As previously posted, I often work with clients to develop a “fictional story” that will aid in the design of a home. This story is the lynchpin for a thematic approach for design. In the case of the house on lot 231, AKA Caleb’s Journey, we wanted a home that looked like it simply belonged in Colorado. The Highlands in Breckenridge development is filled with homes that fit the mold of mountain contemporary. We wanted something mountain authentic. So we invented Caleb, the man who built the house. His story goes like this: Caleb was a man who had spent years building homes for other people. Whenever he finished a home he took the left over scraps with him and they became, over the years, a very large pile in the backyard behind his cabin. One day Caleb estimated he had enough material to begin the construction of his own home. And over the next couple of years, he built the home of his dreams from castaway materials.The result was a rustic, well worn dwelling completely at home in the Colorado Mountains. This home features a timber frame made from 20″ logs and hewn douglas fir dimensional beams, reclaimed siding and ceiling cladding, and gorgeous oak floors recycled from a granary. Perhaps Caleb was only a figment of our imagination. But he came to life within the walls of Caleb’s Journey.

If you were going to design a home, where would your ideas come from?

Kitchens are just so much fun to design… especially if you enjoy food and entertaining as much as we do. The kitchen at the Timber Trail residence is different than any we at Trilogy have ever done if for no other reason than the kitchen space is an octagonally shaped room. With eight walls to address in design, we turned to Kathye Conti and the outstanding team at Kitchenscapes in Breckenridge, Colorado.  The result was a thoroughly modern and energy efficient kitchen rooted in old world European concepts. Because the theme of the house was “a centuries old european mountain chalet reborn” cabinets were designed to resemble antique furniture pieces drawn together and stacked one upon the other as though the kitchen had literally been shaped over years of use. The kitchen features multiple cooking, cleaning, and prep work stations, a center island, two sinks, two dishwashers, double ovens, and side by side super energy efficient Sun Frost refrigerator and freezer units. The kitchen is centered around a 48″ Viking stove top with four burners and a grill top with downdraft vent built into the center island. A large family breakfast table, a pass through to the living room bar, stone walls, travertine floors, and wonderful mountain views complete this uniquely envisioned space.

Many believe that the kitchen is the most important room in the house. What do you think?

Timber Frame Reclaimed From Railroad Trestle

I’m very pleased to announce that we at Trilogy will be collaborating with noted architectural photographer, Roger Wade on a design book tentatively titled “Old Into New – The Use of Reclaimed and Recycled Materials in Modern Architecture.” I have had the pleasure of designing quite a few homes now where we used reclaimed and recycled materials, such as barn beams and posts from old bridges, granary flooring from Chicago, and siding made from everything from redwood to cedar to douglas fir. These weathered, aged, and far from perfect reclaimed materials bring a richness, authenticity, and beauty to new homes that is not possible with “new” materials. I thought it was time we documented some of these truly magnificent homes in print, and on the internet. So stay tuned as we publish, on this blog, chapters one at a time featuring some of the nations most extraordinary homes and their use of reclaimed and recycled materials. Roger, stylist Debbie Grahl, and I worked together on the Architectural Digest article about the Steamboat House.

Were you to build a dream home, would you consider using old, rather than new, as a design element?

Structural Insulating Panels for Roofs and Walls

Introduction to SIPs

• Buyer Benefits: Two years ago, Norm Abrams of This Old House stated on TV and wrote in articles that he wouldn’t build his own house any other way than with SIPs. See the reasons below
• Builder Benefits: SIPs can be a little intimidating to builders who haven’t used them. But experienced SIP contractors sing their praises. Many have switched exclusively to panels,citing the following reasons for their decisions.

