Passive Solar Home in Colorado Mountains Built by the Author in Mid-1980's

Photo of the passive solar greenhouse
 under construction with author.

Yes, Geoff was a green builder before green was cool. He designed and built a passive solar, energy efficient home at 7400 foot elevation in the Colorado mountains in the mid eighties.

A registered heating and air conditioning engineer, Geoff's self-built and self-designed home included a passive solar Trombe wall (see Glossary) in a south-facing solar greenhouse made from decomposed granite stones gathered off the site, not transported from a distance. The house was cut into the hill on its north side for a natural earth berm and had small high windows on that side for energy conservation. Very little of the two acre site and vegetation was disturbed during construction, involving only the house foot print, gravel driveway, and septic field. No soil was imported and the cut to create the berm against the north wall provided just enough fill to support the front of the home.
    
     The south side windows had overhanging eaves, which length was calculated to allow sun to enter in winter and not in summer. A concrete slab floor contributed to the thermal mass and resultant moderation of temperature swings. The climate and south slope location were well suited to passive solar techniques, and these expenditures were able to payback in a reasonable amount of time in the mid 1980’s.

     
     These design elements worked very well to moderate the daily temperature swings through the seasons. In addition the builder used inexpensive electric baseboard space heating that was easily zoned in each room, and an electric demand load-shedder could automatically turn off heat in a little-used area or the electric water heater or well pump.

      The occupants gathered and cut their own dead firewood frequently for a cast iron wood stove used on the coldest nights. The window coverings were panels of foil-faced urethane (later fabric covered) left over from the unused wall sheathing. Ventilated operable skylights in the ceiling furnished summer cooling from the chimney effect. No mechanical air conditioning was required at 7400 feet above sea level, and the roof overhangs were dimensioned to optimize this by reducing heat gain through the windows and doors.

Photo shows the passive greenhouse
with the city of Boulder, CO on the plains below.

    This author’s home design saved a lot of energy (money on utilities) and was comfortable in spite of a high heating degree-day location at this elevation. The utility bills with an all-electric, passive solar home were flat and constant throughout the winter months (consistently at $100 per month for 2400 sq ft. when others were $300 to $400.)
      











To preview the book that Geoff wrote cut and paste the following link to your browser:  
 Click here for Amazon book [paperback or Kindel]
       
      To order the 306 page book cut and paste the following link to your browser:
Order book from Amazon

Left-hand photo shows the north wall, bermed into the hill for reduction of heat loss. West wedge-shaped wall afforded a view of the continental divide (James Peak) and late afternoon solar exposure.








The photo on the right shows friends enjoying the Trombe wall on the left and the Jotel wood stove adjacent to it.








Striking image below of this passive solar energy-efficient mountain home on south-facing slope on a testy winter day.

Estimating, excerpt from book "Working for Subs"

 Estimating Costs:

The estimate in Appendix F [of book Working for Subs] is based upon a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet composed by the author and was used for building in Tennessee in the mid 2000's. Other locations may vary drastically in labor and supply costs. Referring to this estimate will aid you in compiling a list of most materials and labor items used to build an average sized home as well as a representative percentage of that item’s cost to the total project cost. Actual dollar figures will not be accurate for your location or time, and are shown to merely give a relative notion of itemized costs. It is based upon a slab on grade foundation and a single story house.

This author has found it is best not to rely upon any single spreadsheet, book, or computer program to estimate the cost of construction. Instead, call each and every subcontractor and supplier you can for each project to get the latest cost. Go through every number produced and verify its derivation for every new project. This will take some time and for some items several hours of work. Each entry in the estimate sheet represents money, and is worth spending at least more time on than you might spend reviewing the bill for dinner at a restaurant - the way many builders treat their quotations.
Every job should be estimated by re-calculating from scratch every item that goes into building it. Materials' prices change, different subcontractors have different rates, and their quotations change. Building codes change, each structure has unique attributes, different locations affect costs in different ways, etc. Use a previous estimate like the one shown in Appendix F only as a guide to prevent overlooking items that should be included or only to give ballpark figures for comparison and checking your figures.

A spreadsheet similar to the one in Appendix F is a good way to approach estimating. Each item has three columns dedicated to materials and three columns to labor. All factors that enter into a calculation cannot be shown in a single cell of a spreadsheet, so we use separate spreadsheets (not shown) to calculate the various numbers shown in the cells. These separate calculations then automatically refer their result to the appropriate cell of the main spreadsheet.

For example, the fireplace cost may consist of a summary of components, including the firebox supplier’s quote, framing, hearth construction, a surround of tile or marble, a mantle constructed by the trim sub, separate chimney enclosure, etc. This detailed estimate item from another spreadsheet (not shown) is all reflected in one or two entries on the main spreadsheet of Appendix F. The units column may list the number of bricks or the square footage of floor for tile. No units are consistently the same type, as one might be a unit of volume (cu ft,) a quantity (count,) or an area (sq ft.) The unit cost column may just be a factor composed of a complex computation from another spreadsheet to yield the total cost shown. Each entry of Appendix F must be reviewed as though it were being produced for the first time in order to be accurate.

The last two columns of Appx. F (% cost per item and cost per heated square foot) are handy for checking your calculations. They should be in the same realm or magnitude as your figures. If your trim and door number, for example, is 10% of your total cost instead of the 2.3% shown, you either have very expensive finishes or your calculations need to be revisited.

