the durability as a floor surface too...please update us on progress
"Linoleum can be susceptible to moisture and isn’t recommended for installation in bathrooms, laundry rooms or other areas that may have spills, splashes and high humidity. Below-grade basements should be dry and free of any history of leaks or water damage."
Feb 25, 20 1:06 pm ·
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atelier nobody
I'd use a fluid-applied, monolithic with integral cove base. Pros: Will last forever and never leak. Con: Kind of a bitch to remove if you ever decide to change it.
Like others, I wouldn't expect it to wear well as a floor finish. It can get pretty scratched up as a countertop ... it would be worse as a floor. You could take the concept to 11 and use Altro Whiterock on the walls that gets welded to one of their flooring options. Tnemec also has a reinforced seamless wall protection and I think it can be integrated with a floor finish like atelier nobody recommends. Your bathroom could be as clean as an operating room if you wanted it to be.
But more realistically, if you're looking for a seamless floor, Miles called it. You could also look at a rubber sheet with heat-welded seams. I would just go with a large format tile though. Minimize the amount joints and use a high performance polymer-modified grout ... or epoxy grout if you feel it's necessary.
Interesting. I was waiting to see if the posts would be removed and they stuck around until today, March 4, when I flagged them myself. They were removed quite quickly after that.
Archinect relies on all of us to flag the spam so it can be removed. Calling attention to it alone is not enough ... you gotta flag it.
21. Owner agrees to have project re-bid according to contractor's suggested change. For the record, the design team suggested this change 8 months ago and in 3 additional budget estimates before the bid documents were completed. The suggestion was rejected by the Owner each time.
lol.. hate that. And that is why I prepare the mtg minutes. So instead of 'suggested 8 months ago', I can snipe and refer to mtg minutes 3,4, and 6 for previous client direction. Then follow with a add service when post cd's they ask for the change 'to align with budget' wanting it for free now.
Mar 2, 20 10:36 am ·
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citizen
Mightyaa points out the power of the historian (i.e., note-taker). Even if people don't agree, it helps to have these things memorialized as part of the longer record.
Mar 2, 20 11:10 am ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
Yep, when they balk at the additional fees, you can point to the previous meeting minutes, and then fire them.
question... how many here use the "@" symbol in drawing notes instead of "AT"?
I find it makes my drawings look like they were written by a 12 year old texting. Who'se with me? Anyways, I always kill the @ with fire when I see them but there is always a few wankers who refuse to understand and still use it.
Mar 3, 20 10:08 am ·
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mightyaa
I do...Example: 2x6 @ 16" o.c. TYP. Pretty normal.
I do as well, just not in drawing titles, I use "at" lower case.
Mar 3, 20 11:06 am ·
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Non Sequitur
Miles, mm is an acceptable standard in non-yankee territory. You don't win any favours with the GC tho if you write shit dimensions like 2278 x 3247mm or something like that but I'll make the effort to give useful dimensions that end in 0 or 5 for convenience. Some folks in the office don't care and will just send out instructions with nonsense dims. Still better than feet and inches. Not my fault you guys got left behind. 8-)
Mar 3, 20 11:07 am ·
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Wood Guy
I agree, Non. In fact, I go one step further and just use a comma: "2x6, 24" o.c.". Neither "at" or "@" add clarity in most cases, in my opinion. When I do have to write "at," I write "at."
Mar 3, 20 11:14 am ·
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tduds
We use @ quite a lot. "..@ 24" O.C." is the common example but also for drawing titles ("PARAPET @ WEST WALL" etc). My old firm had a big back & forth about "@" vs "at" and we settled on "at" but the issue was more about consistency across documents than one being better than the other.
I don't have an issue with it in the drawings. Whatever you use, be consistent. FYI, The US NCS shows it as a symbol and you can find it in various annotation examples in the modules.
Don't bring it into the specs though. I'll kill it with fire if I see it there. CSI's stance is, "Symbols as substitutes for words or terms should be avoided."
Mar 3, 20 2:33 pm ·
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mightyaa
lol NS. That reminded me of a joke we had going on a jobsite. We harassed a young mason... "what is hashtag felt?" (15# felt) They had no idea # equals "pound" or "number" as in #4's @ 12"o.c. vert. So throughout the project we'd say things like "just stick some hashtag 5's in there and call it good." Old guys are easy to amuse.
Mar 3, 20 3:06 pm ·
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Almosthip7
I get yelled at by my structural guy if I don't use a lower case x for sizing, ie: 38x140
Mar 3, 20 5:56 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
^ueah, i’d get pretty snippy if I saw Uppercase X in sizing notes.
Mar 3, 20 6:59 pm ·
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curtkram
I like the @ sign. looks kind of like a flower. we should not abbreviate with to w/ though.
Mar 3, 20 8:21 pm ·
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Wilma Buttfit
Talk to me about OC or O.C. though cause I need to know.
Mar 4, 20 9:43 am ·
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OddArchitect
It's lower case 'x' in sizing notes or GTFO!
Mar 4, 20 9:53 am ·
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senjohnblutarsky
Yeah... this putting periods in abbreviations that can't be confused with other words needs to be addressed. I'm trying to beat this into the people in my office. Quit with the periods. And if you use an abbreviation, it better be on the damn legend. And if you abbreviate a four letter word with a three letter replacement... we're going to have issues. Also, the @ sign prints as a blob on some printers. "AT" for clarity.
Are we talking drawing notes *on* the drawing, i.e. text floating around graphics with arrows, or are we talking a numerical drawing note system with floating numbers only pointing to the graphics and a list on the side of the sheet?
Mar 4, 20 11:21 am ·
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Non Sequitur
Donna, both? I don't know, I hate having a separate list of notes with only numbers pointing to things. Just an extra step for the GC to do. I write all my stuff directly on the sheets. If I need more room, then I'll do a 1:10 detail... or a 1:5 (my new standard) and in rare occasions, a 1:2.
Mar 4, 20 11:28 am ·
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gibbost
These conversations always make me smile. Architects have one single thing to call our own--our drawings. The owner gets a building out of the deal and the contractor gets to actually build it, but dammit we have our blueprints! As such, we are all so particular about methodology and standards. There will always be another way to do it, but--as pointed out above--as long as you're consistent with nomenclature within your set
, you'll be fine. Rage on!
Mar 4, 20 12:15 pm ·
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tduds
Numerical notes for floorplans & elevations. Callouts on enlarged plans, sections, and details.
Mar 4, 20 1:31 pm ·
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atelier nobody
1. I'm glad y'all have the luxury of concerning yourselves with these things, while I'm over here redlining drawings that make my 7th grade drafting homework look like masterpieces.
2. I'm OK with "@"
3. We have one client that uses metric, and I can't seem to convince anyone else in the department that "58689mm" is not an appropriate way to dimension a 1:100 drawing.
4. Absolutely lower case "x" for sizing.
5. Abbreviations either need to ALL use periods, or NONE (except for abbreviations that can be confused with words, h/t Bluto) - it's when they're inconsistent that I get my underwear in a bunch.
6. I'm with NS on hating numerical keynotes, but it seems to be pretty much the standard these days. I'm trying to gently steer my current kids away from them, but it's an uphill fight (especially since drawings rarely come to me for checking more than a couple days before they're due to go out).
7. I'm so frustrated with the current drawings I'm looking at, that I needed a break long enough to write all of this.
Mar 4, 20 2:32 pm ·
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OddArchitect
We only use keynotes in 1/8" scale floor plans. No punctuation on any part of the drawings, including keynotes and general notes. We're still up in the air on using @ and & symbols, one partner says no, one says yest, the other says maybe.
Mar 4, 20 2:38 pm ·
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tduds
I don't have strong opinions about which standards to use but I have *extremely* strong opinions about strictly adhering to the standard once it's been decided. Consistency is the only thing that matters.
Mar 4, 20 2:39 pm ·
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citizen
++ gibbost re: our craft and its nomenclature, and our understandable fussiness and care.
++ atelier nobody re: the nearly horrifying decline in drawing standards. I have occasion to see many different offices' sets, and I'd prefer looking at 7th grade drafting homework, too. And the kids may wanna "okay, boomer" me, but here goes: in general, the drawing quality coming from architects is better than that coming from designers.
Mar 4, 20 6:13 pm ·
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mightyaa
I'm with you citizen; One of contracts is doing the architectural reviews & recommendations for a couple high end communities. I regularly have to reject 'designer' submittals that aren't even up to grade school homework doodles of "my house".
Mar 4, 20 7:10 pm ·
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citizen
^ If feel you, mightyaa. "You mean we need a north arrow AND dimensions to property lines on the site plan?"
