Thinking About Your Prefab Green House Kit: Contractor Tips And Thoughts

We were hoping to head out to the prefab net zero energy green house kit this weekend, as we were snowed out last weekend... but check out the weather forecast, above.
I'm even hearing the words, "twelve to twenty inches" ominously, forebodingly whispered amongst colleagues when they speak about the upcoming weekend.

I am dying to see the interior walls that were built two weeks ago, yet there is still over a foot of snow on the land from LAST week!  Our carpenter, a Mennonite minister, is also leaving to move back to Haiti (where they lived for five years) to help their Haitian community in March, so I would really like to properly thank him in person before he goes... Danged this snow!

But good news: Ran the numbers last night - looks like our *own* prefab house kit we're building is still at around $100sf (actually less if it weren't for all the off grid stuff we're doing). Good to know you can be net zero off grid yet affordable!

Now we're in the final stages, and of course the systems will be very expensive to purchase and install, but you can see our own prefab zero energy green home tally here. Of course YOUR local material and labor costs and systems you choose will all be different. But this is what it's costing for us to build and complete the net zero off grid prefab house kit in rural Virginia as a net zero energy home, not tied to the grid.

But let's talk about you. A lot of you are in the process of permitting and getting ready to start foundation work. Here are some contractor tips I collected over the year to post during this long snowy week, information you might find helpful to think about when planning your own prefab green home.  Of course when you have the design documents and go over them with your contractor it will be easier to make your own choices for your own budget, but here are some "general contractor tips and things to think about."

I subscribe to the Good, Better, Best philosophy.

• Best would be if I could all hire an in-house team of my house kit SIPs specialists to erect and complete the house kit from start to finish, then certify it to LEED and passive and BREAM standards.
• Better would be where I choose a contractor with decades of SIPs experience to construct my house kit that was enthusiastic about off grid energy efficient homes.
• Good would be where I find a fantastic, reputable contractor willing to 1. educate themselves with the manufacturer's manuals, 2. attend workshops, and where I, as the consumer, 3. also educate myself on SIPs and green building technology to then feel confident I, with my contractor, was making the best choices I could for my budget. 

In our own net zero energy house kit construction, it is clear we are in the Good category as consumers of our own house kit... once the modern house kit was erected, you even see us change direction on the interior a bit...isn't that real life? We're adding built-ins to where there's designated closet space, expanding that area to accommodate off grid systems and our own funky, bookcase lovin' lifestyle.

Many people ask why I don't just ship out a completely completed prefab house kit. Here's WHY I'm offering the house kits the way we do: My mission is to offer energy efficient house kits that are gorgeous but also affordable... attainable green design.

By having you order your windows and doors locally (we send you a list along with the design documents), you can then order them at a more affordable price than if we had to add them to your house kit shipment (adding to the cost of the windows the cost to store them at the factory), increasing the truck load weight and number of trucks, increasing shipping, increasing risk of damage and increasing cost.  

By leaving the house kit unfinished, I give you control: you choose your systems, your finishes, your appliances to your individual needs.

• We CAN have the house kits finished more if you like, which we are working on with European clients. But it will cost a lot more; more than if you worked with a local contractor and supply store. But we certainly can include the windows, doors, framing in shipping containers.
• We do have contractor firms we recommend who WILL travel and complete the kit for you, and are familiar with SIPs and our house kits, but it will cost a lot more. Just ask, I will send you names.

Now on to Contractor / Construction Tips And Thoughts!

• ERV / HRV: Because of the energy efficient, tight structural insulated panels in the prefab green home, you will want to make sure you choose an appropriate heat / energy recovery ventilator that works for your area climate needs. We recommend two manufacturers and are happy to send you their contact information.
  
• Roof panels: Do you want chassis ways or will you use a surface-wired mold? If you like, you may tell the factory where you want to run a roof chassis.
• It's not just about the house kit: Are you keeping in consideration How To Keep Water Away From The Foundation?
• Another tip: Copper pipes and galvanized duct work: Do not let them come into contact! They will deteriorate, then leak!
• Framing: Your contractor will need to build anything that is not structural insulated panels. SIPs are the majority of the house kit, but there are areas (note along north and clerestory windows) that the engineer deemed it structurally better to have framed in. This is dependent on which house kit you choose. FOR THE CASA TI, here is what *our* contractor estimated:
  
  "Here is the estimated list of wood required to assemble the SIPs:
  
