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Home Additions: Building Out vs. Building Up
Advantages of Building Outward Building outward inherently carries with it several advantages which, taken together, might steer you in...

Vistacraft Engineers
Nov 16, 20227 min read
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2023 California Energy Code Update for Single Family Buildings
Single Family Building, Defined In the 2019 Energy Code, low-rise multifamily buildings (≤3-stories) were grouped in the same code...

Vistacraft Engineers
Oct 26, 20225 min read
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Transparent Aluminum: A Cutting Edge Material
What is Transparent Aluminum? Known commercially as ALON, transparent aluminum is made of aluminum oxynitride, a combination of...

Vistacraft Engineers
Oct 16, 20222 min read
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Comprehensive Guide to Solar Panel Types
What is a Solar Panel? Solar panels are used to collect solar energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. The typical solar...

Vistacraft Engineers
Oct 16, 20227 min read
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What is a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU)?
JADU Rules and the Differences Between ADUs and JADUs ADUs are larger, in many cases up to 1,200 square feet are allowed. A full kitchen...

Vistacraft Engineers
Oct 16, 20223 min read
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6 Types of Home Additions and How to Choose One
Home additions come in a number of basic types to address homeowners’ needs for living space, cost, and style. They can range from...

Vistacraft Engineers
Sep 20, 20227 min read
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Updated ADU Laws: SB 897 and HCD’s ADU Handbook
New ADU Law: California’s SB 897 Senate Bill 897 clarifies and expands upon previously passed statewide legislation regarding accessory...

Vistacraft Engineers
Sep 19, 20223 min read
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Home Heating 101: An Overview of Available Options
What Is HVAC? HVAC is an abbreviation for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. This term is used to describe the overall climate...

Vistacraft Engineers
Sep 19, 20227 min read
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6 Best Remodel Projects to Improve Your Home’s Value
In general, across many real estate markets, kitchen and bathroom remodeling consistently offer the highest percentage return on your...

Vistacraft Engineers
Aug 26, 20223 min read
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Ascent Tower the World’s Tallest Timber Building
CTBUH certifies Ascent as World’s Tallest Mass Timber Building The previous world’s tallest timber building was Mjøstårnet in Brumunddal,...

Vistacraft Engineers
Aug 25, 20221 min read
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Vaulted Ceilings: Pros, Cons, and Considerations
What Is a Vaulted Ceiling? In essence, a vaulted ceiling is any ceiling that angles up past the typical 8-Â to 10-foot flat ceiling...

Vistacraft Engineers
May 1, 20225 min read
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Skyscrapers Made of Wood
Overview If the thought of a 60-story timber-frame building doesn’t seem all that different than a few very tall toothpicks bound...

Vistacraft Engineers
May 1, 20223 min read
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Building Location, Fire-Rated Construction, and You
Everyone wants to make the most out of their property. Maximizing your open space is the What Has to be Fire Resistant (aka Fireproofed)?...

Vistacraft Engineers
May 1, 20222 min read
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Vinyl vs. Wood vs. Fiberglass vs. Aluminum Windows
What Are Vinyl Windows? Vinyl is an affordable, plastic-like material that is often used for window frames. Vinyl has become extremely...

Vistacraft Engineers
Apr 11, 20225 min read
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What is a Modular Kitchen?
What does modular mean? Modules refer to units that can be composed together to complete a form, whether that be a kitchen or a couch....

Vistacraft Engineers
Apr 10, 20228 min read
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Homeowner’s Rights to Build Accessory Dwelling Units in California
What Guidelines Must Local Jurisdictions Follow in Permitting an ADU/JADU? • Homeowners are allowed (in most cases) to build one ADU and...

Vistacraft Engineers
Apr 10, 20222 min read
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Slab-on-Grade vs. Crawl Space: Which Foundation System is Best?
What Is a Slab-On-Grade Foundation? A slab-on-grade foundation is a construction method in which the concrete slab that will serve as the...

Vistacraft Engineers
Mar 18, 20224 min read
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Straw-bale Construction
History Straw houses have been built on the African plains since the Paleolithic Era. Straw bales were used in construction 400 years...

Vistacraft Engineers
Mar 8, 20224 min read
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All You Need to Know About Rainscreens
Stopping the rain that gets past the siding. In most cases, the investment in a rainscreen siding installation pays dividends in paint...

Vistacraft Engineers
Mar 5, 20225 min read
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How to Build your Not-So-Big House
The Not So Big House movement was kicked off by the 1998 publication of The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live by...

Vistacraft Engineers
Feb 21, 20223 min read
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