Mar 4, 20 7:25 pm ·
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SneakyPete
numerical keynotes were a great way to make sure you avoided writing notes that disagreed with each other. BIM makes that unnecessary. Write it on the sheet, it'll be one less cross-reference for people reading them to fuck up.
Mar 4, 20 7:29 pm ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
I like keynoting systems that correlate to specification sections. Like this;
Mar 4, 20 9:43 pm ·
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Almosthip7
I use revit’s keynote feature but use text in place of the spec number. Makes for fast annotations that are accurate
Mar 4, 20 10:12 pm ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
Almost that's what I used above.
Mar 4, 20 10:16 pm ·
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archi_dude
I think if the mentoring process was reversed, as in recent grads help with CA, drafting RFI responses, comparing submittals to the specs and work their way backward to the design phase. The understanding of implications of bad drawings and silly designs would be fully understood because they've witnessed how hard it can make their jobs.
Mar 4, 20 10:21 pm ·
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Almosthip7
B3.....I don’t schedule it. I use a custom tag and label my elevations/wall section properly with a texted based keynote
Mar 4, 20 10:37 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
I had the same discussion with another fellow architect last night, over several pints of Guinness.
Mar 5, 20 9:11 am ·
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mightyaa
@citizen... here's one. This is a designer submission.... addition to a $3million dollar house. I can't even tell wtf they are proposing.
Mar 5, 20 9:44 am ·
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OddArchitect
Almosthip7 - a text base keynote - so text with a leader? We use keynotes on plans 1/8" and below with the CSI division similar to what b3ta posted.
Mar 5, 20 9:48 am ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
I knew I liked Chad, even if he hates Skinny Puppy.
Mar 5, 20 10:39 am ·
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Almosthip7
Chad - yes and automatic keynote, but is text with leader.
Mar 5, 20 10:52 am ·
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Almosthip7
I use a plug-in Keynote Manager. Makes changes really easy
Mar 5, 20 10:53 am ·
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OddArchitect
b3ta - who / what is Skinny Puppy? Don't say an underweight newborn dog.
Mar 5, 20 10:57 am ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
Yeah, the plug in is really necessary when you have a larger office and multiple project members are adding to keynotes.
Mar 5, 20 11:04 am ·
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Almosthip7
I like Skinny Puppy, but Im Canadian and
feel like I just aged myself
Mar 5, 20 11:21 am ·
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citizen
Okay, mightyaa, you win (or lose), LOL. I friggin love that they made sure to indicate the fake quoins.
This is a technological issue, btw. Easy-to-use 3D modeling programs have given us this.
Mar 5, 20 11:23 am ·
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tduds
Snarky Puppy > Skinny Puppy
Mar 5, 20 11:40 am ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
Um, no.
Mar 6, 20 4:44 am ·
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tduds
Ok but... yes.
Mar 6, 20 1:00 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
ok... but still kill it with fire
Mar 6, 20 1:22 pm ·
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OddArchitect
I'm so confused by the comments above. Damn Canadians. ;)
The gov just asked to shut down all bars... on st-patty day. So I just went out and bough a bunch of guinness cans for the office. We'll have our own frothy pint inside instead.
Mar 17, 20 10:53 am ·
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OddArchitect
The Dropkick Murphy's are live streaming a free concert tonight.
Oh and Colorado has closed all it's bars and restaurants for everything except deliver and take out. No word on the dispensarys'.
I'm ordering takeout from the local Irish bar for tonight - trying to keep my local restaurants in business!
Mar 17, 20 2:33 pm ·
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threeohdoor
All restaurants, bars, etc in NYC are either shutting down or moving to take-out/carry-out only. Many are doing this for the first time and have set up their own basic payment systems online. Many are sending email blasts encouraging people to use those sites instead of Seamless, etc.
Stay safe everyone! Empathy and intelligence will get us through this.
Mar 17, 20 4:33 pm ·
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curtkram
kansas city has closed bars and restaurants and schools are closed. we're starting the work from home thing.
Mar 17, 20 7:50 pm ·
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OddArchitect
My office won't allow working from home as 'you're not productive in that situation'. It's come in or don't get paid.
Mar 18, 20 9:56 am ·
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Non Sequitur
We're paying everyone regardless of if the WFH or not for at least the next 3 weeks. The idea is that those that can't come in will make the effort to catch up from home but we understand it's impossible to keep up the same pace while chasing kids around. Making sure everyone gets their full compensation is a way to help ease the stress while we figure out a good WFH system. WFH not currently deployed here.
Mar 18, 20 10:06 am ·
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OddArchitect
Very nice. Can I come work at your firm? I'd even convert to ::gasp:: METRIC.
Mar 18, 20 11:13 am ·
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Non Sequitur
Can you draft without diverging 100% for office standards? If so, you're a rare breed and also, hired
Mar 18, 20 11:26 am ·
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OddArchitect
Depends on how well written and documented the office standards are.
Mar 18, 20 11:38 am ·
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Non Sequitur
^very. Just no one cares to read them. It's easy to just make it up and use layer zero when in doubt. eugh. My WFH plan next week to progress on our office BIM template.
Chad, that's such BS. I'm fortunate to not have young kids out of school who I have to take care of, as that definitely inhibits productivity! But I'm being more productive from home than I am at work, where I constantly get interrupted. Also, I can listen to the music I want.
Mar 18, 20 12:22 pm ·
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OddArchitect
What can I do, normally it's a good place to work. To be honest if I did work from home it would suck! We have huge 38" monitors here. At home I just have a 16" laptop from 2010 that's pretty much used for watching 'cinema'. I figure if things get bad (I'm a type 1 diabetic) I'll file workman's comp and stay home with the doggy. :)
Mar 18, 20 1:40 pm ·
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atelier nobody
I was already scheduled to get a new laptop this week - the question now is whether the new one shows up before I'm forced to start working from home with the old clunker. I'm still pissed off that we can only access the VPN from company-issued laptops, since my home workstation is a beast.
Mar 18, 20 2:18 pm ·
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OddArchitect
NS - I only work in REVIT. AutoCAD is for monkeys.
Mar 18, 20 5:41 pm ·
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tduds
If anything I've been more focused and productive working from home. It's only day 1 though, so we'll see.
Mar 18, 20 6:22 pm ·
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atelier nobody
Chad & NS - I was a CAD manager many years ago, trying to get people to use the damn layers already in the template and not override the colors and lineweights. I have made a point of NOT getting very proficient in Revit specifically so I could avoid ever becoming a BIM manager. The kids think it's strange that I keep a portable drafting board and paraphernalia at my desk, but somehow it's always me they come to when then need a detail - which they always get in the traditional form of red ink on bum wad, for them to redraw/model.
Mar 18, 20 7:37 pm ·
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midlander
Architects being the wannabe business-types they are, they tend to get all focused on efficiency right when it doesn't matter because the work isn't going to continue anyway. hope you find a better situation
Chad.
my retirement accts got shelled over the last 4 weeks (27% loss from 2/19-3/18)
clients dropping like flies -- at least I don't have employees
i'm doing marketing projects that i didn't have time for prior
and trying not to think about the prospects when folks go back to work...the lag to peeps needing "architecture", i suspect, is going to be months longer
the bourbon hasn't run out yet, tho
so i have that going for me...which is good
Mar 18, 20 12:35 pm ·
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curtkram
i'm thinking i will have a costco run to replenish my bourbon and dog food stocks. think i'll make it through?
Mar 19, 20 9:55 am ·
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joseffischer
Lean into the problem, market yourself as a prepper expert and start designing all those ADU bunkers. Charge % of construction and make sure to spec expensive security systems
Mar 19, 20 10:17 am ·
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proto
two items of positivity: 1) our dogs are keeping us sane...love a butt wiggle when they make eye contact, and 2) interest rates are still really low so hopefully that makes construction not so unrealistic for folks even if design is usually straight cash for them
Due to the recent outbreak of corona-drinking zombies, my arch association just announced that the cont-ed cycle, which was to end this june, is now extended until december 31st. More importantly, they waived the max amounts of hours allowed to carry over so now I can double down!
perhaps unwise, but husband and I are currently rewatching 28 Days Later, a movie that scared the bejeezus out of me when it first came out. I’m so wound up! What an awesome movie!
Mar 21, 20 7:24 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Walking through downtown Ottawa, in front of the parliament buildings, in empty streets this past Monday reminded me of the same.
