Universal Joint Design Associates

I hired Universal Joint to build my house. Based on some of my existing sketches, we started with a feasibility study. Then we went through a long planning phase with much exchange of ideas. In parallel to planning, Universal Joint handled a lot division process for me, and kept close tabs on the City of Austin's then-ongoing discussions around the "Mac Mansion Ordinance", a set of not entirely rational restrictions on infill development, which might have impacted our project negatively without such close tracking. As it were, we ended up with a successful lot division and a set of plans that fit the emerging ordinance. Universal Joint then executed the construction of the house in a cost-efficient manner, guiding the trades through a non-traditional situation for residential construction, as we were using a tube steel frame, large cantilever, Dietrich metal wall framing and other special considerations. As a designer (though not an architect), I was a hands-on client with my own contributions throughout the program. Universal Joint integrated those well, and brought a sure eye for architectural class, in terms of form, proportion and materials to the table, combined with an ability to work closely and hands-on with the trades, to the point of having a range of details hand-fabricated on site based on detailed drawings.Inspections were almost all passed on first visit. Throughout the process, inspections were usually passed on first visit. After a long journey, we had built a clean, minimal, energy efficient and yet extremely welcoming, warm and livable structure, with a modest footprint in a 1950s neighborhood.