A Remodel Like No Other … With a Remarkable Result

Missoula’s Rattlesnake neighborhood has a number of hidden nooks and side streets that reflect a unique history of growth and human use. The original Salish name for Rattlesnake Creek was “Kehi-oo-lee,” and the first note by Captain Meriwether Lewis recording the creek’s existence came in 1806. The creek supplied Missoula’s first water system (today Missoula relies on the Missoula aquifer) and after the arrival of the railroad in 1883, small settlements in the drainage began to spring up.   

Neighborhood growth continued in fits and starts as Missoula grew from a trading post into one of Montana’s larger cities over the course of the next 150+ years. For this project, we helped a long-time Missoula family turn their lot into a new, custom-build dream home, but there were a number of challenges along the way.

First, we moved the old house from the original lot to a new one altogether. Next, we took plans developed by Jenn Clary with Encompass Design and built a home that provided space for the growing family as well as extended visits from grandparents, all while complementing the neighborhood. 

We faced several additional challenges inthe build due to the lot’s proximity to the creek (see our blog on rules that apply to builds near water in Montana).Then, as we got going in spring 2020, Covid hit. The pandemic caused innumerable challenges for the work on-site and supply became an issue almost immediately. However, we were able to flex our problem-solving muscles and keep our heads above water. The result?  A beautiful and classic forever home for a family in a neighborhood that they cherish.