Mar 21, 20 7:34 pm ·
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liberty bell
I walked to the grocery Thursday morning, crossed a street at rush hour that’s usually a traffic jam but I only saw one car. I admit I laughed out loud in some gruesome delight. But today the same grocery felt almost normal, just people staying a little farther
apart.
Mar 21, 20 9:02 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Empty residential streets makes for great bike training for the kido. Still -10c outside, but he wanted a spin around the block so I took him. Saw one person walking a dog and one car.
Bump, too many other threads central taking traffic away from this one. Dangerously close to falling off the front page. Since starting to WFH full-time, I'm noticing that I spend less time on Archinect.
Mar 23, 20 7:01 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
I agree, I've spent far less time here while working at home than in a regular day at the office. I guess I'm more task-specific here while I juggle 50 different things in a normal day at the office. Still, not wrong with a little TC love bumb.
My HOA shut down all the common space playgrounds and sport courts. Apparently there were too many people not staying 6-feet apart in the sunshine. They went so far as to place an orange cone in the middle of each court and wrap the playground with caution tape making it look like a crime scene.
Not quite to the lengths the Italian mayors are going to yet ... but I'll let you know when they start breaking grad parties with flamethrowers.
That giant tater was converted from the traveling giant tater that toured the country on the back of a semi truck. It's just another shipping container house. I'd AirBnB it for a night.
Mar 26, 20 12:27 pm ·
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tduds
Yeah! I got all excited about it and did a bunch of research last summer. It's just outside Boise, so not out of the question as a future-roadtrip pit stop. ...If we ever leave the house again.
I just realized there are no windows in the spud. How can that pass code without a window?
Mar 26, 20 1:30 pm ·
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JLC-1
rural idaho - I don't think it's ever been seen in a building dept.. I wonder how airbnb gets away with this kind of places.
Mar 26, 20 1:58 pm ·
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tduds
Like airbnb has ever cared about laws.
Mar 27, 20 11:26 am ·
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SneakyPete
Unincorporated doesn't mean exempt from state building codes, eh? It's a conservative fever dream, no regulation until someone can prove harm, and regulation only in the form of consequences (maybe.)
I can't believe Ada County doesn't have building permit requirements. I'm guessing they skirted the permitting entirely, or they weren't entirely forthcoming with the code official for its intended purpose.
I think I’m getting over a mild case of Covid-19. Had all the symptoms, but since we have limited tests and they are only for people who are practically dying, I will never know. I did report it to my doctor, though.
Mar 26, 20 8:29 am ·
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b3tadine[sutures]
Map who you've been in contact with in the past 14 days, that will help.
Everyone else is working from home. I am not able to do so as my PC cannot handle Revit and our work PC's don't have WiFi. I told the partners this three weeks ago.
A couple of the partners and one co worker are upset that I am in the office. I find this odd because a few weeks ago they all thought this was 'blown out of proportion'. Now they are all saying things like 'you can't be in the office!' One partner had the gall to tell me that I had several weeks to prepare to work from home and I should of purchased what was necessary to do so. Really? I'm supposed to purchase a new PC, router, and have another hard data line installed in my home?
Oh and all the other co workers are calling me to look stuff up via our in office resources because they aren't available online.
On a side note I am wiping down anything I touch with disinfectant wipes and washing my hands like there is an ongoing viral pandemic. I take my temperature twice a day (before and after work) with nothing being out of the ordinary (other than my personality and odd predilection to like Finnish architecture)
I'm done venting now . . .
Mar 31, 20 2:01 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Again, why is it your problem to find a suitable machine to WFH? Also, can't you just take your office workstation and hard-wire it to your modem?
Mar 31, 20 2:07 pm ·
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OddArchitect
I don't know the answer to your first question. For the second question - we use log me in to remotely access our work PC's. This allows us access to our servers. As such we cannot take our computers home. Even if I could I am unable to hard wire into our modem as we only have one data port at the moment and my wife is using it. She works from home and due to security reasons must be hard wired into the modem. The second data port was incorrectly installed in our new house so the data provider will not hook up to it until it is repaired. I am currently working to get the GC to come back and repair it.
Mar 31, 20 2:14 pm ·
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OddArchitect
Oh and I told all of this to the partners three weeks ago in a meeting about the potability of the office working from home. I know they are doing the best they can, I am as well. I just don't see the issue with me working by myself in an empty office.
Mar 31, 20 2:17 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Thanks, I understand. Worst case, you could buy a cheap router and use it as a hub. I just happen to have one sitting on my shelf... unused because I pulled the cable all the way to my desk due to WFH. Damn that 30' cable on the floor will make me spill my coffee on of these mornings.
We officially cleared the office yesterday. Out of 20ish, there were 4 or 5 still coming in daily. Now it's just one of the equity partners working... alone in a 3 storey office.
Mar 31, 20 2:21 pm ·
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OddArchitect
I could. Then I'd have to buy a PC that can handle Revit in some type of workable manner. Unfortunately with everyone working from home I can't find any that are under $2k. If push comes to shove I'll have to take a leave without pay.
Mar 31, 20 2:24 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
I made a similar comment to our senior tech a few weeks ago regarding REVIT and WFH. I cautioned that even with our remote set-up, you'll still be depending on the local PC's stats to some extent for graphic smoothness and response times. Few have rigs at home that equal the office equipment (although I do) and we have some in the office who can't WFH or are limited (ei. partner is essential service or shared home PC or childcare, etc) but the office said they would cover all salaries regardless if you can or cannot but in a full work day. I know what our daily burn rate is and know what clients and projects are active and billable. Some of us on salary with separate benefits in lieu of OT pay are working extra time to compensate and keep payroll whole.
Mar 31, 20 2:30 pm ·
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citizen
Sounds like the chance for some major pranking for discovery after the return. Switch everyones' chairs? Hot pepper in the coffee cups? Tarantulas in the partners' drawers (desk or garment)?
Mar 31, 20 2:48 pm ·
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OddArchitect
I'm actually not touching anything I don't have to then wiping the surfaces I have to touch down with disinfectant (doors, fridge, ect)
Mar 31, 20 2:56 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Citizen, do you have a reliable source for tarantulas? Asking for a friend.
can you connect a cat6 cable hub to your router/modem? and bring your office machine home?cheaper than 2k.
Mar 31, 20 3:27 pm ·
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OddArchitect
Can't bring machine home, see above.
Mar 31, 20 4:04 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
work pc does not have a network card? that would work with what I mentioned earlier... which is also what JLC notes. Or is it because the station is too heavy and your arms are too weak?
Mar 31, 20 5:22 pm ·
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curtkram
if you're remote desktopping in to your work computer, your home computer doesn't have to be very good at all. you're home computer is pretty much just a screen. you're work computer is the one doing all the work, and it's the one connecting to your license. if you're actually trying to install revit on your home computer, i would think the license would cost more than the new com
puter.
Mar 31, 20 6:32 pm ·
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SneakyPete
trying to run revit through remote desktop is paaaainful.
Sorry, Chad. I'm glad you're wiping things down. It's definitely NOT your responsibility to have personal computing equipment for your office's work to be done on.
Mar 31, 20 10:35 pm ·
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OddArchitect
curtkram - we need to have Revit on our home PC else ::crash:: Also a Revit license allows you to install a second copy on a personal computer for home use at no cost. You just can't run both your copies of Revit at the same time.
Apr 1, 20 9:16 am ·
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OddArchitect
NS and JLC-1 - it's my understanding that our office computers must remain hooked up to the server here at the office for remote desktop to work. Bringing home the work PC wouldn't allow me access to the server. At least that's what I've been told.
Due to security restrictions only my wife is able to plug directly into the modem - it's a special unit accessible only to her computer that has some type of setup to allow only her computer (with a vpn code) to allow remote access to the company's server. The modem basically acts as two separate units, one for my wife's computer, one for our router. I suppose I could run 50' of cable from the router to a personal PC (if I had one that handled Revit) but now we're back to the no PC issue.
Apr 1, 20 9:22 am ·
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Non Sequitur
I get it now. I think your solution is to buy a few dozens of these bad boys and run a cable between the office and your house:
I had a west coast client sign me up to do project on the east coast . I received the retainer and an A2 Survey of the project. It is a piece of land that has been in the family before 1933. It has a camp cabin on the property. Which is something we see around these parts pretty often. Size is 12' wide by 30' long. No running water no bathroom has hookup to sewer and a hand pump well on site. I went out and measured it last week as I was social distancing, never bothered to look at the survey. Part of the cabin in on piers over the lake, part of the cabin is on piers over the land. They had some one come in a couple of years ago and spruce up the original cabin (over the lake) nothing fancy. just new windows doors, siding and roof and a new composite lumber dock/deck and bring new underground electrical service from the road to the camp. So on Sunday I pull out the site plan (pdf) and take a look at it and low and behold. The portion of the Cabin I want to save and restore is not on the property. It is in the lake, so I have no idea who owns it. Here in Connecticut most Town Halls are not really open for business ( CV-19 lock down) you can't just wander in and go thru Town Land Records to see what has transpired over the years on a piece of property. (By the way one of my favorite ways to pass time.)
