COMPLIMENTARY Publication of the Gunnison Country Times INSIDE & OUT Spring 2010 Husband-wife team builds dream home on banks of Tomichi Creek A PERFECT MATCH BACK TO BASICS Brothers hitting nail on the head Brothers hitting nail on the head building attractive, affordable homes building attractive, affordable homes MARKET CORRECTION Real estate prices have fallen, Real estate prices have fallen, creating a big-time buyer's market creating a big-time buyer's market
Homes inside & out is a biannual publication the highlights everything relating to homes in the Gunnison Valley. About the Cover: The feature home on this spring's cover is that of husband-wife architect-builder team Bill and Jennifer Barvitski. Watercolor by Jennie Wren.
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COMPLIMENTARYPublication of the Gunnison Country Times
INSIDE & OUTSpring 2010
Husband-wife team builds dream home on banks of Tomichi CreekA PERFECT MATCH
BACK TO BASICSBrothers hitting nail on the head Brothers hitting nail on the head building attractive, affordable homesbuilding attractive, affordable homes
MARKET CORRECTIONReal estate prices have fallen, Real estate prices have fallen,
creating a big-time buyer's marketcreating a big-time buyer's market
Whether you’ve lived in the Gunnison Country all your life and are moving up to a bigger home, or you’re buying your first summer retreat here, knowing that you’re working with experienced mort-gage professionals helps take the stress out of securing financing.
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303 N. Main Street, Gunnison970-641-2177
501 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte970-349-7207
501 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte970-349-7207
COMPLIMENTARYPublication of the Gunnison Country Times
INSIDE & OUTSpring 2010
Husband-wife team builds dream home on banks of Tomichi CreekA PERFECT MATCH
BACK TO BASICSBrothers hitting nail on the head Brothers hitting nail on the head
building attractive, affordable homesbuilding attractive, affordable homes
MARKET CORRECTIONReal estate prices have fallen, Real estate prices have fallen,
creating a big-time buyer's marketcreating a big-time buyer's market
About the Cover: The feature home on this spring's cover is that of the husband-wife,
architect-builder team of Bill and Jennifer Barvitski . Water color by Jennie Wren.
11th #6. $154,000Van Tuyl Village Townhomes w/ garage or carport;
prices start at $184,000 for 2 bdrm/2 bath, 2 years old, appliances, convenient in-town location
Patio Home close to Dos Rios Golf Course at 100 Shavano Dr for $239,900; lots of common ground/open space, 3 bdrm/2 bath, 2 car heated garage, great shape.4 bdrm La Veta Townhome, freestanding home w/ attached garage, full basement, gas log fireplace, bonus room/den; 604 W. Gunnison Ave; $269,000
Free standing Wildwood Townhomes for sale; 2 or 3 bdrm, includes carport, fenced yard, trees, full-time on site mgmt; prices start at $185,000; W. Tomichi &
Wildrose Ln
Pie Zans New York Pizza: Includes all restaurant equipment, name & reputation, leased location,
tables, chairs, training. Great business opportunity. $75,000
Trailer Park/Income property at 14th & Gunnison for $159,000; 3 mobile homes on 3 city lots provide
excellent rental income with minimal expenses.Professional office for sale at 107 S. Iowa for
$189,500. Includes kitchen, restroom, hardwood floors, off street parking, Central Business District.
Commercial building w/ living quarters close to prime intersection of Main & Tomichi. 2220sf, off street
parking; 133 E. Tomichi; $295,000Large manufacturing/commercial/retail building just one block off Hwy 50 at 413 W. New York for
$390,000; 17,000sf of land, 1500sf bldg.Price reduced to $490,000 on this nearly 4300sf commercial bldg at 119 S. Main; Hardwood floors,
City of GunnisonYear Total building permits Total Valuation2009 65 $17.3 million*2008 62 $8.7 million2007 93 $8.9 million2006 100 $9.0 million2005 115 $15.9 million
*Includes large RE1J school construction projects, plus the building of the community swimming pool.
