Local Architects Offer Variety and Carbon-Friendliness

By Max Wittstein
The Litchfield County Times and Housatonic Publications

Looking to build a unique custom home in the area’ Look no further than listings in the phone book lor talented local architects Both Litchfield and Fairfield County are home to a large number of custom-dome designers who will work hand-in-hand with customers to build a dream house

“We ideally work with people who feel that design enhances their lives and feel that there’s a great value to their home,” said Ben Pilchard of Academy Design in Newtown “Good design doesn’t have to cost a lot of money Whether you’re redoing a bath or kitchen or putting on an addition, in my opinion good design will cost you less m the long run, because you make fewer mistakes during construction and benefit tremendously with the quality of your home environment”

The current housing market slump has not adversely affected custom home designers in the area, especially not those who are in the second-home market

“If you re m this area of the market 1 e Washington, Roxbury, Cornwall, and Kent, this area has held up pretty well,” said Larry Powers of Old Harbour Fine Homes m Washington Depot “It’s not the volume of thiee years ago, but the people who buy houses and do this kind of work on them work are the ones who invest m these as weekend houses These are people who are not hurt by the economy It’s a more stable market than the basic 3- or 4,000 foot Colonials selling in places like Newtown”

The craze for “going, green,”
says Mr Powers

“More people are reusing things that they don’t, have to throw out There’s a company down in Norwalk called Green Demolition that takes donations of high-end appliances, windows, and doors that are all brand new Some of people in areas like Greenwich buy houses and remodel a kitchen that is only a year old because they don’t like the colors, and they donate it to Green Demolition instead of sending it to the dump I’m all m favor of that ”

Erich Diller of Evolve Design m New Milford said that oldei styles are sometimes m fact better for the environment Timber frame homes, which Evolve Design builds, are based on a traditional post-and-beam stmctural system with a complete and continuous blanket of insulation wrapped around the walls and roof The more typical building method consists of exten-oi wall studs and roof rafters that interrupt or create ‘thermal breaks’ m the insulation envelope. Timber framing also uses less wood material with less waste than conventional construction methods, adding to its benefit as an environmentally friendly construction they’d like to develop are at an economic advantage.

“What we’re going to see in the next six months is that builders are going to need more work,” said independent architect Robert T. Gault of Woodbury. “I’ve seen a lot of builders e-mailing me, asking for projects to bid on. People who actually have some cash and credit are probably going to get a better price now than 18 months ago because people need the work and will give a price that keep their crews busy. Now is a good time to build.”