I spoke to the contractor who brought me into this project and he is clueless. They went before the inland wetlands commission and the planning and zoning commission a couple of years ago to get a permit to extend the dock and do site improvements. They pulled building permits. With all the eyes looking at it no one ever mentioned the building wasn't on the owner's property. They just issued permits and the contractor let it rip.
So now I have to contact two generations of the family and tell them, this is going to be a complicated project. I just don't want to be doing a restoration project of a lake camp cabin that isn't on the owners property.
Any suggestions?
Mar 31, 20 7:47 pm ·
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JLC-1
do you have a subdivision plat? there might be a way to amend the property boundaries, if the lots are big enough and the owners are friends with the neighbors.
JLC-1 It is in the Lake....not on the adjoin neighbors property. I'm thinking there must have been a taking at sometime on the lake by either the Town, the State or the Army Corp of Engineering. I'm not sure how the water rights work on this lake. If it were a stream sometimes you own to the middle of the stream, but I doubt if it is that way on a lake. I doubt is there were any subdivisions regarding this property. Probably some old industrialist bought a chunk of some farmers land that fronted on a lake.
Mar 31, 20 8:24 pm ·
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liberty bell
I had a waterfront property surveyed and the property line was the historic high water mark. Which means the property line can definitely shift over the course of 90 years!
This lake has a high water mark as it like so many in New England is man made. So the height is regulated by gates and a spillway. These came into being due to the industrial revolution when factories were run by water power. So that being said I don't believe the high water mark has ever changed.
I have another client at the other end of the lake that has the water turbine dynamo of a small powerplant on his property. Which once housed a manufacturer of Pins and Needles. I has gone thru a major environmental clean up. So they are looking for a developer to do something with the raw land.
I watched a video about Long Island Modern and I was extremely disappointed his dads works were not featured. I would like to get the real scoop from Miles as to why his dad was not a major player in the video.
If anyone is interested, I've started a weekly online building science discussion group, called The BS* + Beer Show (*building science). We had our first official event last night, with a panel of indoor air quality experts, including Dr. Allison Bailes, a well-known building science guy. (If you enjoy learning about building science, it's more fun than it may sound.)
Our media partners are Green Building Advisor and Fine Homebuilding Magazine, though no money is changing hands--we're just excited to share building science knowledge among a wider audience.
Robhaw, I'm sorry that's happening. If you want to send me your email address I can add it manually. michael@michaelmaines.com.
The next show is this Thursday, 6-7pm eastern time. We'll be talking about concrete-free slabs, with Steve Baczek, Steve Demetrick, Elizabeth DiSalvo and Andy Engel.
Apr 12, 20 10:56 am ·
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Wood Guy
It's hard to find a time that works for everyone. We have talked about pushing it back to 7:00 eastern time but that means wrapping up a bit late for those with families on the east coast.
Apr 13, 20 9:38 am ·
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Wood Guy
Rob, I thought I had replied earlier--yes, we now have a website where you can access past shows: https://www.thebsandbeershow.com/. This Thursday we'll be talking with three mechanical engineers about mini split air source heat pumps.
So the decision was finally made and my mom is going into hospice care tonight and so I am getting drunk at my computer alone at 12:25am and that is absolutely ok to do. (Not looking for sympathy; just wanted to write it down somewhere: my mom is dying, I'm getting drunk. <Love to all humans>)
Apr 10, 20 12:26 am ·
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midlander
wow sorry to hear that. best wishes for her comfort and hope you will be able to be with her.
Apr 10, 20 1:23 am ·
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citizen
I'm very sorry to hear that, Donna. That's one of my biggest fears, and I wish you and your family the best under these difficult circumstances. Do what you need to do for now....
Apr 10, 20 1:56 am ·
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Non Sequitur
Don’t want sympathy? Well, you don’t get to tell me what to do! I’ll give it to you anyways. Sorry to hear, take care and be conservative on that bourbon. You don’t want to run out and have to battle zombies at the booze store.
Apr 10, 20 8:12 am ·
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SneakyPete
:(
Apr 10, 20 11:40 am ·
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proto
love to you & your family ((((hug))))
Apr 10, 20 1:05 pm ·
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****melt
Thought I would pop in for the first time in about five yyears. Donna, I am very sorry to hear. Much love to you and your family. hugs
I'm so sorry to hear that, Donna. Such a hard thing for everyone. I would have a drink with you if I could find anything to drink in this house. Anyway, I will tip a virtual glass in your direction. Keep on being human.
Apr 10, 20 8:07 pm ·
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Wood Guy
Well you're getting my sympathy anyway, Donna. Saying goodbye is hard.
Sorry about your mom, Donna. Saying goodbye to loved ones is difficult in the best of times. I can only imagine how much harder it is at the moment. Love to you and your family.
Apr 13, 20 12:34 pm ·
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liberty bell
I should update you all that my mother passed yesterday afternoon. Peacefully, and my dad is doing as well as can be expected. I’m having a hard time keeping my brain focused - maybe that’s a good thing? - towards a deadline Friday.
Apr 15, 20 9:08 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
sorry for your loss. virtual hug, or virtual bourbon (no ice)... or both (still, without ice).
Apr 15, 20 9:31 pm ·
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atelier nobody
I'm very sorry for your loss.
Apr 15, 20 9:35 pm ·
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Wood Guy
I'm very sorry for your loss, Donna.
Apr 16, 20 9:40 am ·
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midlander
so sorry to hear that. you deserve a break from work for a while.
It's bothered me more that I probably want to admit that Archinect provides a free platform for people to promote their own business through the blogging platform. I've kept to myself about it, but David C. McFadden's recent post triggered me. It is simple plagiarism with the only goal to be to keep his name and company in the spotlight during COVID-19. The post, if not his entire blog, should be removed.
Thread Central
A poll on one of the most critical issues in architecture:
?????????
Dots
Torn pieces of skinny beige masking tape. Also important, what are drafting dots?
Sorry, NS, drafting dots only come in Imperial sizes, so they must be illegal in Canada.
makes sense.
Another (2) burning question(s):
Does your firm stock your preferred sketching pens, or do you have to supply your own? How violently frustrated do you become when your last good pen dies and it's 5-1/2 hours until you can get to the art supplies store for more of them?
ummm... my office stocks all sorts of pens. I only use the pilot felt-tipped and I must remove the sticker or else it's pure hot garbage. Besides that, I supply my fountain pens and ink but will expense my duel-tipped markers.
I work in an engineer-led company where architecture is the red-headed stepchild. We finally got them to start stocking rolls of bum wad, and I saw this week that the glues sticks I requested over a year ago are finally here.
maybe it's time to start looking for a better office.
Believe it or not, I actually really love this job, despite the frustrating bits. It's the first job I've had in a 24-year career where I've felt my particular strengths are fully appreciated, even if the projects I get to apply them to probably aren't going to make it on any magazine covers.
We get anything we want short of microns. They don't stock any trace though.... Vellum only.
https://archinect.com/news/article/150185828/visionary-architect-yona-friedman-has-passed-away
Yona.... noooooo.
Sad face. Posting one of my own, and favorite, grad school thesis sketches as it relates to Yona's Ville Spatiale work.
Today I had one of the worst professional days I’ve ever had, culminating in spending TWO HOURS answering an RFI on ind foot, because rather than have a desk set of drawings and specs I had to chase everything down on a server or in the cloud. Contemporary office practice just completely sucks.
“one door” not ind foot LOL
The administrative aspects of the job are so far out of proportion with sanity that it is, well, insane.
I also spent a not totally insignificant amount of time today changing the word “ducking” to the correct fucking in texts to my support system. Damn autocorrect.
I threw out a high number of fuck you, fuck off, you're fired, you suck, and fuck you too today. Must be almost spring!
What do the esteemed architects of Thread Central think about using 12mm acrylic solid surface as a floor in a residential bathroom? Coefficient of slip resistance looks/ feels fine and I like the idea of no grout joints to ever clean, and a continuous impermeable connection to some solid surface wainscoating... (this is for my own house)
Interesting. I wonder if it would be hard enough. Also how would you account for the reduction in size with with the bonding process? I'm thinking of around the perimeter of the room.