Early in the design phase of construction you should get as many quotations from suppliers and subcontractors as you can in order to avoid surprises later. Often time is not available for this in great detail. However, several quotations shown are needed at this early stage, due to their long lead times (from order to delivery,) and to lock in some significant prices prior to commencement. Some subs are booked for weeks in advance, and you will need their quotes at an early stage to guarantee their contract commitment. A list of these critically early items is shown earlier in this chapter in the Detailed Building Schedule Part B.

There are many good estimating books available to aid the homebuilder. Walker’s Building Estimator’s Reference Bookⁱ is one that is comprehensive and more directed to commercial work, but also covers many elements of residential construction. It attempts to be all things to all types of readers in many locations and accomplishes this as well as any fixed writing can. Use references as guides only, because the best way to price an item is to contact the supplier that you might use and ask a lot of questions.

Be sure your suppliers’ and subs' quotations include delivery, taxes, complete systems, and timely arrival on the job. Refer to the various chapters throughout this book for questions to ask of suppliers and subcontractors, as each type first appears in the Detail Schedule Parts appearing there. When building in upscale neighborhoods, we found our unit cost quotes from subs were always higher than in middle-income neighborhoods for the same quality of work. In addition at the end of their work many subs attempted to request adds to their prices based upon supposed extras that were never discussed up front. Be sure to tell each sub that you do not want any surprises, and a change order must be agreed upon by both of you before doing any work not included in their quotation for a complete system.

i The Building Estimator’s Reference Book, Lisle, IL, Frank R. Walker Co., 2002.

Misc. Items: Overhead Garage Door, Cultured Marble

You may want to install the garage door motor operator yourself (see Chapter 16) in order to save a little money, and since you need to be present on the job for other reasons. I normally would do some odd jobs, so that I could justify waiting around the job site for deliveries, or to lock up after subs. Your trim subcontractor will have to case the large garage overhead door opening before you have the door installed, since the rails mount against these 1x4’s framing the door opening. Following that you can install the motor operator if you are not having a door company do it. We could either pay the overhead door company an extra $250 to furnish and install a half-horsepower motor, or we could buy one for $125 locally and do the labor ourselves. It took about two hours, which was equivalent to $50 per hour pay. This could not be considered after-tax money, since it contributed to sweat equity that would be taxed as profit later, (not as homeowner.) That income was fairly good compensation, especially since we needed to be present on the job a good deal of the time anyway, without the luxury of a full-time super (superintendent.)

The builder must call a cultured marble supplier, if desired, for vanity tops, before the plumber is to come to final his work. The marble company will measure the installed vanities for tops and built-in lavatory bowls, whirlpool tubs with splash and skirt, perhaps shower walls or tub surrounds, and caps for shower knee walls and curbs. This product is not satisfactory for kitchen countertops, since it is easily stained, porous, and not heat resistant.

We found it was less expensive and more satisfactory to furnish an acrylic whirlpool tub than a marble one. Acrylic is more comfortable with ample body-fitting curves, and it keeps water warmer than the heat absorbing thermal mass of a marble tub will allow. The difference is that an acrylic tub requires a knee wall or other support to be built, and a marble tub comes with its own marble skirt, which was self-supporting. Both types required access for servicing the pump underneath. The acrylic tub’s skirt was usually a piece of cement board covered with tile and held in place with caulk that could be cut later for service. Sometimes a service access door is provided in an adjacent toilet room. I often wanted to install a large soaking tub rather than a whirlpool tub, since the latter is harder to clean, costs more, requires electrical work and access, and most buyers report whirlpools are rarely used. However, though little used, buyers usually requested the jets and pumps.

[cont. in book Working for Subs -see URL link herein]

Light and Appliance orders - excerpt from book

Light order:     [from book Working for Subs, available from Amazon.com]

A sample lighting order list appears in Appendix E that illustrates the various fixtures, bulbs (lamps,) and accessories you will require before your electrician arrives to final his work. These are items that the builder normally provides to the electrical contractor to install. The electrical roughin that was performed as described in Chapter 10 is followed at this time with the electrical final.

When the time for the electrician to final his work arrives, the builder must have all light fixtures and bulbs on the premises and all appliances present. The electrical subcontractor will assemble and mount all fans and fixtures. He will install pigtails (equipment power cords and plugs) on the dishwasher, the range, oven, disposal, and microwave.

Other contractors specialize only in setting appliances in place for less money after the electrician does his work. The plumber will set the dishwasher and disposal as part of his contract. These plug into a receptacle installed by the electrician under the sink base cabinet. We used to set many of the appliances ourselves, since we had to be present on the job most of that day, it saved money, and it gave us something to do while waiting for subs and answering their questions. When it came to difficult appliance installations, like double ovens or downdraft rangetops we normally hired an outside installer, or let the electrician do it (more expensive.)

Microwave vent combination units that go above a stovetop are attached to the cabinets. We used to try to duct the exhaust to the outside through a roof cap with flashing. This is a better way to install one, however many builders were using the recirculating type with a charcoal filter, which meets code but is practically useless at removing cooking vapors, odors, and smoke. These recirculating ventilators will catch a small amount of grease on the thin filters, but most of the pollution escapes into the room. In order to compete we began using the same type of recirculating ventilated microwaves. It appeared that homebuyers were not concerned over which type was used, and the additional cost could be avoided. The best way to provide stovetop ventilation is to use a hood with a grease filter and a squirrel caged exhaust fan in the attic, ducted to the outside. This is expensive, but quite and may require opening a window for make-up air in a new tighter home due to being more efficient than a factory mounted hood exhaust.

