Should I consider budget and site orientation before having prints drawn?

            Yes, definitely.  Your budget constraint will help set an affordable size parameter to your project.  Check with the builder who you have the most trust in and run your ideas past him.  Many builders have GENERAL ranges of price per square foot that a project will cost given the location, design and material features.  Builders often refer to past jobs and a gut feeling to arrive at this general number.  It is not a science.  These square foot prices are only general, and the only time they are of any use is during the primary design phase.  You must understand that the more complex a structure, the higher the cost.  Also, if you desire big ticket items like $7/sq.ft. hardwood floor throughout, it is really going to effect the cost.

            Site orientation is also of major importance.  Many Adirondack building sites are view orientated so that is the major design constraint.  Most lakefront realty is also hilly and wet, so that is another primary constraint.  While keeping the primary constraints in mind, you should take a compass to the proposed building site and record the coordinates.  For the most part, the common areas (living room,  often called the “great room”, dinning room and kitchen) should benefit form the noonday sun.  Hence, assuming these rooms are positioned to capture the view, if at all possible they should also be exposed to the south or south-southwest to capture the sun.  A room flooded with sun is bright and cheery, which greatly improves the atmosphere of the camp.  Also, take note of a good roof design.  It shouldn’t block the sun, but yet it should block much of the weather from the northwest.  If you want a sun porch, don’t put it on the wrong side of the house.  And other little design traits are equally as important.  If you have a choice try to place an entry door on a gable end, so the rain run-off doesn’t splatter on the entry porch.  Also, IF you need an open deck at all, don’t place it under the drip line of a roof either, and especially not under a roof valley.  In this climate gutters don’t perform very well,  and if a deck is under the drip line the splash back onto the siding will cause premature rot and increased maintenance.

            Many design traits are extra important to absentee owners.  If there is a rain related incident, for example, you won’t be aware of it until your next trip up.  Decks in general are a nuisance.  Not only do they subject the building to premature rot, but they also collect deep snow.  If you are not here to keep them shoveled through the winter the snow load can have devastating results.  Skylights are also a nuisance if the building is heated throughout the winter.  Regardless of the manufacturer a skylight is the highest area of heat loss on a roof.  Hence snow will melt on them as it falls, it runs to the edge of the roof and then it freezes.  This repeated action creates what is called an “ice dam”, which will back up under the shingles and drip inside no matter what precautions are taken.

            Once you weigh the impact of your design parameters,  you are then prepared enough to have valuable insight into a good set of prints.  Keep it simple.

Back to FAQ's