RECENT PROJECTS

Cottage Remodel

When the homeowners bought this property, it contained a tiny, uninhabitable 576 square foot structure that the neighbors thought would be torn down. But the new owners were determined to restore the property, and with the least possible impact on the neighborhood. They added 380 square feet, keeping the total living space under 1000 square feet, following the first rule of sustainable building: Small is Beautiful.

Some of the cost effective and resources conserving finishes were: reuse of existing or reclaimed windows, doors, and cabinets, reclaimed bowling alley countertop in the kitchen and Richlite paper countertops, on-demand tankless hot water heaters, and suntubes for increased daylighting. Certified sustainably harvested wood was used wherever possible while pre-existing wood floors were repaired and refinished. A “California driveway” was created which uses only two strips of concrete with native plantings in the middle. This minimizes runoff into storm drains and increases groundwater recharge.

Because this house is small, it not only took less resources to build, but will take much less energy to run. If it were a car, we’d say it was a fuel-efficient, high mileage vehicle.