The Dream Page 4

The drawing above is a simple front elevation, the drawing to the right is the second story floor plan. These drawings are from the construction bidding series, not the final building plans.

Generally speaking, modern houses are built without the aid of engineering calculations; they are simply built based on local building codes. Castle Vistorian, with its 12-foot ceilings, tall brick chimneys, and slate roof is more similar in construction complexity to a commercial building than to a conventional, two-story house. For this reason, Castle Victorian was built to "Engineered Architectural Standards." Weight loads were calculated, and the supporting structure was built based on those specifications. We had not anticipated this additional expense, but in the end it was clear that it was a very necessary phase of the project. My appreciation for the builders of the original Victorians was once again elevated.