Baker’s build dream home next to old one to keep family history alive

KEOTA - When Ryan and Holly Baker were first married they moved onto the family farm that had been in Ryan's family for generations. They outgrew the home they started their family in and instead of leaving, built a brand-new one next door.

'We just decided to build and we built across the yard,” she said.

The home the couple first moved into was older and the cost of updating versus building a brand-new home would be similar, prompting them to decide to build, she said. Being an older house, the rooms were blocked off and not the open concept Holly wanted for her family of four which includes two young boys. Ensuring the new home would have plenty of space to grow was the goal and included bringing a few touches from the old house to the new construction.

'We were fortunate with the old house to have quite a few bedrooms so we knew we wanted that in the new house as well,” she said.

Planners, the Baker's spent several years discussing their new home before deciding they would officially break ground.

'We decided about five years ago we were going to build,” she said, explaining family was a big part in the process. Her sister-in-law had recently build a house and recommended someone to draw up plans and sketch out a blue print.

After several reiterations and getting the final cost, the pair began to save and plan for their future in their new home. Next came finding a contractor to do the work.

'Probably a year or two ago we started talking to different builders,” she said, explaining they finally decided on Brian Strabala with Strabala Construction.

Holly said by choosing a local builder to do the work, the sub contractors, for things like plumbing, electrical and concrete work, were local, too. Leichty and Son Construction of Mt. Pleasant, the Washington Lumber Center and Stumpf Concrete of Kalona were just a few who helped the Baker's with their dream home.

This was a big plus for her, she said, because it meant if there was a problem both the contractor and sub contractor were just a few miles away and could get to the build site quickly.

'When we built it, we liked how well we communicated back and forth with Brian. He was in Washington, a local community and once we got into it we really liked the closeness,” she said. 'When you have people that are local you can call them up and they can come here in 20-30 minutes to work on things.”

When it came time to choose furnishings, Holly said it was nice to have a contractor who was a dealer for companies because it made it easier to narrow down the selection. In the kitchen, Bertch cabinets were chosen with Strabala's help and a custom color was even created to fit her taste.

'I knew what I wanted so once I saw it and picked it out from there, it was simple,” she said.

A trickier part was deciding on the final touches, such as back splash and countertop color.

'You're trying to pick out what the interior of your house is going to look like based on a small, small sample,” she said. However, having an experienced contractor on-hand who she could gather opinions and expertise from was helpful.

The goal was to begin building in 2019 and they made it by breaking ground in July of that year. Originally the Baker's wanted to begin construction earlier but due to weather, had to wait a few months.

'You just have to be really patient with the weather and what can be done and when and coordinating time with the other jobs before you,” she said.

One of the unique parts of the build was being able to watch it from the comfort of her own home. Not having the pressure of trying to sell the home added to the ease of the project, she said, and created a memorable experience for her young sons who could watch also.

'It gave them more exposure to different things and to be part of something that my husband and I hope will stay in the family for years to come,” she said.

However, it was not always easy. The toughest part of building was staying calm, she said. Neither one of the Baker's had ever build a home before and several deep conversations and talking through disagreements were needed. One thing that helped was creating a budget and sticking to it, she said.

Now that the final project is done and the family has been officially moved in for just a few weeks, Baker said they are all adjusting to the new home and enjoying the space. Each child has their own bedroom, Holly has her own office and even an attached garage-her favorite part.