Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction

Now, with the latest edition of Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction, you can keep your practice at the ready. This edition was expertly redesigned to include all-new material on current technology specific to residential projects for anyone designing, constructing, or modifying a residence. With additional, new content covering sustainable and green designs, sample residential drawings, residential construction code requirements, and contemporary issues in residential construction, it s a must-have resource. And now it's easier to get the information you need when you need it with references to the relevant building codes built right into the details and illustrations. These new "smart" details go beyond dimensions with references to the International Residential Building Code presenting all the information you need right at your fingertips. New features and highlights include:

• Loads of previously unpublished content over 80% is either new or entirely revised
• Sustainable/ green design information in every chapter a must today's practicing building and construction professionals
• Coverage of contemporary issues in residential construction aging in place, new urbanism, vacation and small homes, historic residences it s all here.
• Coverage of single- and multi-family dwellings complete coverage of houses, row homes and quadraplexes as dictated by the International Residential Building Codes.

Amazon-Exclusive: Q&A with Editor-in-Chief Dennis Hall

What is the most challenging or memorable residential project you ve worked on?
Designing my own home.

Why?
1. Really tough client.
2. No budget.
3. High client expectations
4. Have to live with the results for the last 19 years and think about all the things I would do differently.

Architects design houses, contractors build houses, and owners maintain and live in houses. That is the natural state of things. But when you design, build, and live in the same house, you have a unique perspective and only one person to blame (it is all my wife's fault). And, you learn from mistakes in a profound way (just kidding, Janice dear).

Houses are a lot like marriages. There are happy surprises and disappointing ones, and never enough money or time to do everything you want. In the end, it is not the big issues that determine happiness; it is the details that matter.

Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction is a book about getting the details right. While having Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction in your firm's library won't necessarily improve your marriage, why take that chance? I know I wish I had it 20 years ago.

What s new about the new edition?
The minimum standard of care is compliance with building code. But with thousands of codes and standards, some conflicting with each other, how do you know you have not forgotten something? This new book informs and educates the reader on specific code requirements and how they can be applied.

Remember, our clients pay us because we have knowledge of building design and construction and know how to apply that knowledge to their situation. While no architect promises a perfect set of construction documents, this is often the expectation of the client. The better we are able to convey building information to the client, contractor, and building official, the happier the client will be. Is that not what we all want?

What new content are you excited to see specifically covered in the book?
As a forensic architect, one of the biggest problems we see is the lack of understanding of the design and construction of exterior vertical enclosures. There are three basic types of walls: barrier walls, drainage cavity walls, and pressure-equalized walls. Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction explains how each of these wall types work and the importance of the water-resistive barrier and flashing in drainage cavity and pressure-equalized walls. Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction also provides details with code cites for the design of exterior vertical enclosures of numerous construction materials including masonry, wood, stucco, and others.

Armed with the knowledge of how walls work and the related building code requirements, keeping the water out of your project and having a happy client is easier. It is also far more economical for the home owner, designer, and contractor.