The Persimmon Company

Home Improvement Professionals , Home Builders , Accessory Dwelling Units , Home Additions , Universal Design
3 Reviews
Review me
The Persimmon Company
3 Reviews

Mountain Top

8000+ square foot mountain home designed for two close-knit families. Three stories, three master suites, 12-person bunk room for kids, game room, home theater, bar, lounge area, home office, midnight kitchen, and magnificent views...at 5000 feet. Started in late 2024 and completed in early 2026. On time. On budget.
Project Year: 2025
Project Cost: More than $2,000,000
Layout of the site and the house is the first step in quality as construction starts. Foundations require accurate placement with exacting vertical and horizontal control.
Mountain Top
After weeks of blasting and excavation engineered fill was brought in and compacted (with geo-tech oversight) before foundations were started. We require 98% compaction to start foundations (the standard is 95%).
Mountain Top
After weeks of blasting and excavation engineered fill was brought in and compacted (with geo-tech oversight) before foundations were started. We require 98% compaction to start foundations (the standard is 95%).
Mountain Top
After weeks of blasting and excavation engineered fill was brought in and compacted (with geo-tech oversight) before foundations were started. We require 98% compaction to start foundations (the standard is 95%).
Mountain Top
After weeks of blasting and excavation engineered fill was brought in and compacted (with geo-tech oversight) before foundations were started. We require 98% compaction to start foundations (the standard is 95%).
Mountain Top
Mountain Top
After weeks of blasting and excavation engineered fill was brought in and compacted (with geo-tech oversight) before foundations were started. We require 98% compaction to start foundations (the standard is 95%).
Mountain Top
Quality in all phases. We work with licensed surveyors to accurately position and lay out our foundations...checked before and after installation to ensure proper location and elevation.
Mountain Top
Quality in all phases. We work with licensed surveyors to accurately position and lay out our foundations...checked before and after installation to ensure proper location and elevation.
Mountain Top
Quality in all phases. We work with licensed surveyors to accurately position and lay out our foundations...checked before and after installation to ensure proper location and elevation.
Mountain Top
Before
When working on a slope on the side of a mountain we start at the bottom and work our way up. On this site, we started with our boulder retaining walls to provide stable and level working areas for our foundation crews
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Before
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Before
Boulder walls are built with geo-textile, stone, and french drains for proper drainage and long term stability
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Forms are placed, braced, plumbed, and leveled...ready to receive rebar
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Form ties are placed. Notice the keyway on top of the footing to tie-in the wall and prevent water intrusion
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Rebar is placed according to the structural plans
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Forms are buttoned up and braced to prepare for inspections before pouring
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Forms are removed after a curing period to reveal perfectly poured concrete with no voids or imperfections
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Perfect basement foundation walls...too bad they will not be visible afterwards. Quality on the things you can't see leads to quality on things you can see.
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Forms removed. Perfect concrete walls. No blemishes or voids. Bearing locations for 1st floor open web trusses cast into the top of the wall (plywood block-outs seen here)
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Dependable waterproofing is not just the product you use or the installers who apply it. It starts with quality poured walls with no voids and a surface with a sheen. Then quality products are applied. We use a sprayed bituthene combined with a dimpled protection/drainage sheet for a belt &...
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Here you can see the dimpled drainage/protection mat with the outlet for the foundation drain. The drainage mat has a positive lap.
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Here you can see the sprayed bituthene product on the concrete foundation wall just before the drainage & protection mat is applied. The waterproofing extends to the footing to keep water from seeping under the wall. You can see in the far left corner where we have added an exit for the interior...
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Here you see the integral foundation drain that works with the dimpled drainage mat system. This drain collects any water and routes it outside and away from the house.
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Here you see the dimpled drainage and protection mat being applied with a positive lap. The mat is mechanically fastened to the wall.
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Slab forms have started on the perimeter and expansion joint is applied to the interior the foundation wall.
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1st floor elevation is nearly established and what a view!
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Slab edges and elevations are established, and underground plumbing rough-ins have started. Pipe risers are carefully checked and re-checked to ensure they come up in the intended locations. Quality starts with the things you can't see when we're done.