SIP Benefits for Buyers

• Extremely strong structure. There is considerable evidence that homes with SIP wall and ceiling panels have survived natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, straight-line winds and earthquakes better than traditional stick-framed homes right next door.
• Lower energy bills. Discounting the “human factor”-thermostat settings and so forth-a number of side-by-side tests show that between 15% and 40% less energy should be needed to heat and cool a home with SIP wall and ceiling panels. In tests by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, SIP walls outperform fiberglass walls by over 50%.
• Improved comfort. Thanks to extra R-values and tight construction, the wall and ceiling surfaces in a SIP home will stay warmer than in stick-framed homes. The warmer those surfaces are, the more comfortable the home is.
• “Freeze proof.” What happens if the power goes down? During the late 1990s, several New England SIP homes survived over a week without power or a wood stove and never came close to freezing.
• Indoor Air Quality. While there is no guarantee here, most homes built with SIPs are tight enough that builders can’t ignore upgrading mechanical ventilation compared to that found in a standard home. In many studies in North American housing, the best indoor air quality is found in homes that are tight and equipped with upgraded mechanical ventilation.
• Green building product. On a life-cycle basis, a more energy-efficient house built with SIPs will be less damaging to the environment, in terms of overall resource consumption. Much less dimensional lumber is used in a SIP home than in a traditional framed structure.
• Interactive systems benefits: For example, a more energy-efficient home may cost slightly more to build but in turn can be heated and cooled with smaller equipment that costs less to install.

SIP Benefits for Builders

• Speed of construction. You can order the panels with all pre-cutting performed in a factory. They show up on the jobsite all pre-numbered, ready for assembly corresponding to numbers laid out on a set of shop drawings. On most jobs you should be out of the weather and dried in sooner. Time is money.
• Fewer framers. A crew can consist of one lead framer assisted by minimally skilled helpers. Whenever a job involves craning panels up to frame a roof, it helps to have two people familiar with panels: one on the roof and one on the ground.
• Shell installation option. If you’re having a tough time locating skilled carpenters, a growing number of manufacturers have regular crews who will install a shell on your foundation for you to finish.
• Rigid frame. It’s easy bracing SIP walls. In fact, once you have two corner panels up, you can lean a ladder against the panels when needed.
• Less jobsite waste. If you’ve ordered a set of panels with all rough openings for windows and doors pre-cut at the factory, the only true waste you’ll have is taking a few cases of empty tubes of adhesive caulk containers to the dump. And the factory can efficiently collect and recycle their cut-outs much more effectively than you can at the job site.
• Less theft. While 2x4s and 2x6s are prone to “walking off” unsecured job sites, panels are too specific to the site’s building system to be worth hauling off somewhere else.
• Cost competitive. While most builders say they pay a little more for SIPs than for the comparable framing and insulation package in a stick-built home, as a group they believe the benefits are worth the costs. The amount extra they pay varies; while a few say it costs them an extra $1 per square foot of finished floor area, the amount may be higher when roof panels are used. However, when roof panels enclose extra living space in a loft, the price per square foot is surprisingly competitive. If at the design stage you optimize a structure to use panels, the most experienced SIP builders then say a house framed with SIPs should cost about the same as a house framed with comparably sized dimensional lumber, and maybe even a little less.
• Easier to hang drywall. There is solid backing for all drywall against exterior walls, which means there is less cutting, faster attachment and less waste material.
• Fewer framing callbacks. Wall panels go in plumb, square and straight. Once in place, a SIP won’t warp, twist or check.
• Increased referrals. A fair number of small builders report their marketing efforts have decreased ever since they started using SIP building systems.

Reprinted from http://www.greenbuildingtalk.com/buildcentral/sip/benefits.aspx

For most people, the construction method is never questioned.  Stick Frame and truss roof are assumed.  Why is this? – because that’s what builders offer.   There really is no other reason.  The building method is so ingrained in our sensibilities that even when we design and build our own homes, we still build with sticks.  There are many better options, but still, we build with sticks.

Stick frame has some benefits

• Most construction trade people understand the system, no new learning or tools are needed.
• Re-tooling is not necessary
• Architects understand the system and can accomplish many difficult designs using stick frame and trusses.
• Last minute changes during the construction cycle are relatively easy.
• The system does not need to be explained to anyone.
• Building Inspectors know what needs to be done and how to inspect it.

Stick frame also has some significant drawbacks

• It is nearly impossible to insulate stick frame properly
• There is insufficient trained trade labor to properly build with stick frame
• It is extremely complicated as a structural system, with too many trades involved- too easy to miss the mark.
• Moisture infiltration into the wall, roof, and ceiling systems almost assure mold and mildew problems.
• The guys at the end (plumbers, electricians, HVAC guys) have a tendency to cut up the structure dangerously.
• Structural material quality has eroded substantially over the past ten years.
• It’s very easy to downgrade the specification without the owner’s knowledge.
• It’s a thirty year system.
• Cathedral ceilings are weaker, poorly insulated, and slow to build.Use beyond thirty years results in substandard housing.

