ESP Architects

10/19/2026

**“It's only a small addition. How complicated could it be?”**

Famous last words? Sometimes. 😂

An owner sees an opportunity to grow their business. Maybe another office, additional warehouse space, or a few more treatment rooms.

An architect sees that opportunity, too.

But we're also thinking about occupancy classifications, allowable building area, fire protection, accessibility, existing systems, zoning, and a dozen other questions.

Not because the addition is necessarily complicated.

Because **a small change to an existing building can have consequences well beyond the space being added.**

And just because a building complied with the codes when it was constructed doesn't automatically mean an expansion will meet today's applicable requirements.

That's why understanding the owner's objectives and investigating existing conditions before design can be so valuable.

Sometimes the best investment isn't immediately drawing the addition.

It's understanding what adding it might actually require.

**ESP Insight 05: The Expensive Consequences of Overlooking Existing Building Conditions**

https://esparch.com/insights/existing-building-conditions-expensive-mistakes

**Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.**

10/17/2026

The Chicago Building Codes are changing. Are you ready?

Several changes take effect December 1, 2026.

Do you know what they mean? How they might affect your project? Or even where to begin?

I'll be talking about these changes and other building code and construction issues every Saturday, along with additional information on my ESP Insights page.

Feel free to ask questions or leave comments about topics you'd like to learn more about.

**ESP Insights:** https://esparch.com/insights

**Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.**

10/16/2026

**An existing building isn't automatically a good investment. Neither is replacing it.**

Earlier this week, we talked about why square footage alone doesn't tell you whether a building will work, and how changing its use can introduce unexpected costs.

But here's the other side of that conversation.

An older building might have tremendous potential.

Renovating it could preserve valuable infrastructure, reduce the need for new construction, and create something that serves its occupants for decades.

Or the cost of making it work could exceed the value it creates.

**The answer isn't always renovation. And it isn't always new construction.**

It's understanding the purpose, evaluating the options, and making an informed investment decision.

That's where architecture should begin.

**Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.**

10/15/2026

Remember Monday's discussion about square footage? And that little movie reference? 😂

Well, here's another reason square footage can be misleading.

You find a 10,000-square-foot building. You only need 7,000.

Perfect, right?

**Inconceivable!**

The building may have more than enough room, but changing its use or occupancy classification could trigger additional building code requirements.

Fire protection, accessibility, exiting, mechanical systems, and other improvements can add substantial costs to what initially looked like a great investment.

The building might be big enough.

**The budget might not be.**

That's why understanding what a building can legally and practically support matters before committing to it.

Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.

Read more: https://esparch.com/insights/architectural-feasibility-study-existing-building

10/15/2026

Wow! Just wow! I have no words.

10/12/2026

An existing building isn't automatically a good investment. Neither is replacing it.

Earlier this week, we talked about why square footage alone doesn't tell you whether a building will work, and how changing its use can introduce unexpected costs.

But here's the other side of that conversation.

An older building might have tremendous potential.

Renovating it could preserve valuable infrastructure, reduce the need for new construction, and create something that serves its occupants for decades.

Or the cost of making it work could exceed the value it creates.

The answer isn't always renovation. And it isn't always new construction.

It's understanding the purpose, evaluating the options, and making an informed investment decision.

That's where architecture should begin.

Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.

10/09/2026

I bet you never thought the English language and architecture have a lot in common.

Ever heard Michael McIntyre talk about silent letters? The English language is riddled with them—and, as it turns out, so are our buildings.

The extra space nobody really needs. Think douBt. Why is that B there? It's taking up space and contributing absolutely nothing.

The hallway that's there because it's always been there. Kind of like the W in Wrong. Nobody knows why it's there, but apparently we're keeping it.

The requirement somebody thinks is required. Like the K in Knowledge. Somebody, somewhere, decided it belonged there and we've all been following along ever since.

The expensive finish nobody stopped to question. That's the B in deBt. You don't hear it when you say it, but you'll definitely notice it when the bill shows up.

The architectural feature somebody added because they thought the building “needed something.” Gnome, anyone? Why is the G there? It doesn't do anything. It's decorative. It's basically the architectural equivalent of putting a garden gnome on the front of your building.

Buildings are full of silent letters.

They don't make much noise while we're designing.
BUT THEY CAN GET PRETTY DAMN LOUD WHEN THE BIDS COME IN.

Good architecture isn't always about what we add. Sometimes it's figuring out what never needed to be there in the first place.

Tell me about your gnomes.

Every line on paper represents a decision. Every decision either creates or destroys value.

Website: https://www.michaelmcintyre.co.uk/Facebook: https://www.f...

10/07/2026

Good information here from fellow architect and friend Mark Eric Benner.

Cost per square foot can be a useful reference, but it never tells the whole story. Two projects can have the same cost per square foot and spend those dollars in very different ways.

Some of that money creates value. Some supports the purpose of the project. And some gets spent on things that really do neither.

Those are the things I’ve started calling “Gnomes.” They find their way into a project, consume money, and somehow nobody remembers inviting them.

If you’re considering building or renovating a single-family home in the northern suburbs of Chicago, give Mark Eric Benner a follow. He does good work and shares a lot of useful information about the process.

How to save money building a custom home usually comes down to one ...

10/07/2026

When do you think the most expensive mistakes on a building project are made?

During construction?
When the drawings are being developed?
When the budget is established?

Sometimes, it's before any of those things happen.

It's when an assumption goes unquestioned.
When the wrong property gets purchased.
When nobody clearly defines what success looks like.
When a want quietly becomes a requirement.

Or when everyone starts designing the solution before they've agreed on the problem.

That's why I put together 9 questions you should answer before you start designing a building—plus 6 more worth asking.

They won't tell you what your building should look like.

That's not the point.

They'll help you understand what you're actually trying to accomplish before you start spending money designing it.

Before we start designing the answer, we should make sure we understand the question.

Strategy First. Design Second. Success Always.

Read ESP Insight 00:
esparch.com/insights/questions-before-designing-a-building

10/05/2026

You can change the toppings all you want.

But what’s underneath them matters.

Buildings aren’t much different.

So before we start designing…

What’s the French bread of your building?



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