  Dim Length Qty
  2X6 8' 60
  2X6 10' 48
  2X6 12' 13
  2X6 14' 4
  2X6 16' 7
  2X8 8' 31
  2X8 10' 42
  2X8 12' 22
  
  
  
  
  
  Headers:
  
  5' 3 5/8 header 9 1/4 "
  16' 2 1/4 header 10 1/4 "
  3' 6 3/8 header 11 1/4 "
  3' 1 7/8 header 9" tall, design/measure on site
  2' 9 3/4 header 11 1/4"
  2' 9 5/8 header 11 1/4"
  2' 9 3/4 header 11 1/4"
  8' 8 1/4 header 2x6, wall thickness?
  8' 8 1/4 header 2x6, wall thickness?
  5' 9 header 2x6, wall thickness?
  2' 9 3/4 header 11 1/4"
  2' 9 5/8 header 11 1/4"
  2' 11 1/4 header 11 1/4"
  2' 6 3/4 header 9" tall, design/measure on site
  12' 3 header 2x6, design on site
  12' 3 header 2x6, design on site
  
  The following is not included in the above:
  
  - framing materials for interior load bearing wall/header
  - framing for panel H (row of small windows at transition of roofs)
  - framing for edge of parapet on north end of roof
  - framing between walls and roof
  
  
• Filing this under, "Things your contractor should know":
  Obviously, make sure your contractor carefully READS THE SIP MANUFACTURER'S MANUAL...
  Because there is a *lot* of useful, critical information in there that is imperative to the success of your project. We also have workshops and schools we can point them to, and the factory is always ready to answer questions.
  
  But even if they follow successfully the SIP instructions perfectly, even if they're the *best* contractor, ever, don't forget they might have aesthetic differences than your love of modern design, so here are just some easy things you can point out/gently remind them...
  
  
• Modern Design vs. Traditional Trim: The trim around the windows should be narrow- It should be “receiver trim” that catches the end of the cut siding.
  
  It's a very minimalist / modern look, not a traditional way of trim- not 3” wide but more ½ inch, flat, for corners and openings- see this as an example: http://www.daviddaydesign.net/horsepen.htm
  And this:
  
  
• MAKE SURE before you order cladding where everything is measured out individually by your contractor, despite what the plans say.
  
  Why? Because there are materials and decisions your engineer / contractor will make on site that might slightly change the dimensions- like adjusting the pitch of the roof or framing an overhang out more to accommodate the sun in your area.
• If you're building a casa ti and using a rubber membrane on the north roof, we randomly came across a graphic that explained the parapet and scupper concept really well! Don't say we're not geeks!
  
  Flashing ("scupper") in the passages through the parapet BEFORE the rubber membrane is installed:
  
• Cladding: Consider HardiePlank, cedar, galvalume (we can put you in touch with the manufacturer we used but make sure you also get a local quote), and I have one other solution that I will post more on in the next week... but cladding is totally up to you! Be creative!
  
• Roof: Consider using white paint to reduce heat reflection.  We discovered a great paint application that increases energy efficiency, more on that soon!
• The West Door: YES it is supposed to be painted black to line up with the window above it, I will do so as soon as I have time... : )

 

Prefab Green Home Systems Post #1 For A Net Zero Off Grid Modern House Kit!

In Virginia it is 22 degrees. Handsome Husband is off cavorting in Florida (Ok, fine, it's work, but *I'm* stuck with the chilluns, dawgs, chickens, fish, and feral cat!), so I will not be visiting the net zero off grid prefab green home this weekend as the logistics to do so alone are overwhelming.

So here come the net zero off grid prefab systems posts, guest written by Handsome Husband: Part One: Rain Water Systems.

**NOTE*: *OUR* systems choices are so minimal and bare bones, you will almost certainly want to consider the more robust packages our partners offer. But our focus as a family is to do as much as possible with as little as possible.**

"I will post our system choices for the casa ti prefab over the next few days. Every post will focus on a subject, beginning with how we plan on supplying the casa ti with water.

We will use rain water collection as the water source. In our area in central Virginia we receive sufficient annual precipitation to easily provide water for a 4 person house hold without having to dig a well. Rainwater collection begins with the choice of roofing materials. Asphalt shingles are not the material of choice as new shingles could leach petroleum products and contaminate the rain water - we chose a metal roof on the southern side of the house for this reason. The northern half of the roof is wrapped in a rubber membrane as a basis for the green roof (vegetation that is as everything seems to carry the term "green" these days). Rainwater from the vegetated roof area should not be used for potable uses but can be used for irrigation and other non potable needs.

