This malapai rock home is 103-years old! Preserving it was top priority for the owners, followed by improving energy efficiency and modernizing the interior.

The first step in this preservation was to stabilize the walls, some of which had settled quite a bit creating cracking. Helical piers were put in place to achieve this.

The owners did their best to reclaim the materials from the original home. The wood flooring was retained in storage for another project.

The cabinets were saved and donated to the Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona ReStore.

The old windows were given to someone who was building a greenhouse.

The interior of the home was gutted, allowing for a new floor. The crawl space was filled in with cinders and R-10 insulation followed by a vapor barrier. Tubing for in-floor radiant heat was installed in the slab that was poured on top.

This Energy Star-certified on-demand water heater provides hot water for both heating and domestic use. Insulation was added to the ceiling (up to R-49) reducing the heating demand.

To further reduce materials going to the landfill, usable wood was left in a "free" pile for the taking.

Original interior.

The finished living area is more open, allowing for air and heat circulation.

Windows were replaced with ones that retain the historic quality.

The new windows are more insulative, with a lower U-factor than that required by code (0.32).

Window, door and baseboard pine trim came from AP Sawmill. They mill fallen Ponderosa Pine. Installation by owner to same profile as original.

This historic light fixture from the El Tovar Hotel at the Grand Canyon is in keeping with the historic character of the house.

The finished kitchen highlights beautiful cabinetry made by the owner.

Since the project was certified in 2018, the owners have added raised garden beds and...

...pollinator habitat as well as...

rainwater catchment for landscape and garden irrigation.