You will save about half the cost of lighting by going to a large hardware store and buying the light fixtures yourself rather than calling the local lighting company to come out to do a take-off. Also, you will benefit from a more upscale appearance and better accuracy, since small suppliers tend to sell builders cheap looking fixtures at higher prices, and rarely provide what is desired. Shopping for your own lighting can be accomplished with a good list in about two or three hours. See Appendix E for a sample lighting order list. Often, when we hired a lighting supplier, the fixtures delivered were not what we had selected, some were missing and back ordered, they cost more, and the quality was deficient. Electricians usually complete a normal sized home’s final in one day. If they must return, it can be a hassle for you, and possibly an additional charge.

There can be many types of light bulbs used in your new home. Incandescent, fluorescent, the new energy saving compact fluorescent, LED's, and of many different shapes and types, including candelabra, small base, medium base, globe, frosted, clear, etc. You should consult a catalog and educate yourself well in advance of shopping to save effort and time. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) or LED lamps will cost a lot initially and have disposal and color rendition issues, but the environmental green movement may sway you to use them. CFL’s contain mercury, so should be recycled and not tossed into the trash. Most LED’s and some CFL’s may illuminate with a non-natural light closer to blue in the visible spectrum.

Appliances:

After cabinets have been installed and the electrical roughin has been accomplished, you can order appliances to be delivered. You will want much of the painting to have been completed as well as flooring if possible. The electrician will have to be called back to connect the pigtails and outlets behind most of this equipment.
Y
our appliance order should be complete, including at least four items a dishwasher, disposal for the plumber to connect, an above-the-range microwave with vent, and a combination stove with an oven and a range. Some areas without public sewer taps may necessitate the use of a septic tank in which case a disposal may be ill advised. Your order should conform to the dimensions already given to the cabinet supplier, since the appliances must fit those. Over the stove is the best location for a microwave, since the width is usually the same, and this allows a built in exhaust fan. Counter top microwaves and built-ins elsewhere take up too much useful space. Some recommend under-the-counter, but stooping becomes laborious.
I
f your kitchen is more upscale you may have a rangetop with a separate vent hood and an independent exhaust fan. This usually entails a separate built-in double or single oven inserted into a cabinet in another spot. A trash compactor is a specialty item that most people seldom use, and they usually convert to a cabinet in the future. So, avoid this cost, unless you are one of the very few who likes them. You may have a downdraft (inefficient & ineffective ventilating) rangetop instead of one under a hood, so the exhaust duct will have to be connected under the cabinet by someone at this time. Since this book is concerned primarily with scheduling, subcontractor coordination, and costs, not design or functionality, appliance options are not discussed in great detail. There are kitchen consultants who make a living solely designing these rooms.

As mentioned, there are appliance installers who do nothing except set these items as their career. I usually installed my own and saved the $200 or $300, since I needed to be on the job anyway meeting subs. My electrician could place most for an extra fee, except I still had to connect the duct to any downdraft or microwave vented through the roof, if the HVAC sub had not been paid to do so. However, for elaborate or larger appliances I usually hired the specialist who could do it much more efficiently. Your appliance supplier can give the names of a few installers. The plumber, of course, must set the dishwasher and disposal once the electrician has connected their pigtails, plugs, and a receptacle.


One problem of concern after ordering appliances is theft, since these items are easily carried and expensive. Microwaves and disposals are most often taken. You will want the house to be lockable with all doors, windows, and locksets in at this time.  
[continued in book Working for Subs]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• BE SURE TO CLICK    "OLDER POSTS"   - BOTTOM R. on this WEB PAGE TO SEE MORE POSTS.
• The below is an excerpt from a book of 309 pages, 19 Chapters, 10 Appendices
•                  (See Amazon.com or following URL link to preview book in Kindle or print versions)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To preview the book that Geoff wrote       - cut and paste the following link to your browser:  https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1194783

      To order the 306 page book         -cut and paste the following link to your browser:

https://www.createspace.com/6118813

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                    

Design and installation of Fireplace And Chimney -excerpt from book Working for Subs

Fireplace And Chimney:

Framing The Fireplace Enclosure:

The framer will build a chimney chase and enclosure (see Chapter 8) for the direct-vent or ventless firebox if it is a prefabricated metal one and not brick. You will have to call the supplier for the rough opening dimensions at the face of the firebox, and be sure to add to the vertical dimension for any raised hearth. Give these dimensions to the framer. Also be sure the chase dimensions will clear the chimney by 2” on all sides even though rated for zero clearance. Many prefabricated fireplace manufacturers only require a zero or two-inch clearance to combustibles, like wood studs. Try 25 gage interior steel studs to perhaps save some money over wood, and to allow zero space around a firebox. Our floorplans usually called for a seven-foot wide face on the chase that allowed for a tile surround and mantel legs on each side of the opening for up to a forty-two inch model firebox.

Setting the fireplace in an outside corner seems to be a desirable design feature, since it allows a view out the windows from the same vantage point (the sofa,) gives easy access for outside air ducts, and facilitates efficient furniture placement. The windows, TV, and fireplace can all be seen from the area's seating arrangement with this design scheme, as shown in Photo 13. The third focal point from the viewing location is the TV, so try to group these three in your room design.
Chapter 8 carries more discussion on masonry work for fireplaces. You will need to consult a brick yard for components used for a masonry fireplace. Be sure to buy a log starter with other iron implements to avoid forgetting this later, but the plumber, not the brick layer, will be installing it. 

