Congratulations to Architects On Best In Design!

We are so happy to hear the architecture firm Gelotte Hommas Drivdhal Architecture, the genius behind beautiful luxury architecture in Seattle / the Pacific Northwest but *also* of our prefab cottages at Green Cottage Kits, our traditional cottage prefab sister brand, has won best of Houzz in Design!

Read the full article, here.
Congratulations to the firm!

Modern Prefab House Construction Project Updates From West Coast To East Coast From Green Modern Kits!

Sneak peek at a modern prefab house announcement
I can start talking about in the new year!

As usual,  at my own prefab house,
when the temperatures drop
and the cookstove goes out overnight,
off grid with only a tiny firebox
heating the entire prefab house
we still wake comfortably.

At our modern prefab house companies, Green Modern Kits and Green Cabin Kits, we are having a very busy fall and winter. 

Here is a quick update, and I will be going in to each passive solar modern prefab house construction project in much more detail in the coming weeks.

In general, when potential clients ask for SIP fabrication quotes from the factory, I tell them the estimated time for fabrication of the panels is about 4-5 weeks.

Now, even in winter, this year I need to tell them 6-8 weeks, because that's how busy the plants are, east coast or west coast. It's not just the plants; the architects are slammed, the engineers' schedules are full... so if you are planning on purchasing a prefab home, what you need to know is that if you leave things "as is" and don't start customizing anything that would involve an architect or engineer, even so, it will be a few weeks longer than usual.

If you are really reconfiguring the prefab house design, expect much longer than you might think for this time of year, because it seems as if this summer's boom still has not ended and everyone is still going full steam ahead already before your project gets into queue! So my message to interested parties is: PLAN AHEAD. Start interviewing contractors now, not when you actually want the house to be purchased.

Now let's go over our current prefab house projects and a brief synopsis of where they stand:

The Wolftrot

This Dogtrot Mod modern prefab house from Green Cabin Kits has been modified for the Pacific Northwest and the client's lifestyle.

You can follow the Wolftrot prefab construction progress here.

As I mentioned, the clients decided to close in the breezeway between the main and guest units and create a solarium, changed the foundation, roof, and more to accommodate snow load and lifestyle choices.

These European clients have lived allllll over the world and have decided to settle on the west coast.

What makes this client particularly engaging is his quick understanding of the prefab industry, as he has a background in business, engineering, and, with his wife, has lived in architecture as diverse as restoring a hundreds of years old stone home in England, to also having built their own new homes in the States.

They are big fans of SIP, understanding that the consistent quality, energy efficiency and speed in fabrication of the structural insulated panels overcomes the slightly higher upfront price.

This prefab house will be sited discretely on this peaceful property, nestled near surrounding woods and overlooking the lake.

Currently, this project is in engineering.

The Austin Dogtrot Mod

Outside of Austin, this Dogtrot Mod modern prefab house will be a contrast to the Wolftrot in that it will be a standard, push-button prefab house as our architect envisioned. The only divergence from the design is that in order to site the modern prefab house correctly on the lot, the breezeway will be narrowed by four feet in order to remain within the easements of the urban lot, and the roofline raised.

Enjoying Austin with her family.

The client, Amber Gunn, is a savvy entrepreneur in the real estate industry. Here, the Texas native explains how she went from a degree in accounting into her love of real estate!

"While I loved financial analysis and problem solving, I didn't truly love the monotony of accounting.  I was hired as a business development representative for a title company where I mentored and coached realtors.  Early on, I knew that real estate was something I was very passionate about.

I got my real estate license in 2006 and my broker's license in 2008, and I haven't looked back!  I created my own brokerage called Austin Domain Properties in 2008.  As a Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider (REAL ESTATE) and Master Financial Coach, I use my finance expertise to coach my clients in their real estate plans ranging from 1 year to the next 50 years. "

About three years ago, Amber reached out to us for information on a modern prefab house. We scheduled a conference call, and answered some general questions she had. Over time, she kept checking back, and in the fall of 2018 purchased a lot, called, and said, "I'm ready!"
And thus the process began.

Amber and son checking out their
newly-purchased lot.

What a great lot!

Currently this modern prefab house is in the engineering and permitting process, with structural insulated panels due to arrive in two months.

This Austin Texas prefab house project can be followed here.
The project shall be thus called, "La Rancho Pistola."
Amber GUNN you crack me up!!!

There is an R1 Residential modern prefab house on Lake Tahoe project...

Keep an eye on how they flip this floorplan!

A local Tahoe City design firm is adjusting the floorplan in the R1 Residential for the client, and an engineer has been engaged to adjust the roof for snow loads and local code.

