We regard lighting to be a crucial component of any sustainable building, which includes everything from the health of the inhabitants that live in it to the amount of energy it consumes.
While energy-efficient lighting is a simple and effective alternative for your home and your carbon footprint, it is important to consider the cheapest and most renewable source of healthy light, the sun. The challenge is to find ways to utilize the sun’s light inside your home throughout the day.
An intentionally well-designed new build or remodel can produce ample amounts of natural light. Well-placed windows, skylights, doors, (and one of our favorites) Solatubes allow in the sun’s light, even in your home’s darker spaces. Letting in natural light will lower your energy bills and contribute to happier and healthier lives.
If installing new windows, skylights, or Solatubes is not in your budget; there are cheaper alternatives that can help maximize light throughout your home. Choosing light-colored paints, shiny flooring like linoleum, and reflective materials for your walls and ceiling can create a lot of fluid light that will brighten up even the darkest of rooms.
Learn more about different lighting solutions in recent Mighty House projects, including this video from the 2021 NW Green Home Tour, showcasing Solatubes and the reasons for specific placement. Please reach out to us and let us know how we can help adapt your home to allow in the most natural light possible for a healthy, eco-friendly, and happy home.
by Jill Williams | Mar, 2022 | Article, Uncategorized
It’s crazy to think that we are coming up on the two-year anniversary of the pandemic pivot. We have been very fortunate that the construction industry has managed to move forward during and in the wake of statewide ebbs and flows. Although, we have not gone without our struggles — we continue to face labor shortages, concrete worker strike impacts, and intensive supply chain issues. Even in the midst of these complications, we look for opportunities to learn and come out stronger as a business, as a community, as a family, and as individuals.
While every day feels like a day closer to life pre-pandemic in our personal lives; the construction marketplace is still a very challenging place to be. We are committed to navigating any hurdle in front of us to make sure we live up to our core principles and deliver exceptional building practices, outstanding solutions to your home-building needs, and excellent customer fulfillment.
Let us know how can we help you live, play, and grow in your home better.
by Jill Williams | Jan, 2022 | Article, Design + Architecture, Green Building, Living, Uncategorized
Finish work is often about the smallest of details, and it takes the right carpenter with an extensive line of experience to execute it precisely. No matter how beautifully designed, this high level of detail work is the first thing that will catch any visitor’s eye when they walk into a room. Whether it is intricate tile work, crown molding, built-in custom cabinets, or live edge shelving, you will not regret taking the extra step to integrate this level of work into your new construction or remodel.
Most seasoned finish carpenters know the tricks of the trade about getting it right. This requires them to think quickly and adapt to any given situation. A successful finish carpenter also needs to have an eye for the work and dedication to making every single detail work. We pride ourselves on our fine craftsmanship, and we are committed to every project from start to finish – down to the very smallest detail.
Check out our Details photo gallery from projects throughout the years. Contact us to let us know which are your favorites and how we can help integrate extra fine details into your upcoming or existing projects. We look forward to hearing from you.
by Georges Lafontant | Jul, 2020 | Design + Architecture, Green Building, Uncategorized
I miss going into the office. Trapped at home, with my standing desk squeezed up against our dining table – there’s a lot I get to keep track of – between the dogs and the teens – and then again, there is A LOT to keep track of as well as hollering to keep it down for business calls/zoom meetings and just to think long enough to put two sentences together. Truthfully, it is often much better than that and yet when it’s not…. I really miss going into the office.
Home offices – wherever and however that is defined in your home — have been getting a workout these days. Some folks need the hustle and bustle to stay motivated, some need an ordered desk, a quieter space, a space to rock out in – the list is kinda endless. What is your ideal working space? Is there a shed you are dying to sequester to? A corner of the basement you want set for virtual schooling? Let’s talk about how we can make to make your spaces a better fit for all the extra time you and your family spends there. Give us a call to explore the options and check out some of the offices that we have worked on in this Instagram gallery.
Mighty House has barely missed a beat. We have been hard at work. Granted, not everything is moving forward at our usual pace, and yet this gives us a chance to share some of our experience getting things done under evolving COVID-19 conditions. All aspects of our work has been affected – both administratively and on-site. Rather than be dismayed and shut down by it, we innovate and find new ways to successfully do what we do. To start, we can fit less workers in a space (6 feet apart, people!). We are also seeing shipping slowdowns and warehouse shutdowns from COVID flareups around the country and less sales staff in warehouses, manufacturing, and showrooms often means slowed-down order processing. Never mind the increased precautions; hand washing stations, extra masks and PPE, distancing, and cleaning. One of our tricks is front load supplies for projects so that we don’t hit delays or product scarcity – it is cause for less space at Laura and Doug’s home, yet it keeps projects moving forward which means happy homeowners and staff.
Laura often talks about how flexibility and grace are key components of a successful remodel project… perhaps now more than ever.
Speaking of flexibility, you may have noticed that the NW Green Home Tour is going to be virtual this year. At Mighty House, we are embracing new technologies to bring out visitors a fantastic online tour that will display our work and the Green technologies that go into our projects. We are excited to present you an engaging and educational tour that will inspire your projects.
Something new and cool as well as important to know about is the City of Seattle’s new “Shaping Seattle” website. It is a map-based system that allows you to view permits, inspections, project status, and yes, even complaints for Seattle buildings projects. It is a great way to see if a permit has been granted or to check out the plans for the new DADU replacing the garage next door. And while much of this has been public information and accessible for a while, the new map-based system feels more accessible. And as such, even if your small project is a candidate for a permit and you’re thinking it’s barely worth bothering about, you might reconsider and prepare for the worst.
Shaping Seattle
This new, mobile-first map allows users to find active construction, land use, and Design Review permits in their neighborhood. The new map will make it easier for you to research active permits, find related documents and permit records, and comment on land use permits under review.
Eco-friendly advantages to retrofitting rather than building new.