We will use a WISY WFF 100 as the primary rainwater filter. This filter receives the rainwater from the downspouts, and separates debris from the water routed to the cistern. We will need to design the downspouts so that they all merge into this single filter. http://www.rainwatermanagement.com/product.php

Next comes the cistern. The first choice is between an above-ground cistern and one that is buried. We are considering going in between in that we would place the cistern in the root cellar. Root cellars are semi-buried structures that enjoy some of the same benefits as geothermal heating: In the winter the stay above freezing and in the summer they don't heat up as much as the ambient temperature. The same will be true for our water!

We plan on using a 1500 gallon polytank intended for freshwater storage (http://www.watertanks.com/products/0005-028.asp).

Now that we have collected, filtered and stored the water we need to pump it into the house. We will extract the best quality of water from the tank which is just below the surface using a floating inlet filter. This type of filter is connected to a floating ball and collects water 4 " below the water surface and comes with 8' of hose to connect to the pump http://www.rainwatermanagement.com/product.php.

Next we will install whole house sediment filter. Given the design of the inlet filter I don't expect this filter to collect much of anything but hey, these filters are relatively cheap and collect objects down to 1 micron. (http://www.purewaterforless.com/site/675488/product/PE-SPF-34)

There is some debate about the need for UV light as an additional purification method. We will have the water quality tested once the system is installed and will see, whether this will be necessary in our application. Until then we will bring bottled water and just cook/shower with water collected from the sky. As with any water system, it is important to have the water tested for water quality. Additional filtration may be necessary once the system is installed and tested. Any water system including wells should be tested at least annually to ensure the water quality remains at the highest level for human consumption.

That's it for this first systems post for the net zero SIPs passive solar prefab, casa ti! Our next post will describe our approach for heating the water (DHW)."

There you have it, straight from the Handsome Husband's mouth.
Now if only he'd only hurry home so I can take a break!
We will be visiting the prefab next weekend as we have a meeting with our Fabulous Contractor regarding our next steps for the net zero prefab green home.

 

Prefab House Interior Framing Complete, We Turn To Systems

We spent a lovely few days in the prefab house kit... the interior framing is done, and now I need to turn Handsome Husband over to guest blog, because I have zero interest in procedures of interior construction, I just want to move in.

The off grid prefab catches the breeze. We never would have camped here in the summer, but now, with shelter, we are comfortable even on hot Virginia days. That is not to say we're anything close to air conditioning; but remember, I always set the air conditioning to 82 degrees in our existing house regardless; each time I checked the temperatures in the prefab house kit it hovered between 75-80 degrees in the afternoon. And the breeze... we picked a great spot for the house kit- it sits on a high area, the wind sweeps up the road, funneled by the trees, right to the house kit, and sways gently through it.



I encourage you to go through our prefab house kit exploits in the photos above, the pictures have a lot of comments on them; I am a little tired from the weekend to write much more!
: )

Some of my favorite moments included visiting Mrs. Esh at her Amish store and running into our friend George there, wandering off to pick wildflowers, then returning to the prefab house to find Ron & Judy sitting at our picnic table... they had taken some time off from their weekend to stop by and it was great to see them.

If you recall, in order to finish the off grid prefab house kit we needed to get the framing done, then give Ron a systems list so that he can get quotes from the plumber and electrician, at which point we apply for a loan to finish off the remainder of the house.

Well, last night Handsome Husband finally sent Ron the systems list for the off grid, zero energy house:

Here is the list of systems we would like installed in the off grid modern house.

The casa ti shell you have erected for us provides a passive solar design with a highly-insulated building envelope.

We chose a concrete slab as the foundation to provide a thermal mass to store heat both from the solar radiation and hydronic heat delivered via solar hot water collectors.

In addition we want to power the systems and our extremely basic power needs exclusively via a photovoltaic system.

Our water supply will stem from rainwater collection, purified physically and by Ultraviolet light.

We will have a composting toilet (not mentioned below as it is already on site) with liquid waste running to a septic field that will also absorb the kitchen sink drain while the shower and vanity will drain as gray water to our orchard.