The client is a modern design enthusiast, as is the designer.

What makes this prefab project interesting is that the client is flipping the floorplan- the kitchen and dining will be on the SECOND story. They are also building the R1 Residential modern addition.

The 18,000 sf lot is in an extremely restrictive zoning area, with heavy snow.

If you love Lake Tahoe you will love where this prefab is located! But for now, I will stay mum on that. : ) But I *can* reveal... it is on the west shore.

More details on this modern prefab house and project team, in upcoming weeks!

Currently, the quote for this modern prefab house project has been approved, and now moves to engineering, and the client wants to break ground in May.

Remember the R1 Residential Outside of San Francisco?!?
IT HAS BEEN BUILT!!!!

A *modified* R1 Residential
under construction outside San Francisco.

I am hoping to share with you interior and exterior photos very soon!

And finally, we have a Dogtrot Mod in the Northeast update!

The client enjoying the first snow of the year
in her Dogtrot Mod "Little Lab."

This client has been such a joy to work with. If you recall, she built the guest unit of the modern prefab cabin first as a retreat, while still living in her historic farmhouse.

It has finally come time to put her farmhouse on the market, and thus, she wrote that in soon she expects to re-start construction and finish the project.

Of note: she wants to finish with HEMPCRETE.


One thing to note is that a lot of these projects happen only after years of discussion, after many gentle leads turn into, suddenly, a very real project where the client has the loan, the lot is purchased, contractor lined up, and suddenly out of the blue I get that call that another prefab house is a GO.

Each prefab project and person is fascinating and is its own vibrant journey.  I enjoy learning about every client, their lot's unique character, their life.

In OUR own family and off grid life, as I have mentioned, we are enduring enjoying the persnickety smelly moody aura of teens the high school years.

Ok maybe they're not SO bad...
Ah, the teen years.

Like many families, we are doing too much, and I miss the steady confident-yet-quiet security of homeschooling on the farm, where you worked hard on your studies then spent the afternoons free outdoors. But then again, maybe back then I thought I was overwhelmed, too!

Halloween was great, Thanksgiving was great, with friends and family and even sailor friends reuniting, brushing our hair, and gussying up together.

So the teen years are good.

I just miss our quiet days allllllll together, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, I guess.
The teens don't.
They want REAL SCHOOL and lots of KIDS who are not goats.

And thus, we do city -and- country, but there is no place like (a SIP, prefab) home.

And thus ends my musing and modern prefab house construction project update.
As my English clients say... TTFN!
.
.
.
.
.
.
Taa taa
FOR NOW.
: )

New Prefab House Project On West Coast: Dogtrot Mod Passive Solar Prefab from Green Cabin Kits

Greetings from Green Modern Kits!
If you hadn't heard, there is a new prefab house kit construction project underway in the Pacific Northwest from our sister site, Green Cabin Kits.

Yes, the modified Dogtrot Mod Passive Solar Modern Prefab House in the Pacific Northwest begins.

Passive solar modern prefab house from Green Cabin Kits: The Dogtrot Mod
This is the standard Dogtrot Mod, before modifications.

Ok now let's dig into this prefab construction project! 

Here are more pictures of our standard Dogtrot Mod modern prefab house so you can better see what the client changed:

Now THIS prefab house, a modification of our Dogtrot Mod in the Pacific Northwest, will henceforth be referred to as...
Wolftrot.

First: Wait. What happened to the Dogtrot Mod?!? 
The clients extensively changed it! 

They enclosed the breezeway to accommodate for their Northwest local conditions.
The breezeway is now a solarium!
They also changed the roofline to address snow loads / local conditions, as well as to add solar.

There is a basement!
HOWEVER, the basement is in just one area, and the rest of the Wolftrot prefab house rests upon slab. 

The clients also designed a garage to accommodate daily practical function as well as a workbench area.

You can follow along with this particular prefab project in short, more professional updates here in the Green Modern Kits project blog, or updates with more rambling but still specific to the Wolftrot prefab house project, here.
If you like, you can also follow our own off-grid life at our own passive solar prefab house (and often, wandering around on adventures), here. But do note I ramble.

In the meantime, I hope you are all well.
Kind regards,
Green Modern Kits

Modern Passive Solar Prefab House: New Project On The West Coast From Green Modern Kits

Modern Passive Solar Prefab House In The Bay Area Has Planning Approval! Onward!

My own off grid prefab house from Green Modern Kits.

Well.

The modern passive solar prefab house in the northwest / the Bay Area has Planning approval! Onward we go to the building department!