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Foundation walls are backfilled with stone for proper drainage.
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Under-slab plumbing rough-ins underway
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Under-slab plumbing rough-ins being re-checked to ensure the pipe invert exiting the house is correct the elevation for tying into the septic system
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Ready for plumbing inspector
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Plumbing inspected and under-slab stone base added for drainage
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Slab expansion joint on walls and pipe risers
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Commercial grade 30 mil vapor and radon barrier applied over stone and before slab reinforcement is placed
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Perimeter insulation being installed due to project location to meet energy code
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Basement slab ready to pour
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Pouring the basement slab
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Power trowel and handwork on the details...
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Slab poured and framing has started
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Pipe risers perfectly placed in the wall...because their layout was checked and re-checked.
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Floor trusses delivered
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Basement exterior walls
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1st floor trusses installed and sub-floor going on!
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On this house we are using the ZIP system sheathing...
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Views from the basement
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1st floor trusses resting on the bearing ledge poured into the concrete foundation wall.
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Framed walls meet poured walls.
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Basement framed and ready to start 1st floor walls
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Bird's eye view...courtesy of our drone
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Literally dropped in the wilderness on top of this mountain!
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View from the 1st floor master
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First snow of the season...and 13 degrees
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Open floor plans are always a little harder to frame...with more hardware and more beams and columns. Here we have the first 32" in deep 4-ply LVL (laminated veneer lumber) we've ever used. This size is relatively new in our area and is intended for spans where structural steel would normally be...
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Again, the use of LVLs to build an open floor plan. This one supports the 2nd floor loft.
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Prepping the garage slab
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I've used LVLs for stair stringers for many years. One, they are much stronger than dimensional lumber like 2x12s. Two, they are quiet. Notice the cuts aren't over-cut.
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View from the 2nd floor master...Lake Toxaway in the foreground and Mount Mitchell in the distance
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2nd floor framing. All floor systems are 24" open web trusses designed for minimal deflection.
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House is really taking shape
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Pouring the garage slab
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Framing the garage
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Garage roof going on
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Starting the high dormers
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Basement terrace slab ready to pour
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Turn-down slab with projections for the columns
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View from the driveway
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Chimney flashed and ready for stone veneer
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High Temperature self-adhering membrane to dry in the house before standing seam roofing installation starts
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Mock-up of siding, trim, roofing, and stone veneer
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Basement terrace slab being poured...pouring concrete on top of the mountain has its challenges, and freezing weather really complicates it further. The unavailability of concrete created some unique schedule sequencing and lots of temporary supports for framing.
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Finished basement terrace slab that will be finished with flagstone
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An eagle's view...really close to completing framing.
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Yes, the sharpie marker...my trusty assistant on any building project. You will see my notes everywhere on anything I build.
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Great room fireplace...29 feet tall...to be covered in stone veneer (about 3000 lbs of it)
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Basement fireplace
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I wish this snow would MELT
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A big part of any project for me is enjoying the natural habitat surrounding me. Here on the top of Mount Toxaway we have lots of deer, turkey, and grouse.
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Electrical rough-ins have started, and blocking for cabinets is going in.
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Elevator shaft with blocking for the rails
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Now that the basement terrace slab is poured we can install these 8x8 posts to properly support the deck above. These posts will be covered with CMU and stone veneer.
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Who doesn't love a 24' foot balloon-framed wall? Notice the 8"x6" PSL column carrying that door header...
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Beautiful balloon framing
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Built-in shower niche/shelf
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Finally the snow has melted and we can cover the garage roof
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Here we will install a 22' wide sliding pocket door...sharing the inside with the outside
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Recessed lighting being installed in the kitchen...pink string for precise alignment to match up with cabinet layout on the sub-floor, with translations by laser
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again, the alignment is critical
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Stone veneer has started on the chimney
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Carefully placed blocking for the large pocket slider
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Covering exterior LVLs with ZIP tape to protect them from water intrusion
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Nicely done framing for the upper windows in the great room
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4-ply LVL in the basement...where would open floor plans be without LVLs?
