Journal
A practitioner's perspective on custom builds in the US Virgin Islands and coastal Florida, renovations in Romania, and residential architecture more broadly — the design decisions, market realities, and project knowledge that don't usually get written down. Published weekly.
Featured articles:
The USVI New Build Field Guide
The complete overview for anyone planning a custom home in the US Virgin Islands — islands, permits, timelines, cost drivers, and what the process actually demands from the start.
USVI Construction Costs Per Square Foot
Honest cost ranges for a USVI build, what pushes numbers up, and what to pressure-test in a contractor quote before you commit.
What Does the USVI Permitting Process Actually Look Like?
The permit path from submission to groundbreaking — timelines, agencies involved, common reasons projects get sent back, and what to have in place before you file.
St. John vs. St. Thomas vs. St. Croix
A practical comparison of the three islands for buyers deciding where to build — infrastructure, permit paths, cost differences, and which fits which project.
Cisterns, WAPA, and Water in the USVI
Every USVI home runs on rainwater. How cistern capacity is calculated, what WAPA can and can't be relied on for, and how water infrastructure shapes design decisions.
What Is the USVI Coastal Zone Permit and Do You Need One?
When CZM review applies, what triggers it, and how coastal zone requirements affect timeline, buildable envelope, and cost on a USVI project.
Adding a Guest House in the USVI
What lot coverage rules, utility capacity, and the permit path actually allow when adding a detached structure — for owners evaluating whether their property supports it.
Adding a Pool to a USVI Property
Coastal zone triggers, cistern math, site excavation realities, and honest cost ranges for a pool addition — before you commit to a design or a contractor.
The Romania Apartment Field Guide
The complete framework for buying and renovating a Romanian apartment — building eras, structural realities, permit path, budget structure, and what to check before you commit.
Renovating in Romania: What Budget Estimates Always Miss
The costs contractors leave out of their initial quotes, why Romanian renovation budgets tend to overrun, and how to build a realistic envelope before you start.
Contents:
What building on St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix actually involves — from land to permit to construction.
Building on the Florida coast — from flood zone to permit to construction.
Renovation in Romania — what the building, the process, and the design actually involve.
How we work with clients across time zones, jurisdictions, and project types.
What building from the ground up actually involves — structure, permits, cost, decisions.
What existing buildings require before, during, and after — structure, regulation, and cost.
Architecture, culture, and the ideas worth arguing about.
Latest articles:
Building on the Florida Coast: A Field Guide to Renovations, ADUs, and New Builds
Building on the Florida coast — a complete guide to renovations, ADUs, and new builds: flood zones, hurricane code, the 50% Rule, permits, cost, and what to do first.
Building Seaward of the Line: What a CCCL Permit Actually Requires in Florida
Building seaward of Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line — what a CCCL permit requires, how it stacks on local and flood rules, and why design comes first.
Building New on the Florida Coast: What Coastal Lots, Flood Zones, and Hurricane Code Add to a Custom Home
Building a custom home on the Florida coast — what flood elevation, hurricane code, salt, and the CCCL add, and why design is where the cost and risk are set.
Buying a Coastal Florida Home: What to Check Before You Make an Offer
Buying a coastal Florida home or lot? The five things to verify before you make an offer — flood zone, CCCL, insurability, the 50% Rule, and buildability.
Should You Build an ADU in Florida? How to Know Before You Commit
Should you build an ADU in Florida? When a catalog model is the right call, when your lot needs a custom design, and the questions to answer before you commit.
Can You Build an ADU or Guest House on a Coastal Florida Lot? Permits, Lot Rules, and Flood Elevation
Can You Build an ADU or Guest House on a Coastal Florida Lot? Permits, Lot Rules, and Flood Elevation
Building an ADU on a Coastal Florida Property: What's Actually Allowed
Building an ADU on a coastal Florida property — what state law actually allows, why SB 48 didn't pass, and how flood and HVHZ rules decide your lot.
How Does Renovating Change Your Florida Flood and Windstorm Insurance?
How renovating changes your Florida flood and windstorm insurance — the elevation, roof, and opening decisions that move your premiums, and why they belong at the design stage.