Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO 74 entries to date 46 forum posts to date
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 5/5/2008 7:10:37 AM
One of the desired for our building project was to build a VERY efficient home. (I'm not a typical OB, I'm in this one for the long haul). With our concentration on the energy efficiency aspect we kept trying to find some software or supplier that could quantify how their product would help our efficiency. We didn't find anybody who could model the types of homes that we were building.
In order to attempt to alleviate some of the confustion, my buddy PJ (smelltheforest) and I have been tracking the performance of our new houses and we're sharing it with the attached PDF.
The metric we're using is 100% made up by us. In order to try to compensate for Climate, we're using the metric of heating days (more here) per BTU and then dividing by square footage to try to handle the different square footage of the homes involved. This is NOT a perfect metric. But it does show remarkable consistency, which gives us hope.
A little bit about the houses:
AG -- my house is ICF walls up to the top of the second floor joists. From there SIPS are used, and SIPS make up 80% of the roof, with 20% trusses. The trussed sections are insulated with Icynene sprayed up against the roof deck. Heat: Garage and Basement slabs have Radiant embedded in them. All other floor utilize thinset gypcrete over normal subfloor with radiant in the gypcrete.
PJ -- Identical to above, with the exception of extremely limited SIPS (mostly scissor trusses with icynene sprayed against the bottom of the roof deck). Also has insulation under the basement slab.
ME -- A conventional house, insulated with spray polyethylene foam. Roof insulation is done using polyurethane foam against the roof deck with fiberglass batts covering the polyurethane to prevent noxious gasses. Radiant is staple up. Garage is not heated, basement slab has radiant embedded in it.
Avg 1998-2006 -- a cookie cutter house constructed with 1997 technology. fiberglass batts, blown in fiberglass on the upper floor ceiling, and forced air heat.
Please email me direct at ag+obb@agw3.org or leave comments (I get those). OBB email does not work for me!
Filesheating stuff-old.pdf
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 2/25/2008 9:21:46 AM
For some reason, OBB connections will not work for me. Please email direct at ag+obb@agw3.org
I've recieved several excellent communications from some upcoming owner builders....please don't think I'm being discrespectful...my emails don't seem to go through.
Thanks!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 10/28/2007 4:52:20 PM
more pics.
Pic of a rock taking the tractor for a ride :)
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 10/28/2007 10:40:03 AM
Okay okay,
Here's some start of the updates you've been all wanting and I've been slacking on.
The past months have been truly awesome. I got reintroduced to my wife after the building process and she still wants to hang around. The little guy is growing like a weed, and in some ways I regret that I had to take some time off to build the house, but there's no way we could have built this house without me doing it.
I ended up welding up my own deck railing, so I'll lead with that.
The house works! Bottom Line, green building will pay off in the long term.
Here's a whole bunch of pictures!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 2/12/2007
Well the pics are the proof.
I've been pretty lucky with the trim guy. He's a young guy with a great crew, respectful, they even close doors! (My framing crew is famous for opening every door in the house with the heater on).
Deck is complete. My site is a challenge, so seeing the crane begin to tip because the lift was a little bit too far was a bit intimidating. All those beams have to come from somewhere!
I'm staining all the trim just in time for the trim carpenters. So far, trim is going along great!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 1/31/2007
Well the last month has been interesting. I've been quite reticent on my updating of this blog, primarily because there hasn't been much to report. I've resolved this today, mostly dumping a bunch of photos that are back dated. If you've been following please browse back a couple of entries here.
In short:
Drywall was a nightmare. If you live on the east coast apparently your winter got stuck in colorado. Colorado Springs has had some pretty tame winter's for the last 14 years, apparently building up for a crescendo in the winter of 2006/2007. We've had 5 days above freezing since December 15th. This week's weather is attached. joy. All this resulted in phenomenal delays in the project.
I've left my job with my current company because i just didn't have enough stress during this project, so I thought I'd start a new job too!
Bottom Line:
Final paint is complete, tile is almost done, hardwood floors are installed, the deck is started, trim has begun, and I need a beer.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 1/23/2007
We ended up getting a phenomenal deal on tile. Real travertine for the same price as a couple of other bids were going to charge us for fake. Our tile guy has probably been the most precise sub we've ever had.
Good stuff!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 1/22/2007
They stocked the hardwood floors......
We're going with brazilian cherry hardwood floors. It's heavy!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 1/11/2007
Finally my drywall epic is complete....nearly a month to do a week long job.
1 day for hand texture, 1 day for knock down....then the tile guy arrives. As I'm doing very little finishing, this should be a break for me. (funny......I doubt that).
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 1/7/2007
taping is complete!!! My drywall experience has been trying. A little bit of miscommunication tied to snowstorm after snowstorm......
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/22/2006
here you go....
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/19/2006
Merry Christmas to me!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/16/2006
My regional building department has taken a stance on ICF's that they are not allowed to have stucco applied directly to the styrofoam. This is rather unfortunate for me, as I already have lath over my bare styrofoam walls.
To be blunt, these people are morons who explained to me in condescending tones that the reason is to protect me and my family against water seeping in behind the stucco, freezing and causing the stucco to crack. My argument that the styrofoam is more pliable than stucco, and if it was to expand, would merely expand into the styrofoam fell on deaf ears. Every ICF manufacturer makes the statement that exterior coverings can be made directly to the ICF block, but nobody has the critical ICC-ES report to back the statement up.
I've had numerous ICF manufacturers call them to no avail...so I'm screwed.
I think its margarita night.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/8/2006
having letters from the engineer, stamped by him......priceless!
FilesSKMBT_C25006120411150_0001.pdf
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/8/2006
After much drama, insulation is passed for the new house.
