Waldo Jaquith

I’m not sure if I mentioned it in the post where you detailed some of the energy efficiency features of your house, but I’m seriously impressed and pumped about the way you’re doing this project. WTG!

I’m living in KS these days and I’m examining solar and wind options (both of which we have in abundance) for our house with our dear President Obama’s tax credits.

Posted by Hans Mast on 2 March 2010 @ 12am

thanks for sharing! yes.. I’d like to hear about energy efficiencies…

looks like you are in the “hills” … lots of woods… septic fields are “fun” in such terrain.

Posted by LarryG on 2 March 2010 @ 8am

where’s Hoss and Little Joe going to bed down???

Posted by Bruce Roemmelt on 2 March 2010 @ 12pm

In the barn…about three miles down the road. :)

I intend to write a whole blog entry about the energy efficiencies in this house. Energy efficiency was our primary criteria in most decisions in designing and building this house, and it’s been an adventure.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 2 March 2010 @ 1pm

Looks like the dogs are really gonna enjoy that cool part under the front porch. Consider putting up a railing on the porch. Kids have a tendency to fall off. I like the metal roof. I wish I had done that rather than shingles. Snow falls off quickly too. Is there a basement there or is that just a crawlspace? If it is a basement make it into living space. Nice and cool in the summer. Our house is configured similarly to yours and we have one wood stove in the basement that heats the whole house.

Posted by robert legge on 2 March 2010 @ 1pm

Super looking house! What did you use for siding? Congratulations!

Posted by Malena on 2 March 2010 @ 8pm

Consider putting up a railing on the porch.

It got built today. :)

Is there a basement there or is that just a crawlspace? If it is a basement make it into living space.

Just a crawlspace. A basement would have require (legally) an entrance/exit, which would have necessitated raising the whole house by about six feet, and we didn’t want to build a skyscraper. :) The original plan was for a basement, though.

Our house is configured similarly to yours and we have one wood stove in the basement that heats the whole house.

What did you use for siding?

Cement fiberboard. I like that it’s fireproof (combined with our tin roof), it withstands impacts in hurricanes and tornados much better than wood, it sheds water much better than wood, and it offers some decent soundproofing. Best of all, it has a really long life, and doesn’t have to be replaced as often as or require the maintenance that wood does. I’m told that it comes out better in lifecycle assessment, too—that its environmental impact is lower than wood—but I don’t know that for sure.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 2 March 2010 @ 9pm