By Sorista Vaught
When you are about to embark on your building project, knowing a style or design and its advantages or disadvantages can lead you into making the best decision for you.
In this article, it seemed advantageous to post several photos to assist with the discussion. As we know that a picture paints a thousand words, it is time to sit back and enjoy the view.
GLASS
The beautiful reflective nature of glass makes it an attractive choice in construction. It allows vast amounts of natural light to enter your living space which can serve to make occupants experience aspects of being outdoors while remaining indoors. See the link below for pros and cons of using glass in your building process:
GEODESIC DOME
The futuristic geodesic dome is a wonderful choice for those who can think outside the box, quite literally and who would like a storm and earthquake resistant building. The link above gives a glowing recommendation of why this can be an awesome choice for your structure. Some of the challenges–mostly regarding appliances and inner wall configurations–are not as difficult to solve as compared with all the advantages these structures afford.
PYRAMID
The pyramid structure advantages are slopes that allow rain and snow to slide right off, a solid base and angles that make it advantagous in storms. Some disadvantages are challenges to make wise use of space that diminishes as you go upwards in the structure. Access the links below to see Mexican architect and conceptual designer Juan Carlos Ramos show off one of his pyramid houses:
A-FRAME
A-frame home. Photo courtesy of David Kovalenko on Unsplash 
An A-frame home – interior view. Photo courtesy of Andrea Davis on Unsplash.
The A-frame is another design that sheds rain and snow effectively however when it comes time to replace the roof, it can be a beast and quite expensive as well. It’s quaint style is attractive yet you have to consider the sloping walls will present decorating challenges and you will lose floor area on the higher levels.
The log cabin home is another favorite. These require frequent applications of sealant to preserve the logs. They are more prone to insect invasion and are harder and higher to insure. Those are the cons. The pros are green living, cozy atmosphere, and energy efficiency which can be as much as 15% greater when compared to traditional homes. These homes are available in kits.
…Perhaps your flavor is to have a combination of several of the above-mentioned designs. If this is the case, come see us and watch your configuration take shape as FECS maps out a sound structure plan whose beauty and functionality will serve you well for years to come. Reach us at 931-456-6071.
Field's Engineering Consultant Services, LLC 