Charles Hendricks's (harrisonburgarchitect) Blog

Want to be a better member of the community, get started today with these simple first steps. A healthy community starts with you. Reuse – look for product packaging that allows for reuse, look for minimal throw away packaging, look for new uses for old items Reduce – replace old light bulbs with...

We have another energy efficient custom home under construction, this one at Crossroads Farm. Looking through the neighborhood at Crossroads Farm you can quickly see that this neighborhood is all about views. This home design is situated in an ideal place to provide the home owners with access to...

The Gaines Group is pleased to announce the addition of an interior designer to our staff. Amy Turnage joining our staff provides us with the ability to be a one stop resource for your renovation and addition needs. If you own a rental home we can handle the entire process giving you peace of min...

Harrisonburg is such an amazing place. Being designated as an Appalachian Trail Community is just one of many things it has to brag about. You have to check out the Farmer's Market, the Local Chop and Grill, and the Friendly City Food Co-op if you stop by for a weekend visit.Harrisonburg is the l...

In an effort to answer the market demand for well designed semi-custom homes in the Harrisonburg market, we have developed a set of plans called the living series. This set of plans was done in partnership with A. M. Yoder in order to provide home owners with a lower cost option and not have to p...

I spent some time with a contractor at Wintergreen yesterday. We have been doing work on several projects in Nelson County and she wanted to get an idea on cost for a deck design. We toured an amazing rental house that was clearly a million dollar property with a two million dollar view. The deck...

A certified BPI or RES-Net Rater will allow you to better understand where to spend money to get the best return on investment. An energy audit is a test that can determine whether you house is air tight and if not where the holes are in the thermal envelope. For years we have heard, don’t make y...

  The Food Coop is open, has a great selection, and is creating buzz in the community. Check out my blog about the store and links to several media outlets talking about the Coop! http://harrisonburgarchitect.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/friendly-city-food-co-op/   Harrisonburg's Friendly City Food C...

Of course I know you can find a plan in a magazine and pay a couple of thousand for rights to use it. Will it get you the house of YOUR DREAMS? Probably not. It may be the perfect layout and arrangement of rooms, although there is almost always some sacrafice that you make buying a stock plan. Of...

Excellent blog on the way we should treat our clients. With so many ways to stay connected, sometimes it is hard to keep up with everyone that wants your attention. We must not take on more than we can do well.How do you define professional? Is it what title you have behind your name? Is it what ...