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.

10/12/2025

It's been a busy summer and I am lagging behind posting a few projects.
Here is one we just embarked on with the help of our son in law with a concrete saw.
We're turning this small window in our study into a larger bay window to get more light and views.
It was no small task to get this thing started as it involves removing 8" of brick and block and about 1 1/4" of plaster.

08/06/2025

We were gifted a couple of solid core birch doors by a friend (Charles Piper). These were formerly used as barn doors for their architectural practice. I could not pass up the opportunity to take them and repurpose them.
I knew these doors were heavy but I had no idea how much! Each 36" door weighs 160 lbs.
Cutting into these doors and using them to build a project is not as easy as it might sound. The core is a mass of saw dust and glue and as you can imagine, does not lend itself to clean joints. I believed that there was a 1/8" thick layer of birch on the exterior but that is not exactly true. It's a very thin veneer laminated on a base of thick paper board.
Realizing that this was not going to be a perfect woodwork project as I was trying to force the material into a purpose not meant for it, I gave up any idea of perfection and proceeded.
I used the door to make the top and vertical pieces but then used a 3/4" plywood bottom to make it just a little lighter.
I am pleased how it came out. We located where it will be used as a bench, housing shoes, boots and routers under the seat.
After installing it, we realized that it will make a nice seating area for the grandkids with a folding table against it.

07/18/2025

The calm before the pour. Waiting on a concrete delivery for our new car port pad.

07/03/2025

Here is the floor plan that goes with the house elevation below. I thought the plan could be improved some, so offered some suggestions which may or not be well received.
Builders will go to "house planners" who can produce a set of permit drawings quickly but it seems that not a whole lot of thought goes into making the house better.
This was my suggestion for keeping most of his intent but possibly improving it.

07/03/2025

A builder friend sent me his proposed elevation for a "prairie" style house he wants to build and asked me for my opinion and suggestions.
I sketched up a suggestion to make it more "prairie" with lower roof slopes, wider overhangs and maybe a better division between stucco and brick. It wasn't quite there yet but he was concerned my suggestions would increase cost.
What do you think?

07/03/2025

Building the back fence was not exactly on the plans for this year but the old fence decided it was time to lay down in parts. So, this hastened the replacement. We now have most of the lot fenced in and with a new neighbor next door, we have his word that he will be building a fence to keep in his dog.

05/05/2025

I am sure all my architect friends will agree! 😆. A lot of truth there.

04/23/2025

Final Treehouse project snapshots.
The family came in for the weekend to help with the build and bring in excellent artistic talent from our oldest granddaughter Clara (9) with assistance from her cousins. This was a fun family project.