First Place, West Region
Bill Fry
Burney, CA

Bill Fry's motivation for building himself a home can be summed up quite simply.

"I needed a home."

But instead of creating a basic, "no-frills" kind of home, Bill was able to create an elegant dwelling in a serene, natural setting that resembles its own kind of utopia.

'This was my retirement home project, so there was no pressure."

The relaxed attitude during the construction reveals itself in the home-which features gorgeous landscaping, a large wraparound porch, and plenty of windows to let in the bountiful California sunlight.

Bill cut 10,000 board feet of mostly Ponderosa pine and cedar on his Wood-Mizer sawmill, and estimates he saved about $5,000 on the framing and siding, and another $3,000 on the interior trim and mouldings.

He used 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 stud walls, 2 x 6 rafters and joists, 6 x 6 posts and beams, and ½" plywood shear wall with ¾" x 7" lap siding.

With three people helping with the sawing and interior woodworking, Bill managed to complete the home in a year and a half.

The finished project is a spacious 3,800 square feet, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a den, and a dining room to fill up the two stories.

Bill has many years of experience building homes for other people, but he finally realized the wonderful tool he had in his possession when it came to building a retirement home for himself and his wife.

"This is not the first personal home job, but it's the first one with my Wood-Mizer mill. The mill is so handy. The house makes me feel good."