Last Look At Prefab Zero Energy House Kit Before Framing

I headed for the hills mid-week to take a last look at the prefab house kit before interior framing begins. I admit I fear I might miss the look of the structural insulated panels (SIP)! You might have seen in the previous post my aunt left the particle board "as is" in her own gorgeous home (3rd video down in the post), and I find it appealing.

If we hadn't already found the gorgeous, recycled VMI floorboards to reuse in our interior, along with other recycled finds, I would be seriously considering just painting the SIPs on the inside and calling it a day.



Here's a video of a last walk through the wide open / no interior SIPs prefab house kit:
(I'm sure it will take awhile to download, I tend to go on and on a bit...



Once interior walls are built, the off grid energy efficient systems will be installed: solar energy and heat, rainwater collection and filtration, and more. I guess I will no longer say I'll be "camping" in the house kit... : )
Instead, we'll simply be off grid, zero energy, prefab-ulously done.

 

Wha? Oh, Back To The Prefab Zero Energy Off Grid House Kit Built With SIPs!

Well, it has been a crazy few weeks. We got my sister married off (and her husband's family is from Seattle so they came in early to spend time with their Virginia family here so it was not just a weekend but a nice time over awhile of the families coming together)... then I went to New York on business for about a week... (really, it was no fun *at all* ; ) ) Memorial Day Weekend appeared out o' nowhere, but finally, we were able to meet with Ron, our wonderful contractor, this weekend to plan the next phase of the prefab house kit: The Inside.

• To finish the house, we need financing. The financing we did earlier was to refinance our current home loan because interest rates dropped so much. Now we need to consolidate the *land* loan and finish construction. We're increasing the *land* loan by the amount we need to finish construction since a traditional construction loan in Virginia does not understand or value green building or off grid construction / systems. Once construction is complete and we have a certificate of occupancy, we have been told by mortgage lender of our first house that they will consider refinancing the land *and* house. Because co-op interest rates are higher, Handsome Husband projects that once we have a traditional first mortgage, the monthly expenses will remain the same after the construction is financed. So we will be paying about the same, to do more, after having finished the project!
  
• To get financing, we need to have a quote from our Fabulous Contractor, Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction.
• To get a quote from Ron, our Fabulous Contractor, my Handsome Husband needs to give Ron details, a list of systems (down to the model number) so that the electrician / plumber can give us an accurate estimate.
• To get an estimate, we need to have the interior framing done.
• To have the interior framing done, we have to give Ron the customized floor plan. (Yes, people, these house kits are made so you can work with your contractor to make 'em as you want! We didn't change much, just added more room for systems and a nook & cranny for a bookcase...)
  

If ONLY the rest of the personal decisions we make as a family were as easy as it was erecting the actual house kit! So yesterday Ron was given the floor plan, a list of systems is on its way, and he starts the interior framing next Tuesday.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy pictures from this weekend's off grid prefab-ulous adventure at the end of this long and boring post.

We had some dear friends out, and it was amazing how *comfortable* the house kit was in the heat. Before, we rarely camped this time of year because the sun beating down on our little 1960's Scotty camper in the field was unbearable. In the house kit, it was breezy, comfortable, filled with natural light yet soothing and cool inside. In the winter, the dogs snuck into our beds; now they flopped, lazily collapsed on the concrete.

When I awoke last night to an unexpected thunderstorm, snuggled in my bed as it rolled, rumbling, in, I reflected how our visit in previous years would have ended first thing in the morning, packing up miserable muddy wet dogs and children in the rain. Instead, we contentedly listened to the rainfall as the children played together indoors while the adults slowly woke with steaming strong coffee.

In the house kit, the light was diffused and off the cement, not the sharp slants of light directly on the concrete as it is in winter. That was the first thing I noticed- that yes, the sun was not warming the floor but had moved higher in the sky, and thus prevented by the overhangs to heat. We opened the windows and let in a wonderful crossbreeze. The difference between lounging comfortably in the house kit to walking into the open field under the unsympathetic sun was palpatable- we all remarked on it.

Another thing I noticed was... how grateful I am I chose polished concrete. SO easy to sweep and keep clean. We also have recycled pallets at the doors which have been extremely useful to curtail the dirt- it looks coolio industrial, is recycled, and provides a great function.

We installed the screens, so we don't have to worry about uninvited animals/insects during the night entering from the open windows, and Handsome Husband and Mr. H stopped by the recycling center and plucked a nice tire to create a tire swing for the kids! We hung it off the old oak that shelters the picnic bench. Which, by the way, I picked up a *second* picnic bench for $5 at a yard sale so we can connect them end-to-end and have a fabulous banquet table for lots of guests.

And speaking of guests... we will have an open house in September!

More on this later, but if you would like to tour our prefab off grid zero energy house kit, there is a wonderful bike tour going on in the area on the weekend of September 26th. Bike Heartland is a fun bike tour that goes all weekend long through a gorgeous, historic area of Virginia. I am working with some local farms to have other activities like tours of natural, community supported farms, a winery that will be open for you to enjoy, and more, so pack yer tent and come on down! For more on accommodations, see here (camping at the Heartland Bike Tour), here (Charlotte Courthouse), here (Appomattox), and here (Farmville); and also be sure to visit Miss Emily's, where Necia and her husband will show you great English hospitality. (And boy does she know how to cook.)

So, next, we begin the interior framing. We install systems. We survive children out of school for the summer. ; ) AND some big family reunions scheduled... so June coverage might be a little spotty.

Even after the house is done, we continue crop tree release and increasing function-yet-preservation of the land, so that in a few short years we can be there sustainably full time.

P.s. This north middle window that will eventually be my daughter's room? The children discovered how to open it and then jumped from the sand pile into the house kit, in and out, in and out, in and out... hence my thankfulness on choosing the polished concrete, *again.* There must have been twenty times a day I was grateful for the concrete. Ah the spills. Oh the mud. Gee the sand. And the polished concrete took it, and looked gorgeous.

 

Prefab House Kit News: A Mad Dash Through May...

It's been quiet on the green building / house kit front here, as we have been dashing about getting ready for Sister's wedding this weekend. It has been raining for days, in torrents, and the wedding is supposed to take place outdoors, in my parents' Gillette garden (officially the smallest Charles Gillette garden, I believe!). Theoretically, it is supposed to be one of those spring garden weddings that people remember fondly- the bride's parents 1801 home, the lush spring garden, the "at home" easy grace Virginians love.

I predict hailstones and tornadoes, with the Bridge Ladies standing off to the side under the flapping tent, my family's own Greek Chorus.

So keep your fingers crossed...
And if we get through it, I am scheduled to then fly off to Manhattan, where I commence covering modern design and furniture at ICFF.

When I return, it's back to the zero energy house kit... and the interior walls begin!

In the meantime, here is some nice new press on Green Modern Kits from R-Home! They were kind enough to include us in their "Hot List!" (Why do I still feel like sech a dork then?)

Click to enlarge / read the text:

 

Modern House Kit Update- Architect David Day & Family Visit The casa ti!

We were SO excited for David Day and his family to visit! As you may know, the green building architect David Day is the designer of our zero energy, passive solar casa ti house kit.

Now finding our land is not easy. I had emailed a map, but felt it best to take my new recycled dirt bike from Richmond Re-cycles and pedal down the drive to the road for a trial spin to see how visible the yellow rope we hung as a marker was for a car. Imagine my surprise when, as I returned to the house kit, I heard a gentle beep behind me, turned around, and there was the Day family right there, already on the land!

They tumbled out, and the children promptly found the dirt hill, sand, and creeks. They have been very busy making "a campfire," "a kitchen," (on the sand pile) and "food." Yes, sand, twigs, and rock food which was served to us and was *absolutely delicious,* while David Day and his lovely wife Kerri sat down with Handsome Husband and myself for a beer at the picnic table to discuss the off grid house.

David was very, very happy with how the house kit had been completed, by the way, and I have asked him to give an architect's response some time later this week to share with you. I just loved seeing him smile as he walked around the modern house he designed, and when he got HIS camera out and started taking pictures... that was a moment I'll always cherish.

Now that we have a little more shelter than my beloved aluminum teardrop camper in which we have camped for four years through all seasons, we are starting to finally meet more neighbors. Earlier that day, we met Peter Scott, a neighbor whose family bought over 100 acres on our road over three generations ago. He met Handsome Husband on the road as he was trying to make the driveway more noticeable for the Day family to find, and we invited him in for a tour of our passive solar house. I was wondering what an old school guy would think of the off grid house but... he loved it! He totally got it! He walked around and nodded his head as we explained the passive solar functionality, the practical concrete floors that also provided thermal mass, our plans for landscaping. We loved his deep knowledge, ready smile, and stories of the generations of families and land along our road- we learned his family used to farm what is now our land, and that it was traditionally planted with grasses and corn. We really hit it off with Mr. Scott- especially when he started talking about barbecue, and how his family starts at 4 a.m. to begin their roasts, and the detailed traditions they have in creating each community barbecue... I know we have found a good friend and look forward to having his family over when we have friends over and cook for a crowd!

