Taking some time away this next week. Work has slowed, all of last years projects are wrapping up, completing punch lists and turning things over to clients. We do have one recent start, a 2000 square foot house addition, the second phase of a phase one swimming pool. I timed it though to be early enough that some progress is being made while I'm away, but nothing too critical that would require my presence for a few weeks. The project is phased somewhat backwards from the norm. Usually the house goes first, followed by the pool. But in this case, the pool is complete just prior to plaster, now the house foundation has begun. We will be connecting the new addition to the existing single story home, adding a two story structure that I designed which includes a new oversized master bedroom and master bath, another bedroom, bath, living room, mud room and laundry. The addition will also require some remodeling of the existing home so as to transition into the new. Both the client and I are jazzed about the project!
All things considered, I'm comfortable in taking a few weeks off and heading to Hawaii for some R&R. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to do so. Although not all of the time away involves R&R, I'm spending the first week there in a Playtri camp with 35 others, 5 wonderful days of swimming, biking and running - triathlon training! We will be training all day, every day on the Kona Ironman course. Swimming for miles, biking for hundreds of miles and running many, many more miles!! I'll need another week in Hawaii to recover from this self induced torture. Dont get me wrong, I'll be lovin every minute of it!
So, until the end of January, no Elite Concepts Mike Nantz, Mike Nantz Elite Concepts, Michael Nantz Elite Concepts, Elite Concepts Michael Nantz, Elite Concepts by Michael Nantz, Inc., etc., etc..

New Year

Happy New Year!!
I spent the last week of 2010 visiting friends, a few days in LA with David Tisherman. I think the coldest I've ever been in Manhattan Beach. Temps hovered around 55 each day. Its always great to get out and see him though, the projects this guy lands are amazing. He took me to one site in Malibu with a tower crane sitting in the middle of the house! Thats right, a residentional project with a tower crane! Blew me away! Tadao Ando is the architect, a lot of concrete and glass...
One week into the new year and snow hits the Dallas area. I will be spending the first part of the week indoors modeling a few projects in google sketchup. Haven't applied this program too much to the pool projects I'm working on, but I find it indespensible designing outdoor living spaces and house additions. Thats not to say its unnecessary with pools, I'm still exploring the possibilities and options. But with all the verticle elements of house and outdoor living design, interiors and exteriors, its perfect. Still though, very cartoonish, but descriptive.