Craig and Marianne are not faint of heart.  Though they currently live in the same lovely home which they built over 30 years ago, they have decided they are going to take on the adventure of building a new home.  The initial thought was to down-size, though that is generally harder than it sounds.  Their children are all well-established in their own homes, but when the whole gang gets together it adds up to around 30 bodies, so a little rose-covered cottage just won’t do.

A house and its site have to work together.  Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?  In this case, they found a lot near their existing house which they loved.  The views are incredible! Great views often mean a steeply sloped site which is indeed the case for this project.  Add the restraints contributed by City zoning ordinances and the Home Owners’ Association codes, and the analogy that comes to mind is putting together a complex puzzle.

A design program is created by listing the requirements (needs and/or wants) of the homeowners, and then the architect goes to work trying to create a design that successfully blends together the site, the zoning requirement, the program, and the desired home style indicated by the owners.

In the meantime, the owners have the responsibility to select a contractor for the project.  In this case, the firm of Jackson and LeRoy was chosen.  Once the schematic master plan is created, the contractor enters the process by creating an itemized estimate for a preliminary budget check.  Once the schematic design and the budget are aligned, work proceeds to obtain structural engineering and to create construction documents.

More time ticks by as the City and HOA review the project.  When all necessary approvals have been given, it is finally time to begin the actual construction.  The contractor has the responsibility to accurately locate the house on the property, and then the digging begins!

Hillside Villa: The Site

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