There's a document from Dupont about hard-seaming in Corian and thermal expansion/ structural movement.... It seems like if you use a thicker silicone adhesive bead and have a small room, you can get away with hard-seaming wall/wall and wall/floor corners. How awesome would it be to just be able to spray down your entire bathroom with no regard for getting finishes wet or cleaning grout?
I wonder what the cost comparison is between that and an old school terrazzo floor.
we've done it as wall panels turning to tub deck to apron for a large alcove tub. sizing vs thermal expansion vs corners wasn't problematic. I'm curious on the durability as a floor surface too...please update us on progress
If you’re going plastic then vinyl or linoleum in any pattern/texture/color you can imagine, $1/sf and it will wear a lot better. I wouldn't.
Agree with miles - why use SS acrylic when you could just go with a sheet good?
Linoleum is pretty green. That being said...
https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/floors/the-pros-and-cons-of-linoleum-flooring
"Linoleum can be susceptible to moisture and isn’t recommended for installation in bathrooms, laundry rooms or other areas that may have spills, splashes and high humidity. Below-grade basements should be dry and free of any history of leaks or water damage."
I'd use a fluid-applied, monolithic with integral cove base. Pros: Will last forever and never leak. Con: Kind of a bitch to remove if you ever decide to change it.
Like others, I wouldn't expect it to wear well as a floor finish. It can get pretty scratched up as a countertop ... it would be worse as a floor. You could take the concept to 11 and use Altro Whiterock on the walls that gets welded to one of their flooring options. Tnemec also has a reinforced seamless wall protection and I think it can be integrated with a floor finish like atelier nobody recommends. Your bathroom could be as clean as an operating room if you wanted it to be.
But more realistically, if you're looking for a seamless floor, Miles called it. You could also look at a rubber sheet with heat-welded seams. I would just go with a large format tile though. Minimize the amount joints and use a high performance polymer-modified grout ... or epoxy grout if you feel it's necessary.
friday deadline
(long as it's not sunday night deadline)
Happy Friday! Kanye's attracting illuminati recruiters (spammers).
Hahahaha thats great
Interesting. I was waiting to see if the posts would be removed and they stuck around until today, March 4, when I flagged them myself. They were removed quite quickly after that.
Archinect relies on all of us to flag the spam so it can be removed. Calling attention to it alone is not enough ... you gotta flag it.
Interesting...
https://archpaper.com/2020/02/moma-reconstructions-major-black-architecture-show-in-fall/
How to be petty:
Meeting minutes:
1. Meeting starts 1:00.
...
...
21. Owner agrees to have project re-bid according to contractor's suggested change. For the record, the design team suggested this change 8 months ago and in 3 additional budget estimates before the bid documents were completed. The suggestion was rejected by the Owner each time.
22. Meeting ends 2:00.
Invoice for change order to follow.
Fire the client.
Doesn't matter, still architects' fault.
lol.. hate that. And that is why I prepare the mtg minutes. So instead of 'suggested 8 months ago', I can snipe and refer to mtg minutes 3,4, and 6 for previous client direction. Then follow with a add service when post cd's they ask for the change 'to align with budget' wanting it for free now.
Mightyaa points out the power of the historian (i.e., note-taker). Even if people don't agree, it helps to have these things memorialized as part of the longer record.
Yep, when they balk at the additional fees, you can point to the previous meeting minutes, and then fire them.
One of the things I hate the most (after clients), the necessity to copiously paper the file.
so satisfying to send out the billing invoices, esp a nice big one that got to permit
(ahhhhhhhh)
nice glass of bourbon waiting for me at the end of today
Cheers
question... how many here use the "@" symbol in drawing notes instead of "AT"?
I find it makes my drawings look like they were written by a 12 year old texting. Who'se with me? Anyways, I always kill the @ with fire when I see them but there is always a few wankers who refuse to understand and still use it.
I do...Example: 2x6 @ 16" o.c. TYP. Pretty normal.
Ditto. It's not Instagram.
Still looks silly and the symbol takes up the same amount of space as the real word... and for what it's worth, you should have said:
38x140mm at 405mm o.c. Because imperial is just dumb. sorry.
Framing in millimeters ... LOL
I do as well, just not in drawing titles, I use "at" lower case.
Miles, mm is an acceptable standard in non-yankee territory. You don't win any favours with the GC tho if you write shit dimensions like 2278 x 3247mm or something like that but I'll make the effort to give useful dimensions that end in 0 or 5 for convenience. Some folks in the office don't care and will just send out instructions with nonsense dims. Still better than feet and inches. Not my fault you guys got left behind. 8-)
I agree, Non. In fact, I go one step further and just use a comma: "2x6, 24" o.c.". Neither "at" or "@" add clarity in most cases, in my opinion. When I do have to write "at," I write "at."
We use @ quite a lot. "..@ 24" O.C." is the common example but also for drawing titles ("PARAPET @ WEST WALL" etc). My old firm had a big back & forth about "@" vs "at" and we settled on "at" but the issue was more about consistency across documents than one being better than the other.
you can't misspell @.
I could probably misspell it.
#
I don't have an issue with it in the drawings. Whatever you use, be consistent. FYI, The US NCS shows it as a symbol and you can find it in various annotation examples in the modules.
Don't bring it into the specs though. I'll kill it with fire if I see it there. CSI's stance is, "Symbols as substitutes for words or terms should be avoided."
lol NS. That reminded me of a joke we had going on a jobsite. We harassed a young mason... "what is hashtag felt?" (15# felt) They had no idea # equals "pound" or "number" as in #4's @ 12"o.c. vert. So throughout the project we'd say things like "just stick some hashtag 5's in there and call it good." Old guys are easy to amuse.
I get yelled at by my structural guy if I don't use a lower case x for sizing, ie: 38x140
^ueah, i’d get pretty snippy if I saw Uppercase X in sizing notes.
I like the @ sign. looks kind of like a flower. we should not abbreviate with to w/ though.
Talk to me about OC or O.C. though cause I need to know.
It's lower case 'x' in sizing notes or GTFO!
Yeah... this putting periods in abbreviations that can't be confused with other words needs to be addressed. I'm trying to beat this into the people in my office. Quit with the periods. And if you use an abbreviation, it better be on the damn legend. And if you abbreviate a four letter word with a three letter replacement... we're going to have issues. Also, the @ sign prints as a blob on some printers. "AT" for clarity.
O/C
Are we talking drawing notes *on* the drawing, i.e. text floating around graphics with arrows, or are we talking a numerical drawing note system with floating numbers only pointing to the graphics and a list on the side of the sheet?
Donna, both? I don't know, I hate having a separate list of notes with only numbers pointing to things. Just an extra step for the GC to do. I write all my stuff directly on the sheets. If I need more room, then I'll do a 1:10 detail... or a 1:5 (my new standard) and in rare occasions, a 1:2.
These conversations always make me smile. Architects have one single thing to call our own--our drawings. The owner gets a building out of the deal and the contractor gets to actually build it, but dammit we have our blueprints! As such, we are all so particular about methodology and standards. There will always be another way to do it, but--as pointed out above--as long as you're consistent with nomenclature within your set , you'll be fine. Rage on!
Numerical notes for floorplans & elevations. Callouts on enlarged plans, sections, and details.
1. I'm glad y'all have the luxury of concerning yourselves with these things, while I'm over here redlining drawings that make my 7th grade drafting homework look like masterpieces.
2. I'm OK with "@"
3. We have one client that uses metric, and I can't seem to convince anyone else in the department that "58689mm" is not an appropriate way to dimension a 1:100 drawing.
4. Absolutely lower case "x" for sizing.
5. Abbreviations either need to ALL use periods, or NONE (except for abbreviations that can be confused with words, h/t Bluto) - it's when they're inconsistent that I get my underwear in a bunch.
6. I'm with NS on hating numerical keynotes, but it seems to be pretty much the standard these days. I'm trying to gently steer my current kids away from them, but it's an uphill fight (especially since drawings rarely come to me for checking more than a couple days before they're due to go out).
7. I'm so frustrated with the current drawings I'm looking at, that I needed a break long enough to write all of this.
We only use keynotes in 1/8" scale floor plans. No punctuation on any part of the drawings, including keynotes and general notes. We're still up in the air on using @ and & symbols, one partner says no, one says yest, the other says maybe.
I don't have strong opinions about which standards to use but I have *extremely* strong opinions about strictly adhering to the standard once it's been decided. Consistency is the only thing that matters.
