"Then we sat down, talked and came up with a design that started the process," says Virginia. "And from there, we fine–tuned the plans to get the house I wanted."

Virginia was very specific in some of her design requests. She wanted a moderately sized home with lots of light and windows, and it had to be as "green" as possible to reflect her deep commitment to conservation and the environment.

Timberpeg^® homes already have many energy-saving measures built right into their design, but Virginia chose to go even further. As she explains, "Timberpeg's structural insulated panels are just wonderful and energy efficient, but I wanted to do more. I asked to include features such as geothermal heat, solar hot water and solar electricity. Jay understood my requests, did his research, asked around and found ways to make them work."

Virginia, who describes herself as a "professional volunteer," works with many conservation, education and ecology organizations. Over the years she had become familiar with alternative energy designs and knew what they could do. "I've been to two conferences on green building," she says, "and I understand the concept enough to know what I'm asking for. Through my brother, I found a number of people who had built with solar energy, and I also encountered a person who had built in Maine. I figured that if you can support the technology in Maine, you can do it anywhere."

She goes on to talk about her commitment to green building: "It is costly to build in as many features as I did — and if you are looking for an immediate payback, forget it. I could afford it, however, and it was the right thing to do. My children will see the crossover when the investment pays off."

Virginia also wanted an open floor plan and a look that was informal, but elegant. Having lived in Europe, she incorporated some details she had seen on her travels into her new home. For example, while the second floor has only one full bathroom, the bedrooms each have a single sink "en suite." In addition, the bath itself is divided so that the tub and sink are separated from the toilet, allowing the areas to be used separately.

One of the challenges that Virginia faced during the building process was distance. Since a regular commute from the South to New Hampshire was not practical, Jay handled many of the details.



"We talked often and sent designs back and forth. It was a long-distance project. I knew what I wanted and had total confidence in Jay's ability. I'd go up for three or four days and spend all of them picking things out and talking. That was the easiest way for me. Jay and Timberpeg^® were very clear on costs; there were no surprises."

"I had an excellent working relationship with Jay. He would have done anything I insisted on (like tiling the kitchen floor) but he used his experience to point out other possibilities.

In the end, Virginia found the distance to be something of a blessing. "If you ever want to keep your building costs within reason," she explains, "don't go to the site all the time."

Like many Timberpeg^® customers, Virginia cannot say enough about her positive experience with her Timberpeg^® Independent Representative. "I had an excellent working relationship with Jay. He would have done anything I insisted on (like tiling the kitchen floor) but he used his experience to point out other possibilities. When he explained that the tile wouldn't flow as well and suggested wood, for example, I realized he was right. Jay was flexible and accommodating and so was I. We had a very good relationship. Jay has incredible integrity and it was a pleasure to work with him."

One of the little details that Jay suggested was a loft for Virginia's grandchildren, complete with a ship's ladder. "It's open, but private," Virginia says, "and they love it."

To Virginia, it's important that a house look like it "belongs on the land." Good landscaping, as well as an exterior finish that's appropriate to the house's setting, helped her achieve that result. Jay suggested the stone wall and firepit on the patio to expand the season, and Virginia says, "It's a hit with the teenagers."

The fact that Virginia spends considerably more time in New Hampshire than she used to is a testament to her satisfaction with her new home. "I'm a very happy Timberpeg^® owner," she concludes. "I've seen other post and beam designs, but with a Timberpeg^®, the beams are actually part of the structure of the house, not just decoration, so it has a very substantial feel. The house has integrity — and it's a difference you can see."

View the floor plan for this home.

Photos: Rich Frutchey, Photographer
Contact us for more details on this and many other floor plans.

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