Now this was also the first time we had visited since Handsome Husband sealed the floor. It made ALL the difference- I will never need a vacuum cleaner, a push broom EASILY cleaned the dirt and dust after a busy weekend neatly into a pile, easily finished with a dustpan and brush. We will probably add one more layer of sealant after the inside construction is finished, but really, it could last for years as is. David Day also mentioned we could wax it as well, something we might consider.

The weekend was mild, but at night it went down to the 30's. Inside the house kit, still with no systems installed, it remained 58 degrees. According to Handsome Husband, the zero energy house lost only six degrees from sundown till sunup. By 8:30 the next morning it was already 60 degrees. I wonder if that was not so much due to the sun rising, as it was still early, as much as the fact that little children and dogs were racing around like atoms colliding in the zero energy house! You really do understand the passive house reports where body warmth is pretty much all that is needed. With warm blankets and comfy clothes, we could easily not have to use our solar energy to heat the house except for very few times of the year.

We had a lovely weekend, but again felt the deep desire to "just move in!" The good news is that the interior begins again after Easter - and no, we can not wait. : ) In the meantime we dragged out an old trunk I have used since college in New York to keep kitchen things in, and a portable closet given to us when friends moved away to store coats and pillows and sheets in, so that we don't have to keep carting everything back and forth.

In the pre-dawn, as I listened to the coyotes howl (coyote here are the size of shepherds), I admit that as much as I miss camping in my camper it is nice to have my family safe within the modern home's strong structural insulated panels...

Oh, by the way, I have some good news regarding house kit tours / annual open house days! Keep September 26-27th on your calendar, because I am going to line up some fun farm tours, a house kit open house and more around Charlotte County's Heartland Bike Tour. There is so many history sites and cultural things to do, and you can even ride your bike, camp out, and more! I also plan to have regular "open house" days seasonally where I choose a date where interesting, fun & historical events are going on in the community so you can not only tour the house kit but make it a destination weekend in Virginia. Within fifteen miles of the land there is founding father (Patrick Henry's Red Hill), civil war, and civil rights history so plenty to see and learn.
So stay tuned...

On our way home, I thought it would be fun to take some photographs to show y'all our little town...

And on the drive home, I took pictures of the landscape, reminding us all why we all need to preserve and value these landscapes and see it as a national resource. Just an hour away, development encroaches with mass grading, ticky-tacky inefficient developments, and no respect for what may be our most valuable asset, our land. Remember: without local farms there is no local food...

So here are our house kit, little town, and driving home pictures, below! I hope you enjoy!
(I added lots of comments to the pictures so if you see something that interests you please click on the picture to see a larger version with comments.)



Our little town:


And the pretty scenes we pass:

 

Passive Solar House Kit - In it, we camped!

Still no interior walls (Ron is off building his pastor's house who needs to move in by Easter), but that did not deter us from camping in the house kit.

After four years of camping in the tiny-but-fantastic 1960s aluminum Scotty camper, I have to admit it was nice to lug a bunch o' the camping equipment from the Scotty to reuse in the open, spacious off grid modern house. As I pulled the practical, necessary camping equipment we had relied on for years from our beloved camper, I looked at it anew and realized that a lot of camping equipment is not eco-friendly! When we bought the necessary equipment years ago, it was because the folding chairs, storage tubs, cutting boards, machete knife cases, blaze orange hunting hats/gear were IMPERATIVE to have in an isolated place when camping through all seasons.

Now, in the comfort of the house kit, I'm looking at all this and thinking, "Man. If someone made environmentally friendly affordable camping gear they would make a FORTUNE!"

(Hmmmm. HMMMMM...
...
Nah, I already have too many jobs. But YOU do it!)

I was gone all Saturday at a social media conference nearby, so when I returned the mattresses had been blown up, the sheets and blankets were on, the "solar soldiers" (as we call the solar exterior lights) charged from a day in the sun, and two happy pipsqueaks were jumping and playing in their new passive solar living space.

Just seeing the queen-sized air mattresses in the still-not-framed-in bedrooms gave me a better idea of the room dimensions. Setting out the beds, the card table, chairs along the east side, really gives us a sense of the future finished space. It's perfect. It's open, filled with natural light, yet warm, cozy, interactive without being cramped. I can't wait to see it more furnished. It's getting very hard not to jump ahead and move in.

It had snowed over ten inches earlier this week...
The ground was wet and there was mud.
Oh, was there MUD.
A LOTTA mud.

I swept muddy dog tracks, children tracks, my tracks, his tracks.
(This is starting to read like a Dr. Seuss book, no? Say it ten times quickly.)
Aaaaaand was grateful we had chosen the smooth take-it-all concrete instead of frou-frou bamboo.
(I would have spent the rest of my life trying to protect that floor. It would have been awful. I would have been miserable.)

Yet, just days after a major snowfall, it was so warm this weekend we opened wide the doors wide and WOW could you feel the cross breeze- I can not wait to spend time here in spring! The dogs naturally gravitate to the passive solar sunbeams in the concrete thermal mass- and love surveying their kingdom from the open doorways while listing against the frame, half awake, in the sun.

I went for a nice long (muddy) walk with the 4 year old, watching while she measured creeks with her stick, surveyed the breached pond, and climbed hills with the dogs. A lot of trees had been downed from the heavy snow, so we had to cut some. Don't worry, the ones that fell were scrappy young ones that weren't part of the crop tree release strategy we have. We will never timber; but are trying to help prune and encourage healthy growth of the woods through selection so they can grow strong vs. competing for resources with weed trees.

It was good to hear the frogs.
They, and the bees, have had a rough few years. So to hear them peeping so exhuberantly in March was glorious. (Listen to video, below...)
I remember a few years ago on my family farm noticing that the pond was quiet, the 35' deep pond where I grew up fishing and canoeing and swimming and... listening to peepers. It was so strange to hear the blowing of the wind, the water, and, on that day, no frogs.

Frogs are loud. My entire life had, until then, been filled with the cacophony of peepers and bullfrogs. So to hear the frogs so loudly happy on "the land" gives me hope.

On Sunday, I spent a good bit of time curled up in a chair, reading fifteen year old issues of Countryside Magazine given to us by Ron & Judy while the children and dogs played.

Now HandsomeHusband, I will remind you, is from a large European city. He delighted in the scouting camera he had erected on a nearby tree and what it revealed: two deer stopping by to check out the off grid house kit! I'm including some of that here too.
: )



Here are more pictures, below, than you would EVER want to see of our fun weekend camping in the off grid zero energy modern house kit!
Just click on 'em to get the large version and captions!
(And some videos o' frogs and passive solar musings, below.
Hey, it was a fun, muddy weekend. : )
)

 

Passive Solar Modern House - Energy Efficient House Kit Update

It was in the low- to mid- forties when we arrived on the land and incredibly windy... but inside the modern passive house kit it was a cozy mid-sixty-ish.

Now don't forget that while we may have the exterior weather-tight, we have not yet hooked up systems. So that nice warmth was generated purely by the passive solar design.

This was the first day I have been able to take pictures of the finished structural insulated panels house kit exterior, so I went a little overboard- any of you whom have wondered what the completed outside looks like, well, you have more pictures than you could ever want to satisfy your curiosity. : )

I hope you enjoy 'em as much as I do!

I also apologize for some of the blurred photos- I will take better pictures and buy another 'cheap land camera I can get muddy and not cry about when the 6 year old drops it *again*'- it is clear it has been dropped one too many times.

As I mentioned, it was a very windy, brisk, February day; but inside the modern house it was calm, peaceful. Natural sunlight filtered in and filled the space in a wonderful way.

Really, there's no need for lighting except in the evening in my opinion.

Even without interior walls, the family naturally groups itself in areas of that main common space- we have thrown a fold up table and chairs on the west side where our dining area will eventually be, and some chairs and blankets for sleepy children on the east side where they naturally snuggle down and cuddle with the light falling on them, keeping them warm and secure feeling, as they rest.

I loved how I could (finally!) sit down at the card table and skim a homesteading magazine *while* having a nice view of the children and dogs playing in the dirt, see them, hear them, yet while they ran wild, everything was so calm and cozy where I sat...

Next we paint the west door black, and finish insulating around the foundation by putting foam all around the foundation that is currently exposed in these pictures.

Once that is done, the massive hill of dirt that my children have much enjoyed (yes I rue the day I tell them this) will be pushed back to infill around the house kit.

We also move on to framing the interior, then installing off grid solar and rainwater systems.