++ gibbost re: our craft and its nomenclature, and our understandable fussiness and care.
++ atelier nobody re: the nearly horrifying decline in drawing standards. I have occasion to see many different offices' sets, and I'd prefer looking at 7th grade drafting homework, too. And the kids may wanna "okay, boomer" me, but here goes: in general, the drawing quality coming from architects is better than that coming from designers.
I'm with you citizen; One of contracts is doing the architectural reviews & recommendations for a couple high end communities. I regularly have to reject 'designer' submittals that aren't even up to grade school homework doodles of "my house".
^ If feel you, mightyaa. "You mean we need a north arrow AND dimensions to property lines on the site plan?"
numerical keynotes were a great way to make sure you avoided writing notes that disagreed with each other. BIM makes that unnecessary. Write it on the sheet, it'll be one less cross-reference for people reading them to fuck up.
I like keynoting systems that correlate to specification sections. Like this;
I use revit’s keynote feature but use text in place of the spec number. Makes for fast annotations that are accurate
Almost that's what I used above.
I think if the mentoring process was reversed, as in recent grads help with CA, drafting RFI responses, comparing submittals to the specs and work their way backward to the design phase. The understanding of implications of bad drawings and silly designs would be fully understood because they've witnessed how hard it can make their jobs.
B3.....I don’t schedule it. I use a custom tag and label my elevations/wall section properly with a texted based keynote
I had the same discussion with another fellow architect last night, over several pints of Guinness.
@citizen... here's one. This is a designer submission.... addition to a $3million dollar house. I can't even tell wtf they are proposing.
Almosthip7 - a text base keynote - so text with a leader? We use keynotes on plans 1/8" and below with the CSI division similar to what b3ta posted.
I knew I liked Chad, even if he hates Skinny Puppy.
Chad - yes and automatic keynote, but is text with leader.
I use a plug-in Keynote Manager. Makes changes really easy
b3ta - who / what is Skinny Puppy? Don't say an underweight newborn dog.
Yeah, the plug in is really necessary when you have a larger office and multiple project members are adding to keynotes.
I like Skinny Puppy, but Im Canadian and feel like I just aged myself
Okay, mightyaa, you win (or lose), LOL. I friggin love that they made sure to indicate the fake quoins.
This is a technological issue, btw. Easy-to-use 3D modeling programs have given us this.
Snarky Puppy > Skinny Puppy
Um, no.
Ok but... yes.
ok... but still kill it with fire
I'm so confused by the comments above. Damn Canadians. ;)
Bumping this back to the top of page 1.
Now wash your hands and don't touch your face.
Rubs nether regions. OK.
Those could use some soap and water, too... even though Saturday night is still a ways off.
is it just me? or is there an influx of spam recently?
[squirt hand sanitizer]
You gotta flag that crap to get it to go away. The people behind the curtain are pretty quick to take it down once it gets flagged.
The Big Green Head (BGH) dose a good job of nuking spam quickly once you report it.
I just blocked two spam posts. Work from home must be easy for these folks LOL!
The gov just asked to shut down all bars... on st-patty day. So I just went out and bough a bunch of guinness cans for the office. We'll have our own frothy pint inside instead.
The Dropkick Murphy's are live streaming a free concert tonight.
Oh and Colorado has closed all it's bars and restaurants for everything except deliver and take out. No word on the dispensarys'.
Saw that, I'm planning to watch the show!
I'm ordering takeout from the local Irish bar for tonight - trying to keep my local restaurants in business!
All restaurants, bars, etc in NYC are either shutting down or moving to take-out/carry-out only. Many are doing this for the first time and have set up their own basic payment systems online. Many are sending email blasts encouraging people to use those sites instead of Seamless, etc.
Stay safe everyone! Empathy and intelligence will get us through this.
kansas city has closed bars and restaurants and schools are closed. we're starting the work from home thing.
My office won't allow working from home as 'you're not productive in that situation'. It's come in or don't get paid.
We're paying everyone regardless of if the WFH or not for at least the next 3 weeks. The idea is that those that can't come in will make the effort to catch up from home but we understand it's impossible to keep up the same pace while chasing kids around. Making sure everyone gets their full compensation is a way to help ease the stress while we figure out a good WFH system. WFH not currently deployed here.
Very nice. Can I come work at your firm? I'd even convert to ::gasp:: METRIC.
Can you draft without diverging 100% for office standards? If so, you're a rare breed and also, hired
Depends on how well written and documented the office standards are.
^very. Just no one cares to read them. It's easy to just make it up and use layer zero when in doubt. eugh. My WFH plan next week to progress on our office BIM template.
Chad, that's such BS. I'm fortunate to not have young kids out of school who I have to take care of, as that definitely inhibits productivity! But I'm being more productive from home than I am at work, where I constantly get interrupted. Also, I can listen to the music I want.
What can I do, normally it's a good place to work. To be honest if I did work from home it would suck! We have huge 38" monitors here. At home I just have a 16" laptop from 2010 that's pretty much used for watching 'cinema'. I figure if things get bad (I'm a type 1 diabetic) I'll file workman's comp and stay home with the doggy. :)
I was already scheduled to get a new laptop this week - the question now is whether the new one shows up before I'm forced to start working from home with the old clunker. I'm still pissed off that we can only access the VPN from company-issued laptops, since my home workstation is a beast.
NS - I only work in REVIT. AutoCAD is for monkeys.
If anything I've been more focused and productive working from home. It's only day 1 though, so we'll see.
Chad & NS - I was a CAD manager many years ago, trying to get people to use the damn layers already in the template and not override the colors and lineweights. I have made a point of NOT getting very proficient in Revit specifically so I could avoid ever becoming a BIM manager. The kids think it's strange that I keep a portable drafting board and paraphernalia at my desk, but somehow it's always me they come to when then need a detail - which they always get in the traditional form of red ink on bum wad, for them to redraw/model.
Architects being the wannabe business-types they are, they tend to get all focused on efficiency right when it doesn't matter because the work isn't going to continue anyway. hope you find a better situation Chad.
So is gen xer another fucking alt with diarrhea of the keyboard?
Ya'll know who it is. It's your friendly neighbourhood (ex) snowman.
Gen xer is Chris Teeter.
way to ruin his secret identity.
His identity is as secret as Superman's, but instead of a spit curl he has bad spit-takes.
small office woes:
my retirement accts got shelled over the last 4 weeks (27% loss from 2/19-3/18)
clients dropping like flies -- at least I don't have employees
i'm doing marketing projects that i didn't have time for prior
and trying not to think about the prospects when folks go back to work...the lag to peeps needing "architecture", i suspect, is going to be months longer
the bourbon hasn't run out yet, tho
so i have that going for me...which is good
i'm thinking i will have a costco run to replenish my bourbon and dog food stocks. think i'll make it through?
Lean into the problem, market yourself as a prepper expert and start designing all those ADU bunkers. Charge % of construction and make sure to spec expensive security systems
two items of positivity: 1) our dogs are keeping us sane...love a butt wiggle when they make eye contact, and 2) interest rates are still really low so hopefully that makes construction not so unrealistic for folks even if design is usually straight cash for them
Due to the recent outbreak of corona-drinking zombies, my arch association just announced that the cont-ed cycle, which was to end this june, is now extended until december 31st. More importantly, they waived the max amounts of hours allowed to carry over so now I can double down!
Damn Canadians, being all reasonable.
it's the polite thing to do
perhaps unwise, but husband and I are currently rewatching 28 Days Later, a movie that scared the bejeezus out of me when it first came out. I’m so wound up! What an awesome movie!
Walking through downtown Ottawa, in front of the parliament buildings, in empty streets this past Monday reminded me of the same.
I walked to the grocery Thursday morning, crossed a street at rush hour that’s usually a traffic jam but I only saw one car. I admit I laughed out loud in some gruesome delight. But today the same grocery felt almost normal, just people staying a little farther
apart.
Empty residential streets makes for great bike training for the kido. Still -10c outside, but he wanted a spin around the block so I took him. Saw one person walking a dog and one car.
Bump, too many other threads central taking traffic away from this one. Dangerously close to falling off the front page. Since starting to WFH full-time, I'm noticing that I spend less time on Archinect.
I agree, I've spent far less time here while working at home than in a regular day at the office. I guess I'm more task-specific here while I juggle 50 different things in a normal day at the office. Still, not wrong with a little TC love bumb.
My HOA shut down all the common space playgrounds and sport courts. Apparently there were too many people not staying 6-feet apart in the sunshine. They went so far as to place an orange cone in the middle of each court and wrap the playground with caution tape making it look like a crime scene.