Here are the parts lists for the systems, I would like to meet with you as soon as convenient to go over this:

Solar Power:

Qty	Item	Price	Extended
4	Mitsubishi MF125 Module	$ 595.00	$ 2,380
1	CHARGE CONTROL: Xantrex C40DD	$ 146.00	$ 146
1	TriMetric Battery Meter C- 40R/50 Remote Digital Display with 50' cable	$ 115.00	$ 115
4	Trojan T-105 6V 225A Battery	$ 135.00	$ 540
1	INVERTER/CHARGER: Xantrex TR2424 24V 2400W 100A	$ 995.00	$ 995
1	I- TEMP plug in battery temp sensor	$ 29.00	$ 29
2	36" interconnect cable w/ fitts	$ 18	$ 36
2	10' 10ga combiner cable	$ 20	$ 40
1	Outback Combiner box	$ 125	$ 125
2	Outback 15 amp PSPV breaker	$ 12	$ 24
2	DC Lightning Arrestor P-31	$ 35	$ 70
2	AC Lightning Arrestor P-31	$ 35	$ 70
1	4/0 inverter cable set 10'	$ 140	$ 140
4	16" 2/0 battery interconnect	$ 12	$ 48
	solar power total		$ 4,758

Water:

Qty	Item	Price	Extended
2	Stiebel Eltron SBB 300 S 80g sgl exchg tank (heat)	$ 1,000.00	$2,000.00
1	Stiebel Eltron SB 150 S 40g sgl exchg tank (DHW)	$ 560.00	$ 560.00
2	Bosch AquaStar 1000P tankless propane this would be installed behind a mixing valve one for DHW and one for heat activates above 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm)	$ 350.00	$ 700.00
1	water pressure tank		$ -
2	2 zone, 3 loop ea. Manifold Mr. PEX 103B-50P - 3 Loop Radiant Heat Manifold Package (1/2" PEX) pexsupply.com	$ 174.95	$ 349.90
1	water supply pump		$ -
2	TACO 007 Ciculator for Zone Heating Circulation Performance Data Flow Range: 0-20 GPM Head Range: 0-11 Feet Minimum Fluid Temperature: 40º F (4º C) Maximum Fluid Temperature, Cast Iron: 240º F (115º C) Maximum Fluid Temperature, Bronze: 230º F (110º C) Maximum Working Pressure: 125 PSI Connection Sizes: 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” Flanged The Taco 007 Cartridge Circulator is designed for quiet operation in a wide range of applications. Available in cast iron or bronze construction with universal flange-to-flange dimensions. Unique, “00” family replaceable cartridge contains all of the moving parts so you can service it easily instead of replacing the entire unit. pexsupply.com	$ 72.95	$ 145.90
1	TACO 0011 Circulator for Solar Loop Circulation Performance Data Flow Range: 0-28 GPM Head Range: 0-30 Feet Minimum Fluid Temperature: 40º F (4º C) Maximum Fluid Temperature: 230º F (110º C) Maximum Working Pressure: 125 PSI Connection Sizes: 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” Flanged The Taco High Velocity Series 0011 Cartridge Circulator is specifically designed for high-head/medium-flow applications in large residential/light commercial closed-loop hydronic heating and chilled water cooling systems. Exclusive, anti condensate baffle (ACB) protects motor windings on chilled water jobs. Available in cast iron or bronze construction—Bronze can be used on open-loop systems. Unique, “00” family replaceable cartridge contains all of the moving parts so you can service it easily instead of replacing the entire unit. Universal flange-to-flange dimensions and orientation allow the 0011 to easily replace other models. pexsupply.com	$ 335.00	$ 335.00
	get remaining pieces: valves, thermostat, actuators
	water total		$4,090.80

Air Quality:

Qty	Item	Price	Extended
1	VHR 1404 Air Exchange Heat Recovery Ventilator (Fantech.net) 120V 1.4A (what is difference of SHR 1504 1.5A?)	$ 700	$ 700
5	remote light switches http://www.adhocelectronics.com/Products/Wireless-Lighting-Control	$ 150	$ 750
5	A-Ceiling Fan 24v http://www.backwoodssolar.com/catalog/fans.htm	$ 135	$ 675
2	A-Swivel Kit	$ 20	$ 40
	air quality total		$ 2,165

Rainwater Collection:

