People come to us after making the exciting choice to begin the process of plan drafting and custom build in Spokane. This project was unique in that this decision was not made by these clients, rather it was the result of the devastating Gray Fire that destroyed hundreds of houses in Medical Lake in the summer of 2023. Connie and Darrel had lived in their home together for 17 years, Connie previously even more, and they had multiple family members on either side of them. So when their home and almost all of their belongings were destroyed, they were ready to rebuild the exact same place on the same property. We worked closely with them to match their new home to their previous one, with some upgrades to better suite their lifestyles. We were honored to be trusted with this drafting and custom home building project that carried so much history and emotional significance.
Every custom home project comes with it’s unique set of challenges and this one was no different. Interestingly, their house was built on top of a spring, which was a first for me. There were days when the foundation was covered in water, making it difficult to work. It wasn’t easy, but we engineered a custom system to gather the water and pump it out, so the foundation and house remained protected, and could once again sit peacefully on top of the spring.
The second major challenge was how the house was situated along a rock wall. The front side of the property is a story higher off the ground than the house’s foundation. Beyond the driveway is a rock wall that juts down to the back yard and first level of the house. One needed to be able enter the house on the second level from the front side of the property, as in, you could walk off of the rock wall and through the front door. This required the house to be built around the rock, with a small walkway from the rock wall to the entrance. Precise measurements throughout the design and build process were crucial, so that the elevation of the second-story entrance aligned exactly with the elevation of the rock wall. There was a slim margin for error. A few inches off, and the front entry would be above or below the rock wall, requiring a steep or awkward ramp and more structural challenges. In the end, everything lined up perfectly. The walkway atop the rocky hillside connects seamlessly to the second-story front entrance.
One of the most rewarding parts of this project was working alongside Darrel himself. Well into his 80’s, one would suspect that Darrel would be nowhere near the site, but almost every day he was there, tools in hand. Throughout the build, Darrel pitched in on all kinds of tasks and lent his craftsmanship to many of the home’s finishing touches and additions. I was warmed by the bond my son, Jesse, and him made. When we wrapped up the job, Darrel said he “wished he could have a second house to build just so that he could work with Jesse again”.
It was a privilege to go through the plan drafting and custom build in Spokane with Connie and Darrel’s vision back to life, and to know that, once again, their family is back home in Medical Lake.
The rock wall and pathway connecting the second story entrance.
Darrel continues to work on his house.