Not quite to the lengths the Italian mayors are going to yet ... but I'll let you know when they start breaking grad parties with flamethrowers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtGJsnLgSc
The Knack
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z_cCY3a5p4I
Hadn’t seen this more practiced(?) version: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYCo9mRBuI
Post some real architecture -
Behold! Real architecture
I actually love this, very well done
I LOVE this!!!
I’d live there.
We almost stayed here one night of our honeymoon, but it was a little out of the way
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/32011367
living without building codes is fun!
That giant tater was converted from the traveling giant tater that toured the country on the back of a semi truck. It's just another shipping container house. I'd AirBnB it for a night.
Yeah! I got all excited about it and did a bunch of research last summer. It's just outside Boise, so not out of the question as a future-roadtrip pit stop. ...If we ever leave the house again.
it reminds me of this
https://archinect.com/news/article/102628658/smiljan-radic-unveils-egglike-14th-serpentine-pavilion-in-london-s-kensington-gardens
I just realized there are no windows in the spud. How can that pass code without a window?
rural idaho - I don't think it's ever been seen in a building dept.. I wonder how airbnb gets away with this kind of places.
Like airbnb has ever cared about laws.
Unincorporated doesn't mean exempt from state building codes, eh? It's a conservative fever dream, no regulation until someone can prove harm, and regulation only in the form of consequences (maybe.)
I can't believe Ada County doesn't have building permit requirements. I'm guessing they skirted the permitting entirely, or they weren't entirely forthcoming with the code official for its intended purpose.
Now that is a Potato Farmer I would like to meet!
Gods save me from CEs trying to do building enclosure details...
So, how's everyone else's workcation going?
it's way easier to get distracted from what you're doing, so workcation is correct....
I think I’m getting over a mild case of Covid-19. Had all the symptoms, but since we have limited tests and they are only for people who are practically dying, I will never know. I did report it to my doctor, though.
Map who you've been in contact with in the past 14 days, that will help.
.
This from my local Costco, apparently. Extra bonus points for those that know the brew on the right.
Buy it all! (not the Corona)
Some people may not speak Canadian, you might have to translate for them
...and I feel fine.
It's ok EverydayA, I don't speak M'urican.
Damn that's a lotta canadian belgian goodness.
end of world.......
cant believe my grade 9 french allowed me to translate that
thought I could only aller à la bibliothèque et commander du poulet et des frites
^you missed 2 calisses and one tabarnak, but other that that, that's not bad french.
Merde
Tabernacle!
Je da coop, plow! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yJ_HrZImWQ
La fin du monde is sneaky delicious stuff that'll have you on your rear end in double time.
I see we've found a fan. They sell them in 1.8lt bottles with champagne style cork. Truly a work of art in a bottle.
The economy has no clothes.
capitalism is an illusion
#truth
You need to believe.
A fantastic local craft brew just dropped off beer on front porch. Free delivery.
The brewery around the corner from me is doing curbside pickup crowlers. I should go re-stock & give them the business!
What are you waiting for then?
Time to vent . . .
I'm the only one in my office.
Everyone else is working from home. I am not able to do so as my PC cannot handle Revit and our work PC's don't have WiFi. I told the partners this three weeks ago.
A couple of the partners and one co worker are upset that I am in the office. I find this odd because a few weeks ago they all thought this was 'blown out of proportion'. Now they are all saying things like 'you can't be in the office!' One partner had the gall to tell me that I had several weeks to prepare to work from home and I should of purchased what was necessary to do so. Really? I'm supposed to purchase a new PC, router, and have another hard data line installed in my home?
Oh and all the other co workers are calling me to look stuff up via our in office resources because they aren't available online.
On a side note I am wiping down anything I touch with disinfectant wipes and washing my hands like there is an ongoing viral pandemic. I take my temperature twice a day (before and after work) with nothing being out of the ordinary (other than my personality and odd predilection to like Finnish architecture)
I'm done venting now . . .
Again, why is it your problem to find a suitable machine to WFH? Also, can't you just take your office workstation and hard-wire it to your modem?
I don't know the answer to your first question. For the second question - we use log me in to remotely access our work PC's. This allows us access to our servers. As such we cannot take our computers home. Even if I could I am unable to hard wire into our modem as we only have one data port at the moment and my wife is using it. She works from home and due to security reasons must be hard wired into the modem. The second data port was incorrectly installed in our new house so the data provider will not hook up to it until it is repaired. I am currently working to get the GC to come back and repair it.
Oh and I told all of this to the partners three weeks ago in a meeting about the potability of the office working from home. I know they are doing the best they can, I am as well. I just don't see the issue with me working by myself in an empty office.
Thanks, I understand. Worst case, you could buy a cheap router and use it as a hub. I just happen to have one sitting on my shelf... unused because I pulled the cable all the way to my desk due to WFH. Damn that 30' cable on the floor will make me spill my coffee on of these mornings.
We officially cleared the office yesterday. Out of 20ish, there were 4 or 5 still coming in daily. Now it's just one of the equity partners working... alone in a 3 storey office.
I could. Then I'd have to buy a PC that can handle Revit in some type of workable manner. Unfortunately with everyone working from home I can't find any that are under $2k. If push comes to shove I'll have to take a leave without pay.
I made a similar comment to our senior tech a few weeks ago regarding REVIT and WFH. I cautioned that even with our remote set-up, you'll still be depending on the local PC's stats to some extent for graphic smoothness and response times. Few have rigs at home that equal the office equipment (although I do) and we have some in the office who can't WFH or are limited (ei. partner is essential service or shared home PC or childcare, etc) but the office said they would cover all salaries regardless if you can or cannot but in a full work day. I know what our daily burn rate is and know what clients and projects are active and billable. Some of us on salary with separate benefits in lieu of OT pay are working extra time to compensate and keep payroll whole.
Sounds like the chance for some major pranking for discovery after the return. Switch everyones' chairs? Hot pepper in the coffee cups? Tarantulas in the partners' drawers (desk or garment)?
I'm actually not touching anything I don't have to then wiping the surfaces I have to touch down with disinfectant (doors, fridge, ect)
Citizen, do you have a reliable source for tarantulas? Asking for a friend.
www.horrifyingarachnids.com/hateyourboss?
can you connect a cat6 cable hub to your router/modem? and bring your office machine home?cheaper than 2k.
Can't bring machine home, see above.
work pc does not have a network card? that would work with what I mentioned earlier... which is also what JLC notes. Or is it because the station is too heavy and your arms are too weak?
if you're remote desktopping in to your work computer, your home computer doesn't have to be very good at all. you're home computer is pretty much just a screen. you're work computer is the one doing all the work, and it's the one connecting to your license. if you're actually trying to install revit on your home computer, i would think the license would cost more than the new com puter.
trying to run revit through remote desktop is paaaainful.
Sorry, Chad. I'm glad you're wiping things down. It's definitely NOT your responsibility to have personal computing equipment for your office's work to be done on.
curtkram - we need to have Revit on our home PC else ::crash:: Also a Revit license allows you to install a second copy on a personal computer for home use at no cost. You just can't run both your copies of Revit at the same time.
NS and JLC-1 - it's my understanding that our office computers must remain hooked up to the server here at the office for remote desktop to work. Bringing home the work PC wouldn't allow me access to the server. At least that's what I've been told.
Due to security restrictions only my wife is able to plug directly into the modem - it's a special unit accessible only to her computer that has some type of setup to allow only her computer (with a vpn code) to allow remote access to the company's server. The modem basically acts as two separate units, one for my wife's computer, one for our router. I suppose I could run 50' of cable from the router to a personal PC (if I had one that handled Revit) but now we're back to the no PC issue.
I get it now. I think your solution is to buy a few dozens of these bad boys and run a cable between the office and your house:
https://www.primecables.ca/p-353232-cab-cat5e-1000-cl2-all-cat5e-24awg-utp-solid-bulk-cable-in-wall-rated-cl2-1000ft-primecables#sku358613
Actually sounds more reasonable. than buying a personal PC that can handle Revit.
