Split personality: a custom home on Chicago's North Shore changes with its owners' lifestyle - On Site

Custom Home, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Meghan Drueding

Limestone also forms a freestanding wall that separates the entry court from the woods. "We use walls to make courtyards and other exterior spaces, so the house can unfold gradually," says Hacker. The idea works perfectly here--no matter which role the home is playing.

The Builder: Family Affair

John Teschky (below right with son Scott) isn't one to waste an experience. During the 1970s he worked for a general contractor in Chicago, building high-rise, steel-framed structures. While the work didn't thrill him--"High rises get repetitive," he says--the former economics major was impressed with the strict adherence to schedule that characterizes commercial construction. When he started his own company in 1978, he brought that commitment to staying on schedule with him. * Four skilled carpenters also came with Teschky from his old job, and they're still working for him 25 years later. Scott, who majored in construction technology and management at Indiana State University and has worked at the company for 13 years, recently took over as president of Teschky Inc. And Carol Teschky, John's wife, serves as secretary and treasurer. * Clients, too, tend to stay with Teschky for long periods of time. Though his company is best known for building houses designed by Chicago's top architects, it also does a nice business in commercial construction. "Most of the commercial clients start out as house clients," he says. "Then we end up doing their car dealership or doctor's office."--M.D.

Details: Frame of Mind

Years of dealing with hard-to-build houses have convinced John and Scott Teschky that precut wood framing is the best way to avoid costly mistakes. They work with Walnut Custom Homes, a wood component company in northern Illinois that assembles prelabeled wall, ceiling, and floor panels according to architects' drawings. The company ships the walls in 10-, 12-, or 14-foot pieces, which staff or subs can usually manhandle. Ceilings and floors require a crane to lift. * John Teschky believes the precut system is the most accurate framing method around. It also saves time and labor costs, which allows him to tower his fees. "We're a union shop, so our labor rates are higher than other builders'," he says. "The precut system makes us more competitive." And it drastically reduces the amount of waste wood on the job, enhancing the site's appearance while slashing disposal costs. "This was the cleanest jobsite I've ever seen," says Stuart Cohen, architect of the North Shore house.--M.D.

Project Credits: Builder: Teschky Inc., Northbrook, Ill.; Architect: Stuart Cohen and Julie Hacker Architects, Evanston, Ill.; Landscape architect: Peter Lindsay Schaudt Landscape Architecture, Chicago; Interior designer: Sandra Saltzman Interiors, Chicago; Masonry: G, Fontana & Sons Construction, Lake Forest, Ill.; Cabinetry: Paoli Woodwork Inc., Franklin Park, Ill.; Living space: 5,500 square feet; Site size: .5 acre; Construction cost: $300 a square foot; Photographer: Jon Miller/Hedrich Blessing (except where noted). * Resources: Bathroom plumbing fittings/fixtures: Chicago Faucets, Circle 180, Dornbracht, Circle 181, Hansgrohe, Circle 182, and Kohler, Circle 183; Doors/windows: Pella, Circle 184; Hardware: Baldwin, Circle 185; Kitchen plumbing fittings/fixtures: Franke, Circle 186 and Hansgrohe, Circle 187; Oven: lhermador, Circle 188; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero, Circle 189; Skylights: Velux, Circle 190; Warming drawer: Thermador, Circle 191.