But more on that later, in the meantime, enjoy the beautiful day!

Below you will see a slideshow (click to get the bigger version that also has more detailed captions) plus some fun videos I made...

Oh, and yes, my Handsome Husband *did* run out and get us another camera after all these blurred pictures... : )

Ironically because the light was streaming in so brightly from the windows, the camera overcompensated these interior videos so they show darker than what it was in real life. In fact, I think all the pictures are darker as well. I'll take better videos / pictures next weekend...


My dogs were trying to tell me to let them inside as I made this video of the inside...
Look at that last frame, Khan rounding the corner while Pacha is telling me to Let. Them. In!


Here I talk about our vintage camper that, for four years now, has been our sole shelter here. We camp pretty much from early March until late November/mid December in that unheated camper... but cramming four people in there was getting pretty crazy and it is going to make a world of difference to now be able to be here year round in a house. (This video was made *last* weekend hence my reference to the unseasonably warm day- this weekend, it was your typical February temperatures!)

 

Passive Solar Modern House - It was warm with zero energy in today's mod house visit!

It was a crisp but gorgeous winter day and we headed out to the land.
I can't tell you how we all collectively relax but also become so alert / get SO excited as the car crunches slowly down the drive... it's calm in your heart paired with exuberance.
Car stopped by the camper, we tumbled out, and I ran to the modern passive house kit.

It was a cold day. We have no systems hooked up. Ya can't get more, er, zero energy house than that! ; )
Yet when I opened the door to the passive solar house kit, the air inside was noticeably warmer. Not hot-n-toasty, mind you, but the passive solar design alone was enough to keep us from being too chilled. I hustled the cold children inside, and the next time I turned around the four year old was warm enough to have kicked off her shoes. In February.

After getting everyone settled, I headed over to Ron and Judy's to pick up some reused chicken lamps, feeders/waterers for my, ahem, imaginary chickens.

As we visited, Ron updated me on the latest costs so I have updated the construction cost post accordingly here. This currently covers foundation, house kit, erection of off grid SIP house kit, installation of cladding / roofing membrane (we decided to have the north roof be membrane), radiant tubing in foundation... erhm, am I missing anything, readers?

That final danged piece o' cladding has arrived from the vendor, and the Amish will finish installing it (and all remaining cladding, they were waiting for that final piece) this week. So expect great finished pictures next weekend.

NOW, for the interior.
You may have recalled we are in the process of refinancing.
We'd be crazy not to- we have the opportunity to drop over 2 points! But... it seems everyone else in the world has the same idea... so we're just waiting...
And waiting...
And... waiting...


In the meantime, we are still sorting out the VMI basketball court wood with which we will line the interior of that main room in the off grid casa ti. It's a basketball court. Of wood.
So, it's takin' some time.

Like you, we have spent time and thought into what our home will look like so have searched and frugally planned over the past few years so that we won't have to decorate from a big box store.

We have acquired quite a few thrift store recycled / reused furniture finds that look, frankly... amazing. I am excited to put it all together!

But first we need to finish the interior...
And modest systems... (because who needs big systems when you're energy efficient?)

 

Modern Off Grid Zero Energy House Update

It was a gray, gray day on the land, but that didn't stop us!
When we got there it had warmed to 25 degrees, and four roofers were busy installing the rubber membrane for that north roof on the modern passive solar house kit. (So I think this counts as Construction Day 9?)

All the windows except for the clerestory are installed on our off grid passive solar house, and our wonderful contractor Ron also installed protective plywood to keep the weather and trespassers out around that transom area on the south side (where I was remiss in ordering it over the double doors) until the transom arrives.

This weekend, we had the special task of Pouch, the mascot of the kindergarten class, visiting us for the weekend, so if you look closely you might notice a little kangaroo named Pouch in random photos...

Hmmm. Big news of the day? House kit wonderful, but our poor hairless dog got caught up in barbed wire strung in the woods decades ago (we thought we had gotten it all up, that rings the field, obviously we missed some). He's ok, minus a sweater (which is *still* embedded there), BUT I would like to remind anyone even thinking about barbed wire vs. investing in solar electric fences... please don't even think of barbed wire. I'm still pickin' it off my land generations later, and it's hurting us. I have seen and heard so many stories of horses and pets torn up horribly... I was grateful my pet only lost a sweater instead of panicking and tearing himself up. It's another example of things that happened long ago affecting our environment today, no?


I walked around taking pictures of the house kit and was supposedly keeping the children busy while handsome hubby was in the shed sorting the VMI basketball floorboards, separating out the maple boards without paint, and those that might have the logo painted on them. We will auction off the VMI logo to help pay for our purchase of the VMI basketball court, which, aside from the logo, we will reuse those storied, 100% maple boards on the interior walls of the casa ti.



Little did I know that while I was taking pictures on *one* side o' the house, the children were on the *other* side gleefully jumping and splashing through mud puddles...

as the temperature fell...

So I came around the corner and there they were, COVERED with wet mud...






As we were slowly finishing chores and packing up to leave, the police stopped by.
Suddenly you just see this vehicle coming down the road, official lights and uniforms...
When we were there the same time last year, they did the same thing- drove right on up at the same time of day, mid-afternoon, checking on the land. As sad as we had been the week previously about someone *littering* in my frickin' environmentally friendly house kit -and- *trespassing* on our land, here comes the community to heal!

Police are welcomed with OPEN arms- they know there is an issue, and they are actively driving in this rural area during deer season to make sure people are where they ought to be.
They knew the story, they know the neighbors, they knew there was movement on our land where there had been a problem, and they came in to make sure we were who we were. Ayyyyyyymen.

They know of our plight and are watching over us! Even as we get to know each other! Word spreads fast around here, and I just feel SO much a part of this WONDERFUL community already.

We reflected on all the kind people we have met here. From Ron and Judy, (Ron smiled at 4 year old in 7 layers of dresses with unbrushed hair as he pulled up today, and grinned, "Always a fashion statement!"), The Aults (who have the sustainable free range farm down the street), George, who makes the best Glog ever : ) and lives over down the road with the Amish, Peggy (oh gosh I can't even begin to go into Peggy, she deserves to be in an adventure novel!) ... AND the Amish, even though they are somewhat seperate, they integrated closely here, in fact I got the nicest note from the boy I had mentioned last week on the carton of pepper jelly... I still can't get over that HE is part of the Amish crew building our home after years of my telling him, "Yeah, we camp, we have no shelter...." Serendipitous. When we are here, everything is okay. Even with rogue deer hunters.

The children are now completely passed out in their car seats as we race back to the city... this time of year, I don't want to be driving at dusk, ever. Too many deer, too many crazy people that *think* they are hunters. Rifle bullets travel way too far for my taste... already two people have been killed this year from hunting accidents, and I don't even know the count of people that have hit deer on the roads...

So here we are, driving home, on a crisp gray day. It is 4:17.
We are exhausted, but SO happy.


More videos...

 

Passive House: Modern Design Affordable House With Passive Solar Energy Efficiency! Update.

More modern design, passive solar house kit updates...
We headed out to the land today...
It was cold, but beautiful.



You could see the sun on the foundation, demonstrating it's passive solar house energy efficiency even before it was weather tight.

It was amazing to walk around there, realizing that is 1,200 square feet of efficient, happy living. There is nothing we need. And we can have all our friends over.

For all our stages of life.



The one thing you need to note in these pictures/video is that some of the interior braces will be removed, there is storage/systems space in there but they did that to quickly allow for the roof panels they will add tomorrow.

So, here's some 360 photos I took... So you can get a sense of the space yourself. Also tons of video walk throughs, so please excuse the download.










Here's from another area of the house kit:

 

Off Grid Zero Energy Modern House Kit Update Day 4

Here's the latest house kit update from Ron, our wonderful, money-saving contractor:

I started the call mentioning how dramatic the sky looked in the pictures he took.

His reply? ; )

"I didn't even see 'em, I was looking at the house.

All the outside walls were up, within 2 hours of what I had hoped.

We have no crew tomorrow because of the Amish wedding, Thursday we'll put the top plate in and build a bearing wall in the middle.
Friday we're out...

We won't set panels until Monday morning."

 

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.

 

Zero energy modern house kit foundation cured, the SIPs arrive tomorrow... it all happens NOW.

Thank you folks for bearing with me through my non-green building / modern design / house kit blog musings... the next few weeks will be focused on what you came here for to begin with:
The SIPs passive solar modern house kit construction!

Yesterday, we spent a beautiful day hanging out on... our foundation.
...Despite the whiny four year old.
As it was muddy, my first order of business when we return is washing all those dog prints off the concrete. Which will not be fun, as by then there will be walls and a roof overhead. Dag.


