Here at JLC we sometimes call ourselves the Journal of Ugly Photos because a number of our most important articles include photos showing the ugliest side of the residential building industry – gnarly pictures of bugs, mold, rot, damages, mistakes, and errors. We’re not afraid to show what failure looks like, and we recognize that sometimes the best way to show how to do a job is to show the results of doing it wrong.

Best Technical Content – Jesse H. Neal Awards
This approach proved to be a winning device this past week in the world of business journalism. The Journal of Light Construction was recognized in the category of Best Technical Content at the 2018 Jesse H. Neal Awards, which recognize and reward editorial excellence in business journalism.
Our winning “Facing Failure” package included three important articles from JLC, which continue to have far more relevance than the fact of the award itself:
- Avoiding the Most Common Construction Defects What to look for and how to prevent problems. by Charles Wardell
- How to Destroy a Wall in Two Easy Steps A lesson in how not to detail a roof-wall intersection. by Mark Parlee
- A Primer on Water Management Strategies for dealing with water both around and on a home. by Steve Baczek
The real honors go to our contributors: Our hats are off to former-JLC sr. editor Charles Wardell, to Steve Baczek (@stevenbackekarchitect) and to Mark Parlee (The Building Consultant). Thank you. We couldn’t have done this without you, and can’t say enough how grateful we are for all you do to advance the building professions.