While ours is, still, a firm largely supplying design, consulting, and documentation services, we remain innately builders. Among the many products which we have encountered, and which we would be thrilled to provide you, we offer:

Green Barn Kit: We designed the structure (Hicks Stone, of New York City, is the project architect) and managed the construction of a lovely barn, on a sweet little island off the Maine coast, for Steve Thomas. Steve is hosting a new show on the Discovery Channel, called Renovation Nation. His series focuses on green building techniques and projects, including his own new barn/shop/guest house. The design is simple, efficient, incredibly flexible and was built with (relatively) locally prefabricated components. The resulting building is, therefore, fairly predictably priced and scheduled - while providing all the space a couple really needs. The shell can work as a two story home, or have a shop/studio/garage on the lower level. The second floor framing system allows owners to use the same shell in many ways; even allowing for simple changes in their use patterns years later.

We did a lot of preparatory work, so that the site work could happen in an admittedly frenetic week. The walls are open heavy stud walls, prefabbed by a local stick framer. The timbers were cut locally, by Connolly Timber Frames. The prefabricated floor system and stairs were done by Benson Woodworking. The roof panels were precut, pre-boarded, and installed by Panel Pros. We are very pleased with the product and now offer versions of the same very flexible building to anyone interested in predictable and delightful timber frame buildings. In the course of the site work, we withstood many challenges specific to small islands with slimy tidal landing ramps. I also learned how a summer neighbor, our own Chief Justice Roberts, likes his burgers – which I could tell you, but only at the cost of both our lives.

If you are interested in having one of these wonderful barns built on your site, and to suit your various needs, please contact us. We are prepared to sell just the plans for the building, as well as a complete and installed shell package on your foundation. The complete shell includes:

• open heavy stud wall panels (disassembled kits are also available, as are fully insulated panels)
• the timber frame posts, girts, braces, joists, purlins, and rafters
• the Open-Built® second floor panels
• prefabricated stairs, with rustic finish suitable for shops, garages, and studios
• insulated roof panels, precut to fit, and preboarded with finished pine boards

We can deliver this package as a kit at your site, or help you to erect it on your foundation. We are, even, happy to discuss staging an intense, week-long, "barn raising" suitable for filming.