Energy-Efficient Windows
Want to reduce your utility bills? Consider the impact of windows. Especially here in our hot humid climate in central Texas. The right windows help keep you comfortable in your home. The good news: Window manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with new, high-performance windows that help reduce cooling costs in homes. But have [...]
Building with Engineered Wood
“You mean you can frame houses with that stuff?” “That wood doesn’t look real good. What’s wrong with it?” “Don’t you need some more supports under there?” “What’s the difference between a glulam and an LVL?” “Shouldn’t this stuff be going to the landfill instead of inside of my walls?” “So explain it to me [...]
Possibility thinking
Do you ever get fixated on an idea or plan? And then realize you can’t let go of it for something better? This happens to me. Check with my family members, and they’ll tell you I have a bit of a stubborn streak. (Okay, maybe it’s a mile-wide stubborn streak, but hey.) Suppose I’ve got [...]
10 Ways to Be a Better Customer
Want your project to run smoothly? Here are some things you can do. Be Prepared. The old Boy Scout motto rings true here. Builders and trade contractors really do enjoy looking at potential projects, but please be courteous of their time. If you just aren’t ready to move forward on your building project yet, say [...]
Remodeling, a Colorful Tale
When Mary and Wayne asked me to contribute to the Solluna Builders blog, I seized the moment. This was my opportunity to warn unwitting remodelers about the pitfalls of color wheels, grout, and the cost of doing business with a Graduate Master Builder. For anyone who has ever read a memoir about the trials of [...]
The Perils of Jargon and Assumptions
Recently, I bought some new accessories for our motorcycles and had a devil of a time figuring out how to install them. The instructions were cryptic and made a lot of assumptions. They used jargon that I’m sure made sense to the engineers who designed the products. I couldn’t read their minds and was frustrated. [...]
Storing Your Stuff
I have too much stuff! Even though I’ve downsized twice. Even though our home is well organized. Even though we make efficient use of every square foot of storage space. I still have too much stuff, and some of it is tucked away in hard-to-get-at places when I need it. I was pondering this the [...]
End of the Year
Ah, it’s that time of year again. The stocking are all hung with care. There’s a certain nip in the air, and we are all dreaming of a white Christmas….yeah, right, maybe if you’re going snow skiing somewhere. I think most of us would be happy with a rainy Christmas. So right after Christmas is [...]
McMansion Ordinance and the FAR Limit in Austin
By Debra Blessman, C.P.B.D. When I sat down to write this blog post about Austin’s McMansion Ordinance, I thought, “Oh, this will be easy. A few pointers, a few definitions, and . . .” Well, that’s where I had to stop and back up. Anyone doing residential construction or remodeling in Austin has bumped up [...]
Support the SAVE Act
Advocates of energy-efficient homes have long been frustrated because Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA typically don’t consider energy costs in underwriting. An energy-efficient home costs less to operate, whereas unbridaled utility bills for an ordinary house can be a huge cash drain on a household’s budget. When it comes to appraisals, you get [...]
Five Easy Home-Maintenance Gifts
One of those holiday season emails caught our attention: Instead of buying a bunch of cheap, throw-away merchandise made in China, it said, think outside the box and give gifts of genuine concern for other Americans. For example, a gift certificate for a haircut, car wash, oil change, or computer tune-up. Mow someone’s lawn or [...]
Zero Energy Home: Happy Zero Day!
Zero Day: October 21, 2011 is the one year anniversary of the day that Oncor (our electric grid operator) installed our bidirectional electric meter. We had been enjoying some of the benefits of our solar electric generation, but on that day, the meter let us see how much energy we were sending back to the [...]
How much would this house cost if you didn’t build green?
“How much would this house cost if you didn’t build green?“ If I had a quarter for every time I’ve been asked this question, I could probably buy an electric car! All right, I’m exaggerating, but I would like to explain why this question irritates me. When building a house, using green practices does not [...]
Remodeling, a Tricky Endeavor
“The neighbors down the street just added a screened porch on their house; it sure looks great. We could do that, too . . . couldn’t we? ” Remodeling your home, it’s a tricky endeavor. There are so many things to consider. How much can you spend? Will you get my money back if you [...]
Top 10 Reasons to Go Solar
Top 10 Reasons to go solar electric, or my last 10 electric bills $71.63 $44.47 $47.76 $ 3.64 $28.26 $ 2.94 $-14.14 $-96.39 $-80.67 $ 8.66
One Year and Still Bragging
Dan and I have now been living in our dream house for just over a year. It has been an event-filled time. We have been in the news (Dan was quite articulate, but I hope to never see myself on TV again!), and we were fortunate to be a part of the 2011 Cool House [...]
Zero Energy Home: It Sure is Hot
It sure is hot! …outside, that is. Texas is experiencing a long, hot summer. Well, that’s normal for Texas, but what we’re experiencing is unusual, with long strings of 100+ temperatures, and almost no rain. Of course, the lack of rain means that our solar panels get nearly a full dose of sunlight every day. [...]
10 Ways to Improve Your Remodel
Set a budget. You might not know what it will cost to do your project, but you should know what you want to spend. Do your homework. Search the internet, read, talk to your neighbors, friends, co-workers, anyone who has done a project similar to yours. Ask lots of questions. If you don’t understand something, [...]
Rainwater Harvesting
When I was a little kid growing up in central Texas in the ‘50’s, there was an extended drought. It lasted for years. My biggest worry was about small toys — the beloved plastic soldiers and cowboys and horses. When they fell into the deep, gaping cracks in the parched black land soil in my [...]
FAQs from the 2011 Cool House Tour
Hundreds and hundreds of people visited the Cripes’ Round Rock home on the 2011 Cool House Tour on June 5. So many people, we lost track. All we know is that there was a steady stream of curious folks through the house all day long. They came loaded with questions. Many features in a high-performance, [...]
