This house is an example of an owner/builder project done right. The owners came to one of our workshops and participated energeticly, asking lots of questions. Then they asked us to help with the design of the house, giving us strict budget limitations. Lots of time and dilligence was spent planning the building process and creating a realistic schedule. The schedule allowed plenty of time for the unexpected. When it came time to build, they kept to their budget, resisting tempatations to spend a little more here and there on different things.

The owners took Fridays off from their jobs. For much of the time, a carpenter worked during the week, and on Fridays he prepared the owners for their weekend work.

The Finished Product!
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Skillful Means came by now and then to see how things were going, and spent a day or two at crucial times...before the baleraising, at the beginning of lathing, and preparing for stucco.

The bales went up easily in one weekend, with lots of help from friends. Stucco prep, lathing and flashing came down to the last moment before the stucco crew began work.

The house, on the Mendocino Coast is a passive solar design, and has proved to be very comfortable. Work began in the Spring, and the owners originally planned to finish the following Summer. They were so pleased with the house that they worked through the winter to move in as soon as possible. Careful planning and disipline during construction resulted in a beautiful house, on time and within budget! Good work!

The bosses, Laurie and Janet.

Skillful Means
P.O. Box 207
Junction City, CA 96048