Qty	Item	Price	Extended
1	WFF 100 Vortex Filter with extension (2,000 sq.ft.)	$ 757.00	$ 757.00
1	Goulds 1/2 hp, 115 volt, Cistern pump, with: stainless steel base plate, 1 1/4" nozzle, 1 1/4" discharge, hose, floating filter	$ 899.00	$ 899.00
1	1,700 gallon below ground tank 133" length x 55" width x 66" height	$1,445.00	$1,445.00
1	Purification Kit including 1 x 8gpm UV light, 2 x 20" Big Blue Housings with 1" fitting, 2 x Brackets for Housing, 2 x Wrenches, 1 x 20 Micron String Wound Sediment Filter, Carbon Filter.	$1,475.00	$1,475.00
1	baffle above entrance and root cellar (see landscape drawings
1	root cellar and pump room per landscape drawings
1	downspouts on North matching scupper boxes and method to handle drainage
1	gutters on South, with downspouts routed across baffle at entrance to above ground cisterns
	rainwater total		$4,576.00

Miscellaneous:

Qty	Item	Price	Extended
5	remote light switch kit - simple http://www.adhocelectronics.com/Products/Wireless-Lighting-Control http://www.adhocelectronics.com/Products/Electricians-Builders-Contractors	$ 149.00	$ 745.00
	miscellaneous total		$ 745.00

Total Systems cost:

area	cost
solar power total	$ 4,758.00
water total	$ 4,090.80
air quality total	$ 2,165.00
rainwater total	$ 4,576.00
miscellaneous total	$ 745.00
grand total	$ 16,334.80

We have geared our own zero energy systems list not towards how MUCH we can do, but how little we can use to be comfortable, functional, but not in excess of power needs. Another house kit purchaser, depending on their needs and climate, might need larger systems, but I want to see how comfortable I can be with less... we shall see.

 

Off Grid Passive Solar SIP House Kit Construction, Day 2!

Our zero energy off grid modern house construction update from our wonderful contractor, Ron Bernaldo! Here he explains the progress and his thoughts, as a contractor who has not worked with structural insulated panels (SIP), or a house kit like our passive solar casa ti house kit.

"Eh, I would say it doesn't take a lot of technical expertise to put the panels together but there are quite a few steps involved, so it's not a speedy process.

We got the 44' wall done, and the one 16' wall done, and the first piece around the corner... it wasn't a wonderful day weather-wise, and I had to take care of some things on another job... but all-in-all we've got one guy filling in the framing, 2 setting panels, and the most experienced carpenter following us just framing in the doors & windows.

The factory rep checked in with us... and I had some questions that they walked me through.

I prefer screws to nails or staples, so I deviated from traditional instructions on that.

I put up a 44' wall today.
Normally we have braces all over the place, and there overnight.
I went up to that wall today, and we couldn't shake it.

It's a neat design, I'm really happy with it.

The panels go together EASY. But you do have to do things as you go along, and that's what slows you down.

One more solid day could get us all the way around the perimeter.
If I can get the perimeter done in 3 days, I might do this in 7 days. (That's my goal.)

One of those interior walls will need to go up first to set the roof panel... so that will slow the perimeter/exterior down.

The only thing I'm unhappy with is the amount of material that did not come with the kit. We need material for the clerestory, for the framing of interior, etc. - so I need to account for that.

But I am still considering in my mind the framing for the extending of the roof on one side... that will eat up time.

That's about it!"

Copeland's note: The house kit is *just* the SIPs and SIP parts, of which I had been clear. I will ask him tomorrow why or what he thought would else have been included- they do come with a window and door schedule, but we are very clear about our "bare bones" - which makes it affordable and flexible for the consumer, who could then make their own decisions according to their style and budget.

There is rain in the forecast, which will certainly slow them down... and I also rescheduled the cladding delivery (it was supposed to be delivered Friday) for next Friday (they only deliver on Fridays), because of the rain. Remember, in a rural lot, you do NOT want to get a truck full o' metal modern cladding stuck in the mud!

I am really looking forward to spending the first night with our children in this house, and sharing it with our friends and family. David Day Design did a beautiful job on an affordable, passive solar house kit for Green Modern Kits.

 

Our Modern Zero Energy SIPs House Kit Has Arrived!

Please welcome our handsome guest blogger, our fabulous contractor, OUR HERO!:
Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction!
Here is his account of our SIPs modern house kit arrival!

"The truck is 70 feet long.
I did not anticipate that.
The biggest issue was getting it in the driveway - this is a rural property and it took them over an HOUR to make that turn.
We took out the driveway posts, and fortunately there were no large trees that we had to cut down in order to get the truck onto the site.

You don't want a large staff the first day - we used three: myself and two Amish.