In Addition, there are a number of excellent options

• Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) exceed specification for stick frame in every respect (strength, insulation, tolerance) and can be used for walls, roof, ceiling, and roof.   They are pre-cut to fit on site and greatly reduce on site labor hours and skill levels necessary.  A 100 to 150 year system.
• Steel frame is quicker and stronger.
• Engineered lumber floor trusses are faster
• Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) wall systems are stronger, better insulated, have good thermal mass, are quicker to build
• Aerated concrete blocks are strong, have good thermal mass, and are quick to build with.
• Cast in Place concrete is strong, has good thermal mass, and is a 150 year structure.

Steel framing has insulation disadvantages, as does cast in place concrete.  The aerated concrete blocks are very limited in their usability.  The best combination of these systems is ICF walls, with engineered lumber floor trusses, and SIPs for the roof or ceiling system. If the budget is tight or the land is not flat, SIPs also make excellent walls.

The Real Cost of Stick Framing

Do not let builders railroad you with inferior building systems.  It will cost you- in many ways.  If you settle for stick frame, it will cost you in the following ways:

• Poor constructionA short life span- under forty years
• Over budget and not on schedule
• Horribly insulated
• Weak, especially in high winds or snow load

reprinted from http://www.sipsproducts.com/stick/

We’ve mentioned plenty of times on the Trilogy Partners blog how useful and wonderful reclaimed building materials are. Reclaimed building materials provide unique and interesting alternatives to the traditional building materials that are available today. Take a look at a few of the benefits reclaimed building materials can offer you:

Reclaimed building materials are a perfect choice for any home.

• Financial Benefits – While reclaimed materials could be more expensive than a new item initially, take into consideration that the value of your purchase is likely to increase over time, which means buying reclaimed materials are a better investiment in most cases.
• Aesthetic Benefits – Your home is a place where you can express your individuality, and one-of-a-kind pieces are often a great way to incorporate a little character and history into your home. Properly refurbished and installed fixtures can last for many years and shine just as brightly as a new product.
• Environmental Benefits – Reclaimed building materials are an excellent choice for the environmentally conscious. Producing new materials requires a lot of energy, and puts a lot of unnecessary stress on our environment. Using items that already exist might require a little more effort to remove and re-install on our part, but the impact on the environment is significantly less than that which comes from producing new materials.

Reclaimed materials offer a multitude of benefits to homeowners. If you’re planning a new home, consider how you can incorporate reclaimed materials into your plans!

Information adapted from Service Magic.

Photo credit: Planetgreen.discovery.com.

Your new home is designed and now it’s time to hire a builder. Before you do, the architect gives you some guidance and tells you that there are two types of contracts that govern construction. One type is called the Fixed Price Contract. The other, the Cost Plus contract.

Fixed Price Contract

The Fixed Price Contract is just what the name implies: the builder agrees to build the house for a fixed price. In order for a Fixed Price Contract to make sense, the builder and the owner must have an clear and similar vision of what the project entails. For example, the level of finishes must be understood as standards will be cost sensitive. The builder will base his price on a very detailed budget and other assumptions then will add a profit margin unknown to the owner. The danger of the Fixed Price Contract is that what the builder assumes may not match what the client is envisioning. This may not become apparent until well after construction has begun. For example, a builder might specify a certain type of shower fixtures throughout the house. When the contract is signed, the owner assumes the amount budgeted (or allowed) for fixtures will be adequate but later, when actually choosing the specific fixtures, determines that the allowed amount is not satisfactory. Many design elements are priced as allowances. In other words, the builder gives an allowance for a specific item knowing that the owner does not, at the time of the contract signing, know exactly which brand and style might be selected. As illustrated, many assumptions, allowances and expectations must mesh perfectly for both the builder and the client to be well satisfied. A Fixed Price Contract can work well if the project is sufficiently simple so that all involved have a clear picture of what the finished project will be. But in the case of higher-end custom homes, a clear idea of the finished project is quite difficult. The design aspects of the house can be exceedingly complicated. If a fixed price contract is governing this type of project, the owner, architect, and builder can come into conflict over expectations and ultimately, money. And the builder may use “change orders” to exceed the amount of the fixed price if the owner’s desires and expectations exceed the builder’s allowances and assumptions.

