It seems as though building a custom or modular near or at Passive House ratings is the way to be sure you’re getting durable, tight continuous control layers properly done etc. But how does one consider a house on the market? Is there a time period in MA after which the code will protect against garbage? I know we’re still at the installer’s quality of work whim though. I’ve seen a couple places built in 2004 that could be doable. But I don’t trust it unless I know what is inside and how it was done at this point.
I have an 1840 Central MA, western Worcester county house that needs to be knocked down probably and I have to be in Boston 75 mi away all the time so me living there and rebuilding it probably doesn’t make sense so I’m not sure if I have to only be looking at land to build, or if I can consider houses on the market and if so what criteria. I know they’re not going to be passive houses nor total energy pigs like my 1840 house but how do we know more details with houses on the market?