Mountain Homes, Honest Craft, Forest-Smart Builds
A curated portfolio of cabins, chalets, and alpine renovations across the Colorado Rockies — each one tuned to its site, its climate, and the way its owners actually live in the woods.
Twelve years of high-altitude building, in seven featured homes
From a 1920s miner's cabin restored with hand-hewn timber to a wildfire-hardened new build outside Durango, these projects show the range of our work in fire-adapted mountain communities.
A Modern A-Frame Above the Treeline
A 1,850-sq-ft new build with a 32-foot glulam ridge beam, Class A fire-rated siding, and a defensible-space landscape plan that survived two dry seasons unscathed.
View case studyRestoring a 1920s Miner's Cabin
A careful structural lift, chinking restoration, and a discreet 480-sq-ft rear addition — preserving the patina of a century-old cabin while bringing the envelope up to modern code.
View case studyA Wildfire-Hardened Family Compound
Ignition-resistant fiber-cement siding, ember-resistant vent screens, a 30-foot Zone 1 buffer, and a 5,000-gallon cistern with a fire-suppression pump — built the year after the county's last major burn.
View case studyAn Off-Grid Cabin Powered by Sun and Spring
A 1,200-sq-ft off-grid build with a 6.4 kW roof-mounted solar array, lithium battery wall, and a gravity-fed spring system. Designed for four-season livability at 10,200 feet.
View case studyA Bump-Out That Doubled the Kitchen
A 380-sq-ft timber-framed addition that opened the kitchen to the great room, added a mudroom entry, and brought a south-facing window wall into a previously dark 1980s chalet.
View case studyA Net-Zero Family Home in the Aspens
A 2,400-sq-ft home that produces more energy than it consumes over a 12-month period. Super-insulated envelope, triple-pane windows, and a geothermal ground-source heat pump.
View case studyFrom a sketch on a napkin to a home that stands for a century
Every portfolio piece above started the same way: a long conversation on site, a careful read of the land, and a plan that respects the budget, the climate, and the client's daily rhythms.
Site Read & Programming
We spend two to three days on the property — mapping sun angles, prevailing winds, snow drift patterns, drainage, and defensible-space options. You get a written site analysis before we draw a single wall.
Schematic Design & Cost Model
Three to four schematic options, each with a live cost model updated as we go. No surprises at bid day — the number you see in week three is within 5% of the contract number in week sixteen.
Build, Inspect, Hand Off
Our own crew handles timber framing, siding, and finish work; trusted regional partners handle mechanical and earthwork. We close with a 200-item walkthrough, a maintenance manual, and a two-year warranty.
Every Pinery home ships with a fire-wise baseline
We started building in the WUI long before the Marshall Fire made headlines. These six features come standard on every project over 1,000 square feet — no upgrade required.
Class A Roofing
Standing-seam metal, concrete tile, or Class A composite — never wood shake, never standard asphalt in the WUI.
1/8" Mesh Vent Screens
Soffit, gable, and foundation vents screened against ember intrusion — the single most overlooked ignition point.
Defensible-Space Plan
A 30-ft Zone 1 buffer, a 100-ft Zone 2, and a written landscape spec reviewed annually with the homeowner.
On-Site Water Storage
Minimum 2,500-gallon cistern with a dedicated fire-suppression pump and dry-hydrant connection for the FD.
Ignition-Resistant Siding
Fiber-cement, stucco, or fire-treated timber — never exposed wood within 5 feet of grade in Zone 1.
Annual Re-Certification
We return every fall for a one-hour walkthrough, refresh the gravel in Zone 1, and update the maintenance log.
Tell us about the property you've been imagining.
Whether it's a raw piece of land with a view you've been quietly watching for years, or a cabin you've owned for decades and are finally ready to restore — we'd like to hear the story. Site visits within our four-county region are scheduled within three weeks of first contact.