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.
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.
The Coastal Florida Building Field Guide
A coastal Florida architect’s field guide to renovations, ADUs, and new builds — flood zones, hurricane code, permitting, and cost, and how to start in control.
What Is Florida’s 50% Rule?
Florida’s 50% Rule can turn a renovation into a forced rebuild. An architect explains how substantial improvement works — and how to plan around it before you commit.
Building Seaward of the Line: What a CCCL Permit Requires
Building or remodeling seaward of Florida’s Coastal Construction Control Line — what a CCCL permit requires, and how it stacks on local and flood rules, from an architect.
How to Renovate a Communist-Era Apartment in Romania: The Short Guide
How to renovate a communist-era bloc apartment in Romania, step by step: check the building, what's legal, layout limits, what a full renovation includes, what it costs, who does it and how long it takes.
What Does It Cost to Build on the Florida Coast?
What coastal Florida renovations, additions, ADUs, and builds really cost — range-first by an architect, plus why an independent number beats a quote you can’t check.
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.
Ghiduri in limba romana despre noul Cod al urbanismului, renovarea apartamentelor de bloc si construirea unei case noi.
What building from the ground up actually involves — structure, permits, cost, decisions.
Architecture, culture, and the ideas worth arguing about.
Latest articles:
Adding a Pool to a USVI Property: What the Permit Process and Site Reality Actually Look Like
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.
How Long Does a Building Permit Take? A State-by-State Reality Check
Building permit timelines range from 2 weeks to 9 months depending on where you're building, what you're building, and how you submit. Here's what actually determines your timeline — and how to shorten it.
What Can You Build on This Lot?
How much land do you need, and what fits on your lot? Setbacks, FAR, coverage and height explained — plus a calculator for the biggest house you can build.
How to Renovate a Communist-Era Apartment in Romania: The Short Guide
How to renovate a communist-era bloc apartment in Romania, step by step: check the building, what's legal, layout limits, what a full renovation includes, what it costs, who does it and how long it takes.
How Long Does an Apartment Renovation Take, and How Do You Plan for It?
How long an apartment renovation takes in Romania, from approvals to finishes: weeks by scope, the waiting before works start, the right order of works, living there during the renovation and phasing.
How Much Does It Cost to Renovate a Communist-Era Apartment in 2026?
What it costs to renovate a communist-era apartment in Romania in 2026: price bands per m² and by flat size, bathroom, kitchen and electrical costs, a real reference project, and what quotes leave out.
Architect or Builder: Who Do You Need for Your Apartment Renovation in Romania?
Architect or builder for your apartment renovation in Romania? When a good crew is enough, when you need design first, who can sign what under the new code, and how the three routes compare on cost and risk.
What Does a Full Renovation of a Bloc Apartment Include?
What a full renovation of a Romanian bloc apartment includes: what's stripped and what stays, every system and room, what design changes for the same budget, and a scope checklist for contractors.