Now that this project is a go, go, GO, I am going to give it a tag so that people can follow this prefab house kit project's story.

We will be busy rustling together the client, architect of the modern prefab house, The R1 Residential, and the distributor these weeks, following up with the engineer and contractor, bringing the whole team together.

The next step for us would be to get the project into the final Shop Drawing phase and prepared for panel production...

For those of you interested in this West Coast modern prefab house project, here's a rendering the architect, Morgan Pierce, of 3North, based in Richmond, DC, and San Francisco, generously shared of The Modified R1 Residential modern prefab house:

Because the design documents had been continued to be modified until the final approval by Planning and Zoning by the architect, it was only once they were approved did we pass on the final modified version to the SIP (structural insulated panels) dealer close to the client within our network to get the final, final quote for this project and move on to converting them, via an engineer, into SIP shop drawings and construction documents, as nothing can be changed or modified after Planning's approval.

They are in the process of doing that now, and we expect to submit those documents to Permitting in the next few weeks.

Thanks for your interest in Green Modern Kits, and our passive solar SIP prefab house kit projects!

Green Modern Kits News On A New Modern Prefab Built In Northeast!

I am so thrilled to begin sharing with you the progress of the passive solar modern prefab from our Green Cabin Kits modern prefab line being built in the northeast! This client is incredibly creative with impeccable modern taste, is passionate about the environment, and thoughtful in every aspect of her home so I am very excited to share with you her modern prefab house as it is constructed, as she sends updates.

Note: This client is a *very* busy woman who is involved with environmental advocacy. Because of her schedule, she tells me her missives will be sporadic, but I hope not- I can't wait to see what she does!

To follow and view this modern prefab home in the upper northeast project, click here!

Prefab Modern Green Homes From Green Modern Kits: Spring Has Sprung!

Happy spring from Green Modern Kits!

We were thrilled to be included in the latest issue of Virginia Living, on stands now, and chuckled that we are in their renowned Forever Prep Issue (huh?). : ) Here's a glimpse!

I am currently preparing for my annual trip to New York, for ICFF, where we will be announcing the latest on our joint venture with Akemi Tanaka: a line of affordable modern furniture that does multiple things designed specifically for our prefab house kits!

If you have followed my own prefab house kit construction blog, you know that although the house kit went up in a week, finishing it was another matter. We decided to frugally walk through the economic uncertainty, which is my philosophy regardless, hence our completion was in even longer stages as it is not yet our primary residence, and that our contractor, plumber and electrician are all working on it part time themselves.

Hence, no Spring Open House will be held, but look ahead to fall when I will be throwing a MY PREFAB HOUSE KIT IS COMPLETED party! We are finishing up, adding the final pieces (rainwater cistern, finishing the interior of the SIP) now, so I will be happy to show it off to the public this summer / fall.

Sincerely yours,

Copeland Casati

copeland casati

president 
www.GreenModernKits.com
6902 park ave / rva 23226

Prefab Modern House Kit Architect David Day In The Wall Street Journal!

David Day, green building architect of our prefab modern house kit, casa ti, was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal this week on his longtime collaborations with a couple; thought you might enjoy the read:

My Favorite Architect
A couple's relationship with their architect spans 10 years and three projects, culminating in a Charlottesville estate

Make sure to see more pictures of this custom project, here. More project pictures of Broom Hollow are also on David Day's website.

Our lines of prefab house kits, Green Modern Kits, Green Cottage Kits, and Green Cabin Kits, were also mentioned in Virginia's Inform Architecture + Design, published by the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects.

Soon I will be updating readers with our other prefab house kits' progress; in the meantime, I hope you have  a great end to spring!

Sincerely yours,
Copeland Casati

copeland casati

president 
www.GreenModernKits.com
6902 park ave / rva 23226

Zero Energy Passive Solar Prefab House casa ti Featured In Cville's Abode

This week our prefab house kit Virginia, our own zero energy passive solar casa ti, is the cover story for Cville's Abode, and we couldn't have been more pleased with the writer and photographer who did a great job capturing our energy efficient, frugal philosophy.

You can read about our zero energy prefab house kit here.

If you are getting weary reading just the Virginia prefab construction blog, I have good news: there will be more prefab house kit voices being added this month: several in Colorado (including the one who resumes after the winter we mentioned in the past), one in New York, and more on the way to an energy efficient, passive design, smart growth luvin' neighborhood near you. : ) 

Sincerely yours,
Copeland Casati

copeland casati

president
www.GreenModernKits.com
6902 park ave / rva 23226