Marcos Silva Re-Tired Architect

03/14/2026

Next project to tackle will be a backyard water feature. This will be a bit more involved than the last one I did in our previous home, which was just a 3'x3' fountain.
So far we have the area roughly marked with bricks and it is about 9'x12'. I brought a power outlet to the area last fall in preparation for this.

01/06/2026

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/insulation/crawlspaces-that-work

This is perhaps the issue I get most asked about for homeowners. I am not sure the link will remain available since it's for a Fine Homebuilding magazine.
It's an excellent article explaining the science behind crawlspace design.

An "unvented crawlspace" is a misnomer all crawlspaces need a means of removing moisture. Crawlspaces can either be vented or "sealed and conditioned."

12/12/2025

I was recently asked to help out a young couple with a new home on their family's homestead.
We started out with looking at their cleared land with a southwestern exposure and several sketches they provided me with their ideas in diagrammatic floor plans.
We have worked together to get to a 1500sf home with a basement that they will expand on in future years.
We are almost at the point of having a permit set and they hope to be breaking ground in a month or so.
I am presently waiting on a vendor to finish design of the LVL beams and wood trusses.