Home: The Second Story

A homeowner asked Marilyn whether she could act as the general contractor on a project. We use that question to explain what a general contractor does and what happens when an owner chooses a different arrangement. A general contractor hires and manages the specialists needed for the job. That includes checking subcontractors’ insurance, coordinating schedules, handling payments and keeping work m...

We answer three homeowner questions that come up often during design and construction: how to handle change orders, how to design a house around real life, and how much resale value should influence personal design decisions. We start with an ADU owner who has received several change orders, including a $7,000 increase for tile and fixtures selected from the builder's own options. We explain that...

A homeowner does not need a finished plan before calling an architect. In this snack-sized episode of Home: The Second Story , we start with a Springhouse Architects client who knew they wanted to change their home but could not yet say what problem they were trying to solve. We walked through the house with them, learned how their family uses it, and developed a master plan. After considering sev...

In this episode of Home: The Second Story, Sheri Scott and Marilyn Moedinger talk with Jenn, a homeowner in Farmersville, Ohio, who built a custom home on 10 acres near Dayton. Jenn’s project moved quickly. The build took about eight months, and the whole process from plans to move-in was about 10 months. Jenn had a unique perspective because she works for Sheri at Springhouse Architects. She did...

Built-ins are one of the most loved parts of a custom home, and for good reason. They are furniture, cabinetry, shelving, storage, and architectural features that become part of the house itself. Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities count, but when most people talk about built-ins, they mean the fun pieces: bookcases, mudroom storage, pantry systems, bars, room dividers, fireplace walls, hidden...

Homeowner Beth joins us with her designer Linda to talk about a kitchen renovation that turned out beautifully, even though the process was far more difficult than expected. Beth had lived in her Lancaster, Pennsylvania home for 29 years and had wanted to remove the wall between her small kitchen and dining room for a long time. Once her husband agreed, she and Linda began interviewing builders. B...

Sometimes, a homeowner wants to use a construction method that is not common in their area. This could mean SIP construction, ICF, modular, masonry, post and beam, or another system outside of standard stick framing. The point is not to compare every building technology or decide which one is best. The real issue is how to know whether a different construction type makes sense for your project. Th...

In this mailbag episode of Home: The Second Story , we answer three common questions about residential construction and renovation. We start with what happens when homeowners feel like they are managing the builder instead of the builder managing the project. We then talk about whether it is realistic to live in a house during a major renovation. Finally, we cover the early design decisions that c...

How do I find a builder? In this snack size episode of Home: The Second Story , we start by making one thing clear. Clients do not need to come to an architect with a builder already picked out. Some people arrive with a builder in hand. Others come with no names at all. Both are fine. A good architect helps guide that decision and can share builders who have done strong work on similar projects....

In this episode of Home: The Second Story , Sheri Scott and Marilyn Moedinger talk with Caleb Fetter, President and Managing Partner at RMS in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. RMS is an electrical services provider, lighting specifier, and technology integration company. As Caleb puts it, they are “not just the AV guys.” Caleb explains why electrical, lighting, and technology planning need to happen much...

In this snack-sized episode of Home: The Second Story , we talk about uncertainty and how much of it shows up when homeowners are deciding whether to renovate, build new, or take on a custom residential project. Big projects come with big unknowns. There is uncertainty in the market, in the environment, in pricing, in interest rates, and in our own lives. No one has a crystal ball. No architect ca...

In this one-year anniversary episode of Home: The Second Story , we look back at what the podcast has taught us about homeowners, custom projects, and the conversations people need before they begin. The show started as a way to let past clients talk to future clients, because a homeowner’s voice lands differently than advice from an architect. Over the past year, that format has expanded to inclu...

In our third mailbag episode, we answer three listener questions about hiring a builder, comparing bids, and knowing when plans are detailed enough for pricing. The first question asks what homeowners should ask builders beyond cost and schedule. We explain that homeowners need drawings before they interview builders, even if those drawings are preliminary. A builder cannot give meaningful feedbac...

In this snack-sized episode of Home: The Second Story , we talk about the difference between trendy and timeless design, and why that question comes up so often for homeowners. Clients often arrive with inspiration images, social media saves, and a real concern about making the wrong choice. When a renovation or new home takes major time, money, and resources, it makes sense to want the result to...

In this episode of Home: The Second Story , we welcome Craig Hyson and Nick Blessing from Pella Windows & Doors of Cincinnati. This conversation is for homeowners who are starting a custom home, a large renovation, or even a production build and want to understand how to make better decisions about windows and doors before they order anything. Craig and Nick start with one of the most important po...

We talk about decision fatigue in home renovation and custom building, and why it catches so many homeowners off guard. The core issue is mental exhaustion. People already have full lives before a project starts, and then they are asked to make a long series of choices over many months. Some of those choices are big, like layout and room count. Others show up during construction and feel urgent. T...

We talk with Patrick Paul about a Brooklyn gut renovation that began as something much smaller and turned into a much bigger project. Patrick bought a two-family home in a historic district in New York City after years of searching. He and his family used an FHA loan, lived with the risk of an as-is purchase, and took on a house that came with both DOB and landmark violations. The project started...

In this snack-sized episode, we lay out three simple phrases that help when a construction project starts to feel tense or disorganized. The focus is not on winning an argument. It is on getting everyone back to the same set of facts so the team can move forward. The first phrase is, “Let’s look at the contract.” When communication breaks down or stress rises, the contract is often the best place...

In this episode, we talk with John and Lauren Katzman about building their custom multi-generational home in Powell, Ohio, just north of Columbus. Their project was a new build on five acres near a pond and woods. They began working with Sheri and Springhouse Architects well before construction started, and they broke ground in February 2020. About a month later, the pandemic hit. Even with that t...

Today we focus on why HVAC design matters far earlier in a project than most homeowners expect. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning shape more than temperature. These systems affect comfort, humidity, indoor air quality, and even the long-term durability of a home. We stress that when HVAC is treated as an afterthought, the result is often awkward soffits, dropped ceilings, poor airflow, an...

In this mailbag episode of Home: The Second Story , we answer three questions that come up early in almost every home project. First, we talk about the fear of missing hidden constraints before buying a property or committing to a renovation. We walk through the kinds of issues people should investigate early, including zoning, setbacks, easements, drainage, septic limitations, wells, and utility...

We open this snack size episode by asking a simple but critical question. How do we estimate the cost of a renovation or new home when the design is still evolving? We explain that the conversation starts before someone even becomes a client. In our first discovery call, we ask three questions. What is the scope of the project, what is the timeline, and what is the budget. Most people say they do...

We talk with Cami Pinsak about a kitchen remodel in her 1950 ranch home in Camarillo, California, and the conversation turns into a very clear lesson about what happens when a homeowner tries to manage too much of a renovation alone. What began as a simple kitchen update, driven in part by the need for a new refrigerator, quickly expanded into a larger project with more decisions, more coordinatio...

In this episode, we take on a question we hear all the time: do you really need an architect? We explain that the answer is yes and no, because it depends on the type of project, the location, and what the homeowner is trying to achieve. Some jurisdictions require an architect for certain residential projects, especially when zoning analysis, change of use, or larger homes are involved. In places...

In our first mailbag episode, we answer four questions that come up all the time for homeowners who are trying to make smart decisions before starting a renovation or new build. We start with a question about whether a $300,000 renovation budget is realistic for a family hoping to update a kitchen, family room, and primary bath. We explain that there is no honest way to answer that without some le...