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The finished product on the chimney
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Finally the ground has thawed enough to grade this area for future placement of HVAC condensers
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Windows received, checked for accuracy and damages, and ready to install.
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Standing seam metal roofing has started
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Prepping openings for windows
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Window installation
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Plumbing rough-ins have started. Here we two side-by side stacked washer/dryers
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And the snow is back...February 19, 2025. Building on the top of a mountain...
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Stair windows allowing tons of natural light
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Master suite views
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These floors have evolved. They are clear select rift-sawn white oak. It took me months to find a vendor who could even provide them. They were selected to coordinate with our kitchen cabinetry made of similar wood. But then staining was introduced...and 15+ samples later the owner selected this...
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Talk about change orders!. Long story, but once we framed the second floor all the owners could talk about was maximizing the view from the loft...so we removed smaller windows that stopped about 3 feet above the ledge and installed these. It transforms the view.
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Details. These cedar corbels were made onsite by our talented craftsmen...and yes, they are joined with mortise and tenon joinery. The funny part is these guys didn't know how...but after some brief instruction they were off to the races.
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Ceramic tile. I love it. So many possibilities. Our bathrooms were meticulously crafted by our favorite tile setters who know my rules for tile...take your time and make it perfect! Our interior designer has made so many fabulous choices for materials in this house. Notice the unique tile niche.
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details upon details
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Ceilings, to me, are usually wasted spaces for expression. here the owner allowed me to utilize a very new product called Acre by Modern Mill, and it's made of recycled rice hulls. It's actually a decking, but we worked with the manufacturer's R&D department to develop fastening guidelines to allow...
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We typically spray paint all of our interior doors and trims for that exquisite finish that feels like glass. It takes time and preparation, but the finish product is worth it.
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We typically spray paint all of our interior doors and trims for that exquisite finish that feels like glass. It takes time and preparation, but the finish product is worth it. Here we are making sure the finished tile floors underneath are well-protected.
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Landscaping is going in, and boy what a view this morning. We started EARLY
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This timber framing supports the front porch and the high roof over the front entry. These guys did amazing work with all mortise and tenon joinery...which they learned onsite from me. The lead guy comes from a long line of furniture makers in Mexico, so I don't take too much credit. His skills...
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Details. The downspouts were carefully hidden behind the timber frame columns and wrapped around the stone bases to underground piping
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not fancy, but appropriate...the designer and owner wanted exemplify strength without overshadowing other details. We came up with this simple timber bent detail that does the job well. All joinery is mortise and tenon.
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stone base going in for the paved driveway...this process actually started almost a year ago when we first built the access drive into the property. Careful planning resulted in locating the access points for electrical service and water lines
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fresh paving...I love the smell of asphalt in the morning...smells like victory (thank you, Robert Duvall)
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Fresh paving after 3 inches of rain...and no puddling. There is no substitute for good planning and proper execution by talented professionals
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What a view from the top of the mountain
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Protecting finished surfaces is just as important as installing them correctly
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rift sawn white oak...my favorite wood in the whole world. Book-matched to perfection
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tile details
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no puddling after 3 inches of rain
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a stormy, but unobstructed, view from the top of the mountain...stainless steel cable rails with clear cedar rails and posts. There is no treated wood to be touched on the exterior of this house.
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home of the future fire pit
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rift sawn white oak...my favorite wood in the whole world. Book-matched to perfection. Solid 3/4" boxes, mortised as they should be. Built for the ages
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tile details
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tile details
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These cabinets form the basis of the basement bar area - a gathering space for fun and fellowship. They are book-matched rift-sawn white oak (my favorite). They willl be topped by Patagonia quartz and a tile backsplash wall.
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For this room our client wanted the look and feel of a real masonry fireplace, so we used an Isokern box with real firebrick (which will be painted black to simulate years of wood burning). The herringbone pattern is a sharp contrast to the dry stack stone veneer face.
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Wrought iron rails...timeless details. Sometimes simplicity, executed flawlessly, is best.
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Details.
