Mountain country, north on Route 16
Route 16 runs north from Ossipee, past Chocorua, into Conway, then on through Glen to Jackson. Madison sits just east of the highway between the lakes and the mountains. The Saco River ties most of the valley together, with the Swift and the Ellis coming in along the way.
Four towns in the valley
Each has its own page. The short version:
- Conway: North Conway, Conway village, Center Conway, Redstone and Kearsarge, in the town that gave Conway granite its name
- Jackson: a high village on the Ellis River with its red covered bridge and long winters
- Bartlett: Bartlett village, Glen, Intervale and Lower Bartlett, along the Saco with Attitash in town
- Madison: Silver Lake, Eidelweiss and the Madison Boulder, where the Lakes Region meets the valley
Building stone for mountain winters
Valley winters are long and snowy. Roof snow drops at the base of the walls, plow banks lean on foundations, and road salt gets thrown against anything near a driveway. Natural stone handles cold well. The trouble is always water sitting at the bottom of the wall or trapped behind it.
So veneer here gets set up off the ground, flashed above decks, doors and windows, and built with a way for water to drain out. Inside, fireplace surrounds and hearth walls are a natural fit for a ski country house.
Granite or fieldstone
Cut granite veneer has squarer pieces and straighter lines, and suits newer houses and anything with a more formal front. Round New Hampshire fieldstone suits older homes, camps and deck columns. Kevin works with both and will tell you which fits the house.
Getting a valley job started
Kevin is based in Ossipee, so valley jobs usually start with photos. Text the wall, the fireplace or the deck to (603) 581-5350 with your town and a rough size. If the house is a second home and you are not up every weekend, photos from your last visit are a fine place to begin.
Other work in the valley
Walls, steps, walkways, patios and painting are part of the work in Conway, Jackson, Bartlett and Madison as well.
