(broken link removed to http://wabi.tv/2014/01/13/energy-efficient-homeowner-boasts-9-utility-bill/)
$9 heating and electric bill combined
- Thread starter smwilliamson
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Hmm.. seems like a no brainer, $4000 more for a home that will make that up on day one because you don't need a boiler, chimney, etc. Will also put money in your pocket each month due to such low utility bill.
So instead of spending $26,000 on a geothermal unit, I could've spent $4000 and had a home I could heat with a candle? Too good to be true? If it's that easy, don't you think everyone would be doing it?
So instead of spending $26,000 on a geothermal unit, I could've spent $4000 and had a home I could heat with a candle? Too good to be true? If it's that easy, don't you think everyone would be doing it?
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This kind of house construction is nothing new. I helped in the building of one back in the early 1970's. It was called an "envelope" house back then. The house also had geothermal heating and had a large open inside greenhouse to freshen the air because the house was so air tight.
Try building a home without an approved central heating system in Massachusetts. In Maine you can get away with it.
Doesn't say anything about how many solar panels he has. Also wonder if the solar panel cost is included in the cost of home. Just sayin..
Well he could put two 1500w baseboards in and be done and call it central heating.
![[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/125/125827-cbce2151e6f1292f0ad98979c93f9c5f.jpg?hash=TmFK7qsquj "[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined")
Hello
No need for a wooden window sill that juts out! The wall is big enough for a nice planter!
View attachment 125826
Also makes 02 for him to breath
and he has some very aesthetic shelving on that house too! Just cause your home is energy efficient doesn't mean you have to live like you're in a shed. C'mon man, wheres your style?
Bioburner
Moderator
Hello
The Tumble Weed House builders can make a home much more efficient than that. If you do not mind living in 100 Square Feet! !!
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
It is also on wheels so if you get kicked off the property you can move on! No property taxes this way, which is much more expensive than heat!
![[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F0150%2F9532%2Ffiles%2Fphoto-nav-house-to-go.png%3F11806&hash=c7ca29aff10f73c679ef8487f3ac3623 "[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined")
The Tumble Weed House builders can make a home much more efficient than that. If you do not mind living in 100 Square Feet! !!
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
It is also on wheels so if you get kicked off the property you can move on! No property taxes this way, which is much more expensive than heat!
He did a nice job. The only thing I don't like is that there are only a few tiny windows.
If you want an inexpensive house built to the passivhaus standard, for not a lot of money, look up GO logic homes. They are based out of Belfast, Maine and have won numerous national awards and been featured on all the eco house magazines, like Dwell. I believe they can design-build a turnkey home for about $150 a sqft, for triple-glazed giant German windows, R50/60 walls/roof and slab, etc. They heat with a single electric radiant baseboard, to satisfy the bank and insurance companies. Of course, a house that tight needs an HRV/ERV for fresh air exchange.
They've been building a 30 family community near Belfast, and they built the first passivhaus dorm in Unity, Maine. Lots of videos showing the whole building process.
http://www.gologic.us
Bioburner
Moderator
No problem can't be solved that a suitable application of highly energetic material cant remedy.(some what politically correct version) Now back to cleaning a Countryside.
bearphishing
New Member
hey smwilliamson im surprised you find that price so outrageous if you're from SE Mass. I find that price to be right on par with a lot of the houses around here.
Edit: I just looked at your site and saw the zip code for your company is Rehoboth. I live right near the town offices in town.....I didnt even know your business was right down the road
Edit: I just looked at your site and saw the zip code for your company is Rehoboth. I live right near the town offices in town.....I didnt even know your business was right down the road
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Yeah, not cheap, but have you looked at what you get? Triple-glazed german windows, that are huge! First rate timber frame, double and triple the insulation levels. Did you watch how they seal the place? It's easy to spend $150sqft on a new house, it's hard to find the highest quality passivhaus for that price.
I built my own house, ICFs, SIP panels, sealed all the joints, triple-glazed windows, ERVs, red cedar shingles, large-log timber frame, and believe me, it's hard to build a high-quality custom home for so little.
Don't get me started. $225k to build a modest house is outrageous, once you've paid for the land and all of the other crap involved, site work, septic, utilities, taxes....a 1500 sqft house quickly becomes a half million. I'm kinda in the beginning stages of thinking about building....not that I really want to move but I'm curious about what my dream home would actually cost. I understand that a energy wise home may have more material or technology but if it costs twice as much and it's half the size I need...well, I'm goin to have to find a solution. You have to understand, I'm from Maine. My Dad and I built a weather tight freestanding garage that was twice as big as the home I live in now. In 1993 it cost us $27,000.00 frame to finish. I recently priced out the same structure at today's prices and it could be done for around 40k (provided I did all the building). That same structure could be be Passive Haus with some tweeking, should it really cost $180,000 more?
I just looked at some land up in VT and was budgeting that barn structure in a Passiv Haus design, I think I could get er done for $90k with land at 1500sqft, with 14 acres.
Funny hugh? I Have something like 200 Rehoboth customers yet I know nobody in Town. You must be down off Peck, Francic or Reynolds Street? My shop is down on 44, #51 Winthrop.
Perhaps I'm being way too Yankee about the whole thing. I saw a cordwood home design in person that had walls rated to R40. The only thing they used that didn't come from the parcel the structure was on was plastic sheeting and hydrolic cement. The walls were 24" thick and gorgeous! See if I can dig up that photo...
Here it was...attended a cordwood building seminar here.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/07/19/garden/20120719-CORDWOOD-11.html
![[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fgraphics8.nytimes.com%2Fimages%2Fmisc%2Fpixel.gif&hash=2cc6b7a8df251a8286d2af74963dbbf3 "[Hearth.com] $9 heating and electric bill combined")
Bioburner
Moderator
I'm all for cheaper homes that are well built and well insulated. But a super insulated turnkey home for $150sqft is the cheapest I've seen by far. Of course you can do it for less if you do a lot of the work yourself.
Bioburner
Moderator
I know of two all ICF homes. Would be a good idea for hurricane area too. I have ICF basement with r-60 walls. If I build again will give that option serious consideration.
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