Author Archives: designfreedominc

Hurricane Season: Recommended Choices for Upgrading Your Home

Hurricanes and flooding or storm surge are a fact of life in Florida. But there are some proactive choices you can make now. Pinellas County contains 233,888 single-family houses *, including Clearwater and St Petersburg. Of those, about 13,397 were built using the Florida Building Code, which went into effect March 15, 2002, and isContinue reading “Hurricane Season: Recommended Choices for Upgrading Your Home”

Cold Hot Cold Days: Upgrading Your Florida Home’s Insulation

Temperature swings. Otherwise known as Springtime (and Autumn) in Florida. Cold nights that require you to cover or bring inside your sensitive plants and wrap yourself in a sweater and blankets inside. Followed by soaring daytime temperatures which find you switching the thermostat from Heating to Cooling. Until sunset when the temperature drops again. DidContinue reading “Cold Hot Cold Days: Upgrading Your Florida Home’s Insulation”

Flat Roof Considerations: What Homeowners Should Know

Have you ever stopped to wonder why almost every house has a sloped roof – gable, hip, etc – and almost every business has a flat roof – often hidden behind a parapet with a big sign on it? If you have, you would wonder why so many homes have problems with flat roofs. Let’sContinue reading “Flat Roof Considerations: What Homeowners Should Know”

Up-set and Dropped Beams: Remodeling Options

No, this isn’t a post about the emotional intelligence of structural beams. Instead, let’s consider the different options for removing a wall, and how those choices look and feel in a finished room. When your Architect has determined that a wall is a structural or load-bearing wall, what does that really mean? Usually, it meansContinue reading “Up-set and Dropped Beams: Remodeling Options”

Visitability: Benefits to Both You and Your Visitors

None of us are getting any younger. Some of us have trouble maneuvering steps or seeing in dim lighting. Kids and grandkids come in strollers. An injury or surgery can make everyday living more challenging. Sickness or new medications can make you unsteady on your feet. Visibility means allowing everyone to be able to visitContinue reading “Visitability: Benefits to Both You and Your Visitors”