The last pictures show everything is staged- they just came bundled, not sorted, so we had to sort everything out (another reason you don't want a lot of people on hand the first day because people might stand around while you're organizing).

We stacked in reverse order so the top is the so when you bring your bigger crew in, it's all ready.

They don't weigh much, but I would have preferred to have a forklift with the forks further apart, and longer. (Because the packages are so big.)

Tomorrow we will not work as there is an Amish wedding.

We're going to start on that long wall, and work our way around, clockwise.

The weather forecast does not look great for the later part of the week.

So we will be keeping an eye on it, because if the cladding arrives Friday we certainly do not want a truck full o' metal being towed out out of the mud at our expense."

Thank you Ron! Finding a *super* contractor who is passionate about efficiency saves YOU money. We are *very* grateful to Ron Bernaldo, and Giant Oaks Construction, in making this project such a success.

 

SIPs Modern House Kit Construction Continues: Smooth Sailing With A Great Contractor!

You know your contractor is awesome when the entire day sails by and suddenly, you stop and realize, "OH MY GOSH We poured the foundation today!" Choosing a great contractor for your modern house kit makes all the difference between SMOOTH SAILIN' and STORMY SEAS! (Ok, forgive my analogy, I'm a pirate! I can't help the comparisons!)

Any-hoo, *That's* how much I trust and am confident in our fabulous contractor, Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction.

Here's his account:

"At 5 a.m. The crew showed up.
The plumber had pressurized the radiant heat tubing yesterday and I checked on that and the gauges, it all looked good.
The first truck arrived at 6, and they came one after the other, we never had to sit around, but worked continuously.

I felt like there would be enough cement, so I called the factory to put the last truckload order on hold. It *was* enough, and I was able to save you the cost of that truckload- $1,000.

(Copeland's note, yes, at this point I kissed him!)

...And by 8 a.m. the trucks had left."

(Here's a picture of Ron and his wonderful wife dining with us on the land at our picnic table last year, he's looking over the casa ti elevations in this photo.)

I asked Ron if he had any advice for working with a contractor.

RON'S CONTRACTOR TIPS FOR WORKING WITH A HOUSE KIT:

• He recommends working with a contractor that has a variety of experience, not just residential, as commercial / light industrial skills also come in handy with modern SIPs homes
  
• He enjoys the fact that when constructing a house kit (vs. a developer with modern house plans) you have a LOT more contact and decisions with the home owners, so make sure the contractor you hire is interested in your journey, and enthusiastic about SIPs, your questions, and your education as a home owner building their dream
  
• And in that regard, if you feel like there are ANY reservations in ANY of the people involved: the wife, the husband, the contractor: Don't do it!
  
  Without a successful team your house kit journey is much more difficult. You must deal with and enjoy dealing with other people.
  (Copeland's note: Our interaction with Ron underscored the many, many decisions we all had to sit down and make together, and the education we had to go through with Ron as we, like most of you, are not architects but home buyers.)
• He also emphasized contractor's experience. In his opinion many younger contractors don't yet understand the importance of promptly returning phone calls, showing up (and your crew!) to the job site on time, coordinating the flow of trucks and people and materials so that it is seamless... which then saves YOU time and money.
  
  Now I know I'm going to get flack for this ; ) ... but in Ron's opinion he thinks a contractor needs fifteen years of experience to have the depth of conducting all these pieces (cement trucks, crew, SIPs delivery, cladding...) together into a final symphony!
  
• And don't forget the subcontractors! Ron says he has never been happier with the people with whom he's working on these projects.

Anyway, we will post more pictures and videos this weekend... in the meantime, please cross your fingers that the bears won't walk on the foundation tonight!

(Although that *would* be kinda cool, no? Immortal bear tracks across an otherwise smooth-as-glass surface?)

 

Craft... and Crafty. Affordable house kit find- natural, reused, recycled wood.

From the second David Day's fabulous casa ti house kit design was laid before me, I have dreamed, imagined myself in my future home. Which bedroom will be whose? Where will the dining table go? How to furnish it?
(Luckily, for myself, an avid thrift-er, I have kept an eye out for good finds and amassed a basement full o' furniture over the years with which to trick out our prefab-ulous house. Here's an example of just a few o' the things I've collected & reused over the years!)

I have imagined all sorts o' frugal, crafty solutions for the interior wall. See, drywall just doesn't "do it" fer me; I like natural, I like patina, and, even the green alternatives for drywall were a little too smooth for me. (Watch out, there's Bryan Adams in them thar link!)

