Ever since she was a child, acupuncturist Emily Boschert Cooper dreamed of moving to Maine. She’d visited regularly since she was 19, and in March 2023, as a single business owner living in Washington, D.C., she grew tired of waiting for the "right time" and decided to take the plunge.

She bought land in Bass Harbor, a village on the southeastern tip of Mount Desert Island, and set out to build an energy-efficient home. At the time, she had prior experience in renovating homes and program management, and she had spent a couple years studying high-performance construction, although she didn’t anticipate acting as her own general contractor. Then three local builders rejected her bid due to lack of interest in (and knowledge of) passive house design, and the one who was willing to work on the job only had enough time to provide carpentry labor. Undeterred, Emily took the lead on the project and brought it to completion.

“One of the most important things I learned from my first home build in Maine, which definitely changed the way I navigated my second build, is that it will all be okay,” she says. “It can be repaired; it can be redone; it can be ripped out and put back together again.”

After realizing the upkeep on this first house was a bit more expensive than she could comfortably handle, she began looking for a new plot to create a more affordable house where she could collocate her practice.

An ugly duckling listing just up the road didn’t catch her eye at first, but when she finally visited in August 2024, its harbor views, conifer-scented air, osprey and bald eagles overhead, and quiet peace awed her. She sold her previous home and again took on the role of general contractor to build a high-performance house and studio that would be more thoughtful, more efficient, and more affordable than her last. Here, she shares how she created the perfect live/work residence—with a team that empowered her—over a single, snowy winter.

Getting It Right

Emily: My focus was to build a strong home that would last and remain healthy over the course of lifetimes. The first home I purchased and renovated years ago [outside of Maine] was built with toxic materials that can make inhabitants sick, and in a way that eventually led to moisture issues that developed into mold. Not only does this destroy a home, which is a very expensive investment, but it can also destroy a person’s health. Here, I did not compromise on the integrity and quality of materials.

Essentially, this home falls into the “high performance” category; the build prioritizes an energy-efficient, comfortable home with an envelope designed with materials that keep it dry and airtight while breathable. Beyond that, I was also very focused on making sure that this house was built with joy, and with love. It was especially important to create a space that felt peaceful—and that my acupuncture studio, which is a healing space, was separate.

Building a Team

It was not my original plan to be my own general contractor, but I was struggling to find one. Master carpenter Tom Sargent was excited for the challenge, but his schedule was already too full. As audacious as it was, I proposed to act as the GC—he would just be responsible for providing physical labor and his expertise as a carpenter to get the house weathertight. Amazingly, he said yes.

Being a general contractor is like being a choreographer. You’re designing a dance, hopefully, to the most beautiful music. Meanwhile, I am actually still learning how to dance myself! I studied a lot. Corey Murphy, of 475 Building Supply in New York, relentlessly, patiently, answered all my questions about high-performance products. I did most of the physical labor on my own with the help of Zana Blomquist, a local bartender who I met at a workshop with local artist Judi Taylor.

As a newcomer to this community in Maine, I was aware that my subcontractors made the choice to trust me. Some of them have known each other for their entire lives, and they work for each other as much as they are working for me. The hands that put this house together, that touched this home, were happy hands. And I believe that energy translates into the building.

Refining the Layout

I didn’t want to cut into the existing trees, so the house took on this interesting tributary shape. The heart of the house has the kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom, and one bathroom, and then there’s a breezeway with an insulated wing over to the primary suite. A covered walkway leads over to my studio, which is completely separated from the house. I wanted there to be a division of space and energy, for my patients’ sake.

Feeling Like Home

On the interior, I did my best to blend traditional Maine vernacular with an organic modernity. I have floor-to-ceiling windows, but they are double hung, with traditional two-over-two grids. I used finish-grade plywood, which reminds me of camp, but the house is so comfortable. I can heat it, easily, with just a woodstove (although I do have radiant floor heating) and there are no cold pockets. Most importantly, it feels calm and safe. I love that I can smell and hear the sea and see the water reflecting the sun through the trees.

Living in the city can feel lonely, but here, I’m not alone. This island has an amazing community of people who are very connected to each other and to the place where they live.

More Construction Diary stories:

How Japanese Minka Homes Inspired a Designer’s Coastal Cabin in Maine

They Lived in a Yurt for Six Years as They DIYed Their $708K Home

A Designer Builds Her First House for $659K—on a Fully Forested Hillside

Project Credits:

General Contractor/Builder: Emily Boschert Cooper

Master Carpenter: Tom Sargent, Sargent Custom Building and Remodeling

Carpentry: Zana Blomquiest

Landscape Architect: Emily Boschert Cooper and Danny Dunbar, Dunbar & Sons Excavation

Site Work: Dunbar & Sons Excavation

Design & Drafting: Glenda Sylvester, Viking Lumber

High-Performance Building Products: 475 High Performance Building Supply / @475.supply

Tree Work: Ben Stein, Bold Coast Climbers

Concrete Slab: Howdy Goodwin, John Goodwin, Inc

Polished concrete:Jon Meade Design

Broker: Kristi Jacoby of Sotheby’s International Realty / @legacysir

Siding: McKinley Erbes, S&S Exteriors / @ssexteriors

Plumbing: John Harkins Plumbing

Electrician: Jason Young

Well: John Gilbert Well Drilling

Woodstove: North Winds Stoves & Fireplace

Roofing: Joseph Martinez Metal Roofing

Correction on 5/21/26: This story originally inaccurately stated when the homeowner first went to Maine.

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Construction Diary: She Built Her Maine Home From Scratch as a Novice General Contractor