Jonathan Reed

Editor & Researcher · West Coast Construction Guide

Jonathan Reed oversees research, editorial planning, source review, and content development at West Coast Construction Guide.

His work for the publication focuses on building materials, product specifications, construction planning, and Pacific Coast conditions. He turns fragmented technical and industry information into practical resources for homeowners, contractors, property owners, and building professionals.

Editorial Responsibilities

Jonathan is responsible for topic selection, the publication’s research approach, editorial review, and corrections. His coverage connects project scope, climate, material or assembly choices, installation requirements, and maintenance.

Research draws on manufacturer documentation, public agency guidance, technical references, and established building-science sources. Important factual claims are checked against primary sources whenever possible, with uncertainty and project-specific limits explained where relevant.

Read About West Coast Construction Guide, the Editorial Policy, Authors & Editorial Responsibility, the materials review process, and the Corrections Policy for more about these methods. Direct correction and source submissions are currently unavailable because the editorial inbox is not active; the contact channel status will show the verified address when available, and no unmonitored address or sales inquiry form is published.

Articles by Jonathan Reed

Grouped by topic so readers can go directly to the guide that matches their project stage or exposure question.

Building Materials

• Rainscreen Vent Strips: Top and Bottom Intake-Exhaust Sizing, Window Breaks and Bug Screens — Technical specification guide to rainscreen siding vent sizing, ventilated rainscreen intake and exhaust balance, rainscreen vent strip profiles, window breaks, and bug screens.
• Housewrap Inspection Before Cladding: Shingle Laps, Cap Fasteners and Tear Repairs — Inspect housewrap laps, cap fasteners, seam tape and tear repairs before cladding. Compare product-specific details and download an inspection checklist.
• Window Flashing: Sloped Sill Pans, Shingle Laps and Weep Paths — Trace window flashing from sill pan to jambs and head. Check back dams, shingle laps and drainage outlets before siding conceals the opening.
• Furring Strips for Vinyl Siding: Rainscreen Gap or Nail Base? — Furring can level a vinyl siding wall, hold fasteners or create drainage space. Check the water path and fastening role before calling it a rainscreen.
• Parapet Coping Installation: Review Joints and the Water Layer Beneath — Separate the metal coping cap from the waterproof membrane beneath it, and verify splice plates, miters, wall terminations, and substrates before closure.
• Open-Joint Rainscreen: Evidence Before the Wall Closes — Check the membrane, tape, flashings, insulation, and fasteners against the finished open joint, and record who owes the missing proof.
• Cladding Attachments and Thermal Bridging: Evidence to Check — Compare girt, clip-and-rail and long-screw cladding supports by the structural, thermal and interface evidence each needs before trusting nominal R-values.
• Stucco Drainage — Choose stucco drainage mats by checking WRB layers, lath, flashing, and the base outlet against project documents.
• Best Siding for Pacific Northwest Homes — Compare siding by exposure and maintenance. Vinyl can provide drainage separation; check WRB, flashing, substrate and product instructions.
• Exterior Cladding Guide for West Coast Buildings — Compare complete cladding systems before sample prices: support, drainage, attachment, fire evidence and maintenance access can change the choice.
• Rainscreen Wall Systems: Design and Construction Guide — Choose drained, ventilated or engineered pressure-controlled walls first; keep the selected system's drainage and ventilation outlets clear.
• Building Envelope Basics for West Coast Projects — Trace water, air, vapor and thermal control across openings and joints; assign missing details before finishes hide paths for leaks.

