We designed this special home for a special couple with a clearly defined budget. We kept our eye on cost continually as the design evolved. How did that work?

• The most critical element of cost control is to create a design that minimizes disturbance to the site, reflects the client’s lifestyle and honors the client's budget

• The clients and I created a custom Lindal specification, selecting from an extensive menu of pre-priced Lindal options and knowing the cost of each on their specific design

• Lindal priced the materials with every iteration of sketches and permit plans

See in pictures how this Warmmodern Lindal barn took shape…

The Lindal Annual Dealer Conference was held in Seattle from January 17th to 19th with Lindal dealers worldwide in attendance.

Three modern custom designed Lindal homes were showcased, confirming once again that no other producer offers the breadth of modern design capabilities and material options.

We are proud to be included in this triumvirate of modern custom houses.

The headline above from the New York Times January 2nd Commercial Real Estate section, describes a growing trend in commercial construction - office buildings of up to eighteen stories constructed of wood. Much like the Lindal post and beam building system, the ‘wooden office towers” utilize exposed laminated beams and posts as their skeletal framework instead of the expected steel or concrete.

Building into a gentle slope can enhance the efficiency of a design by providing living space inside the foundation and requiring less additional material and labor than the same amount of space above grade. And if properly designed, the in-ground living area can be bright and spacious.  

Environmentally responsible site design begins with minimizing disturbance to any site, and working with the existing topography is an essential ingredient. A more measurable benefit of building into a slope is often reduced heating and cooling expenses -and added comfort- that result from the temperature of the soil five feet below grade (the “outside air temperature” of these spaces) is a constant 52 degrees year-round. 

The ideal slope for in-ground building is a slope of 5 to 7 feet through the width of the house, or 15% to 20%.  Building on steeper slopes often presents challenges, and this type of construction is carefully regulated by local jurisdictions that vary, as do local soil types.

Codes that restrict building exist to protect the environment and the people who share it. What are the concerns with building on a steep slope; how are they addressed; and what is the cost of addressing them?