New house construction advice needed

[xman23]

My daughter was looking into buying a home in a private lake community in Ohio. I asked, "did you consider buying property and building". A few days later, they were so excited about the decision to build new. They found a great double lot with a lake view. They will be having the closing in the next few weeks. I will be helping them design the most energy efficient, maintenance free house she can afford. I need to research and gather the latest building materials and construction idea's.

If you have suggestions of what worked for you or web sites that could help us.

Thanks
Tom

 

[johneh]

15 years ago we built my youngest sons house with this
His house in unbelievable quit and he heats it with less than
200 gal of oil and we live in the great white north it gets cold here
https://logixicf.com/

 

[Montanalocal]

This is a thread I started some time ago. It is “Designing a new house for wood heating” If they are into wood burning, they may get some ideas there.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/designing-a-new-house-for-wood-heating.141989/

 

[zrock]

Look into modular homes you can get single, double, triple wide. They are not like the old 70's units that are just a draft box. I set them up and its the only way i would go. They are built to current building code and beyond, you can add/subtract options including wood heat. Best part is you can be living in it within a few months. The ones we sell from date of final approval for plans and live in ready is 2 months or less.

 

[peakbagger]

Consider Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). Take a good look at the Pretty Good House design concepts. Plan the windows and overhangs for optimum solar exposure and put plenty of thermal mass in the right places so the solar coming in from the windows gets absorbed slowly and released slowly.

If you build right, supplemental heating is almost an afterthought. SIP panels are prefabbed in a factory. They arewater tight in a couple of days. Seal the crap out of it so that its too tight and then add fresh air back in via a air to air heat exchanger. Orient one roof for optimal solar exposure and load it with PV. Consider metal Galvlume kynar coated roofing with modified bitumen underlayment over the entire roof structure. Install florida type wind resistant bracing. There should be steel straps run from the foundation up the sheathing tying into the roof structure. Consider fast response home sprinklers.

Siding is tough, Fiber Cement is the high end. Its requires painting but is fire resistant and insect proof (although the underlying foam core of the SIP is). Vinyl is cheap but its annual expansion and contractor leads to long term dimensional shifting. The trim generally looks cheap. Wood, be it cedar, redwood, mahogany or pine all needs more frequent upkeep.

If the building is super insulated in Ohio mini splits are the best supplemental heat.

 

[semipro]

I'd suggest you check out the "Pretty Good House" concept.

 

[georgepds]

Greenbuildingadvisors.com

The blog section

Rough summary..

Keep a simple roof line

Pay attention to where the water goes

Insulate well

And air seal to get less than 1 ach per hr at 50 pa

 

[Ashful]

Greenbuildingadvisors.com

The blog section

Rough summary..

Keep a simple roof line...

There’s a reason the 2-story colonial was popular. Now they try to make every new house look like an old house with 57 additions.

 

[begreen]

There’s a reason the 2-story colonial was popular. Now they try to make every new house look like an old house with 57 additions.

And in doing so they create a visual nightmare with a ridiculous amount of incongruous styles. Thus the McMansion is born.
http://mcmansionhell.com/

 

[semipro]

There’s a reason the 2-story colonial was popular. Now they try to make every new house look like an old house with 57 additions.

I never thought about it that way but I think you're right.

 

[Ashful]

And in doing so they create a visual nightmare with a ridiculous amount of incongruous styles. Thus the McMansion is born.
http://mcmansionhell.com/

Even though it’s just a link, this gets my vote for post of the year. That is some of the finest reading I’ve done in a long time, begreen.

There are a few in my neighborhood that should definitely be on that page.

 

[begreen]

Even though it’s just a link, this gets my vote for post of the year. That is some of the finest reading I’ve done in a long time, begreen.

There are a few in my neighborhood that should definitely be on that page.

We saw a whole development of them plunked down like rubber stamps on what looked to be 10,000 sq ft lots in a town north of Philly, right next to a shopping mall. Landsdale PA I think?

 

[Ashful]

We saw a whole development of them plunked down like rubber stamps on what looked to be 10,000 sq ft lots in a town north of Philly, right next to a shopping mall. Landsdale PA I think?

Sounds about right. I know the area well, and it could be any one of a dozen towns. Lansdale is historically mostly blue collar, but there are yuppies in all boroughs.

I talk to folks, and it really is what most seem to want now, 6000 sq ft house with no yard work.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Interesting thread. In the next year I am hoping to build new in a different area of NY. My goal is to have a nice open floor plan home with eat-in kitchen area. No more than 1800sqft (for tax purposes, affordability and energy efficiency). As large of a basement as possible with a high ceiling. Capable to heat with wood when needed. Very, very low maintenance outside lawn area (I hate lawn mowing and weed wacking).

I could afford a mcmansion, but want nothing to do with them. I just see waste and more waste. Waste of time cleaning, maintaining, building and heating/cooling. I want a home I can easily maintain both inside and out and then spend time on what matters to me...family, community and getting out and having some fun.