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Much of this building season has been devoted to Renovations, Additions and Restorations.  Some samples of this work can be found on the Building page of this website.

Our current work is the building of a two bedroom energy efficient, passive solar home.  When finished, this home will be amazingly energy efficient!  The home is concrete slab on grade, insulated with 4" of high density foam, with a 4 foot wide horizontal frost protection of 2" high density foam around the entire perimeter of the heated areas.  The walls will be insulated with R21 Roxul insulation, and sheathed with 1 1/2" of ISO foam board for an additional R11.25.  The ceiling will be insulated with R80 cellulose insulation, all contributing to a heat loss calculation is less than 10,000 btu's for this home.   We estimate the cost of both heating and domestic hot water for this home to be only $500. a year!

October 2005. Readying Base.

Preparing forms.

Laying two layers of 2" high density foam below slab floor.

High density foam accurately cut and placed around plumbing pipes.

4" of high density foam in thickened edge of slab and vertically around perimeter.

Floor with radiant floor pipes installed, ready for pouring concrete.

Closer look at radiant floor pipes.

Pouring of concrete floor.

Wall framing begins. Notice high density foam in window and door headers, on cold side of home, in front of required dimensional lumber headers.

Wall framing continues.

Framing.

Trusses going up.

More trusses.

Trusses installed and 1 1/2" iso foam board on exterior of frame walls.

Steel roofing partly installed. Tarping the remainder of the roof to protect from the first snow storm of the season.

Crew installs windows on south side

Bob applies drywall compound.

South facing window seat and Dining area.

Living room and garden door.

Bedroom

Entrance

Insect free attached screen porch.