Town of Crested ButteYear Total building permits Total Valuation2009 49 $4.7 million2008 52 $8.0 million2007 58 $9.2 million2006 66 $11.2 million2005 59 $10.7 million
Town of Mt. Crested ButteYear Total building permits Total Valuation2009 7 $16 million2008 7 $6.6 million2007 23 $40.7 million
Town of Mt. CB permit breakdown2009 Of the 7 permits, 2 were for single-family residences 2 were multi-family 1 was the Crested Butte Community School and 1
was the CBMR Adventure Park.2008 5 of the permits were for single-family residences 1 was for the completion of the Poplar
Building at the Outrun Condos.2007 19 of the permits were for single-family residences 4 were multi-family.
Tale of the tapeHere’s a snapshot of the building activity in Gunnison County over the years
(All data provided by the building departments from the respective jurisdictions.)
6 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
Grant targets small
businessesTimes Staff Report
Gunnison County Electric Association recently received a $73,890 federal grant that is hoped to be a first step toward help-ing local small businesses improve the en-ergy efficiency of their operations.
The grant, which will provide access to energy audits and information on energy ef-ficiency and renewable energy methods, is from the USDA Rural Development office. Colorado Rural Development State Director Jim Isgar was in Gunnison this past Janu-ary to present GCEA representatives with a ceremonial check.
“This grant in particular will assist many rural businesses ... in the area with taking the first step to becoming more energy ef-ficient,” said Isgar.
Once an audit has been performed, the local business may then be eligible to apply for funding assistance from USDA’s “Re-newable Energy for America Program” to actually implement energy efficiency im-provements, or a renewable energy project.
That program can pay up to 25 percent of a project, ranging from $1,500 to $250,000, explained Pattie Snidow, Rural Develop-ment’s northwest area director.
Only those operations that are within GCEA’s service area are eligible for an en-ergy audit grant — meaning no business-es within Gunnison city limits can apply. Businesses will be required to make a small personal investment towards the cost of the energy audit.
Once the audit has been completed each business will receive a detailed report de-scribing the current energy system and usage and opportunities for improvements. The report will also include expected out-comes of such improvements.
Further information on rural programs in Colorado is available at any of the six local USDA Rural Development offices or by vis-iting www.rurdev.usda.gov/co. ■
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GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 7
by Erich Ferchau
In an effort to con-tinually improve service to buyers and sellers, RE/MAX Community Brokers is sponsoring information sessions every Thursday eve-ning through April to discuss tax credits, attractive loan pack-ages and the housing market in general. The response from both buyers and sellers has been great.
Sales in Gunnison and Crested Butte were off in 2009, but I believe the real es-tate market will rebound in 2010. I don’t anticipate a rapid return to the higher pric-ing, but sales volume will pick up.
As a community, we have little or no job growth and the “second home” buy-ers have been cautious to enter the hous-ing market. Prices declined through 2009 and the foreclosure numbers in Gunnison County continue to add up. Banks, in gen-eral, tend to be more negotiable over time as their objective is to eliminate the asset from their books. This tends to put even more downward pressure on prices.
Gunnison, Crested Butte and the other communities in Gunnison County all have an increased supply of housing and a much reduced demand. However, buy-ers are beginning to find the price points more attractive and are willing to make of-fers. There is no question that the current
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marketplace favors the buyer. The federal government is offering at-
tractive tax incentives, interest rates remain very low and sellers are more motivated. RE/MAX Community Brokers is reaching out to buyers to make sure they are well informed about these incentives and the housing market. Prospective buyers leave the meetings with a greater sense of en-couragement about making a purchase.
While prices have dropped and buyers want to negotiate, there is a silver lining for sellers as well. The good news is that there are buyers in the market and they will make a purchase. My message to pro-spective sellers is to get their property ready.
There are a variety of things a seller can do to prepare their home for these enthu-siastic buyers. Presentation and pricing are very critical in a declining market and sell-ers can’t afford to miss an opportunity to sell to the limited buyer pool.
We host these casual gatherings at our office at 131 N. Main St. in Gunnison. Local banks and mortgage brokers also participate to discuss the attractive inter-est rates and the lending requirements. Ed Howard of Pederson & Howard account-ing has provided some tax credit informa-tion to help explain the opportunities for “first time” and “repeat” home buyers.
