Morris residence, Seattle

Here are some more details from my sister's house in Seattle.

1026 Conti Street interior.

These are some interior shots of the third floor windows. The original ones were butchered some time in the 1950's. I located period correct sash and restored it. I repaired the existing frames and stablized them in their masonry openings. That's me, shown for scale; the windows are 10' 4" tall. Also seen here are period correct shutters resized to fit the openings.

1026 Conti Street

These are before and after shots of the town house at 1026 Conti street in the French Quarter in New Orleans

Photographs of Morris residence, Seattle

Photographs of Venusian Gardens, New Orleans.

Peter J. Morris

Design/Construction

I have 30 years experience in nearly all phases of residential and light commercial construction. I have lived and worked in New Orleans since 2002.

Work History and Representative Projects

1979-1981: Draftsman and designer for William Morris Architect Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. I worked on numerous residential and condominium projects as a draftsman and designer, most notably "Walden" an innovative and award winning 1000+ unit condominium development.

1981-1984: Student at Hampshire college, Amherst, Massachusetts. I studied Architecture and spent summers working as a carpenter

1984-1989: I designed, built and sold two houses in the Amherst, Massachusetts area. I also worked for Construct Associates, a prominent commercial contractor in neighboring Northampton, Massachusetts

1989-1991: Reprised my role as draftsman and designer for William Morris Architect Inc. Our most noteworthy project of that time was The St. Alban Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. We designed a building to replace their previous one, which was destroyed by a fire. We managed to design a home for both them and a Reform Jewish congregation that they had decided to share a space with, on a challenging site overseen by a more than challenging city building department.

1992-2002: Independent contractor and carpenter, Cleveland, Ohio. I completed numerous projects in the city. I built a new "Chapel of Reconciliation" for the Holy Rosary Church in Cleveland's "Little Italy" neighborhood. The job required matching mid-century millwork, restoring the ornate 19th century "tin ceilings" and building a confessional screen ought never wear out. I did a handful of other jobs for the chapel's project architect whom I list in my references. I was construction manager and lead carpenter for a successful and innovative restaurant "The Flying Fig". I did extensive renovations to the loft apartment I occupied at the time including installing an elaborate and complicated heating system.

2002-2003: Cabinet maker for "Design Woodworks" in New Orleans. We built numerous custom kitchens. This was not my first job when a I moved here, but was the result of much hustling and networking

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2004: Project manager and lead carpenter for renovations to "Venusian Gardens Studio" at 2801 Chartres street. I did major structural repairs, restored the huge triple hung sash windows, and designed and built complicated interior structural additions. The building was originally built as a church in the late 1850's

2005: Project manager and lead carpenter for a new residence at 4000 Royal street. This was the first new residence built in the bywater neighborhood in a decade. The building was built to the highest engineering standards, ironically Katrina and the ensuing flood has forestalled completion of this project.

8/29/2005-9/07/2005: Katrina first responder.

Fall 2005-Spring 2006: Project manager and lead carpenter for major addition to Seattle residence. The three story addition to my sister's house was built to rigorous geotechnical engineering standards. The execution involved the use of a great deal of architectural salvage material.

2006-2007: Renovation of large victorian home, Selma, Alabama. This was my own house. Work performed by me: restoration of the elaborate and badly deteriorated front porch including structural repairs to the framing and fluted columns, replacement of the electrical service and main panel, hundreds of square feet of plaster repair, floors, windows, and re-roofing the monstrously huge and steep roof.

2008: Restoration carpenter for windows, 1026 Conti street, New Orleans. Every window in this 1840's townhouse was surgically repaired to Vieux Carre Commission and Historic Tax Credit specifications.

2009: Restoration carpenter for windows, 8o5 Esplanade avenue, New Orleans. The program for this job was much the same as for 1026 Conti street, with an emphasis on replacement over restoration.

This list comprises only the most visible and significant of my work and omits numerous examples of difficult and well executed kitchens, bathrooms, major structural repairs and design work.

My Skill Set

I can identify and analyze functional requirements and constraints for almost any residential situation.

I can draw, read and follow architectural plans. I can also work from simple sketches. I can perform a fair amount of engineering calculations. I have experience navigating architectural review and permitting processes.

I have powerful layout skills and can perform a wide range of geometric and trigonometric calculations.

I can build forms for concrete and I understand the basics of steel reinforcement for concrete.

I can frame nearly anything quickly, neatly and substantially. There are virtually no framing layout problems that I cannot solve.

I understand how to detail and flash for practical waterproofing and roofing.

I have experience applying numerous types of roofing both metal and mineral faced.

I have extensive experience in dealing with historic windows and millwork.

While not licensed I can plumb with both copper and plastic, I can do simple electrical wiring and I understand how to accommodate mechanical systems in the building process.

I can hang and tape sheetrock, I understand proper venting and insulation techniques. I am capable of repairing historic plaster.

I can do flawless finish carpentry in less that ideal conditions. I can build cabinets and install cabinets and counters.

I can lay and finish wood and tile floors.

I can paint.

I have the equipment to do all of the above.

I have close to 30 experience in the building trades and while my experience is extensive I am also aware of my limitations.