• Today we finally picked the actual colors of the house. The shingle siding is a clear-coated natural cedar. The window and door trim, rafters, and eaves are Cabot Semi-Transparent redwood stain. The balcony railings and trim are Passion Vine, an olive-green color. All colors except for the siding were actually choices I made after the Art Jury told me what they liked. It was easier that way since it gave me fewer choices.

• Gave Joe Madden of Madden Millworks in San Pedro the go-ahead to start construction of the front door.

The Art Jury finally stamped the drawings allowing the City to issue the construction permit.
It only took 22 months and $40,000 just to get to this point! Now let's build it!

The Art Jury finally reviewed the final details for a wall cap, roofline, and chimney. That was what they were holding up the permits for. All of these these items are aesthetic and located at the top of the house. None of these items would have impacted the foundation permit.

The structural plan check was cleared today with the City building inspector.
The City also issued us a partial foundation permit. It was partial because the Art Jury wanted to see some aesthetic details before allowing any work on the patio or front porch foundations. Total overkill in my opinion!

Well we got a permit to allow for a partial demolition. The Art Jury is holding this up saying that they want to see some details on the plans.

The silhouette flags were readjusted to show the shallower pitch requested by the Art Jury. The entire roof design was changed.

The Art Jury reviewed the design today but had some issues. They didn't like the steep pitch of the roof and said the shed dormer made the house look like it was 3 stories, etc., etc. Back to the drawing board...

The initial design is ready for the Art Jury and Planning Commission to review. The issues were that we were mixing Ranch and Colonial style features on the house and that we should pick one....so we picked Craftsman. In California, it evolved from the California Bungalow. Craftsman-style houses are evident all around the Los Angeles area and especially in Pasadena where Greene and Greene really developed this style from their Japanese and native material influences. The Gamble House is a big inspiration in this project.

Before I get into the daily details, it would first be beneficial to tell you how the construction process works in Palos Verdes Estates. I found a great picture on their web site that is posted below. Basically, all construction needs to go through the Art Jury, part of the PVE Homes Association, and the the City's Planning Commission.

The first step is to get your drawings approved for aesthetics by the Art Jury. After their blessing, you can then go to the Planning Commission where they will weigh in on neighborhood compatibility, and listen to any neighbor's concerns. If there are concerns, you go before the Planning Commission and defend or compsomise on your position. The 5 members then vote to approve or deny your request for a permit. A majority of 3 members is required to grant approval.