If you are a buyer or a seller, please con-sider taking an hour on a Thursday eve-ning and join the discussion. Meetings are scheduled to start at 6:30 and the discus-sions tend to wrap up by 7:30 or 8 p.m. If you let us know in advance, we are happy to provide childcare services. Give us a call at 641.1188 if you have any questions or to RSVP. ■
(Ferchau is owner/broker of RE/MAX Community Brokers in Gunnison and Crest-ed Butte.)
‘Buyers are beginning to find the price points more attractive
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 9
Vacant land stock quantifiedby Will Shoemaker
If development in Gunnison County continues at the same rate it has over the past decade, it will be about 25 years be-fore the current stock of vacant residen-tial lots is depleted.
That figure was among the findings compiled by county Geographic Infor-mation Services (GIS) manager Mike Pelletier.
Pelletier combined data from the County Assessor’s Office that determines where residential structures now exist with GIS data for the location of private-
ly owned parcels in the county.The result is a snapshot of private par-
cels, both within the municipalities and in the unincorporated county, potentially available for development — from single parcels greater than 70 acres, to much smaller, already subdivided lots.
Pelletier, however, stressed that the data is not exact, due to some inaccura-cies in both the assessor’s and GIS data.
Also, some of the identified vacant lots may not be buildable. For instance, they may have been platted long ago on slopes too steep to support a residential structure, or within a now-defined sensi-tive wetlands area.
Approximate residential structure development by area
Crested Butte East Gunnison Marble
North Fork
Ohio Creek Southwest
Total County
Total residential structures
2,440 1,120 2,910 325 185 335 750 8,160
Vacant residential lots
1,455 555 550 485 130 80 1,065 4,315
Years of vacant lot supply
16 51 13 92 51 11 66 24
The above data are approximate figures for existing residential structures and vacant residential lots throughout Gunnison County (including municipalities) as of January of this year. The “years of lot supply” remaining is based on the 10-year average building rate, and assumes that no additional subdivisions will occur.
Map/Gunnison Country Times
There are a ‘lot of lots’ available for development
N
Marble
North ForkCrested Butte
Ohio Creek
Gunnison
Southwest
East
Gunnison County
‘These numbers show that there’s a lot of private land left to develop.’
Mike Pelletier
10 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
The data compiled by Pelletier in-cludes all residential structures on the property, not actual housing units. For example, a duplex would be counted as one residential structure.
It also does not include the City of Gunnison’s recent Gunnison Rising an-nexation, which the commissioners ac-knowledged Tuesday would significantly increase the number of vacant lots once subdivision takes place. Likewise, any other subdivisions of large parcels in coming years will increase the stock of buildable lots.
“These numbers show that there’s a lot of private land left to develop,” Pelletier explained.
“A lot of lots,” said Neal Starkebaum, assistant director of Community Devel-opment. ■
By the numbers
2.086 millionTotal acreage in Gunnison County.
1.7 millionAcres in Gunnison County that are public lands, comprising 82 percent of total area.
377,000Approximate acreage of privately owned land in Gunnison County, including within municipalities.
Total acres privately owned:• parcels greater than 70 acres in size comprise 291,060 acres• parcels greater than 70 acres with an agricultural assessment comprise 270,460 approximate acres• parcels greater than 70 acres with an agricultural assessment and not in private open space (for example, conservation easements) comprise 227,990 approximate acres• parcels less than 70 acres in size comprise about 85,465 total acres
Data courtesy Gunnison County GIS
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GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 11
by Chris Rourke
Steel, iron, concrete and reclaimed barn wood. Marry those with beautiful tex-tiles and exotic animal skins and trophy mounts.
That’s what you will find in the Gunnison home of Bill and Jennifer Bar-vitski. But their home is more than just a place to live. It’s a showcase of their com-bined talents and an experiment of ideas.
Jennifer is an architect who studied at Vanderbilt University and Texas A&M. Bill, a graduate of the University of Ne-vada, owns Trout Creek Construction and is a home-grown builder who understands the “hows” of building a home in the high country.
The two businesses operate entirely in-dependently from one another. For their own home, the Barvitskis married their talents and produced a showcase that not only is great to live in — it wows the cli-
ents as well.Located at 635 Tomichi Trail, the Bar-
vitskis’ home is nestled up against Hart-man Rocks at the end of the road. The secluded property is close to the Dos Rios golf course, making it a prime location for Bill and Jennifer.
