A few weeks back, as we headed into a holiday season marked by more economic struggle for average folks than most, Hammer & Hand’s co-founder and owner Daniel Thomas was looking for a creative way for the company to contribute back to the community.  Something beyond gift baskets.  Something that fit Hammer & Hand and what we do.

What better way for us to help out than to literally lend a helping hand (and hammer) in the field on a project for low-income families?  We reached out to Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East and offered up the services of a crew of Hammer & Hand carpenters.

And as is so often the case when you put yourself out there to help a little, we got a lot more back from the experience than we ever anticipated.

The Families
Habitat’s model is to offer “homeownership to hardworking, low-income families with a 0%-interest mortgage after completing 500 sweat equity hours.”  Habitat assigned our team to the Rivergate Commons project (digital rendering above courtesy of Habitat for Humanity) next to Rivergate Community Church on North Lombard Street in Portland.  This project will provide new homes for six families, each profiled on Habitat’s website:

• Mitchell
• Onishi
• Aymerew
• Avila-Guzman
• Ascencio
• Speakman

As we learned about these families and what this housing will mean to them and their lives, it was impossible not to get passionate about the effort.  Isaura Ascencio’s words were particularly powerful:

“I constantly struggle to keep my son safe from a neglectful and abusive father.  It’s been a battle between custody, parenting, counselors, school and work.  It is hard to find balance.  I was always told if you go to college you have more opportunities to have financial stability.  Although that’s true, I think having stable housing is equally important. It makes such a difference to have a place to come home to.  Without Habitat, even with a college degree and a job, I wouldn’t be able to get a bank loan or afford a stable home for my son.”

We get to help Isaura build a safe and stable home for her and her son?  That’s an absolute privilege.

The Work
Our team’s assignment was pretty straight-forward: finish the interior stairs for each of the six homes.  According to David Bonn, Director of Housing Development at Habitat Portland/Metro East, the chapter’s environmental initiatives created the need for expert help on these stairs.

“We’re changing over to all hard surface flooring in our projects to cut energy consumption for upkeep and to eliminate dust and allergens,” David told me.  “But that makes stair construction trickier for us and our volunteers.  We used to just do rough stairs and cover them with carpet.”

Hammer & Hand lead carpenter Peter Bogart (pictured here) led our crew (Abe Sheppard Bloch, Ray Johnson, and Matt Hilliard) at the Rivergate Commons site.

“Habitat is working miracles with the resources they have,” Peter told me.  “They have volunteers with no previous construction experience doing structural framing.  Really impressive.”

Because the hard surface finished stair was a new construction detail for Habitat, David called Hammer & Hand in to trim and finish the volunteer-framed staircases for the six units.

“Our site staff got to see how it’s done by professionals, which has been an awesome opportunity,” said David.

One of the unexpected benefits of our crew’s time at the Habitat site was that it gave Peter the time and space to teach craft to his crew.

“Our work for Habitat didn’t have the budgetary and timeline pressures of a typical job, so it became a great opportunity to train the guys,” said Peter.  “A couple of the crew are up-and-coming carpenters, and I could really take the time to teach them on the job.”

Green Building Alignment Discovered
A happy discovery – one that promises new levels of collaboration in the future – is that Habitat for Humanity’s and Hammer & Hand’s approaches to “green building” are strikingly similar, namely:
1.    Simplicity over complexity.
2.    Focus on reducing energy consumption to reduce bills and carbon footprint.
3.    Emphasis on results over expensive plaques.

Before joining Habitat as its Housing Development Director in June, David had worked in the affordable housing and land use planning fields for over 15 years.  A LEED for Homes Accredited Professional, David recently built a LEED Platinum project in Oregon City for the Clackamas Community Land Trust that won the 2011 LEED for Homes award for Outstanding Affordable Housing Project.

He’s been at this for awhile, and Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East has dialed-in a green, energy efficient model of building that achieves excellent results at low cost.  At $75/SF he’s building homes that cost $200/year to heat and routinely earn Earth Advantage Platinum certification.

