It’s going on 2 years since the city approved new rules for so-called “backyard cottages.” They’re not exactly what the name conjures – they can be elegant, albeit relatively small, residences in their own way. WSB sponsor Ncompass Cottage Company is a specialist in the field and is about to launch a series of free workshops, along with Microhouse Northwest. (At right are Drew Foster and Stefan Hansmire of Ncompass.) They say the city processed 55 construction permits for backyard cottages last year, nine in West Seattle, and they’re ready to share information about everything from the history of the idea, to current regulations, to financing options, planning/design considerations, and how to choose an architect and builder. Got a sketch already? Bring it along. The free one-hour workshops are planned for 7 pm June 22, June 29, and July 13th at the Community School of West Seattle (9450 22nd SW). RSVP (or get questions answered) by contacting Stefan at 206-933-5961 or stefan@ncompass-llc.com.

Thinking about remodeling, or custom building? Tomorrow (Tuesday) night is the next free workshop offered by longtime WSB sponsor Ventana Construction. And if you go – you can congratulate Ventana’s Anne Higuera on her newfound status as the only person in West Seattle who is a Certified Graduate Remodeler and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. Anne just earned the latter designation – which she says is held by only two other people in the entire city! It requires training and education in how to “help retirees and older adults remain in their homes safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of income or ability level, and continue to live in a familiar environment throughout their maturing years.” That’s just one of the types of remodeling you can learn about at Ventana’s free Tuesday night workshop, 6 pm at their HQ on the northeast corner of California/Findlay – call (206) 932-3009 to RSVP.

Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Ron Pederson with Coldwell Banker Bain, who is representing the Alki Villa – alkivilla.com – where he will have an open house this Sunday afternoon, 1-4 pm. The home is located over Alki Beach, with unbroken views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.

As its agent, Ron brings 20-plus years experience in sales, project management, negotiations and customer service. He says, “My success has come from focusing on the needs of my clients. They appreciate my honesty, integrity, sense of humor and photographer’s eye for detail. As a Seattle native with a global perspective, I am very acquainted with the unique, diverse neighborhoods of our city and what each has to offer.” Seattle Magazine recognized him as a 5-Star Real-Estate Professional in 2010, and he says he is “consistently recognized among the top 8 percent of all Coldwell Banker Agents worldwide.”

Photos and video of the Alki Villa, along with a map, can all be found at alkivilla.com, along with options on how to contact Ron (who’s available by phone at 206-619-3901).

We thank Ron Pederson and the Alki Villa for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Families grow and change no matter how much you wish sometimes things would just stand still for a bit – but your house, maybe that nice little bungalow you bought when there were just two of you (or just you!), isn’t going to adapt unless you take action. West Seattle NestFest next Saturday aims to help. It’s a free workshop presented by West Seattle Family Zone, with participants including WSB sponsors Ventana Construction and WEdesign. As Anne Higuera from Ventana puts it, “Often, the arrival of a new family member is the impetus for starting a remodeling project. And more often than not, there’s a bit of urgency involved (i.e.– there’s a baby on the way and we want to finish the project before the baby arrives). Whether it’s an addition onto the house, converting a basement, or creating new space in or above a garage, there’s a lot to keep in mind as you plan. We’ll be talking specifically about how to plan for remodels that involve kids and kids’ spaces, and how to make sure those spaces are functional for the long term, as the kids grow up.” NestFest is next Saturday morning, 10 am, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon); though it’s free, registration is required – here’s how to sign up.

P.S. The next edition of Ventana’s own free remodeling/custom-building workshop is tomorrow night (Monday 3/14), 6 pm – call 206-932-3009 to RSVP for that.

Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Ncompass Cottage Company, West Seattle’s only contractor specializing in backyard cottage design and construction. As reported here last fall, the city now issues backyard-cottage permits, which allow homeowners to build small dwellings on their property. Ncompass Cottage Company owners Drew Foster (photo, left) and Stefan Hansmire say the current demand for cottages includes people looking to house kids returning from college as well as people creating home-office space or making a place for older parents who want to be near family. Both say that building a cottage allows for a fun, livable dwelling that makes efficient use of the space available. Ncompass has built three cottages; two are in West Seattle — one by the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, the other in the Schmitz Park neighborhood. Overall, they have more than a decade of experience in the remodeling and construction trade, which also gives them experience with the permitting process needed to build a cottage. Drew and Stefan also have partnered with designers who have cottage floorplans on file and with finance people that they recommend to prospective clients. They say that they have streamlined the process to make it easier to get your cottage built. Ncompass Cottage Company belongs to the Better Business Bureau and Built Green Builders Association; Stefan and Drew both live in West Seattle and have kids in neighborhood schools. You’ll find Ncompass Cottage Company online at ncompasscottages.com, with contact information here.