“We both love to golf, so it’s nice to be right on the course to go play a couple of holes,” Jennifer says.
“It’s also nice to just be able to take a hike or a walk up through Hartman Rocks, which is right up here,” Bill adds, pointing right out toward the back of the house.
Privacy and recreation aren’t the only draws to their home. The beauty and vari-ety of finishes throughout the home starts
The perfect matchBuilder, architect team up to create showcase house, that doubles as their home
Jennifer and Bill BarvitskiPhoto by Chris Rourke
12 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
with a uniquely stained concrete floor, which also features radiant in-floor heat. The thermal mass slowly releases warmth throughout the home, a comfort on a cold winter day. The concrete floor is just one of the things they’ve been wanting to in-corporate into their business projects.
“We tried things on this home that we wanted to try, that we didn’t want to try on a client,” Jennifer explains. “It’s better for us to be the guinea pigs and us hav-ing to rip it out of our own home (in case the experiment didn’t work so well) than someone else’s home.”
Another experiment Jennifer and Bill decided to try was to use structurally insulated panels (SIPS) on the exterior walls of the house. The panels are cre-ated out of two sheets of plywood, with a solid, 3 1/2-inch piece of foam in be-tween. The 4 1/2-inch walls are thinner than traditional insulated walls, yet they prevent more heat loss than their tradi-tional counterparts.
“With the insulated panels, what we’ve got is a solid fill, with no voids and very few studs in the walls,” explains Bill. That cuts down in heat transference. But there
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was the added challenge for electricians to have to wire the house through the foam.
“There was a little bit of learning curve for us on this house, but the next house we did with these types of panels went through really quick,” Bill notes.
Another feature of the home is the abil-ity to convert the downstairs bathroom and office into a master suite. Their cur-rent office is completely plumbed and there is even a plan to attach the two rooms. The Barvitskis say this adds flex-ibility to the floor plan and better market-ability if it comes time to sell.
From the large open floor plan of the first floor, a beautiful staircase leads up-stairs with a refabricated iron railroad rail as a banister. Upstairs is the current mas-ter suite and two other bedrooms, each with bath. The open landing is suspended above the living room area, where one can admire the natural stone fireplace that ex-tends through both floors.
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14 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
lenges. Likewise, the Barvitskis learned lessons through their experimentation. For example, beautiful concrete counter-tops now glisten throughout their home. But when these were first finished, the product that was used did not hold up. Chipping and peeling marred the pris-tine finish. So what did they do? They stripped and refinished all the kitchen counters.
“There was a total learning curve, but it was on our dime, not on anyone else’s,” Jennifer says. "Doing these experiments on our home allows us to offer our clients a product, or process, that we understand personally."
But it’s hard to imagine there’s anything less than perfect in this home. On top of the beautiful finishes throughout is Jenni-fer’s rustic but elegant style of decorating. This is enhanced by exotic animal skins and head mounts that the two avid hunt-ers have returned with from as far away as Africa, and from their numerous adven-tures right here in the Gunnison Basin.
Jennifer is decorating for another rea-son these days. The Barvitskis are expect-ing twins this spring — another reason why they will still call this secluded four bedroom, three-and-a-half bath showcase house, “home.” ■
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GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 15
High levels common, mitigation becoming
mandatory
When it comes to radon — a radioactive gas responsible for hundreds of Colorado cancer deaths — Gunnison County is in the “red zone.” That means we’re susceptible to being exposed to high doses of radon.
But, we’re not alone. Due to Colorado’s geologic makeup, 52 of the state’s 64 coun-ties are at high risk for radon. The gas comes from the radioactive decay of uranium, which occurs naturally in soil.
Radon moves unpredictably through soil, so it’s possible for radon to collect in one home, but not in the home next door.
The colorless, odorless, tasteless gas en-ters homes through cracks in the floor or spaces around utility pipes and accumulates unless properly vented. Long-term radon exposure is the leading cause of lung can-cer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.
What should local homeowners do about it? Testing is a good place to start, according to local building officials.
Testing is easy. It’s free. And it’s something the homeowner can do him or herself, re-ports Eric Jansen, the City of Gunnison’s building inspector.
Free test kits are available through the Colorado State University Extension Agent, Eric McPhail. His office is in the multi-pur-pose building located at the fairgrounds, in the 200 block of S. Spruce Street in town.
The Environmental Protection Agency says that 4 picocuries per liter of air is the threshold for safe levels of radon. If the lived-in portions of your home — not a crawl space or unused basement — exceed that amount, you might want to take cor-rective measures. If it’s under that, you’re in good shape.
Jansen said he’s reviewed data where approximately 80 homes from within the 81230 zip code had been tested for radon, and more than half — close to three-quar-
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ters — had radon levels above the 4 picocu-ries benchmark.
How do you solve high radon levels. It’s all about ventilation. In fact, in the sum-mertime — when more air enters a home through open door and windows — a home’s radon levels are sure to drop. In the winter — and with increasingly “tight,” en-ergy efficiency homes — radon levels can become more concentrated.
Retrofitting a home can be expensive, Jansen acknowledges. But doing radon mitigation measures in new construction is simple and inexpensive. It involves creating ways — through PVC piping, usually — to have sub-soil (the dirt beneath the home’s foundation) vent, plus creating vapor barri-ers that restrict the air that comes in contact with that sub-soil from getting inside the home.
In the spring of 2010, the City of Gunnison was in the process of adopting new building codes that include making radon mitigation measures mandatory in new construction. The county will be considering adopting a similar code later this year, according to as-sistant environmental health officer Crystal Lambert.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has plenty of infor-mation about radon at www.coloradoradon.info and also maintains a radon Hotline at 1.800.846.3986.
Jansen can be reached at 641.8151. McPhail can be reached at 641.1260. ■
These test kits are free, easy to use and available locally at the CSU Extension office located at the Gunnison County Fairgrounds.
Testing is easy. It’s free. And it’s something the
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 17
by Matt Smith
Affordable and energy efficient are terms that can be hard to fit under one roof.
Making that marriage a reality was the challenge local builder Matt Sleight-holm faced in erecting the home of Jon and Molly Mugglestone at the tail-end of 2009. His answer came in the form of two natural resources that are free and in abundance on the Western Slope.
“The Mugglestones and I made sure we were sensitive to Colorado landscape and environment,” said Sleightholm, owner of Sleightholm Workshop. “With the wind and sun being prevalent features, those were the guiding design features.”
The 1,800 square-foot home perched on the sunny slopes just west of Gunnison isn’t short on exposure to either element.
The Mugglestone home is a perfect example of construction that takes advantage of the site’s natural resources.
MakingMaking the best of exposureexposure
18 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
But by taking advantage of southern ex-posure to the sun and deflecting cold winds from the west, the Mugglestones moved in this past November ready to take on the test of warming a Gunnison winter.
The home is quaint: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, office, living and dining areas. A 400-square foot ga-rage extending from the northwest side gives the building its “L” shape.
Reclaimed wood, rusted metal and stucco combine for a rustic and durable exterior. Inside, cherry cabinets and granite counter-tops join concrete and bamboo flooring that speak to Sleight-holm’s attention to detail.
“It’s just a comfortable and cozy, small house that’s perfect for our family,” said Jon Mugglestone. “I think we pushed him pretty hard as far as coming up with creative ways to fit within our budget.”
The final cost came in less than $150 per square foot. However, that doesn’t account for the money saved through ef-ficiency measures.
The kitchen, office, living and din-ing room rest against the southern wall, which is insulated with “closed cell” spray foam that absorbs heat throughout the day. In-floor heating is used to break the chill in the remaining rooms.
“We were looking for that southern wall to really work for the house,” said Sleightholm. “The essence, to me, of any passive solar design or sustainable build-ing is really common sense things.”
Sleightholm added to low-cost, high-efficiency features by building a six-foot dirt berm outside the west wall to block any prevailing winds. Advanced fram-ing techniques allowed for the greatest amount of insulation cavities and less structural redundancy, according to Sleightholm.
Plans of linking into active solar ener-gy have already been accommodated for. The existing boiler includes a “dual core side-arm” so that retrofitting to solar paneling can be a pain-free task.
“Our whole process and how we laid out the house was for energy efficiency,” said Jon. “We wanted it to be as efficient as we could afford to make it.”
More photos of the Mugglestone’s home and information about Sleight-holm Workshop can be found at www.sleightholmworkshop.com. ■
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 19
by Will Shoemaker
They sought simplicity of form and qual-ity of materials. They recognize the pleasure hard work can provide. They relished the ideal of the “master craftsman,” who created all the parts of an item, assembled and fin-ished it.
These were the virtues of the leading thinkers from the Arts and Crafts movement around the turn of the 20th century.
But John and A.J. Cattles’ philosophies and approach to home construction aren’t that far off. Neither is the style of homes they’ve built locally in the Van Tuyl Village subdivision.
The brothers of C&C Building and Design — John, 32, and A.J., 29 — have capitalized on the influence of a building style born out of the Arts and Crafts era — a social and ar-chitectural design movement which sought to buck the ornate, artificial and redundant.
Taking tradition into the futureCattles’ Craftsman-style homes a natural fit in Van Tuyl Village
John and A.J. Cattles in front of two of the houses they’ve built in Gunnison’s Van Tuyl Village.
continued page 2220 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
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The “Craftsman” style was a revolution in American home design first seen in the early 1900s. The traditional Craftsman de-sign was aimed to be a work of art as well as a functional dwelling. It’s a style known for its modesty, low-slung roof, efficient use of space, open floor plan, and sometimes exposed roof rafters and open soffits. Many of these characteristics can be seen in the Cattles’ Van Tuyl homes.
But the Cattles brothers’ homes are a new-age take on the Craftsman style. For example, they incorporate solar thermal panels designed to double as summertime shades on south-facing windows. With to-day’s trend toward simpler, energy efficient building, these domiciles have proven a hot commodity.
The brothers have been involved in the design or construction of five homes in the Van Tuyl Village subdivision over the last few years. Each of the homes was designed by John, who graduated from Western State with an environmental design and architec-ture degree. John also believes that having a hand in the architecture is a more efficient way to do this business. “You can design in things that keep costs down from the get-go,” he says.
“He designs things to be built easily and attractively,” A.J. adds. “We can do a cute house that builds well.”
Harkening back to the ideals of the Arts and Crafts pioneers, they too were promoting the craftsman himself to be closely involved in the end product’s design, and advocated that the maker work with his hands at every step of creation.
In Van Tuyl Village, it all started with the purchase of two lots for the Cattles. Attrac-tive lot prices were a draw to the relatively new subdivision in Gunnison. The first home they built there was a four-bedroom, 1,800 square-foot spec home on Spencer Av-
‘We make sure everything
is done correctly at each step
because we’re going to be the
ones in trouble on the next step if it
wasn’t done right.'
22 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
enue, which has since been sold. A.J. adds that the location and resale value played into the decision of where to build.
They’ve since built a home for their moth-er in Van Tuyl that doubles as office space for C&C — and which has spurred referrals from customers.
“They have a personal interest in certain styles of building and features in a home,” explains Eric Ferchau, a partner in the Van Tuyl Village subdivision. “They built the home for their mom that incorporated those features and we’ve since shown that to peo-ple who’ve liked them.”
A 950 square-foot home built for Mary Zimmerman last year is small, simple and affordable. A 1,380 square-foot home com-pleted last year for Western State math pro-fessor Jeremy Muskat incorporated many of the same elements.
Within their homes, there’s a focus on effi-ciency — in use of space, insulation and use of energy. Affordability is achieved through reliance on numerous south-facing windows to help heat the home naturally. Wood stoves and electricity help heat the homes as well.
Spray foam insulation is common in the homes, allowing for both a lower carbon footprint over time and cheaper heating bills. Then there’s the solar thermal arrays on a few of the homes that provide all of the hot water needs year round, and about half of the radiant heat. They seem to blend flaw-lessly into the Craftsman-influenced style.
“We’re trying to integrate them architec-turally,” says John, adding that their place-ment also shades the panels, protecting from overheating in the summertime. “If their use is going to be widespread, you can’t just have them pasted on the tops of roofs because they look terrible. We’re trying to find ways to make them look good.”
And like the pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement advocated, the Cattles play many roles in the construction of their homes, using sub-contractors as little as possible — though not necessarily for the philosophical reasons hailed by the thinkers of the late 19th century. More out of com-mon sense.
“Part of that is, you can always find work, but the other part is, you just don’t leave loose ends for the next guy,” John explains. “We make sure everything is done correctly at each step because we’re going to be the ones in trouble on the next step if it wasn’t done right.”
Having a hand in every aspect of building also helps to keep the cost down.
“They were unbelievably easy to work with,” Muskat attests about C&C. “They
continued page 25
From candle accessories to packaged goodies
From lamps to lamp shades and window treatments to
fl oor covering
Hope & Glory is your one stop
shopping experience.
147 N. Main(970) 641-1638(970) 641-5102
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 23
location. Best of all, it has a studio apartment to help
pay for the mortgage!
1118 W. Tomichi #3$165,000Affordable in town living! This 3br/2ba home has a nice open fl oor plan
with a fenced back
yard and irrigation ditch.
24 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
came up with solutions for me to get a nice house at a price I could afford.”
Homes the Cattles brothers have built else-where have been much larger and utilized different styles. But the Van Tuyl dwellings are eye-catching — and in a neighborhood that is poised to become an even more desir-able place to live, with its close proximity to shopping, schools and the college.
Ferchau expects that ground could be bro-ken on Van Tuyl’s commercial component along Hwy. 135 this year or next. Van Tuyl partner Jeff Wilkinson’s Chief Construction has built most of the other homes thus far in Van Tuyl, many incorporating passive solar design as well.
The Cattles, from Dolores originally, both came to Gunnison to attend Western State. They started completing remodels with their dad at a young age. When A.J. was in his se-nior year of high school, they began work-ing for a builder who constructed off-grid houses, including earthships and straw bale, near Rico.
“I like building houses for the everyday Joe rather than somebody who doesn’t really appreciate them,” says A.J. This has been a huge draw for building in Van Tuyl.
John says some builders focus on high-end construction. Others focus on the lower end. “We do both and can bring aspects of higher-end construction in and still keep the cost down,” he says. “That’s what we’re try-ing to do here.”
Custom accents in their Van Tuyl homes have included distressed wood floors — bought raw and hand finished. Between the choice of colors, materials and the hand-crafted touch, these houses exude a sense of warmth. “Even though some of them are very small houses, I think they live larger than they are,” says John.
Attention to detail and a little creativity has meant the Cattles’ Van Tuyl homes re-main an affordable option.
“So far, we’re competing with the older house market really well,” John says. “We’re still building houses for less than houses are selling.” ■
Gorgeous Renovated Victorian!Originally built in 1883 and is in the fi nal stages of a complete restoration. 3 bedroom, 2 baths and with 2 car garage. Unique opportunity to own a piece of Gunnison history. $399,000
Private Fishing on the Gunnison River!Overlooking Gunnison with private fi shing on theGunnison River. Level building site with a well and offers unobstructed river and valley views. $125,000
3 Months Mortgage Paid by Seller!Newer, sunny 3 bedroom, 2 bath town home with a
super sized garage. Features a large fenced corner lot, open fl oor plan, 1st fl oor master bedroom and
buyer incentives. $199,000
A friend of ours referred us to Buck at Premier Mountain Properties, and now we see why! In particular, we appreciated Buck’s real estate expertise, knowledge of the market, and diligence in helping
us fi nd the perfect investment properties to suit our needs. We will defi nitely continue this partnership for years to come and refer him without hesitation.
Derek and Rebecca Steele - Houston, Texas
Crested Butte
“I have been investing in real estate for over 30 years and Mindy Sturm is the best agent I have ever worked with.”
Bob Lordon - Seabrook, TX
Affordable Crested Butte Home!This hand crafted 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home features beautiful wood fl ooring, granite and tile baths, oversized 2 car garage and fi shing access! Exquisite fl ower and vegetable gardens! $545,000
Most affordable lot in Crested Butte!Panoramic views in all directions from this spectacular Larkspur home site. Enjoy nearby stocked ponds, tennis courts and public parks. Deed restricted for locals. Financing options available. $32,983
Cheapest square foot price in Crested Butte!3 bedroom, 2.5 bath spacious town home with garage is
offered for less than $174 per sq. ft. Remodel has opened the kitchen to capture the amazing views! Solar exposure
make this home super effi cient. $345,000
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010 25
Ever watch a house come together? Matt Ventura of M Ventura Design Build took these time-lapse photos to document the process on the house he built on east San Juan Street in Gunnison. Western State professor Ashwin Patel is the home's owner.