The Structural Insulated Panels arrive at 8:30 Monday morning.
Our contractor's crew is Amish, hence our documentation will be interesting as the Amish don't want to be in photographs. (Which we completely respect- I am actually *very* excited that our Amish neighbors are putting together our passive solar modern design house kit - and look forward to talking to them about what they thought of it!)

For those of you interested in the Amish, I thought I'd show you their super-cool tractor / forklift!

This is what they will be using to unload the SIPs when they arrive!
I learned from our contractor that November is Amish wedding month. Hopefully it will not disrupt our house kit construction schedule too much, but really, if it does, that's fine by me. I have loved learning about the Amish and their community through our interaction there; the more I read about their traditions and close community interaction, the more I appreciate them.

So... you will see a lot of things happening now on the outside, then it's on to the interior, with modern, environmentally friendly design. This includes reused materials, practical functionality, off grid net zero decisions in systems. More on that soon...
In the meantime, here's some pictures from a lovely day on the land!

 

Story of Green Modern Kits. Where I ramble on endlessly about land, life, and the pursuit of gorgeous green design, affordably. Tiresome!

I was invited to be on a green design panel tonight for HausTalk. Yesterday, I was sent an itinerary, which made it clear I was to speak about Green Modern Kits.

As my hesitation kicked in (I thought I was just helping out to foster conversation- I know this is going to surprise people but I'm comfortable on the internet but in real life?!? I am shy! I was going to talk about outdated zoning and why citizens should be allowed to have urban chickens!), after some thought I'm going to use it as an opportunity to tell my story, the story of how Green Modern Kits became reality.

I really hope I don't bore you, you don't have to read this, house kit updates coming soon!

Warning to all! This is a Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally Looooooooooooooooooooooong Post!
It's the longest, rambling, long-winded post EVER!
RUN!
(Really! I'm so sorry! I just wanted to set this down for myself, to turn over in my head and consider. I'm only using the end part, the part where I talk about what happens *after* I kidnap the architects and industrial designers, for HausTalk.)

Any-hoo...

It all started with land.
I grew up with a family farm, 180ish acres on the banks of the James River. It was part of my family waaaaaay before I was born. My entire childhood and young adult years were spent fishing, wading, swimming and floating endlessly in inner tubes with fish nibbling my toes in the 35 foot deep pond, hiking briskly through the woods, whiling away the days on the porch, doing nothing. I was born with land in my heart, in my soul.
And then, when I was 32, it was lost.

That is another story, one that could fill volumes.
In my heart, I still walk and love every inch of that place... the pawpaw trees, the gravestones, the old bell on the top of the hill used to call in the horses, the quarry, the flooded woods with boats in the trees, the civil war trenches, the quiet fields, the old house, over 200 years old, the original barn, the warm smell of horses that filled the stalls in the new 18-stall barn, the summer kitchen where people from all over the world, mainly Kenya, would gather after running the Rotherwood Races (back then we pelted runners with water and doled out salt tablets), the mahogany stairs, the multi-level rooms upstairs, the old house I recall, before it burned: the smell of it, that red-clay and seasoned wood smell you only encounter in very old homes. The cannons on the front porch, the roses climbing to the balcony, my great-great grandmother's quilts on the beds, the pear tree the bears would climb... the ornate woodworking that made my granddad fondly refer to its architectural heritage as, "Steamboat Gothic!"

Then the sudden fire that took that dry old house down like lightening, the empty, charred foundation, the rebuilding of the new house with a modern open great room, a fire pole to shimmy down from the loft, the Chinese lacquer furniture, a gift from my Hong Kong aunt's family, and scattered bluegrass tapes and cds from our cousins in Tennessee, The Dismembered Tennesseans.















So, it started with land. And land lost.













A few years passed.

One day, scanning another boring money market statement, I realized,
"This money is just sitting here, doing *nothing.* Why don't we instead buy land?"
We both have land in our blood. Land, preserved.
We can see that investment, play in that investment, raise our children with that investment, and besides, you can't go rolling around a bank vault, but think of the fun we could have purchasing land! And protecting it! Growing it! Doing our part to preserve rural property already on the market instead of some developer getting it! Being one more person joining a rural community that recognized the value of protecting it!

Isn't the end result supposed to be that you buy your end-of-life community? Why not invest in it now?!? I mean, what the heck are you supposed to *do* with your moneymarket fund? Why not join an awesome community *now*?

So I started to research.
Research is actually a big part of my other job.
And extensive research plays a huge part in every decision for Green Modern Kits.

Now, before you start thinking we're wealthy: We're not. We do well, but certainly have middle class incomes. We work hard, but spend our money differently: we drive cars we pay for in cash (usually about 5k, then fix 'em), don't send our children to private schools, shop at thrift stores, have little use for credit cards, have no desire to keep up with The Joneses, and save, save, save.

So, for those of you thinking about buying and preserving land, here is my research and "why's" of how I found our little piece of eden. (Email to friends, below, outlining why I'm not crazy. Ok, maybe I am, but not when it comes to business / frugality / investments.) Skip over this part if you're not interested- it's long!

Business analysis: Listening to my real estate, chambers of commerce, and senior living/lifestyle community clients, I started searching for land that satisfied the following criteria:

1. Near historic landmarks/history
2. Surrounded by close towns with festivals and music throughout the year
3. Are those towns positioning themselves to be developed or preserved? I looked for areas where people understood the value of farms, preservation, etc. for tourism. I was looking for something that would appreciate in value but in a community where development was not an interest. Who will be the next Charlottesville? Williamsburg? Do they have cultural events?
4. Is easily accessible. Mustbe within 2 hours of Richmond. Who wants to spend the weekend on a big commute? And when we move there, we're still within easy reach of our longtime friends and family, being just over an hour away.
   
5. MUST have infrastructure for investment purposes: hospitals, other services close by: Farmville and Appomattox are within a 15 minute drive.
   

The Charlotte County area met that criteria.

1. History:
   1. Well, let’s start with Appomattox- you may have heard of that if you’re a Civil War buff… ; ) Less than 15 minutes away! http://www.appomattox.com/html/introduction.html
      www.tourappomattox.com
   2. CharlotteCounty: The land is located in historic Charlotte County. Charlotte County Courthouse is about ten miles away. http://www.co.charlotte.va.us/history.htm
   3. Red Hill:Patrick Henry’s residence: http://www.redhill.org/
   4. Civil Rights History: http://www.varetreat.com/civilRights.asp
   5. More history links: http://www.fpehs.org/links.html

Music:

1. Appomattox has a “Friday Cheers” once a month: http://www.appomattox.com/html/friday_cheers.html
   What fun to take off early on a Friday, and head on over to start your weekend right!
2. Check out the local band Deja Moo! How can you not love a band with that name? http://www.dejamoo.us/home.cfm

Local Festivals/Powows/Antique Tractor events—fun things to do with your grandchildren! ; ) (hee hee couldn’t resist that one)

1. http://www.appomattox.com/html/events.html
2. Antique Tractor Festival http://www.appomattox.com/html/antiquepower.html
3. Charlotte County events: http://www.co.charlotte.va.us/events_calendar.htm

FISHING/Hunting:

1. Holliday State Park Deep in the heart of Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest Holliday Lake State Park is a paradise for the outdoor enthusiast. Fishing for largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill is a popular activity in the 150-acre lake within the park. The nearby state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries delayed-harvest trout stream allows anglers to fish for brown and rainbow trout. The park also features excellent trails open to hikers, bikers and equestrians. Read more here!
2. Twin Lakes State Park:http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/twi.shtml
3. Virginia’s Largest Lake!
   1. i.http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=20291
   2. ii.http://www.hunting-fishing-virginia.com/maps/lake-kerr.html
   1. Here’s what Charlotte County has to say about hunting and fishing:Read more here!
   2. The Land: We often flush quail as we roll down the drive. Deer, turkey & bear is abundant.
4. Accessible: Just take 360 and cut over to 460. Once you get past Brandermill, it is a 70 mph easy drive on four lane roads—so easy! And beautiful! Just one horse and dairy farm after another. And the location of Pamplin is central to area attractions: Appomattox, Charlotte Courthouse, Farmville, Charlottesville, Buggs Island, Richmond. All an hour and a half away. So you could spend weeks there, and have interesting things to do with friends.
5. Let’s talk about Pamplin! It’s a cool ghost town. Literally. And there is a library in the old train depot. They are trying to turn the line where the railway came through into a hiking and birding trail.
   1. Here’s the Train Depot: http://www.geocities.com/pamplindepot/
   2. There’s a historic Pipe Factory: http://geocities.com/pamplinpipeman/
   3. The BIG NEWS around Pamplin is that someone is OPENING A BBQ JOINT- so imagine being on your quiet, peaceful land yet having a jumpin’ bbq/bluegrass joint five minutes away. YAY!
6. Let’s talk about Charlotte Courthouse! A historic town where the courthouse was designed by Thomas Jefferson.
   1. http://www.towncch.com/
   2. Lots of national register listings: http://co.charlotte.va.us/charlotte_list.pdf
7. SCENIC. Rolling hills filled with wildlife yet the land is easily farmed (vs. buying property in the mountains) with plenty of streams and water accessible.
8. A WINERY OPENED!!! Check it out!
   Spring Creek Wine Cellar

So that’s my overview of why this is a prime location surrounded by historic and national park resources with a wonderful, close community

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. ; )

We bought 55 acres. And started to camp. : )

And some years (and many mortgage payments) passed.
Our household income grew a little, and one child was now in public school vs. preschool we had to pay for... so...

