by mightyhouse | May, 2019 | Events - Workshops
Join us on Saturday May 11 from 11-12:30 PM at Second Use Building Materials in SODO! Doug Elfline of Mighty House Construction will guide you in assessing your window and door projects to see if using salvaged materials is an option, demonstrate how to choose appropriate salvaged windows and doors, and share tips for proper installation and maintenance.
This event is TOTALLY FREE but we request that you RSVP. Please RSVP to maryanne@seconduse.com at your earliest convenience to reserve your spot!
by mightyhouse | Mar, 2019 | Events - Workshops

We are excited to announce that Mighty House Construction will be featuring TWO projects on this year’s Northwest Green Home Tour. Join us for the event of the year and a chance to tour sustainably built homes and businesses all over the Seattle Area. Get inspired by projects in all shades of green, from backyard cottages and kitchen remodels to new homes built with cutting-edge green features. You’ll see and learn first-hand how your neighbors are generating their own electricity with solar panels, lowering their energy bills with insulation, and creating healthier home environments for their families with better building materials and systems. Learn from experts and really understand “what makes it green” on this educational tour. Mighty House will have one project open Saturday, and one project open Sunday. Check them out below!
Join us May 4 and 5, 2019 from 11 AM to 5 PM
Register Here | More Sites
West Side Second Story Addition
OPEN SATURDAY ONLY – A typical 1940s war box home, has gotten just a little too cramped for this family. Designed by Leo Smith Architect, this West Side Second Story will add a dining room off the kitchen on the backside of the house with a 2nd-floor master suite above. Currently IN PROGRESS, this is a great opportunity to see behind the walls and the sheetrock stage of the addition. This project features advanced insulation, healthy materials and infrared radiant heat. See how this family is gaining just enough square footage, with minimal scope creep, plus a stellar view of tree canopy and the Puget Sound! Read more here.
Love Your Family, Love Your Kitchen Remodel
OPEN SUNDAY ONLY – The kitchen of this 1925 Ballard home was well-used, worn out and and in need of some serious love and upgrades. Mighty House Construction and Entero Design to the rescue! The existing kitchen layout was semi-functional but not super-functional, so Entero recommended acquiring the back porch space into the kitchen. This allows for increased storage, better all around functionality, and a space for the family to gather together. Read more about this project here.
by mightyhouse | Mar, 2019 | Green Building
The 20 by 2020 Challenge is a local campaign to promote the development of 20 Passive House or net zero energy projects of 20,000 square feet or larger in King County by the year 2020 next year! The good news is that Zero Net Carbon buildings can make economic sense today. Passive House construction is a cost-effective means to revolutionize building energy performance, particularly for larger buildings. Many of the pioneering Passive House buildings in the US have been affordable housing projects. By establishing an ambitious energy target and using science-based design and modeling, Passive House buildings reduce energy consumption by as much as 75%. Couple this with rooftop solar or a contract for green power, and you’ve got a Zero Net Carbon building.
The 20 by 2020 Building Challenge will provide “proof of concept” that Passive House can propel our shift to a carbon-sustainable future. Passive House is the world’s leading standard for energy efficient construction. It combines building enclosure efficiency and passive solar strategies in a system for designing and building cost effective, comfortable, energy efficient buildings.
The major components of a Passive House include:
- Super-insulated envelope
- Ultra-high-performance windows
- Airtight construction (0.6 air changes / hr at 50 Pascals)
- Eliminating or reducing thermal bridging
- Heat-recovery ventilation
- Using passive heat sources (solar of course, but also equipment, lighting, and occupants).
Learn more here!
by mightyhouse | Feb, 2019 | Events - Workshops
Join us for a FREE Workshop on Saturday March 9 from 11-12:30 PM at Second Use Building Materials in SODO! Cabinets are one of our favorite things to salvage and our very own Doug will be teaching the ins and outs of how to shop for them, prevent common installation mistakes, identify the different types and parts of cabinets, and determine what type are the best fit for your project.
Salvaged cabinets are one of the most popular ways to incorporate reclaimed materials into a remodel. Like most salvaged material, working with salvaged cabinets presents many rewards, as well as a few challenges.
RSVP here or to maryanne@seconduse.com
by mightyhouse | Aug, 2018 | Green Building, Tips + Inspiration
This Green Lake Tudor home was in desperate need of some updates. The kitchen and two bathrooms were severely lacking in function and style – making it hard for Steve to live happily in these heavy uses spaces. Team Mighty House to the rescue!
BEFORE:

AFTER:

Canyon Creek’s Katana line of cabinetry and Ceasarstone countertops provide an entirely refreshed look for the kitchen, while also maintaining its classic aesthetic. The cabinets are locally manufactured, and both companies provide products with zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
BEFORE:

AFTER:


Cutting the shower wall down to half-height and adding a glass enclosure, gave the upstairs bathroom a huge boost in natural lighting. Colorful tile accents and a bright blue marmoleum floor, gave the space a new feel while also maintaining some of the original room’s pop of color. Marmoleum is a natural linoleum, that is durable, resistant to bacteria, and free of toxic byproducts. Plus, this custom tile work was done in house by our resident Mighty House tile expert!

Another important element of maintaining the classic Tudor charm, was working with what we already had. Updating, reusing, and salvaging existing elements is also a great way to cut down on waste and extend the life of those items and save them from the landfill. In the first floor bathroom, we left the tub and checkered floor in place and found updated finishes to match. The vanity countertop material is also salvaged PaperStone, a material made from compressed recycled paper.

What kind of updates does your house need? Let us know and check out more images in our Flikr gallery.