Brick fireplaces are heavy, massive monuments that require substantial foundation support and are not easy to remove, like prefabricated fireplaces, if you later decide you made an error in location. It is excessive overkill to construct a masonry fireplace and chimney just to insert a gas log set. Only build a brick fireplace to burn wood. The gas starter (perforated pipe set below a log grate with a valve) may be installed by a licensed company. In Tennessee a plumber needed a separate license other than plumbing to install gas piping and equipment for a fireplace.

Photo 13: Note corner fireplace, window, and TV accommodate one viewing direction. Observe 12 ft. vaulted ceiling, using traditional 8 ft. exterior stud wall.

The trim sub can build a mantel (see Photo 13 & Chapter 15, Photo 21 ) on site and save a great deal of expense over a manufactured model. Chapter 15 contains more information about the mantel and bill of materials.

After the chimney chase is constructed by the framer and the roof is decked, prior to installing sheetrock, you should call for installation of a metal firebox and chimney. The fireplace supplier, usually required to be licensed with a permit for your project, will normally have crews who will do the installation also. A diligent builder will have gotten a price on the installation well in advance. The gas logs or starter for the prefab fireplace will be delivered by the supplier much later in construction once the gas is turned on.

Other Fireplace Accessories:

Call the plumber to roughin the gas lines and run a capped gas supply line to the firebox at this time, before the walls are closed. This requires a separate permit that the plumber must be licensed to pull. Show the plumber where to put the manual wall shut-off valve. You may want an electric wall switch or handheld remote that controls an automatic gas valve for gas logs, both provided by the fireplace supplier. Tell the installer and the plumber where to place their accessories away from the mantel and surround, or you will find the valve and switch have been placed where your tile surround and mantel leg appear. A two-foot clearance to the edge of the firebox rough opening is usually ample.

The framer will have to insert a firestop that the chimney will penetrate at the attic or next floor plane, consisting of plywood of thickness rated to retard flame spread for the code required period. Usually two layers of 1/2” plywood laid horizontally provide the required fire rating, but verify this.

If you want a raised hearth you will have to tell the fireplace supplier to set the firebox on eight inch or twelve inch concrete blocks. This also affords a more prominent mantel and elevated firebox viewing angle. He will strap the unit to the framed opening and may run a four-inch pipe to a through-the-wall vent cap for outside makeup air to the firebox, discussed earlier in this chapter. This pipe will be always opened to the outside and may need insulating to prevent condensation on its surface in winter. This is rarely done, however, since the minor drip usually evaporates readily.

Types of Fireplaces:

If you spec (specify) a direct-vent fireplace, a small flue will be required through the wall or the roof. These are factory-built, metal prefabricated fireboxes that contain gas logs and sit on the concrete floor slab or elevated on cinder blocks. They do not require the more elaborate and larger flues through the roof that a conventional gas fireplace needs, because they burn more efficiently. Propane can be used instead of natural gas, however this LP (liquid petroleum) gas is heavier than air, and creates a hazard when igniting the gas logs. This is because LP gas can possibly linger at the floor level in an invisible gas cloud, unknown to the inhabitants,. Natural gas is lighter than air and dissipates quickly into the atmosphere and therefore avoids the hazard.

An even more efficient gas log, prefabricated fireplace is available in the ventless model.
(continued in book Working for Subs)

Design of the home -an excerpt from book Working for Subs, Ch. 3

Design Considerations:

Facade design by author in Tennessee

Covenant minimum square footage requirements for homes built in a subdivision are usually very low. You will find that the cost of the lot and character of neighboring housing usually determine the size of the structure and not the covenants, unless there are severe changes in market conditions once the development is completed. The cost of the lot usually necessitates a much larger home than covenants do in order to recover maximum value upon an eventual sale. Refer to Chapter 2 for a discussion of estimating the cost of the lot.

Your design will be critiqued by all of your neighbors and other builders in the neighborhood once construction begins. Many will approach you on the site and ask the size and style of your proposed home, so they can assure themselves that you are not bringing down values in the area by constructing a lesser dwelling. These self-appointed critics are not normally your friends, and most will confront you later with additional issues. Just smile, and tell them your design will not disgrace the subdivision, giving as little information as possible. You only have to appease the code authorities, yourself, and the lender, not curious passers-by or self-appointed neighborhood architectural police, unless on an HOA architectural committee.

If your project is located in a PUD or subdivision with a homeowner's association (HOA) your plans may be subject to review by an architectural control committee. This is just to assure the other owners that your home will not reduce property values or detract from the cohesiveness of the neighborhood. In other words your design must fit and not be too radically different from other homes in the area. HOA's do have the power to place liens or other encumbrances upon the property, so you must appease them. This modern trend of unification of design is thought by many to degrade the charm previously seen in the neighborhoods of your grandparents with their variety of styles, architectures, and colors.

When building in states like Florida with high wind, flood, and hurricane surge requirements a design professional, architect or engineer should be hired to determine code mandates and recommendations. There are many stipulations for elevation of the structure, enclosures below the base flood elevation, decks, pools, “V” and “A” zones, ⁱ etc., that are beyond the scope of this book, which is mainly devoted to construction scheduling and dealing with subcontractors.

