It’s a $75,000 question: What’s missing in the photograph of this Watch Hill summerhouse?  The answer saved the homeowners more than $75,000 in construction costs.

Initially, the homeowners requested a detached two-car garage and driveway.  When Stonington architect Michael McKinley discovered the garage would only be utilized for car storage when the homeowners are away during the winter, he suggested eliminating the driveway and a garage bay.  The single car garage is unobtrusively tucked under the house and the car is only driven across the lawn a couple of times a year.

Lesson learned – If you’re building a vacation home, don’t design it like your year-round residence. With some creative thinking you can enjoy summer all year long by putting the savings from your summerhouse into a condo in a warm weather climate.

For more ideas, go to www.CoastalHomeArchitects.com.