I'm not going to get better at dunking if y'all keep the hoop so low.
hockey is better.
life gets interesting: CV_19 going on Cv-20
I had a west coast client sign me up to do project on the east coast . I received the retainer and an A2 Survey of the project. It is a piece of land that has been in the family before 1933. It has a camp cabin on the property. Which is something we see around these parts pretty often. Size is 12' wide by 30' long. No running water no bathroom has hookup to sewer and a hand pump well on site. I went out and measured it last week as I was social distancing, never bothered to look at the survey. Part of the cabin in on piers over the lake, part of the cabin is on piers over the land. They had some one come in a couple of years ago and spruce up the original cabin (over the lake) nothing fancy. just new windows doors, siding and roof and a new composite lumber dock/deck and bring new underground electrical service from the road to the camp. So on Sunday I pull out the site plan (pdf) and take a look at it and low and behold. The portion of the Cabin I want to save and restore is not on the property. It is in the lake, so I have no idea who owns it. Here in Connecticut most Town Halls are not really open for business ( CV-19 lock down) you can't just wander in and go thru Town Land Records to see what has transpired over the years on a piece of property. (By the way one of my favorite ways to pass time.)
I spoke to the contractor who brought me into this project and he is clueless. They went before the inland wetlands commission and the planning and zoning commission a couple of years ago to get a permit to extend the dock and do site improvements. They pulled building permits. With all the eyes looking at it no one ever mentioned the building wasn't on the owner's property. They just issued permits and the contractor let it rip.
So now I have to contact two generations of the family and tell them, this is going to be a complicated project. I just don't want to be doing a restoration project of a lake camp cabin that isn't on the owners property.
Any suggestions?
do you have a subdivision plat? there might be a way to amend the property boundaries, if the lots are big enough and the owners are friends with the neighbors.
JLC-1 It is in the Lake....not on the adjoin neighbors property. I'm thinking there must have been a taking at sometime on the lake by either the Town, the State or the Army Corp of Engineering. I'm not sure how the water rights work on this lake. If it were a stream sometimes you own to the middle of the stream, but I doubt if it is that way on a lake. I doubt is there were any subdivisions regarding this property. Probably some old industrialist bought a chunk of some farmers land that fronted on a lake.
I had a waterfront property surveyed and the property line was the historic high water mark. Which means the property line can definitely shift over the course of 90 years!
like this?
or this?
This lake has a high water mark as it like so many in New England is man made. So the height is regulated by gates and a spillway. These came into being due to the industrial revolution when factories were run by water power. So that being said I don't believe the high water mark has ever changed.
I have another client at the other end of the lake that has the water turbine dynamo of a small powerplant on his property. Which once housed a manufacturer of Pins and Needles. I has gone thru a major environmental clean up. So they are looking for a developer to do something with the raw land.
Lay of the drugs.
Yeah I know the lay of the drugs.
I see what you did there.
Miles has been unusually quiet lately. Did he drop out of posting again?
This normally works.
He's in a bunker.
It's probably a very nice bunker
I'm sure his bunker is better than most of our homes.
Hope he's ok. Anyone able to check in on the guy?
I can. I'll reach out.
Miles is fine, just self-sequestered from archinecting. Likely due to all the non-design related zombie apocalypse stuff.
Thanks Non!
good!
I watched a video about Long Island Modern and I was extremely disappointed his dads works were not featured. I would like to get the real scoop from Miles as to why his dad was not a major player in the video.
Deep state conspiracy.
Can we get a link to the doc?
Here you go Sneaky Pete: https://vimeo.com/37028699
thank you
Covid-19 and You
Has anyone seen this yet?
If anyone is interested, I've started a weekly online building science discussion group, called The BS* + Beer Show (*building science). We had our first official event last night, with a panel of indoor air quality experts, including Dr. Allison Bailes, a well-known building science guy. (If you enjoy learning about building science, it's more fun than it may sound.)
Our media partners are Green Building Advisor and Fine Homebuilding Magazine, though no money is changing hands--we're just excited to share building science knowledge among a wider audience.
Sign up for our mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/3e8e27ba8332/thebsandbeershow
Our trial sessions (based on years of in-person events, but not the best for the Zoom format) are available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOkuSTk8SpT8Ten4bo42eqg.
(Hopefully this isn't too promotional for Archinect, but I understand if you have to delete this post.)
Seems fine to me, Wood Guy! You're a regular.
I love this idea! I'll keep it on my calendar if I have some downtime.
I've seen this on linkedin a few times, didnt realize they were also recorded for later viewing. Keep up the good work and thanks!!!
Thanks all! You can find recorded sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvAmHSecglp-u-DTFQlU8Tw, and soon we'll have our own section on Green Building Advisor as well.
Robhaw, I'm sorry that's happening. If you want to send me your email address I can add it manually. michael@michaelmaines.com.
The next show is this Thursday, 6-7pm eastern time. We'll be talking about concrete-free slabs, with Steve Baczek, Steve Demetrick, Elizabeth DiSalvo and Andy Engel.
It's hard to find a time that works for everyone. We have talked about pushing it back to 7:00 eastern time but that means wrapping up a bit late for those with families on the east coast.
Rob, I thought I had replied earlier--yes, we now have a website where you can access past shows: https://www.thebsandbeershow.com/. This Thursday we'll be talking with three mechanical engineers about mini split air source heat pumps.
a bump and a heads up for archinect, the mobile version lost the "menu" icon, it only shows for a split second when loading
the above speaks volumes
After 6pm on a workday in the time of quarantine and I'm still doing redlines. Fuck it, I'm having a glass of wine as I work.
Dang, two minutes after my first sip I'm already posting angrily LOL! Militarized skyscrapers? GTFO.
one more reason why civil engineers are the worst:
https://www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/v74az9/the-viral-study-about-runners-spreading-coronavirus-is-not-actually-a-study
So the decision was finally made and my mom is going into hospice care tonight and so I am getting drunk at my computer alone at 12:25am and that is absolutely ok to do. (Not looking for sympathy; just wanted to write it down somewhere: my mom is dying, I'm getting drunk. <Love to all humans>)
wow sorry to hear that. best wishes for her comfort and hope you will be able to be with her.
I'm very sorry to hear that, Donna. That's one of my biggest fears, and I wish you and your family the best under these difficult circumstances. Do what you need to do for now....
Don’t want sympathy? Well, you don’t get to tell me what to do! I’ll give it to you anyways. Sorry to hear, take care and be conservative on that bourbon. You don’t want to run out and have to battle zombies at the booze store.
:(
love to you & your family ((((hug))))
Thought I would pop in for the first time in about five yyears. Donna, I am very sorry to hear. Much love to you and your family. hugs
I'm so sorry to hear that, Donna. Such a hard thing for everyone. I would have a drink with you if I could find anything to drink in this house. Anyway, I will tip a virtual glass in your direction. Keep on being human.
Well you're getting my sympathy anyway, Donna. Saying goodbye is hard.
There's never a good time, im sorry donna
Sorry about your mom, Donna. Saying goodbye to loved ones is difficult in the best of times. I can only imagine how much harder it is at the moment. Love to you and your family.
I should update you all that my mother passed yesterday afternoon. Peacefully, and my dad is doing as well as can be expected. I’m having a hard time keeping my brain focused - maybe that’s a good thing? - towards a deadline Friday.
sorry for your loss. virtual hug, or virtual bourbon (no ice)... or both (still, without ice).
I'm very sorry for your loss.
I'm very sorry for your loss, Donna.
so sorry to hear that. you deserve a break from work for a while.
Sorry to hear this Donna. Again, my heart goes out to you and your family. Take the time you need to process this and let the deadline slip if needed.
Today is my 53rd birthday and this is the cover of Progressive Architecture from the month I was born, April 1967:
I love it. Blowing up the old ways of doing things!!
that's awesome, found they're all scanned in pdf form
https://usmodernist.org/index-pa.htm
Happy birthday, Donna. And thank you, JLC, for that link. What a great resource.
sorry, Happy Birthday Donna!
I suddenly have the urge to check my underwear for sand now. Thanks Donna. Also, happy Guinness day.
^ Hopefully that's the only thing you need to check for.
Happy belated Donna!
If you follow me on Twitter you will see that I posted a few pages from the issue with some commentary. This one is my favorite
It's bothered me more that I probably want to admit that Archinect provides a free platform for people to promote their own business through the blogging platform. I've kept to myself about it, but David C. McFadden's recent post triggered me. It is simple plagiarism with the only goal to be to keep his name and company in the spotlight during COVID-19. The post, if not his entire blog, should be removed.
https://archinect.com/c4ablog/the-architecture-industry-is-getting-slammed-by-covid-19
Apparently not the first time he's plagiarized somone else's work and posted it to the blog: https://archinect.com/blog/article/150140227/top-recruiting-challenges-companies-face-and-how-to-overcome-them
I commented on that post as well. Clearly plagiarism, whether intentional or not.
Thanks Archinect.
Nice!
Update: I am now a part-time software engineer and a finish carpenter.
Congrats, i assume those are both currently more stable than architecture
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