Consider not building a separate living room in addition to a family room to save construction costs; instead look at a study or office just off the entryway that might become an additional future bedroom. Living rooms are seldom used and require expensive unused furniture. They consume the limited living space and budget of other rooms, and are an evolution of the parlor of old for greeting guests.
The modern home is becoming less formal with a hearth room open to the kitchen as well as an eating area. This allows families and friends to gather in one larger place more easily, rather than expecting them to scatter throughout the variously labeled rooms added to the house for specific purposes. Congregating is the natural tendency of groups regardless of your design intentions, and to ignore it will leave you with empty rooms while people are crammed into a smaller space. Everyone at a party groups naturally in or adjacent to the kitchen where the hosts, food and drinks are.

The dining room has remained as a permanent staple of our society that is fortunately slowly becoming extinct. It is a room that might be used two or three times a year, Thanksgiving and holidays, like Christmas, but otherwise ignored except for dusting. Your grandmother, your mother, and most everyone else in America has always had a dining room table under a hanging light fixture with a sideboard or china cabinet and a window. If you insist on a dining room, you will want a nominal twelve by fourteen foot space of about 170 sqft, unfortunately costing $20,000 or more in construction and furnishings. It must be adjacent to the kitchen for ease of access and separate from it for formal dining. This room will probably be best located off the foyer, since it can be an impressive entry feature, and uncluttered due to non-use. Don't omit the cost of conditioning and cleaning this vacant space year-round in your budget.

Rear porches and covered outdoor rooms with low ceilings should be no deeper than about ten feet, since they will darken the adjacent rooms, and to make them larger reduces their intimacy. The deeper the porch, the higher the ceiling should be, in order to avoid a low tunnel appearance. Locate the porch, patio, or outdoor room adjacent to the kitchen and family room for food service and clean up as well as to extend the common living area to the outside. Be sure to allow space for a grill, counter or bar, eating area, informal seating, and a possible outdoor fireplace. You may want to add a small patio off the master bedroom, obscured for privacy from the main living area. A large glass door could replace the master bedroom window adding natural lighting.

The front porch in most urban and suburban settings has become only useful for entry shelter from the weather or as a design feature. It is rarely used for extended living space as in days past. For these reasons its depth might be reduced. The entry porch should be covered, since this will not only give shelter from the elements, but also protects your door and other accoutrements from weathering. In a country or rural setting the front porch may be larger, since it could be used for a seating area due to less concern about privacy.

When arranging rooms and spaces in your design, strive to place a window in every room, or try to open the outside room walls to interior rooms for natural lighting with large passageways. Open passages may be attractively enhanced by  [continued in book, Working for Subs -amazon.com]

i FEMA “Homebuilder’s Guide to Coastal Construction.” http://www.toolbase.org/Home-Building-Topics/Natural-Disasters/coastal-construction-guide

• BE SURE TO CLICK    "OLDER POSTS"   - BOTTOM R. on this WEB PAGE TO SEE MORE POSTS.
• The below is an excerpt from a book of 309 pages, 19 Chapters, 10 Appendices
•                  (See Amazon.com or following URL link to preview book in Kindle or print versions)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To preview the book that Geoff wrote       - cut and paste the following link to your browser:  https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1194783

      To order the 306 page book         -cut and paste the following link to your browser:

https://www.createspace.com/6118813

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                    

Introduction - (continued from book Working for Subs)

(below is an excerpt from the book's Introduction:)

In order to erect a home as a solo builder and realize the most cost savings you will want to acquire some working knowledge of local, state, national building codes, and energy codes, the permitting process, your local real estate, storm water requirements, population movements, environmental (“green”) concerns, some structural design, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry & framing, roofing, drywall, room finishes, kitchen design, fenestration (window & door) sizing and placement, painting, energy conservation, color selection, weatherproofing, fireplaces, concrete formation, landscaping, grading, solar & wind and other siting effects, lighting placement sizing, etc. These are just a few of the disciplines with which you should become familiar.

It is not necessary to be able to perform each task at a professional level; that is what subcontractors do. However, in order to hire and direct subcontractors, design or visualize components, and inspect to assure the final completeness of a home, a homebuilder must understand the basics of each discipline. The more expertise the homebuilder acquires the more expense he /she will avoid in the construction process.

Many states allow an individual to build one home per year for his/her own use without having to obtain a building license. The self-home builder will need to contact the local building department to determine this requirement.

The building code books used in your city and /or county may be also be obtained by simply visiting the building department (“Code Enforcement” or whatever your municipality chooses to call this division.) Call and ask an inspector what codes are required to build a home? Several county agencies sell the publications themselves. This book is based on the author's experience and on codes in Tennessee, Colorado, and Florida. The codes are continually changing and must be updated prior to every job.

The author has built homes from lot acquisition to final permit in as little as three months, but a comfortable pace for the first-time builder may require six months or more. There are many claims for title of the fastest house built, one in less than four hours including pouring a slab.ⁱ Your home construction schedule will be affected by many variables: weather, subcontractor availability and their experience, materials' scarcity, your own expertise, governmental regulations, and other unforeseen circumstances. This book attempts to help you to anticipate and prepare for, or to avoid many of these obstacles.

Most municipalities issue building permits for an ample one-year period, which can usually be renewed. One year is too long a time to drag out the process, for you will find that costs and effort will increase if you do not remain consistently diligent on the construction. These costs can manifest themselves as additional permit expense, weathering and wear on materials, theft and vandalism, price escalations, scarcity of materials and labor, changes in code requirements, etc.

i Claim of fastest house built by Habitat for Humanity in three hours, twenty six minutes. http://www.habitat.org/newsroom/2002archive/insitedoc002185.aspx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-H1toqMB lM.

