TESTIMONIALS & Letters of Recommendations

Nov. 2, 2020
Dear Keith:

Now that the construction phase has begun on our new house, we wanted to provide you some feedback on the design and permitting phases that are now behind us.

As you recall, early on we occasionally questioned the steps that we were going through and looked for ways to speed up the process of developing our plans and securing our permits. Looking back, we've come to appreciate the need for the methodical and careful development of our design, the thorough engineering, and the attention to detail that you brought to the complex and bureaucratic permitting process in Teton County. Now that our construction is in full swing, we are able to see how the efficiency that our builder is demonstrating is based on the careful preparation that you put in place. We are finding that our contractor is not having to slow down or stop progress in order to conduct engineering or other measures that should have been done during the design phase. Steps that appeared to be time-consuming and costly at the beginning, now appear to have been wise investments of time and resources.

We also believe that our carefully developed design, and the methodical process that was used to get us there, facilitated the selection of a qualified builder, the development of a credible cost estimate, and the performance of needed value engineering. As a result, we now have a builder under contract who we believe in and a high fidelity budget.

We hope that this feedback is useful to you and other clients who may be going through a similar set of circumstances.

Thanks for your continued vigilance and attention to detail.

Sincerely,
Eric & Bogusia Thoemmes

November 10, 2022

In the Fall of 2005, my wife Chris and I purchased a 7 acre lot in Sun West Ranch (SWR) just north of Yellowstone National Park. in the summer of 2020, we made the decision to design and build a home on that lot.

Initially we retained a Bozeman, Montana architect recommended by SWR's Architectural Review Committee (ARC). In short order we determined that the recommended architect for host of reasons was a poor recommendation. We discharged that architect.

After seeking out and getting a strong recommendation for Keith Anderson and conducting our own due diligence we retained Keith as our architect for the design and construction management of our Sun West Ranch home. We retained General Contractor Mike McKitrick (MDM Construction) to build the home. Now approximately 18 months later I can say definitively that the design (and construction) of the home is stunning.

Chris and I cannot say enough good things about Keith Anderson. Consistent with his professional reputation (having designed many homes in the Yellowstone club and Spanish Peaks) he designed for Chris and me an awesome home where as it turns out we have chosen to live full-time. In context you might have Keith show you professional photographs recently taken of the home.

In the first place Chris and I, who had never before had designed or constructed a home, over the course of years had given a lot of thought and attention to the design, construction and overall look of the SWR home we wanted. In this regard Chris starting from the time we originally bought the lot in 2005 had perused innumerable magazines and other publications, identifying and bookmarking design and construction features, details etc. that she thought might work well for our SWR home. In turn she shared them with Keith. Many of these design and construction features and details were incorporated by Keith into the ultimate design and construction of the home.

Keith, who proved to be a great listener and especially welcomes client input, in designing the home paid close attention to and took into account what Chris and I wanted. We had many dozens of in person and zoom meetings with Keith during the course of the design and construction process, including meetings with vendors and material suppliers. Mike McKitrick, with whom Keith had an excellent working relationship joined a number of these meetings; the collaborative, communicative relationship, which Keith nurtured among Keith, Mike, Chris and me resulted in the finished product being exactly what Chris and I wanted. Indeed, better than what we could've imagined.

As a practicing lawyer for 46 years in the Bay Area I have always been a task maker and a stickler for details. Many have found me difficult. From start to finish the working relationship with Keith was smooth; he made the whole design and construction process easy. He guided us through the rigorous, extensive ARC Review process flawlessly without so much as a hiccup. He closely monitored and stayed involved in the construction phase from beginning to end. Mike McKitrick., a 25 year custom home builder, has told me that Keith is the best architect he's ever worked with.

During the course of the 15 month construction process Keith initiated a number of changes, all communicated and done orally with Mike, Chris and me. A very satisfying, no muss/no fuss process.

Keith finished it out by getting ARC approval for our taking occupancy of the home this past summer.

If you're looking for an able, experienced architect who will listen to and build you the home you want look to Keith Anderson. He's the best.

If you would like to talk with Chris or me about Keith or our professional working relationship with him, you're invited to give us a call.

Very truly yours,
Tim Davis & Chris Davis

"My wife, Becky and I had for over 25 years, planned on building an alpine compound, in an attempt to spend our “quieter years” in comfort and still attract our mobile children to spend time with us, and with their children.  As a C Level Exec in the mass merchant / building materials business, I have traveled the globe and found exciting products, which we felt could someday be brought together in a unique, quality end product.  But how to choose a style… and incorporate stone, repurposed wood, reclaimed beams, ethnic painting, wrought iron, and carving capabilities?

Once we found property in the high Sierras north of Tahoe, we took a full five years interviewing architects, designers, builders, and engineers, that we felt could combine all of our wishes and dreams. A principal member of one of Bozeman’s premier design groups impressed us immeasurably.  Keith Anderson, within minutes of starting our initial interview, impressed us with a style and a grasp for exactly what direction we wished to embark upon.

Historically motivated, in order to bring not only products to the table, we wanted a representation of our Family heritage.  And right away….  Keith just “got it”.  He understood our desire to build a dwelling that would stand for 300 years, one that would accommodate large and diverse “visiting parties”, and how to bring together a multitude of very special materials and off shore labor capabilities in a format that would honor codes and design specifications pertinent to our personal situation.  And we wanted it to look like it belonged to our family, perhaps in the Old Country, for hundreds of years.