Maybe it was time to build a green, mod home.
As we no longer had to make one child's preschool payments, that was X amount we could slide over to house construction, and with the raise, if we kept at our current spending levels, well, then... that together could pay for something affordable.

...I began to research. (Always an auspicious start to my tales...)

I didn't just want affordable... I wanted GORGEOUS! GREEN! ENERGY EFFICIENT! My dream house!!!! Because this is where I will live when I'm 70! Small enough to clean but big enough to have the grand kids over! Off grid so I don't have to worry, as a retiree, about heating bills!

And I looked. And looked.

And fell in love with one unaffordable prefab house after the other.
$300 a SQUARE FOOT?!? Zen Gardens and breezeways but only ONE bedroom?!?
These were certainly not *my* lifestyle...
What was out there that was semi-affordable and modern was not passive solar / not built for other green features such as cross ventilation, etc.

I researched shipping containers, and loved the recycled/reuse theory. Then realized that once I dragged a container out to the land it would be $9,000 and then I'd just have a hot box with no windows or doors. And it was downhill from there. I know, I know all those XYZ people you're going to now mention- remember, I *research?* But at the time they were not affordable, nor passive solar.

I had to think about investment, not that I ever intend to sell, but... when you start talking *money,* it is practical too also consider what worth others would find in it, *just in case.*

So once I realized the real costs of creating a real house outta shipping containers, I ditched the idea as not being affordable, and not having a layout I liked.

I researched steel framing companies. There's a *bunch* of 'em out there! I found the cheapest on Ebay. Got some nice quotes, but then realized the added cost of paying someone to come in and insulate, plus... well... there was that leeeettle thing about gorgeous design I was missing.

Then I discovered SIPs (structural insulated panels).

Cool!

And then saw a plethora of modern house plan sites with ugly "Our-Plans-For-Free-No-Shipping-Costs-Either!" designs with tons of hidden fees, as I researched company after company after company.

What's a girl to do?
I want a green, energy efficient, kickin' mod awesome house.
And I'm looking at these... ugly... boxes.

So, I kidnapped some architects.
Held hostage, I told them I had two requirements:
1. That the designs be passive solar, so that when the sun is low in the winter, it enters to heat the house, and when the sun is high, the sun can be blocked.
2. That they favor practical bedrooms over amenities- I envision these homes accommodating young families, yet practical for all life stages.
3. (Ok, fine, there were three:) Design what YOU want. You have no client looking over your shoulder, you're the designer, design what YOU love!

Someone out there in the world will "get" it!!!! : )

So...
There ya go.
It was really as simple as that.

Oh I forgot the part where I negotiated hard for weeks to get the low volume pricing with the SIPs manufacturer, researched the other vendors for cladding, rainwater collection, etc. but that's boring, right? ; ) Thaz just business stuff!

We have two lines of modern house kits. David Day Design's casa ti, and Grace Street's The R1 Residential.

Then came the cottages...
From Seattle, Gelotte Hommas brought out the Bienvenue, Midway, and The Sinda.

And let's not forget Akemi Tanaka!
This fabulous industrial designer is *almost* finished with her furniture kit that does multiple things in small spaces.

And... Big News soon...

Any-hoo... That's my one rare moment of actually talking about the "why's". The architecture and industrial design stories are more fascinating- they should post here their own take.

I will work on that.

*THEIR* stories are fascinating.
(Sorry for boring y'all! I'm just writing this all down in my head!)

As I Often Say: Green building for the rest of us!

 

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?)

 

Modern House Kit Update and The Saga Of VMI's Basketball Court Continues!

Anyone here like puzzles?

'Cause we're gonna be putting together 5,000 square feet o' VMI basketball court soon... think of it:

The Challenge!

The Fun!

This is better than the crossword in Sunday's Herald Tribune!

Or not.

Any-hoo, Handsome Husband went out to check on the house kit progress, bush hogged the field, and unloaded the VMI floorboards. The rest of this post are his words, hence the sudden dignified tone. Enjoy.

"I got up at 6 am, made coffee and hit the road to approve the foundation preparation and receive the VMI Basketball Floor delivery.

As I was emptying out the shed for the floor the plumbers pulled up and I handed them the PEX tubing I had ordered. I began bush-hogging but Ron, the general contractor, soon arrived and we approved prep work.

(Radiant Heat And Off Grid Foundation Video:)

I returned to the tractor for an hour and the flooring arrived. We have a 20x20 shed and the fork lift was too tall/big so we ended up getting the plumbing crew, which had just finished installing the radiant heat loops, to help and were done within an hour.

(VMI Floorboards Unloading Video 1 of 3)

(VMI Recycled Boards Video 2 of 3)

(VMI Wood Reused In Prefab-ulous House Video 3 of 3)
(Copeland's note: Oh. My. Gosh... can you believe we were actually thinking we could just rent a U-Haul and drive to Lexington, load the wood *JUST THE TWO OF US*, drive to the land, and then UNLOAD it?!?!? Soooooooooooo grateful to Bill Miller of ZellerMiller Companies, a VMI alumni who heard of our plight and used his construction connections to help, Bill Miller SAVED US by putting us together with these people to deliver the wood.)

I invited everyone to lunch, and as we left I noticed a flat tyre on my car - upon return to the site the delivery guys hadn't left yet and raised the car with their forklift so that the tire was changed quickly.

When I finally made it to lunch we spoke about alternative energy and it turns out that the plumbing company has done several geo-thermal projects."

(Copeland's note: Psssst! Check him out, Mr. German-techno-music being a *total* boy and driving around the house kit listening to country. He is having waaaaaaaaaaaay too much fun out there!)

 

Modern Net Zero House Kit Update!

Modern Net Zero House Kit Update!

Water line, plumbing, rebar, electric are IN!
Off grid net zero mod super-crafty progress continues!

Also, thanks to wonderful VMI alumni, the VMI basketball court floorboards I purchased at auction are winding their way towards our barn from Lexington as we speak. Er, read.

I will be auctioning off the VMI logo on ebay to help pay for this purchase, and donating anything over the purchase cost to the VMI basketball team. : )

Pictures tomorrow...

 

Modern SIPs House Kit: Foundation Work Video And Photos!

Ah, fall. It's been rainy and we all have colds.

So when the 4 year old whined that she wanted to stay home and play "pony"... recognizing that this time of year we pretty much camp every weekend and will be doing so for the next few weeks... we conceeded.

The Boyz, adventurous, strode off to the land; The Girlz, keeping close to home, had a lunch date with Mr. H and the H's two daughters: Three happy girls talking about ponies and unicorns while Mr. H & I split a hot saki and gorged on delicious Asian food. : )

Our modern house kit foam is down, the foundation and radiant tubing are being laid, and pretty much from now on you will quickly see our prefab hybrid SIPs house become complete.

Our fabulous contractor Ron thinks it will take about five days to put the SIPs panels together and frame the windows /doors /interior load bearing wall for our modern house, fyi, for your own evaluation and estimates.






In the meantime, here are some pictures and videos of the land taken by The Boyz... happy and muddy and running loose in the wild. ; ) Keep yer eyes peeled for next week's installment of Green Modern Kits: SIPs House Kit Construction Continues On Our Modern House!

 

Videos and Photos and Press, Oh my! And then... there's the Amish. : )

Today I ordered our super-cool siding (a $5,000 deposit I had saved myself, budgeting tightly, not increasing debt / not taken out on our potential loan, thank you very much, therefore one more thing that will be "paid for"/ saved for/ don't need no debt fer ; ) ), and on Monday the foundation work began.

We will camp this weekend, so expect more pictures and video soon. : )

My challenge: That what makes this project even more special in my heart prevents me from well-documenting/doing the usual b.s. video/interviews/pushing for publicity it as it occurs because:

Our house kit construction is being built by a team of local Amish!

The Amish refrain from photographs, because it violates their belief that photography is vain/a 'graven image.'

My friends that know and work with them well have been given permission to take images of, say a field where they are working in the distance, for the purpose of showing what a farm looks like (to your right is my friend G's farm who took this picture with their permission); but having just met them, I wouldn't dare impose.

