Eco-renovation (part 1)
For a few years we lived near a growing urban area
where land was expensive. Our long range plan was
to own a small farm, so we rented and worked on rural
skills. Then, one day i looked at our goal and
did some math. A few days later we got into
rehabilitating old houses.
The finance is simple. You live in the house while
renovating it and pay taxes but not rent. The labor
invested is returned when the house is sold. Meanwhile,
the house becomes a classroom for construction skills.
If the land and location is suitable this can be a cheap
way to build a dream house. Most of the permits and
inspections can be avoided and work can proceed slowly
without help from contractors.
The negatives are constant dust. Evenings are spent
reading howto books and every week has a new frustration.
Relationships are constantly tested.
Our plan went something like this:
1. Decide what the eventual shape of the house would be like.
2. Start with the roof, try to adjust roof without adding
additional walls or supports.
3 Add trees required by eventual landscape.
4. Completely redo the outside walls.
5. Paint, seal, and calk
6. Work inside one room at at time.
7. Add porches, decks, and outside structures.
8. Landscaping
A less ambitious approach is suggested by the book: Eco-Renovation.
I'm taking notes from the book and will share them in succeeding
posts. (continued)
----
jeff owens, [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.xprt.net/~jko
underground house, solar power, self-reliance, edible landscape
to leave ecopath: unsubscribe ecopath -> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