ONEstep at a time
26 GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES HOMES INSIDE & OUT | SPRING 2010
84 County Rd. 51 - 10 UNIT COMPLEX WITH GREAT RENTAL HISTORY BEHIND ROCKY’S GYM! If you need an investment or 1031 exchange you must see this property! Property sits on 1.67 acres, room for more units with county approval. Reduced to $785,000.
510 E. Georgia - Great investment rental or fi xer upper, has great rental history for the 4 units on the property, right next to campus. Leases, rent-al rates and fi nancial information available in the listing offi ce. Listed at $429,000.
916 W. Georgia - Great opportunity to own a com-plex of six 2 bdrm/1 bath condo units on large lot. Good rental investment with great rental history and numbers. Some units have been remodeled in last 3 years. Call today for more information! $495,000.
685 River Front Rd. - On the Gunnison River!!! This gorgeous 1.68 acre parcel is located just south of Almont with fi shing rights to one of the best fi shing runs in the Gunnison Valley. Build your dream home and enjoy the peace and tran-quility of the Gunnison River while being centered between the mountains of Crested Butte and the amenities of Gunnison. Listed at $359,000.
402 N. 7th - This is a nice large affordable home in a great family neighborhood. This house features a large fenced back yard, 2 living areas with open kitchen fl oor plan and a mud/storage room. Ranch styled home with large master bedroom with mas-ter bath that includes a shower and oversized tub. Call for a showing today! Listed at $187,000.
38169 W. Hwy 50 - Affordable 4+ bedroom home with seperate basement studio apartment with own entrance, close to town with awesome views of the valley. Property is setup for horses, sheep, goats etc., 2 storage sheds and 2 car garage. Live in one part of the house and rent the other! Rooms in basement do not have egress windows. Listed at $299,000.
1118 W. Tomichi #4 - Great property for the fi rst time home buyer or for the investor. Large living area, fi rst fl oor master bedroom with private bath. Good rental history with a lease in place until spring. $135,000
111 N. 12th - What was a cute 2 bedroom starter house is now a fantastic 4 bedroom home plus heated garage, with a 1 bedroom effi ciency apart-ment. A great investment property or live in the front and run your business out of the back. A must see!!! Reduced to $349,500.
1122 N. Colorado - Nice single family home close to campus, close to amenities with park next door. Has been a great rental. Clean, quiet and a good investment for the future! 3 bdrms, 2 baths, 2 ga-rage. Listed $231,000.
18 Sage Lane - One of the nicer ones in antelope hills!!! Built in 2000, this well kept mobile home makes a fantastic affordable starter home. Nice and comfort-able with tasteful landscaping. A must see!!! $89,900
New York & Main - Here is your chance to own one of the historic homes of original Gunnison! Great investment rental with four units total. Call today for more details. Listed at $279,000.
RR 14PP - Saguache County Attention Hunters!!! Great location - for your hunting camp! 1 bdrm, 1 bath, 744 sf, 35.06 acres. Listed at $195,000.
516 N. Boulevard - Nice & very comfortable half of a duplex feels like brand new. Fantastic in town location, great for rental investment or make it your home. Owner would consider selling the entire du-plex. $274,000
215 S. 7th - Great starter home or rental investment with great rental history! Property sits on 2 lots and is zoned R3 - build a garage or add another unit! Owner has recently put in new kitchen counter tops and new tub surround and new composite roof was put on last year. Call today for your showing! 3 bdrms, 1 bath. Listed at $215,000.
37500 Shavano Dr. Unit D7 - PRICE REDUCED! SELLER MOTIVATED!! Check out this cute well kept condo steps from golf course and the Trough restaurant. New tile fl oors in kitch-en and master bath and fresh paint and carpet throughout. All kitchen appliances and washer/dryer included. Complex is pet friendly for owners! Call today for your showing! 3 bdrms, 2 baths, 1 half-bath, 1475 sf, 1 garage. Starting at $189,900.
The Best in Long Term Rentals129 E. Tomichi Ave. Gunnison, Colorado