So how do you build a home in Crested Butte on a “budget" (I use this term loosely because no matter what, it is still expensive)? For us, we knew immediately we would have to make a number of compromises. Size, epic views, big garage, etc. What we did not want to compromise on were quality, sustainability, performance, and warm aesthetics (not a fan of cold, modern aesthetics). Let’s tackle a few of these in more detail.

Size. This one was quickly apparent, and we knew we had to stay around 2000 square feet. It’s just Shelby, me, and the pups 90% of the time, so this is a perfect size. We knew we wanted two guest bedrooms for when friends and family visit, but we sacrificed the third bathroom. If we have to compromise, so do our guests! An office was a must since we run our business out of the house, but we made it small and functional. We also decided to make one of the guest bedrooms a flex space that will also serve as a gym, thanks to a Murphy bed. Keeping the design simple as a one-story “ranch” allows for a larger sense of space than a 2000-square-foot two-story.

Illustration by Public domain vectors on Unsplash

Epic Views. Our last house in Buckhorn had unobstructed views of Whetstone and of the amazing Paradise Divide. Of course, this was in 2017, so the views to Paradise were unobstructed. Not so much now. If I’m honest, we never sat outside on our deck or in our living room and just gazed out at the views. We appreciated them, but it wasn’t the nirvana we'd hoped for. If you live here, you are spoiled with the views every day. Whether it’s on a hike, skiing, fishing, or driving around for work. The key is not to take it for granted. I don’t need epic views from my home; I get them daily. So, when we were looking for a building location, we set our priorities. We wanted a relatively flat lot, large enough for the one-story design, sheltered from wind and the west sun, and with ample southern exposure. Kind of a needle in the haystack. But we kept looking and were lucky to find the perfect lot for us in CB South.

View from the deck of our Buckhorn house. Epic for sure.

Big Garage. Some say this is the most important must-have in Crested Butte. Somewhere for all the toys. Well, we don’t have dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and tons of bikes. If we had all of this, I may have had a different perspective. A non-compromise for Shelby was a place to park her car. Ideally, we would have liked a two-car garage, but the house took up too much space, and we didn’t have the room. We opted for a one-and-a-half-car garage to give us plenty of space to park a car and storage for skis, outdoor gear, and tools. I think it will serve us well.

Warm Aesthetics. Neither one of us is a fan of modern architecture. It is typically cold, uninviting, sterile, and just plain ugly. Building a simple, high-performance house naturally leads you towards a more modern design. We’ve always been fans of ranch-style homes that were commonly built in the ‘60s and ‘70s. I grew up in one in Austin, Tx that my parents built in 1975. So, we are dubbing our house the modern ranch. We are investing in finishes to elevate the feel and bring warmth. We want the home to feel welcoming, warm, and casual. While I geek out on all the building science, Shelby will take the lead on bringing this vision to reality.

I think having limitations and making compromises is a good thing. It forces you to really drill down and determine what is most important. It also encourages you to innovate and think outside the box, seeking solutions that may not be mainstream in your market. In the end, I hope we just might find,
we get what we need!

Compromises

Why Prefab?