The Silver Valley -- Kellogg, Pinehurst, Osburn, and the communities along Interstate 90 in Shoshone County -- has a distinct character in Northern Idaho. It's a historic mining region transitioning to a recreation and retirement economy, anchored by Silver Mountain ski resort. The housing stock reflects its history: many homes built in the 1950s through 1960s during the mining boom, with the construction standards and materials of that era.
The Housing Stock
Silver Valley homes from the 1950s through 1970s are candidates for renovation, but they require a realistic condition assessment. These homes often have undersized electrical service (60 or 100 amp, when 200 amp is needed today), aging galvanized plumbing at the end of its service life, single-pane windows with minimal insulation, and crawl spaces with compromised vapor barriers from years of moisture exposure.
A comprehensive gut renovation of a Silver Valley mining-era home typically requires addressing all of these systems before cosmetic work begins. Budget accordingly.
The Mountain Climate
Kellogg sits at approximately 1,600 feet elevation and receives 80 to 100 inches of snow per year. Snow loads on structures need to meet Idaho's higher-elevation requirements. Any structure addition or garage in the Silver Valley should be engineered for local snow loads.
The Silver Valley also has significant frost depth requirements. Footings need to be deeper than in lower-elevation areas of the Panhandle to avoid frost heave.
Permits in Shoshone County
Shoshone County building permits are issued by the county building department in Wallace. Processing times are similar to Benewah County -- 2 to 4 weeks for residential projects. For projects in incorporated areas (Kellogg city limits), the City of Kellogg has jurisdiction.
The Silver Mountain Effect
The presence of Silver Mountain ski resort has changed the Silver Valley renovation market. Vacation property buyers from Boise and out of state are purchasing older mining-era homes with renovation budgets that exceed what the local market historically supported. Vandenberg Construction has built full gut renovations in this category, taking 1960s structures and bringing them up to contemporary quality standards.
For Silver Valley construction and renovation inquiries, call (208) 582-8733.