Climate & Durability

• Corrosion-Resistant Materials for Coastal Construction: Galvanic Isolation, Flashings and Cut Edges — Technical specification guide to corrosion resistant materials coastal construction projects need, covering coastal building corrosion protection, galvanic corrosion copper aluminum rules, and coastal metal flashing selection.
• Soft-Story vs Cripple-Wall Retrofit: Ground-Floor Garage Openings vs Crawlspace Bracing — Compare soft story retrofit options at garage openings with crawlspace bracing, foundation connections, and a documented moment-frame example.
• Coastal Construction Products: ASTM C920 Sealants, AAMA 711 Flashing, and Type 316 Fasteners — Selecting coastal construction products requires ASTM C920 Class 50 STPE or silicone sealants, AAMA 711 Level 3 flashings, and Type 316 stainless fasteners to prevent leaks and corrosion rework.
• WUI Noncombustible Construction: Comparing Oregon R327 Against La Cañada Flintridge VHFHSZ Notes — Oregon R327 and the La Cañada Flintridge wildfire notes differ on accessory size, roof class, eave height, vents, and glass.
• Earthquake Brace and Bolt Retrofit: Anchors vs. Sheathing — Foundation anchors and cripple-wall sheathing address different weaknesses. Compare their roles and learn what a grant checklist cannot establish.
• Deck Ledger Flashing Detail: A Rain and Coastal Review Record — Review the ledger water path, treated-wood and metal compatibility, and hidden damage. Copy a record for photos, product documents and closure decisions.
• Crawlspace Vapor Barrier vs Encapsulation: A West Coast Decision Record — Record standing water, the ground cover, and each included line before comparing a vapor-barrier proposal with an encapsulation proposal.
• Wildfire-Resistant Vent Retrofits: Record Airflow, Listing and Fit — How to document vent locations, CSFM listing numbers, mesh aperture limits, and net free ventilation area (NFVA) before ordering wildfire-resistant retrofit vents.
• Earthquake Retrofit: Methods, Process and Limits — A foundation fix can leave other weaknesses unresolved. Seismic retrofitting strengthens an existing building by addressing its assessed vulnerabilities.
• Coastal Construction: Corrosion, Wind, Rain, and Maintenance — Map salt, rain, wind and flood exposure before selecting materials; verify connections and maintenance access before concealing work.
• Moisture Control in Buildings: Design, Construction, and Maintenance — Stop the water source before rebuilding. Trace its path, measure affected materials and document project-specific acceptance before closure.
• Building for Rainy Climates — Construction priorities for wind-driven rain, drainage, flashing, temporary protection, drying, and moisture verification in wet West Coast regions.

Commercial Construction

• Selecting Commercial Construction Management Companies — How to evaluate commercial construction management companies across California, Oregon, and Washington: Agency CM vs. CMAR/GMP delivery, ASCE 41 seismic and Title 24/WSEC-C alteration triggers, wet-season moisture gates, and schedule claim audits.
• Commercial Construction Management Guide — A practical framework for managing commercial construction scope, responsibilities, schedule, risk, cost, submittals, changes, quality, and closeout.
• Commercial Renovation Planning Guide — How to organize due diligence, approvals, scope, phasing, procurement, and turnover for a commercial renovation or tenant improvement.

Build & Remodel

• Home Addition Planning Guide — Check buildability and old-to-new connections before pricing an addition; record existing conditions and occupancy to avoid late scope changes.
• Whole-House Remodeling on the West Coast — Investigate before demolition. Record scope, enclosure and ventilation decisions before bidding a whole-house remodel to limit unpriced repairs.

Costs & Planning

• Earthquake Retrofit Cost: Pricing Factors & Scope — What drives earthquake retrofit cost: plan set or engineer, anchors and bracing by wall line, crawlspace access, permits and finish repair, and how to read a quote.
• How to Compare Contractor Bids — A structured method for comparing scope, allowances, exclusions, schedule, qualifications, and risk instead of choosing by total price alone.

Regions

• Oregon Construction and Remodeling Guide — A starting point for Oregon projects covering climate zones, rain exposure, seismic and wildfire context, permits, contractor verification, and planning.
• Pacific Northwest Construction Guide — A regional construction guide to rain exposure, seismic hazards, wildfire, snow, permitting, materials, and project sequencing in Oregon and Washington.