So when a friend on twitter messaged me that a historic college, Virginia Military Institute, had torn up it's maple basketball floorboards and was auctioning them on GovDeals.com, I *jumped.*

Let's just say... those salty builders bidding against each other had no chance. In the last 12 seconds, I swooped in and stormed off with over 5,000 square feet o' solid maple history.

So our casa ti interior will now be lined with beautiful, durable, historic maple boards, reflecting my passion for history yet maintaining a natural, modern design.

Now lissen here, you crafty VMI alumni or lovers of reuse: I am not going to need 5,000 square feet o' boards. Certainly I can find ways to use it all, but if anyone is interested in adoring the history and natural beauty of this maple in their own home, direct message me. : )

 

As this week has been one discussing finance, thought I'd share an insider's explanation.

As this week has been one discussing finance, thought I'd share an insider's explanation of our current national loan crisis.

This was sent to me by a close friend, and no, I'm not gonna tell ya any clues about who wrote it, I will only say: they are seriously on the inside and this is their take on why and how this disaster came about.

Now what you need to do is... page through it on the lower left of the screen. Actually do please take the time to read it, overcome your "oh there's stick figures and I get the joke that the industry is bad so I can leave this now." Because, really, even in the joking scenario, there is a lot of truth.
Sad.
http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true

Here is another article I ask you to read (sorry, did I mention that when you sign up you get homework? ; ) ): Why hasn't the mortgage meltdown burned these lenders? http://tinyurl.com/4jtguv

 

Toot the horn! New Loan!

Toot the Horn! Big News!
Hey, y'all! We just got another, better loan!

My off grid prefabulous house kit is saved! (Honestly, it was never in danger and you know I don't want a big ole loan anyway; I just was in shock that we'd have to go from threadbare to... Every. Dollar. Counts.)

We had originally decided to take out an equity line of credit over a construction loan because of the green building elements we aim to do. I mean, this is Virginia, the state that does not give tax credits for solar. Do I honestly expect my local banks to understand rainwater collection systems, much less composting toilets? Er, nope.

We had used Colonial Farm Credit to purchase our land, and when, on Monday, USAA reduced our loan, decided to approach them for options. Well, thanks to our good credit, we were able to get another loan.
Lemme tell you a little about Colonial Farm Credit. When we purchased our land, we paid our usual mortgage check to them, la la la, not thinking anything about it... Then, in January, we got a letter.

Colonial Farm Credit is not a bank, but a co-operative, part of the Farm Credit System which was founded in 1916.

"Our cooperative structure means that a portion of the profits generated from our lending activity is returned to our borrowers in the form of patronage refunds. These patronage refunds are based on the proportion of interest earned on an individual loan. This significantly reduces the cost of borrowing for our customers."

As a member, you pay above-market interest rates (currently 7.5%). At the end of the year, they disburse the profit.
And what do you know, but attached to that letter was...
A check for $1,400!!!
And the next year? More!
How can you not love a co-operative that benefits the people?!?

From their website:

"Patronage Program
"We put our profits in YOUR pockets!"

As a Farm Credit borrower, you become a member of a cooperative - a business that is owned and controlled by the people using their services. As a cooperative, we can return the profits of our successful operations to our members - the owners - in the form of a patronage refund. This year we are returning over $6.9 million to our customers!

These dividends are based on the amount of business that you do with the cooperative and can significantly reduce your cost of borrowing money.

At the end of each fiscal year, Farm Credit determines its income and expenses. Income remaining after all expenses are deducted (net income) can then be distributed to members in accordance with the bylaws of the company.

Your board can elect to; retain all of the net income to strengthen our capital position, or distribute some or all of our net income by declaring a patronage refund."

Oh Colonial Farm Credit, I love you.

 

*Sigh*: Despite Stellar Credit, Loan Reduced.

Guess we're paying for all the people that made irresponsible loans possible.

USAA just called to say that because of the housing market they're reducing our home equity line by 20k. We now have to build the casa ti with 20k less. And even then it was on a shoestring.

What that means is that we will have a shell.

Unlike some other prototypes, nothing has been donated on this project.

Secretly, I'm excited: Bring it ON. See how far we can go with what we have, and make it wonderful.

(As I mentioned in an earlier post, anyone that wants glossy can just head on over to XYZ Mags, 'K?)

 

Prefab Green Building House Kit: The Budget, Part 2.

