Yestermorrow’s Certificate in Residential Design & Construction brings together the core aspects of the school’s design/build curriculum into one cohesive and comprehensive package. For people interested in embarking on a career in the design or building trades, or those seeking deep involvement in the creation of their own dream home, the Certificate in Residential Design & Construction provides the appropriate skills and knowledge through a mix of design challenges, site visits, studio sessions, and hands-on, experiential project work.
In the design studio we’ll delve into topics such as site planning, climatic design, energy efficiency, solar strategies, materials, structural principles, and more. Additionally, we’ll gain drafting and modeling skills, and learn to explore and communicate designs through the creation of floor plans, sections, elevations and scale models, as each student designs an attractive, functional, and efficient home for him or herself, or for a real or hypothetical client. Design work will be woven throughout the curriculum with an opportunity to present your designs to your peers and a panel of design/build professionals on the final day.
The build portion will cover rough carpentry and framing in the context of new construction. Students will learn the basics of a structure’s anatomy, blueprint reading, floor, wall, and roof layout and framing methodology, and much more as they help build a small structure. Along the way, they’ll gain comfort with a variety of hand and power tools, visit hardware stores and lumber yards, and learn the terminology of the trade. We'll continue on the build as we learn about exterior finishing, roofing and window and door installation.
The program then moves into the realm of electrical and plumbing design and installation. Students will explore how to construct, repair, and alter a plumbing system and understand how that system relates to and affects the other elements of a residential structure. We’ll then gain comfort with the concepts and components of a residential electrical system and familiarity wiring lights, receptacles, and switches.
For absolute beginners, we recommend signing up for the weekend Carpentry Fundamentals course which takes place immediately prior to the Certificate.
Yestermorrow's sliding scale tuition model is not available for certificate programs. Information on financial aid can be found here.