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@792 sqft, the original house was a wee bit small, and the foundation was decidedly unhappy (breathed up and down through the seasons). In addition, there were the poor electrics and a complete lack of insulation in the walls. Over the 6 years we've been in this house, we've done a bunch of work to it (new bathroom, kitchen, garage roof, double pane windows), but it's time to start over.

Of course, the main idea is to get some more space, but we want to do it right. The exterior walls and roof are high R value Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). These are about 8 - 12" of styrofoam sandwiched between plywood, and they provide both the structural inegrity and insulation (no framing necessary - they are built at a factory). The floors are concrete with radiant heat provided by a high efficiency water boiler and solar hot water panels (the domestic water will be 100% solar heated). The foundation problems are solved by using caissons that go down through the clay to solid bedrock. And it'll look fabulous!



house, circa December 1999