You may be watching my estimated zero energy SIP house kit figures turn slowly into reality here.
(Whoa there, boyz, watch out for Liza Minnelli in that post!)

We aim to slowly turn 55 acres of abandoned 1800s farmland into healthy woods (through crop tree release), improve poor soil to become happier fields (with no-till improvement and planting warm season grasses for better wildlife quail habitat seasonally), and, once we sell our city house, use those proceeds to pay off our investment (if it has not yet been paid off by then), and put the rest towards retirement. This takes years of careful, frugal planning.

Don't you dare call it a weekend home. Oooooooooooh, No. It's a homestead in progress.
It's our "in a few years live totally debt free and off grid permanently plan."
Honeychile, I got tired of watching my money market do zip and instead bought land.
I am using that money to improve my investment slowly while playing in the field, picking blackberries with my chilluns as we walk along the trails, to enable us to live "paid for" and self sustaining as soon as possible.
Can you do that with your money market fund?
"Hey kids! Let's go roll in the empty bank vault!"
Will your bank vault grow food for your family?

Any-hoo, while we ready ourselves for the day our prefab house kit is built (Sept. 22nd it begins! Woo!), I have thrown every bonus and spare change towards purchasing pieces we would need for the construction so that we would not have to utilize a large amount of debt to achieve this dream. Ironically it has made us even more "poor" since that money did not enter our household; but oh so "rich" where we make so much with nothing. : )

Anyway, to make a long story short...
We're cheap.
I'm cheap, frugal, thrifty and terribly adverse to extravagance.
And this project, albeit a dream home/farm, started to sound too, er, a little too Dw-Er, Designer-y dare I say?

My mission is cheap, practical, thrifty, save-till-it-hurts but not bleed-ya-till-you're-dry gorgeous, green, but affordable housing.

So, after a weekend of sailing and pirating on the Bay (which is where our heads clear and we think the best), we firmly resolved we are not going to try to be all Ooo-la-la (really, how Ooh-y can you be with thrift store? How frickin' practical is *fancy* on a farm?).

We are going to restrict our budget further.

Maybe that's an even better story for fiscal conservativism:
Thrifty but not Threatening.

'Cause... we're crafty.
We want to achieve our dream but not kill our finances.

NO frivolous spending! Look to the long term!

I've amassed quite the thrift collection over the years that will easily fill the casa ti. But if you're expecting a showroom instead of a warm family home... well... I can certainly point you easily to other, more glossy venues.
; )

We hope to post our revised estimates & costs this week... stay tuned!

 

The Greening of Camouflage Netting

Oh, yes.
A year ago, we were discussing how to enhance our casa ti's passive solar functionality during the summer to help keep the sunbeams from heating up the house. Our green Virginia architect, David Day, suggested a seasonal canopy. He and his wife used camouflage netting on their own porch: it billowed gently in the wind, yet, with the holes throughout, let in little beams of light here and there while still providing shade. The effect was fabulous: The light colors (white and a light, light blue) interspersed in the netting combined with bits of sunbeam made you feel like you were in an organic, moving, magical woods.

But there was just one drawback: Cammo is made of polyurethane. And I don't care what their industry sez: It just don't feel right.

I giggle as I begin my quest and type into the search bar: organic camouflage netting.
I bet that's one Google doesn't see often! ; )

A result pops up: "Natural, Organic products 8x10 Pro Series Ultra-lite Camouflage"
What? This can't be real.
It wasn't.

But I did find EcoVeil!

"EcoVeil™ is a non-PVC screen cloth, with healthful properties. Constructed in the same manner as ThermoVeil®, a core of TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) fiber filaments with a TPO coating, EcoVeil™ has similar characteristics to ThermoVeil®, plus the added benefit of being very environmentally friendly.

• The first "Cradle to Cradle™" shade cloth
• Is more than PVC free
• Can be reclaimed and recycled
• Is durable and washable
• Is anti-microbial
• Is flame retardant
• Optimized and under continuous improvement by MBDC, a product and process design firm founded by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart
• Selected by Environmental Building News as one of the Top-10 Green Building Products of 2004"

Although I wish I could find something with the more interesting texture/color properties of the aforementioned camouflage, I feel better about choosing the EcoVeil.

Can't wait to seek shelter under the shade in my very own casa ti!
I picture slow afternoons, lazily sprawled in a comfortable chair, just lookin' at the view.
...With a frosty mint julep in my hand. ; )