We've updated the drawings and the contractors have them. Still, in the interviews, it became very clear that we've got hundreds, even thousands of decisions yet to make. "Is the deck wide enough?"; "Can we settle for foam insulation backed by traditional blown-in, vs all foam?"; "How important are the two (2) tankless water heaters?"; "...Or is a single large 'Solar Thermal' water heater the better way to go?"; "Is now really a good time to start?". It's dizzying to consider all that we don't know about optimum green design. Our budget clearly will not allow us to be as evolutionary as we want to be and yet we want this house to show leadership in environmental design. And what about this.... why does green building.... doing the right thing... cost so much? The house right behind us just went up for sale. It's bigger than ours. It's higher than ours (better view). It's on more acerage than ours. ... And it will sell for about the same as we plan to spend on JUST THE HOUSE, let alone the land. What's up with that? Needless to say.... we are a little apprehensive about this project right now!!!
On a brighter note, we've just given the go-ahead to "Grounded Design Studio" to work up a garden plan and overall site plan, including the orchard and rain gardens (for run-off control). http://www.groundeddesignstudio.com/. We're as excited about the big garden as anything and these guys will help us plan it and create the vision of what it can be. Of course, gardening is a long, drawn-out process and our fruit and apsperagus may not harvest for several years... Still, it's a start. Cheers.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
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