To make room for the new house, big trees had to be removed and I was sad to see them go but found ways to use them.
Category Archive: Construction
The Demolition of the Yurt-Shaped House ⚒
The demolition of the yurt-shaped house did not disappoint. Within days it was gone and the construction could begin.
Goodbye to the Yurt-Shaped House ♻️
To begin construction, we first had to demolish our yurt-shaped house on Orcas Island and that meant saying goodbye.
A More Affordable Home Design 💲
To afford the construction project, we had to think big in terms of changes and that meant considering what we could keep and what we could remove from the design.
Changing Course in House Planning ➡️
When we saw the construction estimate, we knew we had to change course and small changes weren’t enough. This was the path we took.
The Reveal of the House Estimate 📄
After all our design work, this was the day where we saw the estimate for the house we wanted to build. It didn’t go well.
The House Plans 🏡 📏📐
As soon as decided to build, we called John, an architect, to get his help. This is how the design phase started.
Finding The Builder 👷🏻♂️
Finding a builder on Orcas Island can be a challenge. In the end, we made it happen the old fashioned way: by showing up.
Finding the Guest House 🏡
One of the challenges of building a new home was finding a place to rent for 18 months or more. This is how we did it.
Sharing a Brain 🧠
Any big project comes down to relationships. This is especially true for couples who are working together on their own house project. It helps if you share a brain.
Getting the Construction Project Started ✅
In the summer of 2019, the biggest project of our lives commenced. We had everything in place to build a custom home on Orcas Island.
Goodbye, Seattle 👋
We made a big decision to sell our home, leave Seattle, and move to a rural island off the coast of Washington. This is what we were thinking.
Finishing the Hunter House 🏠
After a year of renovation, the Hunter House finally became more real and we became more and more excited to see, and live in, the final product.
Utter Destruction at the Hunter House ⚒️🪓
Before the demolition of the Hunter House began, we had an idea: what if we got the process started with a demolition party and gave everyone tools of destruction?
The Hunter House Renovation Project in Seattle 👷♂️👷♀️
Renovating the Hunter House in Seattle, a whole-house renovation project in that involved adding a story on the top level and rebuilding most of the main level.
The Deer Trap 🦌
The fence around our house was not really a fence, but a trap we unknowingly set for deer.