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Tile showers. Two-person tile showers. A signature of mine for almost 26 years. Again, our designer on this house just has exquisite taste that our clients fully employ. Simple pallets executed flawlessly.Notice the horizontal niche with hidden LED ribbon lighting and the steam vents above the...
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Details. I use that word a lot, but its the details that matter. It's also the quality that most people don't see. It took interviewing many cabinet shops to get the folks we settled on. They knocked it out of the park. These boxes are built as good they can be built.
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Hand-crafted wrought iron rails. Simple details executed flawlessly.
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Tile shower in one of three master suites. Perfect selections. Perfect execution. Owner satisfaction.
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Hand-crafted wrought iron rails. Stone veneer. Rift sawn white oak floors. Simple details executed flawlessly. Timeless.
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The rear view of cabinets no one will ever see. But they are built well and will last forever.
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The rear view of cabinets no one will ever see. But they are built well and will last forever.
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tile shower
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tile shower
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Young minds. New ideas. Our designer brought this idea to the table. It's a folding step ladder that integrates into the cabinetry. It will bu used a lot (both wives are less than 5 feet tall!)
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Built-in bunk beds. Built onsite by our fabulous cabinet-maker. Rift sawn white oak, of course! They will have stairs with built-in drawers for access and storage.
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Acre ceilings, after the fact. Originally these ceilings were tongue & groove pine...but once the clients saw the Acre ceilings on the basement patio a decision was made to switch to this material everywhere, including inside the house.
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Acre by Modern Mill
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Built-in bunk beds. Built onsite by our fabulous cabinet-maker. Rift sawn white oak, of course! They will have stairs with built-in drawers for access and storage. These niches allow the kids to store and charge their devices.
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Acre ceilings, after the fact. Originally these ceilings were tongue & groove pine...but once the clients saw the Acre ceilings on the basement patio a decision was made to switch to this material everywhere, including inside the house.
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Well, actually a breakfast nook framed by hand-hewn beams
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Young minds. New ideas. Our designer brought this idea to the table. It's a folding step ladder that integrates into the cabinetry. It will bu used a lot (both wives are less than 5 feet tall!)
Mountain Top
Built-in bunk beds. Built onsite by our fabulous cabinet-maker. Rift sawn white oak, of course! They will have stairs with built-in drawers for access and storage. These niches allow the kids to store and charge their devices.
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shower doors going in completing the details for this shower
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Hand-hewn mantles going in against stone veneer
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Built-in bunk beds. Built onsite by our fabulous cabinet-maker. Rift sawn white oak, of course! They will have stairs with built-in drawers for access and storage. These niches allow the kids to store and charge their devices.
Mountain Top
Acre ceilings, after the fact. Originally these ceilings were tongue & groove pine...but once the clients saw the Acre ceilings on the basement patio a decision was made to switch to this material everywhere, including inside the house.
Mountain Top
Acre ceilings, after the fact. Originally these ceilings were tongue & groove pine...but once the clients saw the Acre ceilings on the basement patio a decision was made to switch to this material everywhere, including inside the house.
Mountain Top
Built-in bunk beds. Built onsite by our fabulous cabinet-maker. Rift sawn white oak, of course! They will have stairs with built-in drawers for access and storage. These niches allow the kids to store and charge their devices.
Mountain Top
Acre ceilings, after the fact. Originally these ceilings were tongue & groove pine...but once the clients saw the Acre ceilings on the basement patio a decision was made to switch to this material everywhere, including inside the house.
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Breakfast nook ceiling framed by hand-hewn beams
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The ceiling that used to be tongue and groove pine! Now Acre by Modern Mill. This is actually the shiplap version of what we used on the exterior porch ceilings. It really accents the stone fireplace.
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Faux beams made by local Brevard artisans.
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Getting some of these beams up was a bear, but they look incredible.
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Acre ceiling with faux beams
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Acre ceiling with faux beams
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Not easy!
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Not easy!
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Not easy!
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Not easy!
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Not easy!
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Not easy!
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Came together well!
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convenient step stool built into kitchen cabinetry
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convenient step stool built into kitchen cabinetry
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