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Sandi Menard’s husband spent 18 months building this 1,900-square-foot geodesic dome. An admitted perfectionist, he was so thorough that the county inspector, after two inspections, signed off on the third inspection sight unseen.
The dome is concrete-based Hardy frame® panel with elastomeric paint, making this material fire retardant – an important quality when living one mile from the Cibola Forest. No hail damage either! The Menards positioned the windows to maximize solar heat, and gained energy savings up to 30% vs. average homes. And living at 6,700 feet above sea level, no air conditioner is required.
The Clarks' home is a prime example of a Best Built Home because it is one of the only homes to survive floods that swept through southern West Virginia in 2001 and 2002. Elisse and Dan not only restored the structure, but opened it as the Elkhorn Inn & Theatre bed-and-breakfast in May 2003, with Dan completing 90 percent of the restoration himself.
Its durability is legendary, having had four feet of mud pouring through it twice. Now it has three working fireplaces, a balcony, vintage furnishings, art, antiques, claw-foot bathtubs and air conditioning. The building itself is as fireproof as it gets – the only wood is the trim!
On a hillside overlooking miles of water on Lake Eufaula, the Parkers built their 3,000-square-foot home rather unconventionally for the area and love the results. ICF walls, a Dryvit stucco interior, Mediterranean design and decorative concrete floors are the hallmarks of this beautiful home.
It has a custom walk-in shower for a touch of luxury, a huge master suite, two fireplaces, a home office, an exercise room and granite countertops throughout. The white columns are elegant and dramatic and there are 21 windows to showcase the spectacular view. The home even has a safe room, which doubles as a guest room closet.
Donald Holcomb believes his home qualifies as “Best Built” due to the high building standards of Pro-Fab. As proof, he presents his home, complete with a walk-out basement and radiant-floor heating. His basement is composed of a bedroom, bathroom, two closets, utility room and family room.
Both floors have 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove pine paneling – with 1/2-inch drywall behind for additional insulation and soundproofing. The exterior is pine log siding, providing an additional R-value to the home. Additional value added by Donald and his wife include the log siding, the deck, basement features and more.
When the Krebs found DIYnetwork.com and our Best Built Home feature, they thought we were talking about their house. In the heart of ski country, their home has the look and feel of a traditional farmhouse with all the comforts of modern living.
A one-of-a-kind dwelling they designed themselves, the home features a geothermal heating system that is amazingly affordable and efficient. Staying away from the McMansion movement, the Krebs believe their 2,500 square feet of living area is plenty for a young family of four (so far) and is a slice of heaven on earth. Upcoming projects include paving the 800-foot driveway and landscaping.
Daughter Shelley Wright submitted a moving story on behalf of her mother, Sheila Russell, for consideration as a Best Built Home. Situated on 77 acres in eastern Tennessee, the Russell home was the vision of her husband, who built it from timber from the property (and with the help of many family members and friends).
When Sheila’s husband passed away, the family plunged into the task of making her husband’s dream of the “perfect” home a reality. A memory garden was the first feature added. The logs were “chinked,” or sealed, to professional standards at a huge savings, The interior is extensively remodeled, with finished stairs, built-in shades and French doors where Wright’s father – Russell’s husband – oversaw many Easter egg hunts with some 75 children in attendance.
