Adobe Home Building in Santa Fe: Traditional Character, Modern Performance

What Is Adobe Home Building?

Adobe construction has been used in the Southwest for hundreds of years. Traditionally, adobe homes were built using mud bricks made from earth, water, and organic materials, resulting in thick walls, soft edges, and a distinctive massing that performs well in the desert climate.

Today in Santa Fe, adobe homes generally fall into two categories:

• True adobe construction using traditional adobe masonry
• Adobe-style (Pueblo Revival) homes using modern framing with thicker walls to achieve the same look and feel

True Adobe vs. Adobe-Style Construction

True Adobe Homes

True adobe homes use traditional adobe blocks and construction techniques. In Santa Fe, this approach is most often used in historic areas — particularly near downtown — where maintaining material authenticity is important.

When remodeling or adding onto an existing adobe home in a historic area, it’s often appropriate (and sometimes required) to use true adobe so the addition feels consistent with the original structure.

Adobe-Style (Pueblo Revival) Homes

Most modern adobe homes today are built using stick-frame construction with thicker walls — often 12–16 inches instead of standard 6–8 inches — to recreate the mass, proportions, and appearance of traditional adobe.

This approach allows homeowners to achieve the classic Santa Fe adobe look while meeting modern structural, energy, and building-code requirements.

Why Adobe-Style Construction Is Common in New Homes

Building large luxury homes using true adobe can become extremely expensive and restrictive. Adobe-style construction offers flexibility, efficiency, and options that are difficult to achieve with traditional adobe alone.

Cost and Design Flexibility

Using modern framing methods allows for larger spans, more design freedom, and better integration of modern systems — without sacrificing the aesthetic that defines Santa Fe architecture.

Modern Energy Codes and Performance

Today’s building codes and green building standards are far more advanced than in the past. Modern insulation systems, wall assemblies, and high-performance windows allow adobe-style homes to achieve energy efficiency that rivals — and often exceeds — traditional adobe performance.

Adobe Homes: Remodels, Additions, and Restorations

Adobe homes are especially common in Santa Fe remodels. Many older homes — particularly those near downtown and in historic neighborhoods — were built with materials and systems that no longer maximize the potential of their location or views.

Remodeling an adobe home often involves:

• Preserving original adobe character and proportions
• Upgrading insulation, windows, and mechanical systems
• Improving layout and flow while respecting the original structure
• Adding onto the home using materials that feel cohesive and intentional

Modern Living in Traditional Adobe Homes

Many homes built in the 1970s and 1980s were designed around passive solar principles — often facing south for winter heat but missing opportunities to capture incredible west-facing views.

Today’s materials, window technologies, and HVAC systems allow homeowners to:

• Add large windows and doors without sacrificing energy efficiency
• Re-orient spaces to capture mountain and sunset views
• Upgrade heating and cooling systems for modern comfort
• Transform older adobe-style homes into highly livable, efficient residences

Why Adobe Remodels and Rebuilds Are in High Demand

Santa Fe is geographically limited. Growth is constrained by mountains, protected lands, and surrounding pueblos — which means buildable land is increasingly scarce.

As a result, demand is shifting toward:

• Remodeling older homes on exceptional lots
• Gutting and reimagining 30–50 year old properties
• Preserving adobe character while upgrading performance and livability

Adobe homes — whether true adobe or adobe-style — sit at the center of this shift.

The Zachary & Sons Approach to Adobe Home Building

At Zachary & Sons, adobe home building is not just about style — it’s about understanding history, materials, performance, and how to bring everything together cohesively.

We have experience with:

• True adobe remodels and historically sensitive additions
• Adobe-style luxury new homes
• Integrating modern systems into traditional forms
• Balancing authenticity, performance, and long-term durability

Learn more about how we approach design and construction on our process page.

Related Resources

• Santa Fe, NM Remodels — How historic and high-quality remodels are approached in Santa Fe.
• Cost to Build a Home in Santa Fe, NM — A realistic look at the factors that shape custom home budgets.
• Portfolio — Explore adobe and adobe-style homes we’ve built and remodeled.

Planning an Adobe Home in Santa Fe?

Whether you’re considering a true adobe remodel, an adobe-style new home, or an addition that needs to feel seamless and authentic, the right planning conversation makes all the difference.

Contact Zachary & Sons Custom Homes to talk through your adobe home goals.

FAQ: Adobe Home Building

Are adobe homes still built with true adobe today?

Yes — but most often in historic areas or when adding onto existing adobe structures. Many new homes use adobe-style construction for flexibility and performance.

What’s the difference between adobe-style and true adobe?

True adobe uses traditional adobe masonry. Adobe-style homes use modern framing with thicker walls to achieve the same visual character.

Are adobe-style homes energy efficient?

Yes. Modern wall assemblies, insulation, windows, and mechanical systems allow adobe-style homes to meet or exceed today’s energy-efficiency standards.

Is adobe home remodeling more complex than other remodels?

It can be. Adobe remodels require experience with historic materials, structural integration, and maintaining cohesive aesthetics — which is why choosing the right builder matters.