Under Construction October 2024

New Home in Columbia County As I have said before, one of my favorite tasks is visiting job sites in the fall.  The air is crisp, and the leaves are turning.  There is an urgency on job sites to get everything enclosed or painted before the harsh weather arrives.  We usually don't have to worry about mud or slush or snow yet and driving through the countryside reveals one amazing view after another. New Home in Columbia [...]

By |2024-10-15T18:28:55-04:00October 10th, 2024|Categories: Construction, Design, New Homes, Porches|Tags: , , |1 Comment

Under Construction 3-24

New Home Waiting for Landscaping We are working on a wide variety of projects, including an energy-efficient net-zero renovation and addition, several new homes, and major additions to antique and newer homes.  As one project is completed, another begins. This continues to be a warmer-than-usual year.  Helping most construction sites while making others a muddy mess.  We won't look a gift horse in the mouth. New Home Waiting for Landscaping Foundation About to Set Steel [...]

By |2024-03-18T16:42:39-04:00March 17th, 2024|Categories: Additions, Construction, Design, Miscellaneous, New Homes, Renovations|Tags: |0 Comments

Our Client Turns Her Passion Into a Business!

Bryson Home at Night When we were first contacted by Laura Bryson and her husband, she told us she wanted to use reclaimed materials as much as possible.  She started with some columns her father had given her that she wanted to use on the porches we designed.  This and other reclaimed materials helped her forge relationships with craftspeople who could match or repair antique components.  Finding reclaimed materials became a treasure hunt that led to some incredible [...]

Under Construction 10-22

Pool and Pool House Contractors are working to finish projects before the snow falls.  Some projects may begin in the fall, but care must be taken to ensure materials are protected, and the ground can support the foundation.  Building in the winter has its challenges, but some of the advantages can be more available materials and subcontractors since the high demand has passed in the spring and fall.  Warmer winters have opened the doors to more uninterrupted construction [...]

By |2022-11-18T10:01:39-05:00October 17th, 2022|Categories: Accessory Buildings, Construction, Garages, Miscellaneous, New Homes|0 Comments

7 Ways to Cut Painful Construction Costs in 2022

Simple Bedroom/Porch Addition Recently we have encountered a spike in construction costs.  We have seen this happen several times over the course of our practice, and it is always a shock when the established cost of building a home or an addition is no longer possible.  We have found that there are multiple reasons, but the main ones are the scarcity and accompanying inflation of building materials and the increasing construction costs of each building trade because they [...]

By |2024-01-31T18:30:43-05:00October 16th, 2022|Categories: Construction, Construction Costs, Miscellaneous, New Homes, Pool Houses, Porches|0 Comments

Under Construction 7-21

Ulster County New Home The good news is, prices for some building materials are coming down.  The bad news is that many items are harder to get and have longer lead times.  Some windows have an almost 6 month lead time.  You can imagine how difficult it is for a contractor to have to put in a window order months before they start construction.  Luckily there are workarounds such as alternate brands of windows or substitute materials.  As [...]

By |2023-01-05T15:09:20-05:00July 21st, 2021|Categories: Additions, Construction, New Homes, Renovations|1 Comment

Cutting Construction Costs

Simple Porch Between the shortage of materials and the high demand, we are all scrambling to understand the current price of projects.  Covid has shut down factories and interrupted supply chains like no other time in my career.  There are signs that material prices will stabilize soon, but no one knows what to expect in the short term. When designing a home or addition, part of the fun for the owner is imagining the project finished without any [...]

By |2023-01-05T15:19:35-05:00April 11th, 2021|Categories: Additions, Construction, New Homes, Renovations|Tags: , |1 Comment

Under Construction

Architectural Models About to be Moved No, there was not a mini tsunami in our model making room. We have been renovating a building in the village of Millbrook, NY and are slowly moving our office. You forget how much you accumulate in 12 years. We look forward to being able to walk to the post office, hardware store, and restaurants instead of driving. Otherwise, the mud is still deep on many of our job sites, but the [...]

By |2023-02-10T08:42:12-05:00April 15th, 2019|Categories: Construction, Miscellaneous, New Homes|Tags: |1 Comment

More Homes and Additions Under Construction

Massachusetts Lake Home Mass. Lake Home Jobsite visits are always fun.  They get us out of the office where we can see what was conceived on paper (or a screen).  We also have a chance to talk to the craftspeople who are building our projects.  I am always impressed with the care and the attention to detail that our contractors bring to our job sites. New Home With Old Heart Brick Home Entry [...]

By |2023-02-11T16:19:41-05:00November 13th, 2018|Categories: Construction, Miscellaneous, New Homes|Tags: |0 Comments

Twin Chimney Home- Featured Recent Project

Front Entry Nestled into a wooded hillside, this home can see far but is hidden from the rest of the world.  With simple lines and generous windows, our clients were hoping for an elegant get-away far from the crowded city.  There is plenty of room for their kids to have family fun and outdoor adventures. Rear of Home Screened Porch Kitchen View to Porch Photos by Rob Karosis  Curated Brochure [...]

By |2023-02-11T19:07:38-05:00February 4th, 2018|Categories: Construction, Design, Miscellaneous, New Homes|Tags: , , , |7 Comments