I'm just going to have to work around it, so expect lots of pictures of my VERY handsome contractor Ron instead of "Ron and his crew!" and pictures of us out there when everyone's left. Not quite my original picture of "documentation."

Despite that this is my business... I won't have it any other way: I concede.

I support my community, and am grateful to have the wonderful people who strode beside us as new neighbors, making sure we were exposed to the best craftsmen... Besides, we already have others in the pipeline of building so let them get all the attention! : )
(Ya hear that Ohanahaus and Canada1? ; ) )

Amish are wonderful neighbors. We've enjoyed getting to know the children that man the stand where we buy our bread and relishes weekly, and my children have grown up playing "Amish stand"-- seeing children involved in commerce, involved in helping their family.

I found an interesting post regarding the Amish, and how local communities have accommodated themselves to benefit the new Amish communities, therefore economically benefiting their own business- check out http://amishamerica.typepad.com/amish_america/nebraska_amish_ultraconservative/ - and see that picture of Walmart that even created hitching posts for their buggies! (Yes, of course I have mixed feelings about Walmart! That's what intrigues me further! It certainly says something about the Amish buying power that a large national business would build hitch posts for their buggies!)

If you are curious about the Amish and their views regarding technology, I encourage you to read this: http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticles/amish_tech.htm It really explains the thought behind their decisions, and I have to admit it makes a lot of sense.

An excerpt:

"Rheingold notes that the Amish 'mold technology in the service of community. If we decided that community comes first, how would we use our tools differently?' Or, as an Amishman has said concerning whether a new technology will be acceptable, does it 'bring people together or draw them apart?' Answers to such questions often determine the 'ordnung,' the rules of the Amish church community, often unwritten, about what is and is not acceptable.

But the Amish concern is not just over how technology might change the community, but also the individual. One man noted that it's not just what or how you use a technology, but 'what kind of person you become when you use it.' When I asked an Amishman why an electric refrigerator was not acceptable, but a propane gas one was, he simply said, 'You've never seen a bottled gas television set, have you?' The implication here was not that electricity was bad. The concern was what would come with it --- TV, radio, computers, the internet, and all the influences of the modern world and media. 'Electricity is a hotline to the modern world.' "

And here's a great article on the Amish incorporating solar power within their community!
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_left_story/20080920_Amish_turn_to_solar_power_for_electricity.html

Any-hoo, keep yer eyes peeled, we're documenting (as we can! ; ) ), building, and hoping to spend Thanksgiving in our own net zero house kit casa ti...

Just as you have traveled a journey to get to your green, efficient home goal... our own dream spans generations of hope and dreams (and MOD STYLE!)...

The land becomes named after being abandoned in the 1800s (yes, it *is* Higher Ground.); and we, stewards again.

For the quail we will make sure they have their brush; the woods, crop tree release to free the trees to better grow, healthy. And over the years we will not only improve the soil that was previously farmed, but the wetlands and streams, letting them... be. Not developed, nor sold into parcels when development encroaches.

That is my pledge.

Sincerely yours,

Copeland Casati

 

It's A Small World After All...

Disney's "It's A Small World" Techno Remix - video powered by Metacafe

And... we headed to the land.

After a hiatus from the hot, still, summer heat in the fields, when we head instead for water to fish and sail, this time of year signals the return to camping, to gorgeous, colorful fall weekends on the land.

We hurry there, all packed up and practical, seeking its loud, whispering excitement that you can only experience and hear... if you learn to listen.

We met with Ron, our fabulous, revered contractor. We owe Ron and his wife, Judy, so much. We are grateful for their welcoming us into their lives.

We sat down at the picnic table under the oak, crunched numbers, stood up, made Pythagoras' triangles, pondered over a compass, and... laid out the home site.

...Er, again.
(And yes I'm getting Ron to write up a "from a contractor to you" bit o' advice to better foster good working relationships for a blog post...)

Example #1: "Do not take your eyes off of 5 year old who might then decide house markers are fun things to launch."
This time we used metal poles and pounded them in.

And...

Example #2, to obviously not be late to meetings...
We were ten minutes past our allotted meeting time.

However, we had good reason (and called thirty minutes ahead to notify him from the road), that even Ron had to concede and laugh:

I found my doors!

We were truckin' down the road, loaded down with dogs and chilluns and homemade sandwiches and passing about apple slices, when, at a yield sign about 2/3rds of the way there, lo and behold...

A yard sale!

Now, I'm trying to be strong these days and resist the siren's thrifty call.
But as we pulled past, both of us, our sharp, jaded yard sale eyes skimmin'... we both gasped: old, weathered DOORS!

I have always said I wanted the juxtaposition of smooth, modern concrete (for thermal mass), with the modern beautiful design of David Day's casa ti, interspersed with very natural, clean elements: finished interiors with wood, built-ins... and then, my Virginia soul insisted: old, old doors that remind me of the old 200 year-old homes in which I've lived, my old farm, recycled, reused, and giving that... that certain something, I can only describe as HEART.

Saving the stories in those doors, I always imagined to myself (before ever even seeing them).

And here they were: with two adorable children manning their yard sale booth, I peered closer to read the sign:

"Old Doors & Windows. $2 each."

I felt like such a thief...
I insisted on paying...
$4 apiece.

It took awhile for handsome husband to lash the doors securely to the top of our car.

So those children told MY children stories, and boy did they have stories. They spoke about growing up in Utah, and how their dad had been raised in West Virginia, and they had family in Virginia, and how one day their mom decided to get on the internet and find them (a family of seven : ) ) a new place, a community place... and that's how they ended up here.

I can not begin to tell you how wonderful these children were.

And they even had a cute beagle named Maisy (Jetson Green, you'd better watch out on the cute beagle front! ; ) ) who threatened to lick my children furiously.

Right when I was about to kidnap them, their dad walked up and introduced himself.

Turns out he is in the green building business as a cabinetry craftsman who even worked on the interior of Anthony Brozna's EcoSupply Center and it was... just... so... fortuitous?
...What makes the world go round?
...We might have just made new friends? : )

Really, everything their children had told me about the *why's* of how they came to *be* in this beautiful, rural area of Virginia mirrored our own thinking... we exchanged contact information, and I look forward to getting to know all the people we met that day better. Professionally, and with our families.

(Oh, by the way- he mentioned those doors came from a Fan house he had worked on and that they were from 1905. Yes they're tattered. But that's exactly what I've envisioned all along! History!)

So that's when we notified Ron we'd be a few minutes late, as we were now trundling down the highway at a significantly slower pace.
: )

So, our project update? Foundation foam is in the shed, as is radiant tubing. Foundation is marked, and work begins Monday.

Best part of the day?
I'd have to say, aside from the *gorgeous* weather, the unending view, the rolling hills, mountains in the distance, children giggling, dogs tussling, and, rarely for me, serenity?

Best part was standing within those markers, imagining, all of us:

"And when I'm cooking, I'll look out and see between those two old oaks, and the ridge of foothills far away."

"And HERE is where your room will be..."

"When you wake in the morning, you will see... this."

Here's some more pictures, hope you enjoy!

 

Ohanahaus: Pullin' Outta Vegas!

Just spoke with the Ohanahaus family and they were literally pulling out of their driveway, saying goodbye to Vegas, on the road to their new, more simple life in Oklahoma.

If you like, you may follow them on their journey here:
http://www.greenmodernkits.com/ohana.html

Which has already been *quite* the journey.
But I'll let them tell you their story... it's worth the wait.

 

Skirt! Profile

Normally I don't talk about press stuff, maybe I should, but just wanted to share that there is the CUTEST picture of my dog in the latest issue of Skirt!

I'm going to run out and scan the picture because he really does look soooooooooo cute...

Note: The only really bad thing was that in the end of the photoshoot I broke an egg and now my dog has a taste for raw eggs... VERY BAD... but he's a blockhead and quite agreeable to my instructions to
"Stay Away From Mah Coop!"

 

Ohanahaus

I founded this company when I, on the same quest, tried to find affordable, gorgeous, passive solar / green design in a house kit. In my mind, everything was over-engineered *and* not affordable.

A casa ti is being built in Oklahoma. And just as all the great people I've met through email have touched my life, reading this family's insight and decisions and evaluation of community... well... with their permission, I thought I'd share.

Their journey? Read it *slowly* here: http://www.ohanahaus.com
But they have sooooo much more to tell- which will come out in longer prose.

I'll let them tell you, and am setting up a blog for them... let's just say, um, they started a quest that had unexpected turns and surprises.

But that's their story to share... soon.

 

casa ti update, camping, and a new barn!

For the first time ever, we decided to camp when... well, when most people would consider it normal camping weather.

