Dave McCorquodale

I suppose the biggest difference in my mind is residential vs.  commercial.  I believe you can do anything you want except call yourself a landscape architect in the residential world.  Of course there are municipal regulations that prescribe when a licensed professional must be on board (irrigation, structural/civil engineers, etc).  
While 90%…[Read more]

While I don’t have direct experience with porous concrete, I believe it has to be cleaned every so often (annually?) to essentially vacuum the sediments out or porosity diminishes over time.  I wonder if occasional flooding would deposit fine sediments that would become trapped and negate the value of having permeable concrete, resulting in…[Read more]

Bob, you’ve got some solid points and I appreciate the dialogue on the subject.  So first: THANK YOU for starting the conversation!!!!  
I got my degree about 5 years later in life than most of my classmates, after a stint in the Army and a year working to save money.  So I had a mild non-traditional student viewpoint during my studies.  I did an…[Read more]

you might consider this book: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118668723.html
I don’t have any knowledge of the book, but it appears to be good.  Not sure if you could find it used or cheaper elsewhere…

While I don’t know of any online, I’d suggest thinking about topography in terms of spot elevations.  The contour lines superimposed on a drawing always come after the spot elevations are determined.  The contour lines just kind of “fill in the blanks”.  Find a resource that focuses on the (relatively) simple math behind site grading and the co…[Read more]

Sorry, it looks like everything they carry is refurbished and they only appear to deal with HP plotters.  

It’s been several years since we bought ours (maybe 4-5).  I bought it through Minnesota Computers online.  Never heard of them before finding them while searching.  We did buy a refurb plotter, not sure if they carry new as well.  I only offer this because I remember their customer service before, during, and after the sale to be exceptional.  It…[Read more]

I work for a small design-build firm and I paid all of the expenses (LARE+prep courses+travel) myself.  I also pay all my own license renewal and continuing education costs.  Who covers the costs probably depends a lot on the employment arrangement: your pay/compensation, how you having a license adds to the company’s profit, other LA’s on staff w…[Read more]

I typically spend 4-5 hours on the 3D aspect of the project and I put every project in the software.  By comparison I used to spend about 3-4 hours on hand rendering plans, elevations and details.  I start every project with sketch paper and a pen.  I work to whatever degree of detail I feel suits the project and then scan/import the sketch in…[Read more]

I’ve used Pool Studio for several years.  I’m a residential LA and I’m often amazed that my clients rave over seeing how the exterior of the house will look.  Most of my projects happen while the house is just beginning construction or close to starting construction.  I think lack of really high-end 3D is pretty common in the residential world.  P…[Read more]

The small design-build firm I was an employee of didn’t do anything for health/wellness.  As an employee, I worked way to much, cared way too much about things I couldn’t change, and gave way too much control over my life to people who didn’t spend much time thinking about my well being.  So I quit.  Well, sort of.  I carefully found a wor…[Read more]

Depending on whether the parcel is located inside a city limits or not, if the land falls under zoning controls, and what the particular laws are in your state, something like a Planned Development District, or PDD, may provide some of the controls you are looking for.  A PDD is something like a development agreement with a municipality that sets…[Read more]

Your approach sounds logical and correct.  While I generally avoid planting plans, I think I probably show mature size (or reasonably close).  Am I reading too much into your comments to think that you are being asked to show the installed size?  I’ve been in design/build (pools/hardscapes) for about 10 years.  My landscape installer typically doe…[Read more]

So while I’ve never built a concrete slide, my mental image is that this is built on a sloping grade and not free-standing.  I’d go for a fairly polished surface, the gunite slides we build on pools are fairly polished and they’re also wet which helps the slide actually work.  You better think this thing through or Dennis Day is going to come o…[Read more]

Bruce, look closer at the Vizterra info, that’s a $95 per month software license.  You don’t actually buy their software, just “rent” the license.
We use their Pool Studio on every project (high-end residential), and I export the “bones” of the project into CAD LT for 2D drawings.  Their control of slopes & terrain is pretty poor, though it’s e…[Read more]

Another possible fit might be Tal Thevenot with Aquaterra Outdoors.  I don’t know him personally, though he was a year or two ahead of me at Kansas State.  They are based in Frisco, which is about 30 minutes away.  Their work seems to be top notch and they’ve handled a wide range of projects, though their niche is high end residential.  I don…[Read more]

When I think of corten I initially think about the oxidized/rust surface.  That may not be what you’re planning on, but if so, I’d wonder if there would be a problem with shoes leaving tracks at the ends.  If this was an approach to a house or motor court, would the rust/residue be carried onto car floor mats or the entry of a house in wet w…[Read more]

I agree.  My biggest concern was understanding the context of the test.  I took prep classes for the old-version C & E through UT @ Arlington and bought books to study the multiple choice sections.  With a lot of hard work I passed all sections first time around.  The two prep classes no doubt were a huge help and worth the cost (though they wer…[Read more]

My kids, 8 & 7, both really liked getting a tablet of graph paper like I use to design on and I let them have an old set of circle templates.  Seemed incredibly simple to me, but I guess having something exactly like what I use daily is the key to why they like it so much.  I think of it like prepping my own little cadre of draftsmen for me to e…[Read more]

I think someone told me that not becoming licensed was sort of like being one course/class away from a degree.  While the exam cost of a very real concern, it’s rather small compared to the cost of the degree.  Perhaps paying out of pocket for the exam versus the “easy money tap” of student loans/parent’s checkbook makes it sting a little more t…[Read more]