Iron Work -excerpt from book, Working for Subs

Wrought Ironwork:

If you are building an upscale home there may be a need for wrought iron looking appurtenances. Most so-called wrought iron accessories are in reality made from mild steel, since wrought iron is rarely used any longer. Some items you may want to order that are constructed of iron will be: exterior upper balconies (Photo 29, Ch. 19) and interior stair and balcony rails (Photo 14, Ch. 13) or maybe some outside fencing (Photo 27, Ch. 18).

 Iron gate in brick fence.

You will probably learn that subcontractors in your area, who will provide ironwork, specialize solely in the fabrication and installation work of this craft. The installing subcontractor is usually also the manufacturer of the assembled iron pieces placed on the job. He will have a shop with welding, cutting, polishing, and painting capabilities. There is considerable markup in the work as well as skill and plant requirements needed, so that companies can be profitable by doing ironwork alone. This sub is no less critical as an independent hire than other companies or people with whom you contract, so verify his insurance, and get a subcontract agreement as described in Chapter 5. Any one person or company who is not directly employed by you on a regular basis should sign a separate subcontract agreement and maintain their own insurance coverage if possible.

You will need to meet the iron salesman very early in mid-framing before drywall has been installed. This is because blocking and supports may need to be furnished in the wall structure for hanging balconies or to attach the heavy wall rails. There is also considerable lead time involved with iron work that requires a month or more advance notice. Some means of locating these support blocks will be required at the time of installation, so prepare a diagram or drawing with dimensions of the positions and sizes of the blocks for later use. Take a photo as well. After the drywall and stair treads have been completed the iron salesman will have to return to finalize his dimensioning to accurately fit the finish work.

There are many variations of balusters, railing styles, and paint finishes that are available for ironwork. This will require a trip to the showroom or a list of previous jobs you can visit that the iron sub has completed, so that you can make up your mind about colors and architectural forms well in advance of ordering. It would be wise to get a sketch along with your quotation from the wrought iron company to avoid any confusion later. If the company is too busy to produce these at the time, you should draw your own rough sketches, dimensioned to give a fair representation of the look you want with notes describing styles and colors. Email or hand deliver these to the sub soon after the quote is given. This will document the design upon which the price was based and prevent debate later. The cost of ironwork is considerable enough to merit the extra effort on your part.

After one installation an iron subcontractor asked me for payment well in excess of his original estimated price. I questioned this, and he replied that his cost were higher than he figured. I told him that I had turned down other bids to accept his and could have gotten the work done for much less than he was now asking. I continued that if I didn't want to know the price in advance, I would have forgone the quotation process, and just told him to build it, and charge whatever he wanted later. He wanted me to absorb the cost of his mistake.


This iron work sub then attempted to manipulate the situation with guilt, by saying, “You are getting a really great price on that, my friend.” You will be confronted with this tactic repeatedly, so keep these arguments in mind for your rebuttals. Subcontractors are supposedly experts in pricing their own work; errors are their cost of doing business. Perhaps a contractor would be more suited for another profession if he does not know what his costs are before hand. This is the way the free market weeds out incompetence and overpricing.

Trim Materials - excerpt from book, Working for Subs

Trim Materials:

Plan for your millwork package (see Appendix E – Trim Order List) to be delivered at least two days before the trim subcontractor is to begin, just in case there might be a delay in shipping. Your trim man’s time is too valuable and rigidly scheduled to risk not having materials on the job when he arrives. You will lose his respect, and your job may suffer if he leaves to begin someone else’s work instead. He will resent you, as his other customer probably was told to hold on his millwork order, and he will have to wait to begin that work.

Photo 21: Built up fireplace surround by trim subcontractor, shown unpainted under construction and finished product.

We rarely lost any trim materials to theft, perhaps since the expensive items, like doors, are too difficult to haul and specially sized. Theft is therefore usually not a reason to worry and delay your order. The only materials your trim sub will furnish are nails and staples.

Before ordering meet with the millwork company’s estimator after meeting with the trim sub, since you will have a better idea of what is needed at that time. Your trim sub can advise you on what to order for unusual items, like the scroll on a mantel leg or built-in shelving. Be sure to get precise prices on every piece of trim to be ordered before placing a purchase order. Let the estimator prepare a written quote, and then edit your purchase order to suit your own takeoff, since the supplier will over estimate materials to be cautious, to prevent extra deliveries, or to sell more product. Ask the cost of deliveries. We always got as many free shipments as we needed, even for just one or two missing pieces, since the millwork supplier had trucks making rounds daily just shipping odd pieces.

An unscrupulous salesman we dealt with once delayed faxing his quote, but gave an oral quote. We needed the order right away and had to trust his word. When we received the bill, it was a thousand dollars high. His boss assumed we were bilking him, since we did not have written proof, and our working relationship suffered as a result. Eventually the crooked salesman was fired (probably for multiple complaints,) and we received a credit, but we never recovered our reputation with the owner. Always get your quote in writing.

Some items that may surprise you in price include: flexible rubber molding for curved walls (some pieces can exceed $18 per lineal foot), extra height doors, fiberglass doors, or over sized wood veneer shelving (Photo 22.) Get accurate written prices on everything before ordering. Another expensive piece is a curved casing over an arched-top window. There are online videos showing building some of the more intricate moldings from old historic homes, duplicated with plaster molds and templates. If you are handy and somewhat artistic, you might attempt to fabricate these yourself, using a mold or a sculptured trowel. We had some trim men who could fabricate specialty items at home from wood rather inexpensively.

