Five Scary Things a Residential Building Designer Has Seen

These are not ghost stories. They are real situations Ashley J Design, a residential building designer, shares five scary real-life lessons involving an open door, budget shock, moving walls, water intrusion and mullet houses she has encountered while measuring homes, developing plans and helping clients prepare to build or renovate.

Some were frightening in the moment. Others became scary when the potential repair bill or construction estimate appeared. Here are five scary things a residential building designer never wants to see—and what homeowners can learn from them.

1. The Door Was Already Open

Ashley once arrived to take measurements at a client’s home with their permission while the homeowners were out of town. When she reached the front door, she discovered that it was already cracked open.

She had no way of knowing whether someone was inside or why the home had been left unsecured. Was someone in their robbing the place? Could the homeowner not have left yet?

Ashley did not step through the door. She called Joaquin (her husband), waited for backup and had him check the house before she entered.

“Safety first, then teamwork.” - AJ

The lesson

Never enter an empty property alone when something does not feel right. Call the homeowner, builder or real estate agent and ask someone to meet you. Measurements can wait. Personal safety cannot.

2. The Dream Home That Is Scary Out of Budget

One of the scariest things Ashley sees is a client beginning the design process without a builder involved.

The plans grow more detailed, the wish list expands and the client invests money into the design. Then a builder finally prices the project, and everyone discovers that the home is far outside the client’s budget.

That is when the sticker shock sets in.

Building your team is the better approach. Ashley J Design can begin conceptual design before a builder is selected, but Ashley will not move into construction documents until the client knows who will build the home, understands the anticipated cost and is confident that this is the house they plan to build.

The goal is to create plans that become a real home—not just pretty pictures sitting in a digital folder gathering virtual dust.

The lesson

Build the project team early. The client, residential building designer and builder should develop the design and budget together. Ideally, the interior designer should also be included so everyone is working toward one shared vision.

3. The 1990s Great Room Where the Whole Wall Moves

Ashley has encountered this condition at least five to ten times.

It appears in certain 1990s stucco or brick homes with two-story great rooms. These homes often have a two story rear wall with an arched opening above a set of French doors.

Then someone opens the French doors—and the entire wall moves. Scary.

“It is so common. It is quite scary.” - AJ

Why does the wall move?

In these cases, the framing and strapping are lacking. Back when these homes were built, engineering was sometimes not a requirement or was very basic. Overtime building codes change to address items such as these.

The lesson

A home can appear solid while concealing movement that becomes visible only when a door is opened or pressure is applied. Existing conditions must be carefully evaluated before renovation plans move forward.

4. The Water Problem You Cannot See Yet

As Ashley puts it, a house’s worst enemy is water—whether it comes from inside or outside.

Sometimes water damage arrives like a jump scare. You wake up, place your feet on the floor and discover that your socks are wet.

Other times, the problem develops silently slowly creeping in over time. Improper flashing allows water to enter behind a wall, where the damage can continue for months or years before anyone realizes what is happening.

Ashley has encountered unexpected water damage during renovations more times than she can count.

Flashing is intended to direct water away from vulnerable areas around roofs, windows, doors and exterior transitions. Roof to wall connections and chimney to roof areas are common locations for water infiltration when flashing is not appropriate. When it is missing, damaged or installed incorrectly, a small opening can create a very large problem.

The lesson

Never underestimate the details that manage water. Proper flashing is not the most glamorous part of a home, but it is one of the most important. Water intrusion can damage framing, insulation, finishes and indoor air quality long before the homeowner sees the first obvious sign.

5. The Dreaded Mullet House

Ashley has a name for a house that received all its architectural attention in the front while the sides and back were treated as an afterthought.

She calls it a mullet house.

The front elevation may have thoughtful materials, balanced windows, beautiful rooflines and plenty of personality. Then you walk around the house, and the design suddenly stops.

“All the “party” is up front, and then it is boring everywhere else.” - AJ

This is especially unfortunate when the rear of the house faces a lake, pool, outdoor living space or beautiful view. In many homes, the family and their guests spend more time experiencing the back of the house than the formal front elevation.

The lesson

A custom home should be designed from every angle. Architectural materials, windows, rooflines and proportions should relate to one another around the entire home. No elevation should look as though the creativity—or the budget—ran out before the design made it all the way around.

Experience Helps Prevent the Real Horror Stories

The scariest homebuilding problems do not always begin dramatically. They can start with the wrong order of operations, an overlooked water-management detail, movement hidden inside an older home or a design that considers only one elevation.

An experienced residential building designer knows what questions to ask, when additional evaluation is needed and how to assemble the right team before a concern becomes a much larger problem.

And when the front door of an empty house is mysteriously standing open, experience also says to call Joaquin.