Because we have no shelter aside from our Scotty camper on the land to avoid the high heat of summer, plus we sail, we tend to camp September--> end of November/beginning of December, then March--> May. So I guess we lean towards extreme camping ; ) - when heavy down sleeping bags, multiple layers and hats on heads in bed are a must. Often, during those times we um, tend to dress in blaze orange, as not only is it freezing, it's hunting season.

So it was very strange to shed those layers, open up the camper windows, and let in the gentle summer evening breeze. It was also vastly different because normally I have to make sure the camper is completely ready around 5-ish for the children because once night falls... it's DARK. Instead, last night I felt like the sun never quite set- the dusk seemed to slowly linger and never quite slipped; to then regain strength and return as dawn.

But before we relaxed, we first had a meeting with our contractor. This is where the project turns from a Modern SIPs House Kit company, to where you start reading about a family building their dream. AND the mistakes and successes and trials and tribulations that we encounter as real people, and our own personal zero energy off grid decisions in conjunction with what you get with the house kit.

So let's start with the mistake.
I let my husband review our project. This is what happens when you marry a handsome MBA who wants to audit everything. And then he looks at you with that look and you say, "Awwwww, you're so cute, sure, why not?"

We then slipped six weeks behind schedule, the draftsman my husband supposedly hired never did squat, our contractor lined up new work, and now we have to get in line behind everyone else because we missed our scheduled opportunity to move ahead and have this house built in JUNE.

Ohhhh, yeah. It's totally our fault.
I am grateful our contractor didn't fire us for wasting his time.

So yesterday we reviewed EVERYTHING. And it was good. Because when you are planning a zero energy off grid house with all kinds o' stuff in the poured concrete foundation, you only have one chance to completely evaluate, think through, and get it all right. Our meeting yesterday confirmed... it's right. It's good. And Ron even sent us off with some corn and lamb ribs which we gratefully accepted (and will have for dinner tonight!).

Now here's another thing about our personal casa ti project:
Let me tell you about the crew: It's going to be Ron, and then the crew is made up of four men:
Three Amish and a Mennonite.

See, it can never be a 100% Amish crew because they need someone to drive 'em around and use their cell phone! Hahahaha! I'm excited. But it's a double edged sword: what is exciting for me as a person is bad for me as a business! Amish don't allow themselves to be photographed, much less videotaped, as it symbolizes vanity to them. We respect that. So getting shots of the house kit being assembled / videotaped is going to be interesting. So don't expect a lot o' close up shots of people. Maybe they'll let me film their hands. I don't care, I love it anyway and can't wait to get to know them.
But I'm jest warnin' ya, it ain't gonna be the typical house erection photos!!! ; )

Speaking of those nice Amish men, look what they did in the meantime!
Our barn! (Fine, actually it's a shed, but my children are calling it a barn so there ya go.)

I'm so thrilled with this "barn."
I trusted Ron and the Amish and they delivered. Since we had no idea what we needed, we told them what needs to go there and let their experience take on the project. A-plus, guys!

It's exactly the size, quality, and placement for security and convenience, and amazing craftsmanship to last... well, to last.



Really incredible worksmanship. I loved looking it over, marveling at how well it was put together. If this is an indication of future work on our house kit then... I am super, super excited.

So now we need to focus on improving the fields this fall. And in September, we start our OWN Green Modern Kits house construction.

In the meantime, here's some pictures from our weekend on the land. : )
Hope you enjoy.
We went for lots of walks (to the end of the property & back), ate lots of berries, chased lots o' grasshoppers, and generally just hopped around. The dogs are WORN OUT with adventure. And we are still smiling.

Last night I also listened to coyote howl for hours. Tried to capture it on the audio that was on my camera (which takes lo-grade movies sometimes, like the video in "My Mom Can Tie A Bowline Faster Than Your Mom" post) but it didn't work, I guess because it was picking up the silence in the camper and not the (loud!) noises outside. Oh well, there's plenty o' coyote, but it still was cool & eerie.

Oh. The scythe.
I'll explain quickly:
SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more efficient than any weed whacker, for smaller jobs when you don't want to drag out the tractor! Our purchase of several "old fashioned" tools (like the scythe, seed drill, and high wheel cultivator) were not so much out of nostalgia, or the fact that they don't use fuel (although that IS a bonus) but because, well, they're just so darned efficient! We have not been disappointed, and recommend them highly.

Enjoy!

 

Trademark!

I just opened the mail, and with the bills and statements was an official looking package.

I opened it, and found a very pretty, diploma-looking certificate, even with a gold-star-seal-official-shiny stamp on the bottom, saying that Green Modern Kits is now officially TRADEMARKED!!!!

This is especially sweet to me because a few years ago another one of my businesses, Copeland Casati Media C3, was bullied by a supposed non-profit that used the same C3 as a logo and was ironically supposed to be helping small businesses like myself. They rented to people who directly competed against me in the marketplace (my clients started asking if I had moved), as well as was founded by an ad agency here (my business was advertising), and when I asked them to stop using a shared identity, they refused, saying it was inconvenient for them to do so because "they had already printed up their stationary and cards" even though I had been in business eight years before they existed.

Ironically, this "non-profit", owned by an ad agency that then, in the non-profit's name, got their foot in the door to pitch some mighty large local corporations. The Creative Change Center was, I guess, not creative nor ethical enough to change.

Despite that people now jokingly refer to me as "The Real C3" now, it is still ethically not right and still confuses potential clients (I had one even call down there looking for me this year!).

So, here's to Green Modern Kits bein' all official-like an all. : )

And for similar reasons, I dedicate this post to Eco Geek and Muhammed Saleem!!!!
May the bullies with more money never rule!

Now I can stride ahead even more happily with what we're doing on Green Modern Kits, and we do have some exciting things in the works for you this fall.

One more reason to make our zero energy house party even BIGGER! Woo! Details comin' soon!

: )

P.s. How ya like my monk?
He never tells my secrets.

 

casa ti update

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know!
Believe me, I have been waiting for this longer than any of you. ; )

So here's my update on our zero energy casa ti being built in central Virginia, in response to a reader's question today on our own experience with building loans and how we, personally, did what we did.

"...Where do I get info about getting loans for buying land and building. Right now I’m pre-approved for a FHA loan.

I hope I’m wrong with my assumptions but I have a feeling I can get a loan that's good for building a (green modern kit?) home.
thx

-Sarah"

Dear Sarah,
This is what we did, and I would love for those in the business of green loans to chime in:

We did tons of research then found our land on UnitedCountry.com. I looked for areas close to history and culture and within 20 miles of infrastructure (hospitals, jobs), where rural land was available but where people were of a mindset to preserve instead of develop, and community was strong.

Got the mortgage through Colonial Farm & Credit. They are great because they are a co-op, and when their entity makes money, we got a check at the end of the year as "shareholders"! I would look around for a similar land cooperative in your area.

We paid off the land for a few years, and enjoyed camping there, then saved up for (My! Yes, disclosure: I'm GreenModernKits.com and GreenCottageKits.com) our passive solar modern house kit. And even then we didn't jump on it.

For the past year I've been throwing extra money to the factory, so that by the time we ordered our kit... it was paid for! AND I've paid off the windows!

But that's obviously not going to *finish* the house.

We decided to refinance our primary residence instead of going for a construction loan because... well, let's face it, Virginia is not the most progressive green building state. A lot of the things we expect to do... well, have not been actually accepted yet by traditional construction loans. By using a re-fi loan, we can do more cutting edge things and then wait for local zoning to catch up since it is not yet our residence.

When the children are older we will sell this house and use those funds for our financial security. This is not just about "being green" and preserving land where you can purchase those parcels already on the market to preserve; yes, it's all that, but it's also about financial freedom, making different choices than many who have a similar income to become debt-free. And telecommuting is on the rise; so our move could easily be sooner than later.

In the meantime we will spend the next years helping the land: practicing crop-tree release, encouraging quail and other wildlife habitats that have been in decline, gently working through no-till agriculture to grow food yet encourage quail in existing fields, and dismantling a dangerous falling-down tobacco barn for reuse on the property.

What I will love about living in an off grid house is that I can be older yet secure about not having to pay those $500 monthly heating bills, and that by selling our city house we will have everything paid off, living debt-free and not a burden to our children.

Ah... but how's the project going now?

Well, my fabulous contractor is back from vacation.
: )
And really, he's worth the wait because I trust him and it's not his fault my husband did a last minute (I hate being married to an MBA!) systems audit / foundation plan audit that held everything up 6 weeks since he then only did it on the weekends. (Ah, my cute, sweet, dear, thank- goodness- he's- handsome- or- I'd- really- be- letting- him- HAVE- IT- right- now husband.)

(Grrrrrr)

So... onward!