Keith incorporated a cornucopia of styles, details, and images from what we refer to as “The Land of the Blue Eyes”, with roof lines from the Carpathians, gable details from Novgorod, shutters and pediments from Telemark, vertical accoutrements from Roros, and interior carvings and rosemal’ing from Norway and Mecklanburg.  And it all just fits….  structurally and esthetically.

We are approximately one third of the way through our finished project, and cannot wait to continue seeing what Keith Anderson has in-store for our dreams….."

~Paul Bertram

"Keith is a talented artist and architect. He has designed a beautiful western home for our family. I 100% recommend him for your project."

~Cleve Johnson, Big Sky Home and Developer

"We interviewed several firms before hiring Keith Anderson and KA Architecture to design our home at the Yellowstone Club in Montana. Keith brought added levels of creativity to the initial design process which others didn't. He is as much an artist as an architect, creating interiors and exteriors for our rustic mountain home (in round logs, reclaimed hewn, and stone) which were both functional and visually striking. His experience as an architect is wide ranging and he is well versed in historical references supporting his ideas. We'd also rate Keith and his firm highly on accessibility and being attentive to client needs/objectives......including the budget. "

"This past summer, our family decided to build a new Montana home on a larger scale and hired KA again based upon our prior experience. Look forward to breaking ground May '17."

~Ken Moffet, Yellowstone Club Home

"I would enthusiastically recommend Keith Anderson for any and all architectural needs in exclusive home design.  I have known Keith for many years, have viewed multiple projects that he had guided and directed and have continually been impressed as to how his hands on creative, yet practical, skill sets carry the day.  Keith takes ownership of every aspect, presents options, details the effects, then proceeds as if the answer was an obvious given.  Sophisticated results in architecture occur as a result of experience, bold suggestion and personal commitment to the completed result.  In Keith Anderson you can be assured of all the components necessary to produce a finished product to be proud of upon completion and for decades to come. 

We are fortunate to have some of the most accomplished architectural talents in the country here in our Rocky Mountain back yard.  Keith, uniquely, cuts through the hype and falls in love with the task.  I couldn't recommend him any more enthusiastically."

~W. R. Fieldstead, Builder/developer

"It is with pleasure that I write this reference for Keith Anderson. Our family has been working with Keith for a year and are now deep in the build out of our new home."

"The building process has been made much easier in that Keith is an architect and also an artist. He has consistently listened to our wishes and had much to add to our ideas.  His research is boundless and on target. He and our contractor work well together, kept on budget and have kept our project moving forward in a timely fashion."

~Sandra Moffet, Yellowstone Club Home

"My husband and I spent several years developing the concept for our home in Bozeman, Montana before we ever met with an architect.  We purchased the land about three years prior to meeting Keith Anderson, who would eventually become our architect.  We came to Keith with many very established ideas, plans and hopes for our home.  He came to us with the amazing ability to take all of those concepts and form them into our dream, filling in all the structure and detail that is obviously necessary to such a structure.  In all honesty, we worried about finding an architect who would be truly open to our ideas...Keith listened!  Working with Keith was fun, intriguing and rewarding.  After living in our home for just over two years, this dwelling never ceases to amaze us.  Keith captured the essence of what we desired in this home, and helped us to make it a true expression of who we are.  It is our dream home and we are so incredibly grateful for Keith and his remarkable talent."

~Kristen and Jon Robinson, Eagle Rock Home

 
 
"We worked with Keith Anderson of KA Architecture over the past year to design the mountain house of our dreams.  We had specific requirements for this project and our own unique tastes that we wanted incorporated into a house that we refer to as “mountain chic” (a blend of contemporary and classic mountain architecture).  As a geologist I had picked a lot with large granite outcrops and giant boulders.  Keith was able to position our house between the rocks, adjacent to the outcrops and created a design where every single room in the house has a spectacular view of the mountains.   He put a lot of thought into making our structure a part of the mountain rather than just merely
setting on it.  

We established a financial target for the house in terms of cost per square foot at the start. We knowingly took longer in the design phase than many clients but did this so that we could pick out specific finishes, cabinets, tile, exterior rock, appliances and lighting and plumbing fixtures prior to bidding out the construction.  Having done all that work in advance, Keith helped us to get bids from four different builders.  At the end of the day, we were able to get a fixed cost contract from our first choice of builder at the target cost.  Keith helped us in the negotiation process and worked with the builder on minor modifications necessary to stay within budget.  The contracting process was facilitated by the fact that our builder really loved the design of the house and wanted to be the one to build it.   We really appreciate the fact that rather than simply designing a house for us, Keith worked with
us to get our ideas transferred to paper in a professional manner so that they could be built.  He used his knowledge and expertise to help us avoid a lot of potential pitfalls along the way.  We are very excited with the house that is being built. "
 
~Jim and Libby McColgin

"I have known Keith Anderson since 2004. As part of Larry Pearson Design based in Bozeman, Keith took our project from concept to master plan and through the first development phase. Keith is distinguished from other talented architects in my opninion by 1) his exceptional ability to listen to and appreciate a client's vision, 2) the way he brings his artist's eye to the design and 3) his significant experience in commercial projects that informs him about both scale and materials in residential work, and 4) his scholorly knowledge of architecture. He is also a pleasure to work with. I have rehired him, KA Architects, to complete our master plan in Bozeman."

~Ken May, Cottonwood Canyon Home