Tuesday, January 17th 2012
Tuesday, January 17th 2012
Land and a Spec House
Clearwater Builders is pleased to be a partner in the purchase of a beautiful piece of land with lake and mountain views in Shelburne, Vermont. There are 3 building lots and we are committed to building top-quality, moderately-sized, Energy Star rated homes of custom designs.
The lots are about 2.5 acres and border on conserved land to the west, thus protecting the beautiful views. There is excellent southern exposure for passive solar gain or solar panels. We began construction of the first house in December, and are making excellent progress thanks to temperate weather and an energized crew. The finished house will be 3,000 s.f /- with the capability of adding additional living space over the garage or in the walk-out basement. We are sourcing local wood and our craftsmen will custom build window seats, bookshelves, cabinetry, coffered ceilings, and other thoughtful details.
Saturday, July 10th 2010
Challenging camp renovation
We are very pleased to have finished up a very challenging renovation of an early 20th century camp.
Part of the challenge was the existence of mature gardens and landscaping that the owners had lovingly installed over the last 25 years.Unfortunately, dry rot and carpenter ants had undermined the structure, so before we could proceed with the dormer and upgraded mechanical systems, we had to spend weeks in a dirt crawlspace replacing footings, posts, and beams. We also jacked the sagging rafters and straightened walls and floors so that the new finishes would work smoothly.
The finishes were the fun part.
We used antique pocket doors, old furniture as vanities, red birch flooring applied in a herringbone pattern over radiant floors, reclaimed hemlock timbers as ridges, valleys, and hips,arched doorways, and there were many other details meticulously choreographed by the owners.
After 9 months the owners have happily reclaimed their home, and although we are still fine tuning some details, it is on to another yoga studio, this one in Charlotte.
Sunday, March 29th 2009
5 Star Energy Efficiency in Ferrisburg
The garage-apartment is complete and the owners have moved in.
This project was a step in a new direction, in that the design and execution were focused on efficiency. Energy-wise, we employed blown in cellulose insulation with an interior skin of rigid foam board, designed to reduce any heat loss through framing members or electrical and plumbing perforations. We also worked with the owners to use only the highest rated appliances and fixtures, which resulted in short term [tax credits],as well as long term savings.The end result is an official 5 star energy rated home.
The small size also required careful planning in order to incoorporate the amenities of modern living into the interior spaces. Again there were daily decisions made with the owners to create the space they could comfortably live in while they fine tune the design of the permanent residence they plan to build.
