Ask the Builder: What today’s builders have (mostly) forgotten

Galadriel, a character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s amazing trilogy Lord of the Rings foreshadowed this column when he said: “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two-and-a-half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.”

Too many amazing things about homes are becoming myth. I’m going to try my best to keep alive much of the hard-earned knowledge discovered by past architects, builders and master craftsmen. You and I are stewards of this information, and some of us have done a deplorable job of preserving it for the next generation.

Why would one have to get out of a car before it’s pulled into a garage? Simple. Most garages have become too narrow. How can you expect to get out of a car when only 24 inches of space exist between the side of the car and the inside wall of the garage? At the very least, this should be four feet. Even then, you’ll discover it’s not enough space when things are stored on that same wall.

Did you grow up in a house with an attic filled with your parent’s treasure and memories? Most architects and builders kicked those to the curb decades ago as prefabricated wood trusses became the belle of the ball. Guess what? You can have a full attic with real steps leading to it all made possible by the same company that makes the roof trusses! You’ll eliminate the need for that monthly fee you now pay for offsite storage.