We thank Ncompass Cottage Company for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.

FIRST AS-IT-HAPPENED REPORT, 11:23 AM: Some days just have a theme. Today’s theme is heavy equipment. Our next stop post-totem pole: We’re in the 3200 block of 61st SW, where a house is being installed, in four pieces built offsite. 61st SW is closed in the block immediately south of Admiral as a result, till 3 pm, by the way. We arrived in time for the third of four pieces to be craned into place at the site (video added 1:08 pm):

If you’ve driven past Salty’s on Alki in the past day or so, you probably noticed the sections, which we’re told were brought in by barge. The project’s being overseen by Double Diamond Remodeling, whose owner Dave Farrell says the owners chose to buy a house built offsite – it’s a 2-story house going into a fairly small lot. Homeowners Leonard Jones and Charlie Fink joke that they hope to be settled by Thanksgiving – though their actual moving-in will be a lot sooner:(video added 1:09 pm):

The house itself was built by South King County-based Timberland, which comes in tomorrow to start “matching everything up,” Farrell says. 1:44 PM NOTE: The fourth piece was being trucked in just as we left after the third one was secured. Adding two more photos – a long shot for perspective, from before piece #3 was installed:

And as close as we could get to the house after:

The “no parking” signage on the street is marked until 5 pm, but as noted earlier, the crews were expected to clear 61st SW sooner.

(The all-night moving operation ended at 6:25; below, our coverage as it unfolded from midnight on)

(ADDED 3:19 AM: Video of the 2nd half of the 14-minute process to roll the home off its lot)
ORIGINAL 12:20 AM REPORT: We’re here along 42nd SW, about half a block north of the Junction QFC, where workers are in the early stage of the delicate process of moving an old house – broken down over the past few weeks of work, so that it’s more or less a roofless one-story box – from its original site in The Junction, part of a future development site, to a new location in the Admiral District. Background and photos here. We’ll be posting periodic updates. There’s a dozen-plus spectators out here. Tough photography conditions but we’ll be rolling video when actual action ensues, and photos are likely to be easier once the house is closer to the street lights. The crew’s having a meeting right now, which we can hear from across the street – getting safety reminders from their boss, hearing that traffic controls will be in place at both ends of this block of 42nd as they get started soon.

12:59 AM: The block is now closed from Oregon to Alaska. The crews are placing long wood strips to create ramps for the house, which has been jacked up on wheels, to roll onto the flatbed that’s also standing by.

1:24 AM: The house is rolling down the ramp momentarily.

1:51 AM: “This seems pretty improbable!” the house’s new owner, Jacques White, laughed nervously in the midst of the first phase of the move – getting the house off the lot and onto the street. That phase is now complete. We rolled video (up later) – it took about 15 minutes, once the tow truck started to pull it down a wide temporary ramp. We’ve been told they won’t start rolling it down the route to its new site until 3:30 am. It’s in the middle of 42nd SW on its trailer now, engines off, while the crew does some cleanup on its now-empty original site. Once it was fully onto the level street, the dozen-plus spectators hooted and cheered. White says the contractor tells him it will take about six months to make the house ready to live in; he and his wife currently live in a house on the same lot, on which they once had hoped to build a new home – that didn’t work out, but the idea of finding a great old home and moving it did. Here he is, in a pullover with the contractor’s logo:

3:15 AM: Heading back to the site after a quick break, since the house should be rolling down the route to its new home shortly. Night owls can watch our Twitter feed for photos along the way, till the next update here. (added later) Here’s video of the house making the turn onto westbound Charlestown from northbound California:

5:15 AM: The house is just yards from its new home. The actual on-the-streets move has taken two full hours, with delicate maneuvering around signs, hydrants, trees.

Owner Jacques says getting it onto the lot will be tricky too.

5:41 AM: They are getting ready to slide it onto the new site.

7:09 AM: Just got back to HQ. As of 6:25 am, the moving operation is over; the house’s owners, Jacques and Beth, popped a bottle of champagne (and were giving another one to Alex Schenkar, their contractor, who hollered up at the end of the move, “We’re within an eighth of an inch – is that good enough?”).

(That’s part of the house behind him, by the way, formerly over the front door, removed for the move, but to be put back into place.) The last few inches were heart-stoppers, as the house, still jacked up on a wheeled trailer, was pushed onto a platform elevated over the hole that will be turned into its foundation over the next few weeks before work on the house itself resumes. The Seattle Times (WSB partner) was the only other media organization covering it from start to finish, though a few others parachuted in and out, so keep an eye out for the Times story and video too. Meantime, we’ll be adding a few more visuals – photos and video – to this narrative over the next hour or so.