Robert, it was good to talk with you the other day and to learn of your plans to relocate to a more moderate climate. To my mind nothing can be more challenging than building complex log structures all winter in the extreme cold and snow of Jackson Hole, Wyoming!
When you mentioned your proposed change I offered to write the following recommendation for you which is based on our mutual experience while building the log “Fish Creek House” that you constructed for Lucy and I on our Circle L Ranch property in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
You will recall that we had to deal with two very significant situations which could have tested our builder/client relationship had you not been the professional that you are. The first was the proposed county change in zoning setbacks that would have made the Creek House unbuildable had we not pushed the architect and plan through to permit and constructed the foundation before the deadline. Under current zoning the house could not be constructed. It was very much worth the three month effort we all put in to design, engineer, permit the home, excavate and construct the foundation before the county could put the new zoning regulations in place.
If the accelerated start did not cause enough commotion then changing the building from our western office into a home certainly caused some serious challenges. You will recall that you had the structure up when we advised you that I had reached the contusion that my office needs could not be conducted from Jackson Hole and that I would not be moving my staff as planned. It is to your credit that you were the calm one in this storm of having the architect redesign the structure from office space to living space making all sorts of running changes while the plan was being worked on. Fortunately for us you were flexible and somehow kept construction going while the plan was being modified without loosing momentum or causing extensive rework and duplication of effort etc.
Lucy and I cannot thank you enough for the excellent end product that you produced for us nor how much we have enjoyed using the house and sharing it with others. It is always a surprise to enter the house after having been away and to explain to others the complex construction you have mastered involving these types of structures. Had it not been for your “can do” attitude and communication skills we would not have made it through construction as gracefully as we did. We most certainly would not have produced the same result had you not communicated the many architectural/mechanical detail questions and concerns that required our mutual attention.
I have attached a photo to this letter that you will find interesting. It is a picture that Lucy took from our bench this fall that looks down on the house. This photo shows for the first time our completed grounds and how both the home and vegetation fit so well into the natural landscape. I have also reviewed our construction cost which you will be pleased to hear falls very close to the original square foot estimates despite all the running changes. This goes to your credit because you kept everything under control during a period of time when almost everything was out of control!
Lucy and I wish you well and will always think of you in the most professional way and include you in our thoughts not just as a builder but also a friend. I guess if I were to select one point from our three year association it would be your determination to always present us with the options that would produce the best result while dealing with architects, engineers and crew in a firm but diplomatic fashion.
Best of luck to you and your family!
Karl G. Otzen
~ More Testimonials