Oh p.s. though: As of this week: We have a barn! Not very mod but made by the Amish in the area, therefore supporting the local community.
: )

 

The Amish and the Crazy Lady

How cool is it that our veddy modern house kit we’re building with cutting edge technology / SIPs / award-winning architects is being erected and built by... the Amish?

I’m going to be very interested to hear the feedback from them after this project, and look forward to getting to know and befriending more of our neighbors.

What I love is that in small communities (Our Town, population 299! Woo!), even if you’re a newcomer, when you build a house, it’s a community project.

You see why my heart is there...

 

Final Green Building Pre-Pour Meeting For Net Zero Casa Ti, Our Modern Prefab House Kit.

Final 9 a.m. meeting with the contractor before pouring the casa ti foundation!

We delayed the pouring of the house foundation a bit because we had to really review all of our systems decisions because, honeychile', once that concrete is poured... that's it! So we really wanted to audit our choices to make sure they would be appropriate for our family longterm.

The one thing I regret is that I know solar technology is going to rapidly change and become more affordable in the next 18 months. But what can ya do when you need to purchase your system now? I certainly can't let the casa ti concrete foundation sit and crack in the winter cold now, can I? So nope, gotta buy the net zero / off grid systems now, regardless of great technological advancements in the near future.

Pictures coming soon...

In the meantime here's a pic of our cute lil' tractor-- I feel very sorry for my husband, he has to bush hogg in 100 degree heat after the meeting... Happy Father's Day, sweetie! : (

 

Get Yer Windows!

In my green building business, my mission is affordable housing. As you (and I) make decisions on what kind of foundation, systems, and other considerations for the construction of your home, I always look at the financial figures and think,

"Where can I save money?"

When I started this quest, often those"great" cost-saving steps instead cost me money.

• Remember when I bought those great windows at Habitat for Humanity's Restore and Craigslist? Great cause, great idea, recycling and all, cost $600, now I can't use them for my modern house kit. (Note to all: I will reuse them, somehow, maybe in a future barn. But in the meantime, they collect dust in the garage...)
• Remember when I spent five thousand dollars on shop drawings with a vendor for a metal house where I would then have to insulate and pay for the labor to do so... and then I discovered SIPs (structural insulated panels- strong, incredibly insulated panels) for the same price/less than the metal price quote? Ouch.
  

Oh well, that was before I founded Green Modern Kits.com so someone else wouldn't have to make those mistakes! ; )

So whenever I find great resources I will add them to my "resource" tab on the site, and whenever I find great tips I will add them here under "money saving tips".

And here is my latest money saving tip:

Windows and Doors:
If you have time, know that your local Home Depot/Lowes, etc. have regular sales. Wait for one. Even better, strike up a conversation with the guy with whom you'll be placing your order and ask him to help keep you informed on special deals.

Our prefab kits come with a window and door schedule. I took that schedule to my local XYZ Hardware Store to get the original price quote for my budget, which ended up being around $9,000.

Well, guess what? Next week my local store is having a 15% off sale.
15% off of $9,000 is... appreciated!

You can then ask them to take it a step further: Ask them to send the bid to the buying headquarters. They then go to the manufacturer who will often take off another 5 to 12 PERCENT! Woo!

Hope that helps someone else in a similar situation in this internet ether.

Keep your fingers crossed as I wait for the final price!
(Which is posted in my "final costs" post)

 

We begin!

Well, my fabulous contractor, Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction just called to tell me...

He has the building permit for our modern plan casa ti house kit in his hand!

Now the fun begins!
Stay tuned!

 

Money money money... money!

Sigh... when I started this post I had no idea I'd be running into Liza Minnelli.

And when I started this project I had no idea I would be where I am with SIPs, the solar choices I made... and the budget I have to get there and achieve my goal of gorgeous, affordable, off grid modern design.

This dream began with the realization that dragging a shipping container out to our land was not practical. Though recyclable, we would have spent 7k at the end of the day for a... metal box. Not an investment. Not insulated. Not passive solar. Not... ok you get it.

So then we explored metal buildings... and couldn't resolve the insulation issue.

Then we discovered SIPs, kidnapped some award-winning architects (in my real life I'm a bandit), and committed to investing in a home to enjoy for generations. (That's sideways speak for: Pony up, Copeland, at the end of the day it's a lot of money.)

So, without further ado, I dispatch my estimated and actual costs (which will be oft revised as estimated costs turn into actual figures):
(I'll put estimated figures in blue, real figures in green so you can see what is what. I also remind all readers that prices vary in everything, this is just what it costs to build a casa ti in central Virginia in winter/spring 2009!)

1. casa ti kit house: $22,537.91 for a 1,200 s.f. kickin' modern house kit.
   
2. shipping: $1450 per truck to get from northern to central Virginia
   
3. engineered drawings (gears kit documents for local zoning): $1,910.00
4. poured concrete foundation: $4,886.70
   
5. concrete finisher (prevents cracking, contractor swears by it) $910.00
6. sand $230
   
7. foam that goes under foundation: $1034.68
   
8. Mike's plumbing and Heating: (they laid the radiant tubes, plumbing in foundation) $3,450.00
9. sheet rock: $4,000 --> We have eliminated drywall.
   Waiting for estimate of alternate approach.
   
   Wellz, folks... this will be a combination of the contractor building interior walls with plywood, *while* lining the interior of the SIPs with... VMI's BASKETBALL COURT! 'Cause you know I'm all about reuse, and history. *That* cost (oh, by the way, did I mention I acquired that historic solid maple flooring for about $1 per sq. ft?) will also be offset by the fact that I'm going to auction off the VMI logo on ebay... which might just end up paying for it all. (YES, I will be donating percentages and anything over purchase cost to VMI's Basketball team! Yay!)
   
   So this cost is going to take awhile to get final costs. You could also do a SIPs stew to save money on the interior: http://www.greenmodernkits.com/2008/03/sips-tips-i-think-ill-call-this-one.html
10. EXTERIOR lumber and framing lumber for the load bearing INTERIOR wall $4,294.40
    
11. Interior walls: $2,200
    
12. Phase 1 LABOR for putting house kit together / exterior framing / interior load wall framing (i.e. Phase 1 of getting the house kit weatherproof. Phase 2 is labor for putting on cladding, Phase 3 is finishing the interior) $4,484
    
13. Phase 2 LABOR for installing cladding: $9,610
    
14. wiring: $5,700 (I think this estimate was wrapped into an earlier general labor estimate... will check with contractor this week.)
    
15. windows: $8,071
    Original quote: $9,051.39: I waited until they had a 20% off sale to place my order, made some adjustments to the door, and hence my costs were: $7,689 + $59 delivery charge + $368ish tax: see the post "Get Yer Windows" for details on how to save money and bring the price down!
    
16. plumbing: $4,500 (Actually I think this was Mike's Plumbing costs, above- so this might not be relevant?)
17. Roofing: Roofing labor to install membrane, etc. : $2,118
    
18. Lowe's (I have no idea, but it's on the contractor's cost sheet so there ya go!) $196.35
19. Equipment rental for a light trailer $87.12
    
20. contractor: $6,021.66 for phase 1-2, plus 10% on SIPs, siding, windows/doors = 3,880 -->$9,901.66 (as of February 14th, 2009, now we have to finish interior. Estimate to do interior walls is $1,200 but that does not include systems installation.).
21. well / rainwater collection: still working on it, looking to be around $8,000
    
22. solar / solar heat / batteries, etc. / radiant heat (I will go into this in depth later): $10,000
    Ok, these costs are starting to come in:
    PEX tubing for radiant heat: $670.50
23. roof / membrane / one green roof / cladding decisions: We're using Galvalume, we are not adding the green roof (although you certainly can on the north side of the casa ti, that was in David Day's original idea) because we are using that for rainwater collection.
    
    Supa-Cool Siding/Roof Mod Package! $8,776.11
    Shipping for super cool siding package: $268

Now here are some costs that are not really directly related to the house kit / building a house but I wanted to include:

1. Excavation and seeding: Anonymous below asked about site costs: Good point, totally did not include that. Fortunately, when we bought our land it was... exactly as it is, except for excavation of the site- so we did not have to cut down a single tree, yet have a super south view! We situated our house at the end of the pre-existing field. Costs for excavation *and* seeding: $1,200.
2. Perc Test (soil consulting) $600
3. Board of Health Permit $190
4. Building Permit $82.07
5. Contractor going up to the factory to be trained on SIP: $194.39
6. Driver tip for SIP delivery because we're nice and in a rural area and they went above and beyond their call of duty $80
   

Now, when you're adding up these figures, remember some items are systems for an off grid house- so if you're connected to utilities, this will be less for you.

Again, realize these don't pertain to your local costs of your material and labor.

Well, we will see what more of the actual costs are later this month...
Keep yer eyes peeled!