Residential Remodel Consulting
Hi,
We are undertaking full renovation (with addition) of our home and in my typical way, we are working backward. We have permitted plans and I think we have identified a builder.
…and now I have decided that we should actually try to make out home efficient and healthier to live in.
While waiting for the permits I have proceeded to log more hours here and on Youtube than I care to admit. I am familiar with many of the techniques but I don’t have a background in construction or engineering, nor do I have to time to try to sort out more of this on my own.
I am looking for someone who could go over our plans and help identify products and assemblies that would fit with our build, budget and “normal-performance” builder. Also, would like to be able to provide some updated construction drawings for areas that might be trickier for the team. My current architect is happy to do those under the guidance of a consultant or we can provide files to work from if the consultant can do that kind of drafting as well. The main focus is the usual around here, air barrier/quality, insulation and ventilation.
The location is Southern California but I don’t care where you are. Sorry for the long post, hopefully, this is not out of place here.
Doug
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Replies
Doug,
I suspect you will save yourself a lot of grief (and money) by selecting a local builder who has a track record of building energy efficient homes. (Really, it would have been better to have hired that sort of architect as well.)
If switching builders is not possible, it's possible an experienced RESNET consultant could review your plans, advise the builder, and inspect the project once work begins.
Thanks, Steve. I will search RESNET.
Totally agree with the 'would have,' but design happened before I became a bit more educated and aware (thanks to pandemic time) and redesigning and re-permitting will set us back by about a year in our area.
I did look for builders who are more familiar with performance/green building, but their quotes were 30-45% higher. In the end, the quality of work from the builder we use might be the same or might be a bit less; only time will tell. Some of the higher quotes seemed to be paying for much higher overhead costs and insistence on only working with certain products and vendors, which ran up the bids.
So, for now, I aspire to help our builder make something better and healthier for our family and planet, and we will do the best we can, then do better next time around. I just wanted a bit more help so I wasn't the crazy lone wolf home-owner telling an experience GC how to build the wall assembly based on something I read in a forum or watched on YouTube.
Have a look at this article https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/a-code-minimum-case-study
It sounds like your architect and builder have designed a code compliant renovation. There are some simple and inexpensive improvements in that article. Taping the sheathing before WRB and air sealing among them.