Cost Plus Contract

The Cost Plus Contract is a contract based on a estimated cost that is not fixed. The builder proposes an approximate budget, and agrees to take profit based on a percentage of the total cost of labor and materials. With the cost plus contract, the owner is given the actual cost of each expenditure and is aware at all times exactly what the builder has spent for labor and materials.During construction, the owner must approve all expenditures. As a result, the owner is very involved in the economics of the project and in fact, is called upon to supervise how and where money is spent. This type of contract allows for project flexibility. For example, if the amount budgeted for excavation is lower than expected, that amount can be, if the owner wishes, transferred to the amount budgeted for, as an example, plumbing fixtures. Though the Cost Plus project depends on an accurate estimate of costs just as does the Fixed Price project, the Cost Plus contract and process allows for greater transparency than the Fixed Price Contract. Of course, the Cost Plus Contract requires that the owner be willing to spend time participating in the supervision of the budget. Costs can escalate if the owner does not make efforts to control spending. The Cost Plus Contract is ideally suited to more complex projects where there is a great emphasis on design, standards, and finishes and quality is of utmost concern.

The Bottom Line

The home owner must make take very seriously the contract phase of the home building project. In the past, the Fixed Price Contract was often the instrument of choice. As custom homes become increasingly more complicated and thus difficult to budget with exact precision, the Cost Plus Contract provides flexibility and transparency that the Fixed Price Contract cannot. The Cost Plus Contract has become the contract of choice for complex custom home projects.

This years Summit County Builder’s Association Parade of Homes is scheduled for the weekends of September 17 and 18th and 24th and 25th. If you’ve never attended a Parade of Homes, make this year your first. Between 15 and 25 new and remodeled custom

single family and multi family homes are open to the public. It’s a showcase of architecture and interior design, sustainable building, and the latest technologies and building process. The homes compete for various prizes including site design, architecture, interior design, and green building practices. Want another reason to attend? Proceeds from the Parade of Homes $10 admission fee go to the Summit Foundation, Summit County’s primary charity. So make sure you put the 2011 Parade of Homes on your 2011 Calendar.

Timber Frame Construction, compared to stick built or conventional framing, is a very sustainable building technology. Unlike stick building, the materials used in a timber frame will inevitably be reclaimed and recycled. In fact, many timber frames are made from reclaimed and recycled frames from barns, bridges, warehouses, and factory buildings. An argument is sometimes made that Timber Frames use old growth lumber. In fact, some do. But Timber Frame homes typically last much longer than conventionally framed homes. Timber Frames in Europe and Asia are more than 1000 years old. One way to preserve old growth forests is to build homes that last a lot longer so fewer trees will be cut for construction purposes. One other fact about Timber Frames is that they are frequently build from fast growing farm raised southern yellow pine which is kiln dried. Farm raised Southern Yellow pine is a renewable resource.

Further supporting Timber Frame as a sustainable building method is that Timber Frame combined with SIP panels provides a highly insulated, tight structure that uses much less energy for heating and cooling than conventionally framed structures.

A Timber Frame home, though generally more expensive to build than a conventionally framed home, also brings with it the beauty of posts and beams, open floor plans and soaring ceilings. So Timber Frame construction is not only good for the planet, but beautiful as well.

It’s really a shame. No, it’s more than a shame. It’s Un-American. Millions upon millions of U.S. citizens might as well give up forever on their dream of owning a home. These are people who are qualified. Better credit, better income than most of those who’ve defaulted on millions of home mortgages in the past few years. Before the sub prime mortgage debacle, these people would have had no problem getting a mortgage. And they would have paid their debts. On time and in full. Now, they’re never going to get a chance to do that. Or if they do get a chance, it’s going to be years from now.

Locked Out Forever

The authors and commentators all agree: the banks and Wall Street in a cabal of greed conspired to bring about the home mortgage debacle. Many financial gurus lost their jobs when storied companies collapsed. But the real victims are those who dreamed of owning a home. Because credit has tightened to the point that only those who’ve saved substantially large down payments of 20% and sometimes more, and only those with stellar credit reports and I mean, stellar. Only those with guaranteed jobs and more than enough income, only these best of the best home buyers are going to be able to get a loan in the coming several years. That leaves millions upon millions of potential home owners, perhaps as many as 10,000,000 potential buyers, out in the cold. And that simply is not American. But at least for now, it is the American Way.