I decided to use Icynene foam for the insulation (those parts of the house that don't have SIPs).
My regional building department pprbd.org is a bunch of dolts who are categorically against anything except fiberglass batts. They gave me hassle after hassle. My Icynene sprayer ruined one of my garage doors, so if you're looking to spray Icynene in Colorado Springs give me a ring and I'll tell you who to avoid.
Here's some pics...
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 12/6/2006
my radiant heat system, ordered from Radiantec.com is fully operational.
This is absolutely awesome validation of doing the job myself!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/28/2006
He had some issues.....
Most of which are already fixed, hopefully the architect will brave the blizzard to come by today and resolve the rest.
| B
| 28-nov-2006
| HOMEOWNER | BFR | P
| GREG
| ENG FOR THE STACKED PLATES ON TOP
OF WALLS-ENG FOR TH LANDING
SUPPORT-SKEWED HANGERS FLOOR
JOISTS-FIRESTOPS-POINT LOADS-ENG
FOR WOOD POST TO STEEL BEAM
CONNECTIONS-HAVE ALL THE REST OF
THE ENG FOR THIS HOUSE |
he made us cut out the sips to show that there's support under the beams....joy.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/22/2006
Mostly easy fixes...!
| P
| 22-nov-2006 15:49:32
| HOMEOWNER | PTO | C
| SCOTT
| ISOLATE COPPER THROUGH CONCRETE BY
FINAL. SUPPORT 3'' IN MECH. ROOM,
AND INSTALL VACCUUM BREAKERS ON ALL
HOSE BIBBS BY FINAL. |
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/20/2006
You know its going to be a good inspection when the inspector shows up and says, "I hate these homeowner inspections because I usually make them tear out half of the plumbing."
Joy.
It actually went pretty well for a failure. I had missed two nail plates, he insisted that I isolate the concrete coming through the levelrock slab. Then he took out his level and proceeded to check pipes until he found one that was improperly leveled.
| P
| 20-nov-2006 10:35:55
| HOMEOWNER | PTO | R
| SCOTT
| GRADE AND STRAP TO CODE. ISOLATE
PIPING THROUGH CONCRETE. SILCOCKS
AND GARAGE BOILER DRAINS LACK
VACCUUM BREAKERS. LEAK ON REAR
SILCOCK. LACKS NAIL PROTECTION. |
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/20/2006
Well the last HRR inspection didn't go well, but the inspector was happy we had fixed everything, and gave it a quick once-over.
| H
| 20-nov-2006 13:42:47
| SUMMIT COMFORT SYSTEMS, INC | HC | C
| DOUG
| SET METER
| | H
| 20-nov-2006 13:42:29
| SUMMIT COMFORT SYSTEMS, INC | HRR | C
| DOUG
| FINISHED BASEMENT |
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/16/2006
Well I failed my first HRR inspection.
The only one that's really my mistake is the Polaris Boiler Vent. Guess I get to core another 3 holes in the concrete.
| H
| 16-nov-2006 12:07:49
|
| HRR | R
| DOUG
| RESUPPORT ALL FLEX DUCT - EVERY 4'
- 1 1\2'' WIDE STRAP - CAN'T CRUSH,
RESEAL ALL DUCT PER MASTIC
MANUFACTURES INSTRUCTIONS, CONNECT
BATH FAN TO DUCT, NEED DOWNDRAFT
VENTING INSTRUCTIONS, POLARIS
BOILER VENT TO CLOSE TO HRV INTAKE
PER MANUFACTURE |
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/10/2006
Pics are attached.
We used LevelRock instead of Gypcrete
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/7/2006
Call that one a win.
| E
| 07-nov-2006 12:29:25
| D & J QUALITY ELECTRIC INC | ES | C
| ROBERT
| RESIDENTIAL UNDERGROUND: 200 AMP
3W TO NEW HOME BY D AND J. RESEAL.
| | E
| 07-nov-2006 12:28:55
| D & J QUALITY ELECTRIC INC | ER | C
| ROBERT
| FIREPLACE WIRED, FINISHED BASEMENT,
100 AMP SUB BASEMENT |
Plumb on friday? We'll see!
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/6/2006
Well we've been making progress.
The gas trench is done, electrical to the house is trenched, and we worked radiant sleepers this weekend. This sunday before a planned trip to dallas (work) I was working on the radiant manifolds and managed to blow out my back when lifting the copper with all of the pumps attached. (old air force injury) I'll be on the couch for a couple of days.
No trip to dallas...but I think this is even worse.....10 miles from the house and unable to walk 10 feet.
Here's the pics.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 11/2/2006
My Gas line is installed, and should be backfilled this morning.
It's a good thing too.....
My gas line must be finished before the electrical line can get to the house, my electrical must be connected before the well can work, my well must work before I can pour gypcrete, my gypcrete must be dry before they can stock drywall, my drywall must be stocked before they can put in the two upstairs windows, and my two upstairs windows must be in before brown coat stucco.
Joy.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 10/31/2006
October was a frustrating month.
We sold the house, which in itself probably took up two weeks of time. Then immediately afterward colorado springs had the blizzard of '06, which probably took another week. So we're operating on 1 week of actual time in october.
We completed electrical, stucco lath, radiant, fireplace install, gas line install.
More to follow.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 9/29/2006
They did an awesome job, let me know if anyone needs a reference.
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Posted to cosdreamhome by Arnold in Colorado Springs, CO
on 9/28/2006
This is just unbelievable. We put our house on the market last friday, and now we have a signed offer in hand for pretty much full price.
**Gulp**
The first showing was a couple that just had a house deal fall through on them. They're pre-approved, but we have to be out by Oct 13th.
Be careful what you wish for.....you just might get it |