HOMEOWNERS COMMENTS CONTINUED

garage with bonus area for future additional apartment and balcony for telescope could be added on in the future as was over budget; and altered the original design so that all HVAC runs/plumbing and windows were laid out and built for easy tie-in to future buildout

• The four-season porch turned into three-season porch with a propane stove for occasional warmups

• Cedar walls and ceilings were cost prohibitive so we used cedar on walls in entrance and mudroom and one wall in the great room; we switched to using knotty basswood on the ceilings throughout which was less costly and kept the mountain modern feel

• We got four queen-size bedrooms and converted the old cabin kitchen to a three-person bunk room so we can accommodate at least 13 guests

Was the process easier or more difficult than expected? Any pleasant surprises?

This was our fourth new build project so knew what to expect, except for what the weather threw at us and lengthening material supply timeframes due to the frantic home building market in 2017-2018. Our foundation was poured and plumbing sub-floor lay-ins were completed the first week in December and it snowed the following day! Our construction team from Soumis Construction was out at the site during snow storms and whipping winds to get the house enclosed and roofed. So they got some hot coffee and warm cookies and cinnamon rolls to provide a break and warm up. We had to drive to New Ulm to pick up a propane-fired boiler so we could heat the in-floor heat to get concrete cured and set up before the final boiler could be installed after construction dust was gone.

We actually stayed in the “old cabin” section as the new home was being built around us that winter. Everything was ripped up except for the old master bedroom and bathroom. So we cooked in a microwave perched on top of the washer on a roll-around cart and a coffee maker on top of the dryer! There were several hours spent sitting on folding chairs on the concrete slab flooring with plastic windows reviewing design drawings and finalizing material selections and electrical and lighting placements! While it might have felt lacking in creature comforts, it was great to be able to be at the site 24/7 so we could talk with the construction team and get their input on the details! They always had great insights into some little twists that ultimately enhanced our home, such as location of switches, mounting of shelf lighting, positioning of thermostats, even determining the hinge side of door placements.

How long did it take to complete?

We started the design work with Heather Hiner actively in March 2017, received contractor construction bids in September 2017, signed the construction contract in October 2017, and groundwork started in November 2017. The main home was completed in June 2018. The attached garage addition framing construction started in September 2018 and completed in November 2018. Interior finishing is still in process and we expect to be completed by August 2022 as budget permits.

Was it disruptive at all during the construction phase?

Yes, by normal standards but we knew what to expect and just rolled with the sometimes daily schedule changes of hammering starting at 6:30 a.m. and materials appearing in the driveway blocking access for a couple days at a time. We were blessed to have some really great construction team members and skilled crafts people which made it interesting and not so stressful as we learned about their skills and journeys and they came to know more about our family and goals

Contractors on the project:

Soumis Construction – General Contractor

Mesabi Masonry – stained concrete floors with “River Runs through It” design

Red House Design – designed all interior cabinetry including custom dog wash surround

Solid Rock Masonry – designed and installed 22 ft high fireplace

Duluth Stove & Fireplace – sourced and installed 40” flush mounted fireplace box with retractable glass and screen

Stone Countertop Outlet – sourced and installed all of the Sandalus quartzite countertops

Cedar Lake Excavating – all of the foundation digging and exterior landscaping and rock walls

Tamarack River Carpentry – designed mantels and floating shelves and all fantastic finish carpentry including all cedar walls and knotty basswood ceilings

Billman Building Supply – major supplier of building materials and interior hardware and doors

Pella – supplier of all windows including custom sized fiberglass trapezoid glass for lake facing wall