“We go to all this trouble to get our clients a great affordable mortgage, it only makes sense to deliver a home that is as energy efficient as it can be,” David said.

Habitat’s model, with its emphasis on energy performance through smart investments in insulation and heat recovery ventilation, resonates well with our approach.  And while it’s not Passive House construction, its certainly in the same neighborhood – not about the latest bamboo flooring but instead the carbon footprint of the structure over its lifetime.

“In these unpredictable times, we don’t know what’s going to happen to energy costs,” said David.  “The more we can minimize energy use, the better.  It’s good for our homeowners and for the environment.”

This win-win is what we’re about as a green builder (see Sam Hagerman’s opinion piece in the Portland Business Journal), and we’re excited to find a kindred spirit in Habitat for Humanity.

So here’s to many more collaborations!  Our thanks to the Habitat team for their incredible work in the Portland region.

– Zack

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We’re happy to announce that Hammer & Hand is expanding its operations and adding “Seattle remodeler and builder” to its growing vita.  We’re fortunate to have the region’s most talented and dedicated craftspeople and technicians doing Hammer & Hand’s work, and it’s their excellence that has enabled us to grow even in the midst of economic and industry turmoil.

We have always felt a strong affinity for the Emerald City.  And while there are great contractors in Seattle, Hammer & Hand brings something new to the city – a unique and potent mix of dedication to the employee, dedication to craft, and dedication to high performance building and building science.  That’s why we know the Seattle move will be good for everybody.

We’ll share more soon.  We’ve already got a team in place in Seattle and look forward to telling you more about them and their carrying of the Hammer & Hand torch.  We’ve also developed relationships with some excellent designers and firms and look forward to sharing their work here in Field Notes.

Lots of good stories to tell, and, if all goes as planned, exciting developments!

Onward and upward,

– Sam & Daniel

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We had a great year here at Hammer & Hand – 2013 held many exciting developments for both our Portland and Seattle teams. Here are just a few:

#1: Karuna House

Designed by Holst Architecture and built by H&H, Karuna House is the first green building in the world to earn Passive House (PHIUS+), Minergie-P-ECO, and LEED for Homes Platinum certifications. It was an ambitious project and we’re thrilled that the project team was successful in meeting its goal: to tackle three of the world’s most demanding green building certifications in one project while building a beautiful home. We documented the project via video, photography and blog – see more at our Karuna House page.

#2: Our Seattle Office Moves to the Bullitt Center

This year we moved our Seattle office from its 2000 Fairview location to our new digs in the Bullitt Center, known as the “greenest commercial building in the world.” The tenant improvement of our office space is nearly complete and we can’t wait to show it off once it’s finished! We’ve enjoyed not only working in, but also learning about, this pioneering Living Building. Check out our series of posts about the Bullitt Center:

• Our Tour of the Bullitt Center: An Intro
• Our Tour of the Bullitt Center: Discover Commons
• Our Tour of the Bullitt Center: Energy Systems

#3: Pumpkin Ridge Passive House

This high performance custom home, designed by Scott | Edwards Architecture, is Earth Advantage Net Zero Ready, Department of Energy Challenge Home (ENERGY STAR, Indoor AirPLUS), Passive House (PHIUS+), and Earth Advantage Platinum certified. We completed the Pumpkin Ridge Passive House in the spring and recently checked in on the happy homeowners. Check out the video above to hear what they have to say about life in a passive house.

#4: Union Way Tenant Improvements

We had the bracing experience of working on not one, not two, but three of the retail stores in the new Union Way alleyway/galleria development that connects Portland’s Pearl District with the West End. Hammer & Hand’s Kevin Guinn managed the three build-outs for Danner, WILL Leather Goods, and Marine Layer. Each tenant improvement had its own creative and unique look. Read more about these three build-outs here.

#5: Danner Retail Store

The Danner Boots flagship store was the first of the Union Way commercial projects we worked on. Among the build-out’s custom furnishings was a hand-crafted madrone dressing room inspired by a teardrop camping trailer. After completing this store we built another for the company, this time in Tanasbourne. See the full image portfolio for the Portland Danner store here.

#6: Clifton Kitchen & Bath Remodel

This Portland West Hills remodel expanded an historic Portland home for a growing family. We built a larger covered porch, expanded the bathroom and master closet, and enlarged the existing garage. The kitchen remodel features a new island for cooking and a small nook addition.We enjoyed working with architect Celeste Lewis, landscape architect Steve Shapiro, and interior designers Jennifer Leonard and Liz Murray to complete the project.

#7: Seward Park Master Suite Remodel

Working closely with both the architect, Gustave Carlson of Gustave Carlson Design, and the client, Jane Bremner, our Seward Park master suite remodel updated a 1950’s home to give it a more modern and functional design. Check out the video above with Gustave and Jane explaining the process of collaboration with H&H.

#8: Custom Millwork: Doors, Windows, and Tables

2013 was a busy year for our woodshop. Shop manager Dan Palmer and woodworker Josh Tinker built a myriad of custom pieces for various projects, including historic windows, high performance Passive House doors, furniture for the likes of Electronic Arts, and custom doors like the above sliding pocket door we built for a Seattle remodel. See it in action here.

#9: 1905 North Tabor Craftsman Transformed into a Modern Farmhouse

This remodel of a 1905 North Tabor home designed by Kevin Fischer and Charlotte Cooney of Alice Design/Domestic Arts mixed old with new. New soapstone counters and pine-paneled cabinets combine with salvaged cast iron radiators and vintage fixtures and appliances for a fresh, modern look. See more from this project here.

#10: We Launched perFORM 2014

In 2013 we announced the launch of our 2014 perFORM design contest. The contest calls for architectural students and interns to design a single-family house for a family of four that is both high performance and high design. Our panel of judges, including heavy-hitters from the NW architectural community, will review the submissions this spring and announce the winners on Earth Day, April 22. If you haven’t submitted your project yet, there’s still time.  The deadline is March 24th.

As we look into 2014, lots of exciting projects and events beckon. We’ll wrap up (and share!) projects currently in the works, including the Maple Leaf Passive House in Seattle (check out the latest video update), our completed Bullitt Center office, and more. And we’ll announce new work on the horizon. Thanks for sharing such a great 2013 with us. Happy New Year!

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The Hammer & Hand Portland and Seattle teams had a great time this year at the annual company holiday parties. Held in January so as not to compete with other holiday plans, the shindigs were a great opportunity for H&H employees to let loose and get to know each other. Check out a few shots from both H&H bashes.

The Portland Party

The Portland team hit the lanes at Hollywood Bowl in NE Portland for a few rounds of bowling, drinks, and food. Here are just a couple shots from the party:

John, Rosemary, Christine (and baby!), and Co-Owner Sam.

Sean and Allison.

Jack, Stephanie Lynch, Rosemary, and Abe pose for the camera.

The Seattle Shindig

The Seattle team kicked back at Hilliard’s Beer in Ballard for some locally-brewed beer and Bitterroot–catered BBQ.Here are just a few photos from the event:

Jesse and his wife, Jessica.

Suzanne with Sam and Hilary MacGregor.

Aubrey, David, James, and Laura.

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Hammer & Hand hosted an opening party to celebrate the new office build-out at the Bullitt Center in Seattle. Attendees enjoyed light refreshments, champagne, and the musical stylings of H&H’s Aaron Bergeson, who came up from the Portland office to DJ the event.

One of the big attractions at the event were the five perFORM 2014 finalists (winners will be announced Earth Day, April 22).

H&H Co-Owner Sam Hagerman came up from Portland for the party.

Our project photo wall was a popular spot during the event. Photos of past projects (and our logo!) are magnetically attached to beams running the length of the wall.

We had a great time at the event – thank you to everyone who attended!

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After several years of Capitol Hill serving as our base of Seattle operations, Hammer & Hand’s  Washington crew is packing up and migrating slightly south to our new digs in SoDo! As of June 27th, our new address is 2450 6th Ave S #100, Seattle, WA 98134.

In early spring, an opportunity surfaced for us to lease additional space in the building we had already been using for our Seattle shop. It felt meant to be and we simply had to jump at the chance to consolidate our office and field operations under one roof — particularly one that could effortlessly support our growth. While leaving our home of many years in the Bullitt Center is bittersweet, we’re excited to plant ourselves in the SoDo district alongside the many fine building and design-oriented companies we now get to count as neighbors.

We’ll share more details once we wrap up the finishing touches on our new space and settle in. Until then, throw us a wave as you pass our corner of 6th & Lander!

P.S.

Check out our Instagram @hammerandhandbuilds for a few sneak peeks of the new office!

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Building a home takes not just technical skill and know-how, but requires a high degree of artistry as well. It’s not surprising then that most members of the Hammer & Hand team possess a vibrant streak of artistic talent. Painters, actors, musicians, authors… Just about everyone on staff has a passionate hobby or creative side-gig outside of work.

One such individual is Apprentice Carpenter Annie Rentz. Both an illustrator and a musician, Annie has always been drawn to the art of building. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the California native, “even when it didn’t necessarily make sense in my life.”

Before moving to Portland, Annie lived the first half of her life in Santa Cruz, California, where she spent much of her free time hiking, backpacking, and camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Having learned to play guitar when she was 12 years old, Annie dedicated her 20s to a passion for music. She enjoyed years of playing live in local Portland venues; however, like many of those now shuttered stages, Annie’s desire to perform grew quieter. “There reached a point where I just naturally didn’t feel like performing anymore,” she says, her voice colored with nostalgia but absent any hint of regret. “It just felt right.” She still reaches for her instrument in the privacy of her home, but no longer performs live. Instead, she now expresses her abundant artistic impulses through building and drawing. Her art nouveau-inspired pen work evokes the aesthetic of classic French lithographs, managing to straddle the line between baroquely ornate and elegantly minimalist. Beautiful in its organic complexity, the delicate borders and centralized goddess figures pay homage to the late 19th century Parisian theatre posters popularized by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha.

The European influence in her art comes, perhaps, from having lived a cumulative 3 years in Spain over the course of her life. Having been introduced to the country through a study-abroad program, Annie fell in love with its culture and people. She dreams of one day being able to split her time between sharing meals with her friends in Spain and camping with her dad in the Eastern Sierras.

After a decade of varied experiences, living on two continents, making a living bartending while playing music, Annie decided to seriously examine her longstanding wish to work in homebuilding. She was drawn to Hammer & Hand in particular because of our expertise in historic preservation construction — and because our website showed photos of our whole crew, which she found personable and approachable. Despite not thinking she had much of a shot, she requested an informational interview and was instead offered a position. Three years later, Annie has gone from dreaming about building houses to becoming a skilled and beloved member of our carpentry team!

An artist of eclectic skill and talent, Annie is most fulfilled when she gets to work on a project from start to finish, watching a home evolve from a dream to a reality. “When my first project was done,” she confides with a smile, “I even cried a little.” It’s exactly that sort of passion and investment in building that makes the Hammer & Hand crew stand out from the rest!

See part of Annie’s on-site interview on our YouTube channel! Make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and click that BELL to make sure you don’t miss any of our great project videos and staff interviews!

Follow Hammer & Hand on Instagram @hammerandhandbuilds and YouTube!

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Meet Mac, Project Supervisor, Carpenter, and Senior Builder!

Mac (given name Michael Casares) joined Hammer & Hand as a carpenter in the fall of 1998. A native Oregonian, Mac was raised on a farm and started working as a laborer for his uncles at the age of 13. Mac had a brief stint on a crew building a hotel in Los Angeles right out of high school before he moved to Colorado for much of the 90s. Aside from his time in Colorado spent building in the summer and teaching snowboarding in the winter, Mac has spent the majority of his career at Hammer & Hand.

When asked what drew him to being a builder, Mac replied,

“I wouldn’t say I always had a passion for this kind of work but found that I picked it up pretty easily and excelled quickly. The passion came later when the commitment to carpentry was made.”

With an aptitude for highly technical and outside-the-box projects, the creative and analytical Mac continued to excel at Hammer & Hand, eventually becoming one of our most indispensable team members. In addition to his Project Supervisor duties, Mac also handles a lot of company operations, oversees hiring, and serves as a valued voice in the Hammer & Hand Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team.

Affable and quick to throw down a pun or one-liner, Mac endeared himself quickly to co-workers and supervisors alike. These days, he is commonly seen with his Insta-famous dog Cricket (@the_world_according_to_cricket) and recently welcomed a new pup, Olive, to the family!

Follow Mac on Instagram @mac_casares

Meet more Hammer & Hand Team members!

Apprentice Carpenter Annie Rentz

Check out one of Mac’s recent projects

Glen Road Residence

Follow Hammer & Hand on Instagram @hammerandhandbuilds and YouTube!

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Brian has been with Hammer & Hand off-and-on for a cumulative 7 years. A self-taught carpenter, Brian

Brian is currently wrapping up a project that has been his favorite of the last 7 years. With a particular fondness for revitalizing homes built in the 1920s through the 1950s, he thrived as Site Superintendent of this Historic Portland Remodel. Homes of the era offer plenty of unique challenges but also have a lot to admire in the craftsmanship of their architecture. The project required significant upgrades, including moving a stairway, rerouting a tricky HVAC system, and lifting a sagging floor that had declined a full three inches on one side of the century-old home.

“It’s an arduous and laborious career,” says the cordial and upbeat Hering, “That said, I tend to forget all that with all the appreciation received from clients, friends, and family.”

Outside of work, Hering is an avid comic book collector and self-proclaimed “video game junky,” and perhaps unsurprisingly, a huge LEGO fanatic.

Brian can be seen hosting our recent Historic Portland Remodel video series on YouTube. More episodes are dropping weekly, so head over to see the incredible diamond-in-the-rough transform into a gorgeous, modernized home.

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Carpenter and Site Lead Carrie has been with Hammer & Hand for three and a half years now. An artist and tinkerer, Carrie has always enjoyed building things, including making clothes and handbags for over two decades.

Born in Pismo Beach, California, Carrie grew up in Ventura and San Luis Obispo, always within a walk of the beach. She also spent several years in the Sonoran desert. This relaxed childhood contributed to her bohemian lifestyle and love of the outdoors. Having spent enough time on beaches however, Carrie is now more likely to be found snowboarding down a mountain.  She is a huge fan of music, specifically vinyls, and even owned multiple record stores in Southern California for over 15 years. But eventually she started her favorite job: being a mom to two wonderful boys!

Carrie also has a Pit Bull named Butkus. This gentle giant, lovingly referred to as “Chuck,” has done a lot to change the perception of Pit Bulls in their neighborhood. Despite some wariness on the part of neighbors, Carrie had grown up with Pit Bulls and knew they didn’t deserve the negative stereotypes people often associate with them. She’s happy to say now that the vibes have changed and Chuck (aka. her “big, fat slab of ham”) has won over the neighborhood!

After ten years as a homemaker, Carrie decided to go through a pre-apprenticeship program at Oregon Tradeswomen (one of Hammer & Hand’s favorite community partners). Though she has worked for several other contractors since then, she knew she wanted to work with Hammer & Hand from day one. She credits this to our reputation for quality work and a friendly workplace culture. To all aspiring builders, Carrie’s advice is: “Bring your courage and work ethic!” Carrie definitely brought both, allowing her to not only grow and succeed at Hammer & Hand, but to become a well-respected member of the team and someone beloved by her coworkers.

Listening recommendations: S-Town podcast

Viewing recommendations: Yellowstone

Fun fact: Carrie just celebrated her 50th birthday and feels happier, healthier, and more accomplished than ever!

Carrie recently finished work on a really stunning condo remodel in South  Portland and is now working on another condo and a house in Southwest. She particularly enjoys working on old houses.

You can follow Carrie and her adventures on Instagram @cactusblossom

Hammer & Hand is currently hiring for a variety of positions in both Portland and Seattle. We are always looking for the best talent to join our team. Check out our Careers page for more information.

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