Completed at the end of 1989 these five single-family homes constructed in the Oakland hills were built using techniques I pioneered with my Subcontractors, the Developer and Architect based on my experience in construction and my readings in industrial project management. Specifically, I used what I'd read about 'good practice' as seen from the AIA perspective and more importantly what I learned in reading the work of W. Edwards Deming to build this project for a very low per square foot cost. Proof positive of the effectiveness of Universe's management skill is that the last house built cost only 60% of the cost of the first one.
I am now studying and working with my current crop of subcontractors to implement the LEAN method which is what has evolved from Toyota's 'Just in time' methods which were originally inspired by Demming's pioneering work.
We are working hard to lower costs and decrease the time needed to build high quality Projects like this one using the experience gained since then and the latest in technology. Our webased Construction Management system built and managed by the award winning software engineers Corecon provides all team members, including you the Owner, access to the information you need to play your part in the construction process.
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Ah yes, the fascia at the overhang on the roof on these building averaged 45 feet into the sky. They had a great view of the City looking out above the Mormon Temple but constructing the cantilevered deck and arced glass handrail did present a problem.
Due to human error and fear, framing those decks was not for the squeamish, every deck was a different shape. Designed to be perfect half-circles they varied up to 8" in radius, sometimes on the same deck, which presented a challenge when it came to installing the composite metal and glass handrail. The glass was 1/2" thick safety glass fabricated to a perfect arc in Southern California.
The truly difficult aspect of this is that the glass had a nine month lead time so....
....we had to order it, specifying at that time the radius as well as all of it's other characteristics, before we even broke ground for the Project in as much as we finished the construction phase on this Project in around ten months.
If you are really interested in how I planned the assembly of these rails and what was the key insight I used to do so, and are not a competitor of mine, email me here with your email address and I will send you the answers to those questions.
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My favorite kitchen so far....
Shame the Owner's went nuts and created 105 change orders on a 1890s Victorian that when we arrived had...
No heat...
No electrical to speak of...
Needed 45 k of windows...
All was well with the construction process until the Owner's ran out of money and demanded an end to regular construction meetings so they would not have to pay any more to the Architect. Things got out of control after that and this is the only Project we failed to complete.
Ask me about 'Black Swans' and I'll send you my newsletter on how that concept can illuminate a darker corner of the construction process.
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Here's the Powder Room showing the black Wenge prefinished floor used throughout the first floor. The owner's managed to acquire a dog after we'd installed most of same. This voided the warranty, not uncommon in prefinished flooring, and contributed to an acrimonious finish to this Project. The lesson there is, I believe, for Owner's to understand the implications of decisions you make.
They do matter. Sometimes a they matter a lot.
Custom, recessed medicine cabinet aligned, you can see, with the joints in the tile wainscoting. Not the easiest thing to do. In fact, tile layout, excluding any and all installation, in the Master Bathroom, Children's Bathroom and this Powder Room took me in the neighborhood of 16 hours. That's a lot. But the result's were outstanding.
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