VERMONT MAGAZINE Winter 2021 | Page 70

take on here at Silver Maple Construction . Like any other trade , carpentry – at its essence – is a problem-solving exercise . To be able to create something beautiful , long-lasting and strong in a cost-effective and expedient way , you have to be able to think on your feet and work within the constraints of the job . In theory , a master craftsperson should be able to produce that same level of amazing work within a pace-oriented and goal-driven environment .”

True to that overarching philosophy of expedient craftsmanship , Sean has taken it upon himself to develop a line of aesthetic pre-fabricated homes that will allow Silver Maple Construction to grow their business beyond its current market niche of high-end custom projects . “ Most of Silver Maple Construction ’ s work is in the ‘ bespoke ’ and ‘ high-end ’ range , but our new project is really giving us the opportunity to crack the code on what I like to refer to as ‘ achievable housing .’ It ’ s not by any means an entirely new idea , but we ’ ve been operating in the ‘ highend custom home ’ niche for a very long time . Expanding our business portfolio to include these more mass-produced models has proven to be a fascinating learning experience for us .”
According to Sean , part of the motivation for the recent broadening of Silver Maple Construction ’ s market focus stems from their recent acquisition of a 30,000 square-foot “ panelization ” facility . “ It ’ s a huge shop . It ’ s given us the ability to build all sorts of new structures and components indoors . We decided to leverage our new workshop to incorporate the development of new models of energy-efficient and affordable homes . With the recent housing boom in Vermont , we want to diversify our options to remain flexible as the future unfolds . The idea is to make beautiful , modern , pre-fabricated homes , and then reproduce them many times . The theory is that we will get some interest on a slightly larger scale and be able to expand and pivot into new markets . We ’ re still in the process of figuring everything out , but we are looking into developing several other different variations – each of which will be ideal for different family situations and price points . By developing low-cost building techniques and standardized home models , we ’ ll be able to provide our customers with beautifully designed homes that work well with a wide range of budgets .”
Sean describes the style of the Weybridge home as “ modern , with Scandinavian
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