Ordering doors requires more detailed specifications than most finish items (See Appendix E - ...Door Schedule, & Door Hardware List.) We bought our doors from the lumber company rather than the millwork supplier, because the latter's were more expensive. A mystery to me at first was how to tell the difference between a “left-hand” and “right-hand” door swing. Our salesman had a silly but effective phrase to remember which; he said, “It’s comin’ at cha.” This meant when you are opening the door toward yourself, the side that the knob is on determines the swing of the door. Opening your front door from the inside with the knob in your left hand indicates a left-hand door.

Most of our doors were called “six-panel” even if stamped from one piece of Masonite hardboard. This is due to the original way doors were built with six different beveled edge panels of wood joined together in a frame. There are four-panel, solid slab, two-panel doors, and other variations, but the six-panel doors we ordered were traditional and seemed to never go out of style. Interior doors can be built of a hollow-core frame, sandwiched between two hardboard faces, or they could be built of more costly high-density fiber (HDF), or even more expensive and non-environmentally correct wood. The wood doors are more sound proof, but only truly so if weatherstripped, which is impractical for interiors; thus specifying wood doors alone to prevent sound transmission is ineffective. Exterior doors come in many different configurations and materials. Fiberglass veneers over a foam core are very weather resistant and durable, but they are more costly than many other types and less secure. Metal clad foam core, insulated doors are not attractive, but can serve for garage or rear yard access and are inexpensive. Wood six-panel exterior doors are attractive, but not weather resistant, and require more protection and maintenance to prevent warping, splitting, and discoloration.

Cabinets - excerpt from the book Working for Subs

Cabinets:

This book  (Working for Subs see link in other posts) is not intended to give extensive design or decorating pointers for your home. There are many other reference sources available for these endeavors. The aim of this writing is to give a step-by-step method for scheduling subcontractors and materials for the job. Some decorating decisions, however, must be made by the builder in selecting colors and shapes, since cabinets will be the backdrop for other accessories placed in the space. When it is time to select your kitchen finishes, you should prepare to visit several showrooms and read extensively to understand all the variations of cabinets, faucets, appliances, counter tops, sinks, and other components involved. Some specific items, like sink selection, may be discussed in this Chapter's pages, since they affect the schedule. The layout of cabinets and general sizes and shapes should have been at least sketched in the early drawing development stage of design for the entire home (Chap. 3.)

Some kitchen cabinets have a life expectancy of up to fifty years.⁶⁵ I have found that kitchen styles and tastes change about every decade. Cabinet designs change from traditional natural wood grain surfaces with ornate polished brass knobs to smooth-lined European types with hidden hinges and no handles at all, and cycle back again. Regardless of what type of cabinet you choose, it will probably be rehabbed after ten years during a kitchen redo. At that time resurfacing the doors and frames may suffice, and interior construction can often remain.
For my second home in the Colorado mountains I drove to Denver and hand-selected rough-sawn, random length and width mahogany planks from the lumberyard. These were then planed at the yard, and I delivered the odd assortment in a pickup truck to the job. A young neighbor architectural student who was also a talented carpenter built cabinets (Photo 16) on site from these planks.

  Photo 16: Author's son with stick-built mahogany cabinets in Colorado mountain house.

The same guy built my decks and a butcher block top on a mahogany island out of 2” hard rock maple (photo 17) from the mill. Once he had glued, clamped, and belt-sanded the maple top a couple of bottles of mineral oil were poured and smoothed over its surface for a sealer. Any other oil may contain degradable products or vegetable oils that would become rancid. This maple top could be sanded many times and used for decades.

Photo 17: Hard Rock Maple butcher block island top & Mahogany Cabinets.

Recently a more open cabinet has been the style for uppers, but when we began building in Tennessee the framer was expected to build a drop soffit from the ceiling to abut the cabinet tops. Be sure to have the framer include this if you want a connected look, and the drywaller will encase them.

Countertops:

Tops can come in many different materials including granite, marble, tile, concrete, laminate, or even wood, like butcher blocks. Stone tops can last a lifetime, but cultured marble vanity tops may only have a life expectancy of twenty years.⁶⁵ You can call the countertop estimator to come measure on the day before the cabinets are scheduled to arrive, and tell him when they will be installed. This will insure that he can possible set up an appointment to arrive the following day, and you won't lose a day of construction waiting on their delivery. Be sure to call him back if the cabinets are not installed as planned. The lead time on tops is usually about two weeks, so plan accordingly.

You will need to know the dimensions of sinks, whether your faucets are 4” or 8” on center, whether you want a soap dispenser built in, dimensions of drop-in range tops, lavatories, and appliances. Composite sinks make excellent kitchen basins, and they look good as well as save money over enameled cast iron sinks. If the accessory items and appliances are not on the job when the estimator arrives, it may be advantageous to have cut sheets available. Cut sheets are manufacturer's catalog pages, showing dimensions and other considerations for the items.


Natural marble does not make a good kitchen counter top, since it is permeable and porous, not like granite. Cultured marble for a built-in lavatory works well in a bathroom vanity. Your marble whirlpool tub supplier can supply these tops in integral lavs. Formica makes a good inexpensive top. Corian will burn and discolor with hot skillets placed upon it, and works best for bathroom vanities. Tile tops require a 3/4” treated plywood substrate and some sort of nosing for the edge. We have successfully used 1x2 stained and varnished oak nosing for this, fastened to the plywood base by casing nails prior to installing the tile. Twelve inch mat squares of small tiles can make a perfect backsplash on the wall above the top. 

