Family Lake Cabin Remodel | McCall, Idaho

We renovated an old family cabin on the shore of Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho. We reconfigured the floor plan to provide more open space and accentuate the view across the lake. We also updated all the finishes throughout the cabin.

Check out the slideshow below:



Enjoy!
~Tad

Ski Shack | Roof Decking Installed

We completed the roof decking on the Ski Shack this last weekend! The shorter days have proven to be more difficult to get a lot of work done. With winter on its way I was relieved to apply the grace ice and water shield so that the building will be more protected from the elements. We have a small section of roof to complete over the stairs and then we will start to build the carport.

~Tad Jones

From 1324 Boydstun Lane

From 1324 Boydstun Lane

From 1324 Boydstun Lane

From 1324 Boydstun Lane

NAHB Gold Certification

All the hard work and attention to detail renovating this older ranch style home has paid off! By building double exterior walls, using energy efficient windows & doors, building materials, finishes, insulation, heating & cooling systems, water conscious plumbing fixtures, and water conscious landscaping we have made the building much more energy efficient.

From 235 East Braemere

We received a NAHB rating for the residence at 235 East Braemere of GOLD! This is the highest rating offered by the National Association of Home Builders for Green Building.

From 235 East Braemere

Congratulations & thanks to all of our suppliers, subcontractors, and verifiers who worked together to make this possible!

Most of all, thanks to our Clients for having the insight & good conscious to pursue a more “green” lifestyle.

Our Clients can now enjoy the benefits of a home that is more comfortable, energy efficient, and will have less of an impact on our environment throughout the life-cycle of the building.

~Tad Jones

Watercolor | Black Cliffs

I rode my bicycle out to the Black Cliffs this weekend with my bike trailer in tow along with some art supplies. I did this watercolor painting looking up Car Body Canyon. The Black Cliffs are made up of columnar basalt rock formations. There were small patches of snow on the canyon rim which is depicted on the right-hand side of the painting. A small waterfall was trickling over ice in the very center of the canyon and every once in a while I could hear pieces of ice break off and crash to the rocks below.

Architectural License in Colorado

I received my license to practice Architecture in the State of Colorado today!!  Below is a map of all the States I am currently licensed in.  Next year I will go for Utah.  I am concentrating on States with large ski resorts! :)

30th Street Extension Public Presentation

There will be an Open House from 5:30 to 7:30 at Whittier Elementary School at 301 N. 29th Street in Boise, Idaho on Tuesday, October 28th. Please come out to see the latest plan and have a chance to voice your opinion about a project that will have a huge influence on our community. There will be two formal presentations starting at 6:00 and at 6:45. For more information on the project and a link to the Boise City website, please click on any of the renderings below (Renderings of the 30th street project are from the Boise City website):

Green Building Materials

There is a lot of hype about building "green" these days.  So much that it becomes difficult to decipher who is just jumping on the band wagon to make a quick buck and who is in it for the right reasons and proven their commitment to the green movement.  Below are some websites that have done their research and provide great options for green building materials.

http://www.naturalbuilthome.com/

http://www.thenaturalabode.com/

Shipping Container Architecture

I was looking into this type of building for a commercial project we are working on.  I think it is an interesting and viable method of construcion.  The shipping containers are coming into our country literally by the shipload.  They are standard sizes and can be stacked in either a horizontal or vertical orientation.  Their modular nature has high dimensional tolerances as they are made to be stacked tightly onto ships for transport.  In my mind they seem much like giant lego blocks.  Using our 3D drafting software makes it really fun to place the containers in different configurations and create interesting interior spaces that reflect contemporary sculpural exterior design elements.  The containers can also be easily transported over land by either train or semi-truck tractor trailers.  The initial construction process is fast as the units are flown into place with the use of a construction crane giving an instant "shell" building ready to receive interior finishes and cut in windows and doors.  The energy required to produce this building material has already been spent which makes the process more environmentally conscious.  Below are some links for more information on integrating shipping containers into our built environment: