Do you still use a rotary phone or have you upgraded to a smartphone? Do you use a map while driving or GPS? These may seem like funny questions as it may seem silly to continue using obsolete technologies for reasons other than nostalgia. Why is the design and construction industry still using 2D drawings to relay ideas to clients?

Our design and build industry has been business as usual for the past couple hundred years.  Clients are shown 2D drawings to understand their home or structure and then build based off of 2D drawings. Why is this?

Michael Rath, CEO of Trilogy Partners, asked himself this question in 2008, he was fed up of the old ways where clients had an architect, builder and designer all essentially speaking different languages and not communicating to each other. This old model of how to build leads to projects being over budget, over scheduled and not the exciting and satisfying process that building your dream should be. He decided that it was time to break the mold and figure out a way where he could bring everyone together in one efficient working process. Michael found the 3D Modeling program SketchUp and he knew that this was how he was going to change how things would be done.

Michael wanted to create a collaborative process where everyone works from an exact 3D virtual model of a structure that is to be built. Where everyone involved, especially the client, knows exactly how the structure will look, feel and that every design and construction detail, down to the last nut and bolt, is answered for ahead of time. Ahead of any expensive mistakes! And so, Project Management Modeling was born.

Project Management Modeling (PMM) is a residential BIM (Building Information Modeling) solution combining project management, interior design and BIM that creates the most transparency and best results for our clients while saving money every step of the way.

“I love technology, I love being creative, I love collaborating with my clients and my subs and my engineers and I wanted to create an environment where everyone can do the best work possible and show it with everyone else in a collaborative open environment.” Rath

In most design and construction, especially in the residential genre, an architect will take the project so far and then usually hand it off to the engineer who hands it off to the builder. And then an interior designer steps in and you realize your Grandma’s heirloom bed wont fit into the guest room! The client is looking one way and then the next while those disciplines are not talking to each other. Everyone is separate. “It’s not well integrated. It is frustrating!” There wasn’t a BIM alternative for residential projects and something had to change. For Michael, the clients are the most important thing. “It’s my job, my duty to create the best possible house for them.” And so it was important that he would create a solution in order to achieve this.

It is time for our industry to change. We need to take advantage of technological advances and have a little fun doing it. “We have VR now!” The subs, the builders, and the clients can “walk around” the model of the house to be built and see how it will look. They will witness where they need to make changes as if the structure is already built. This allows for changes to be made quickly and without any cost involved.

By utilizing the latest technologies we are able to avoid costly mistakes, be more efficient and sustainable but also be more creative and trying things we wouldn’t have been able to do before. Can you image having a waterfall in your living room? You don’t have to imagine, we can show you in a 3D Model. If you love it, we can build it! Trilogy’s Project Management Modeling is giving you the ability to try new things, to make a custom home truly unique for our clients. If we have the technologies to achieve great things then why not take advantage of this? At Trilogy, we are capitalizing on these technologies and we want you to join us on this exciting adventure.

To find out more about our Project Management Modeling that combines project management, interior design and residential BIM you can click here or contact us directly. We would love to chat to you.

At Trilogy Partners we understand the importance of the exterior of your home blending into its natural surroundings. That is why we use timber framing and a lot of stone work so that the house can complement the backdrop on the Rocky Mountains.

Take for example our Steamboat House that we built for South Park’s Trey Parker. We built and designed this home located on a hilltop overlooking Steamboat Springs. We mixed American West design along with a traditional Japanese style and surprisingly it worked well against this mountainous terrain. The Japanese gardens and Tea House allow the homeowners to spend more time enjoying the great Colorado outdoors.

Steamboat House by Trilogy Partners

When working on our Timber Trail project, located in the prestigious Timber Trail neighborhood in Breckenridge, we had to consider the rest of the neighborhood to make sure the home was cohesive in its space. We also wanted to combine some “old world” style with the latest in sustainable design.

Timber Trail by Trilogy Partners

For more information on Trilogy Partners visit our website at works.trilogybuilds.com.

The Oprah Winfrey Show is heading to the Rocky Mountains today to interview celebrity designer Ralph Lauren at his Double RL ranch in Telluride. Ralph Lauren has granted Oprah a first time ever look inside his Colorado mountain estate that he built from the ground up.

Lauren told Architectural Digest that  “Colorado was for us an escape. It wasn’t about being in fashion. It wasn’t about saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have this cute ranch!’ It was about a life that would be different, that would be freer—that would have nature and trees and animals and big sky.” We understand Lauren’s reasons about building in Colorado better than most. As a design build firm in Colorado we hear the same sentiments from our clients.

Take a look below at these images of Ralph Lauren’s Telluride home featured in Architectural Digest.

Architectural Digest. Photography by Gilles de Chabaneix

Architectural Digest. Photography by Gilles de Chabaneix

Architectural Digest. Photography by Gilles de Chabaneix

Architectural Digest. Photography by Gilles de Chabaneix

Architectural Digest. Photography by Gilles de Chabaneix

Most people dream of owning a home. Some people go beyond just dreaming; they make it happen by building their own home. It may be an enormous project, but it can surely be rewarding.

Constructing a house can be very exciting simply because for most people, it is a once-in-a lifetime endeavor. It’s not every day that one gets to build his dream house.

Helpful Tips on Building a Home

Here are several great tips that can help you achieve the house of your dreams and enjoy every minute of it:

Before you buy any property and build a house on in, be sure that the title of the property is clean and free of any legal issues and problems. Consult your lawyer to get confirmation that the title of your property is without any impediments.
When choosing the design of your house, keep in mind that the landscape of the property you bought will greatly influence the design of your house. The house design for a residential property near the beach will be different from the house design for a residential property on a mountain side. Moreover, when choosing the design of your house, be sure to consider that the design is comfortable and practical, the materials are readily available, and the cost is reasonable.
Making your own design for your house would be a good thing, too, because your house should be your place of peace and comfort. Be sure to find an architect to confer with and discuss your designs. Ask him if it is feasible, structurally safe, and suitable for the weather and topography or landscape of your property. The architect can also advise you about the most appropriate materials to use for your house.
Be sure to discuss with your architect the rate for his construction services. Also, clarify with him who will keep the copyright of the design of the house. This is very important just in case you decide to build another house using the same design. Take note that all agreements, terms, and conditions that you discussed with your architect must be written down and in contract form, duly signed by both parties.
Make sure that your contractor has insurance to cover your house and his workers in case of mishaps like fire or injury. If the contractor does not have this insurance to cover your house and his workers, you may lose a big amount of money and get unwillingly involved with responsibilities for the injured worker.
When hiring your builder, look into their work record first. Find out if they are legitimate and certified by the government. Get a consensus on their quality of work. Investigate if they are covered by insurance for both the house (in the event of theft or accidents like fire) and the people who will build it.
It is a fact that building your own house can be costly. Careful preparation and budgeting, however, will ease the problem. If you are in need of financial assistance, you can take out a home loan. There are many offers being advertised by lending institutions and it is advisable to do some research prior to taking out the loan.

Applying for a home loan is serious business. It can either work to your advantage or bury you in debt. This is why it is important to always study the loans you are applying for. By doing so, you can avoid financial problems in the future.

Source: Womenlawyers.org

Steamboat House

Welcome to our blog! In the over 13 years that we’ve been designing and building homes, we’ve accumulated a lot of stories and a lot of knowledge. This site is about everything from how to hire a firm to budget, design, and build your home to what makes a home “green.” There are homes featured here that were built for celebrity clients. And homes we built for far less famous people, like ourselves. And there are literally hundreds of photos of some very gorgeous homes that we’re proud to say we designed and built. We recently completed one of the most eco-friendly, sustainable homes ever constructed in Breckenridge. As well as a fabulous river retreat on the Island of Kauai. It’s all here, on this site, for you to experience. So welcome, and we hope you take the time to look around. And then come back, because there’s something new here every day. Enjoy.

In the design world, because there are an infinite number of options and choices, choosing just the right item for the right purpose sometimes feels downright overwhelming. But from the beginning we thought a hefty carved stone sink would be perfect for the kitchen in the Timber Trails residence in Breckenridge. The theme of the house was European Castle reconstructed after World War II (yes, every house has a story) and this sink, or one just like it,  seemed to balance well with the massive rafters and beams and stone walls that would surround it. But because we were building this house to LEED “Sustainable” standards, we needed to source the sink from as close to Colorado as possible (LEED encourages local purchasing to reduce the environmental impact of shipping.) So, after some searching, we sourced this sink from Mexico, which is certainly closer to Colorado than Europe or Asia, which were other options. Sometimes choosing the “right” thing means more than just form and function. Especially if you are as concerned as we are about designing and building in a way that is friendly to the planet.

They were a tough lot. Some with scruffy beards, one with green hair, all with tattoos. They liked to drink and chain-smoked and it seemed they all rode Harleys. These were the men that had come to erect the timber frame for our first house. They were fearless. Kneeling down they would shoulder 200 pound posts and then stand and walk up a steep ladder then out onto a narrow beam twenty feet in the air. As the snow swirled around them at the peak of the roof they’d chat while smoking cigarettes waiting for the crane to lift the next post to them so they could place it, post and beams, lifted, one by one until the skeleton of the house was revealed. Some mornings the supervisor was hung-over sick, pausing to throw up as he directed the crew. The men would argue as they worked. They were tough men and loud and angry threatening to kill one another. By the end of the day they’d be laughing, talking about women and the beer they’d drink tonight. This went on for a coupe of weeks. When they finally left, the shell of the house was complete. And we would miss their camaraderie and expertise as we forged ahead with the construction, alone, just two brothers building their first house.

Frame Raising

At Trilogy Partners we build homes the old fashioned way, by paying attention to detail and quality. Our homes blend into the mountains in which they are built on. We take our cue from the outdoors and take pride in staying true to the surrounding area.

From rustic American furnishings that are indigenous to Colorado to Japanese antiques that come alive in our homes, our homes have personality.

Below is a sample of our work.