Excerpt from book Chap. 1 - Preliminary Construction Considerations

Preliminaries:

Preliminary preparation tasks to be accomplished prior to buying a lot are
numerous and largely laid out in Chapters 2 and 5. Design and drawing or drafting of plans
are discussed in Chapter 3.

Early Quotation s:

Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning, and electrical quotations from those
subcontractors should be solicited as early as possible after plans are developed. These three
disciplines require the most time to prepare estimates and their own in-house drawings than
any other subs. These three subs will require much advance notice to schedule your project
with their other jobs and ordering materials, resulting in a long lead time, between reaching
agreement with you to beginning work. It is prudent to contract with them at an early time.

The homebuilder should request informal bids (quotes) from at least two
subcontractors in each field of work, and three would be better. You will also need prices
very early from a framer, concrete supplier, lumberyard, excavator, and foundations
engineer. There is no reason to hesitate in gathering all of these quotes very soon after the
plans are drawn and before receiving the building permit.

Once you have decided upon a subcontractor in each category and after
signing an agreement, you should contact all the other subs and vendors (materials
suppliers) you will not be using to thank them for their bid. This should be standard practice
throughout the construction process. It is not necessary to give an elaborate dissertation
about why you decided the loosing bidder’s price or scope of work was not adequate for
your project. You may merely call, speak to your salesman directly, or if he is not in you may
leave a message with his receptionist, stating that you appreciate all the work he did in
preparing a price for you, that you will not be able to use them on this job, but you would
like to be able to get another quote for future work when it arises.

Be sure to keep a journal or spreadsheet, titled “Thanked, but not awarded,”
which shows to whom you spoke, and the date. Many times the receptionist will not notify
the salesperson or that person may even forget you spoke to them about this. We have had
unprofessional bidders who were so insulted that they called to ask why they had not been
notified that they lost. Since we kept a record, we were able to tell them that we had left a
message with their assistant, and thank them again. Be sure to let them know that you do
not shop their bid (see Glossary,) and you would like to get a quote from them on future
projects.

To call and thank the people you do not use is a courteous gesture and the least
you can do for the free work of their quotation. They also must take your job off their list of
prospects for planning purposes, and will call you anyway if you do not preempt them. This
will maintain good relationships with your subcontractors and suppliers if you build again,
or even use them later during the same project.

Temporary Power Pedestal:

You must order a temporary electrical pole or pedestal from your local power
company in advance for installation after the lot has been cleared and graded. Discuss the
delivery of this with your grader and electrical sub, so that there is little down time for your
foundation contractor, waiting for power after the lot is ready for him. You may be required
to furnish and install a post for erection of temp power by the electrician according to detail
drawings available from your power supplier. This might consist of a treated wooden 4 x 4
and a plywood backboard within a specified distance from a utility line transformer. Verify
requirements with your local electric company. The temporary power pedestal will provide
electrical receptacles for your foundation subcontractor’s saws, air compressors, and other
power tools for most of the project. Until the house power is turned on, usually within about
the last week or two, the outside temporary supply will be the sole power source. See Chap.
4, Detailed Schedule part C and Appx. B for more information.

Other Preliminary Tasks:

Chapter 2 contains information on warranty and insurance companies, which
you may want to contact prior to construction. Many other items mentioned in the Brief
Home Schedule of Figure 1 are discussed in detail in later chapters of this book.
This brief schedule has subcontractor types highlighted in bold text upon first
appearance of their trade to indicate that before allowing them to walk on your lot you must
have a subcontract agreement signed (see Chapter 5 and Appendix D), their I-9 form (proof
of citizenship,) certificates of insurance, and other information.
Inspections:

The last column in the Brief Home Schedule (Fig. 1) is a list of common
inspections that your local building department may perform before progressing to
subsequent tasks on the list. Be sure you know which ones you are to call and which your
subs are to call. Consult with the subcontractor who’s work is being inspected about a day or
two in advance of when you guess he will be completed. Ask whether he will be ready for
inspection if you call it in for the next day. Make the call a day before needed, or whatever
your building department uses as advanced notice.

The list of required inspections may be obtained from your local building
department at the time of permitting. We have built in rural counties where there was no
formal code enforcement department, and a lone city engineer with no building experience
was providing that service. He informed us that only one inspection would be made at the
end of construction, because he was too over-booked to do more.
In contrast, however, you may begin to believe that many building
departments have become extensive labyrinths of tax-collecting bureaucracies that
seemingly only serve to delay your project and fatten the public coffers. You must be patient
while waiting for your building permit to be approved, which might seem like waiting for
an inefficient commissar to stamp your work release in the old Soviet Union. Anger at the
clerk will not expedite your permit and may even prolong it.

Building Purpose:

Whatever your reason for building your personal abode, self-expression,
pioneering spirit, a design outlet, control of your quality of life, thirst for knowledge, love of
shopping, competitive drive, quality control, or financial savings, be sure it is something you
have the time and determination to complete. Once you begin the process it will be quite
expensive, and if you decide this was not really an endeavor you wanted to undertake you
could lose much of your investment to that point. In that case you may have to hire a general
contractor to complete the house and take responsibility for the outcome, who will add a
factor for not knowing whether the work to date was performed properly. He will want to be
paid well for this risk, and your construction will be delayed also at a price. It's more
expensive to stop your supervision mid-construction that to hire someone else who is
experienced to finish the project from the middle.

C. Geoffrey Kremser, ...........................................................PE Page 8 of 289

(continued in book, Working for Subs)