My Home Building Project in Blaine WA (how much, custom home)

[pinebaron]

Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC and Insulation are done; drywall just commenced. It takes time to build a home right.

[pinebaron]

So far we are still on target. Interior painting is in progress this week. It was a gorgeous day yesterday and expect the same today, nothing to complain about. Looking forward to relaxing on the deck soon.

[leastprime]

Have you thought about using solar light tubes ?

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, you're not worried about fall/winter heating costs, for a glass house? Or glass living room?

[pinebaron]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

OP, you're not worried about fall/winter heating costs, for a glass house? Or glass living room?

This being a very large home, we used high quality Anderson windows and doors to keep the elements out. In addition we have extensive insulation, a little more than usual. Heating costs are bound to be high for the size of this home if it was full on all the time. however the HVAC system is a commercial design using two high efficiency furnaces feeding five zones for areas we (my wife and I live in) and the rest is guest areas for when my kids and grandkids visit, hence very controlled to keep costs down. Lighting, and we have perhaps too much of it, is all LED with dimmers etc.

[pinebaron]

Originally Posted by leastprime

Have you thought about using solar light tubes ?

Oh the pic was a night view rendering of the property. No need for solar light tubes; all rooms are facing out and very bright except a section of rooms in the center interior, mud room, powder room, prayer room, pantry and one walk in closet and it does not matter here. The pic with glass doors was prior to paint, it is so much brighter now.

[pinebaron]

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pinebaron

This being a very large home, we used high quality Anderson windows and doors to keep the elements out. In addition we have extensive insulation, a little more than usual. Heating costs are bound to be high for the size of this home if it was full on all the time. however the HVAC system is a commercial design using two high efficiency furnaces feeding five zones for areas we (my wife and I live in) and the rest is guest areas for when my kids and grandkids visit, hence very controlled to keep costs down. Lighting, and we have perhaps too much of it, is all LED with dimmers etc.

Interesting. That doesn't quite address my question, though. The living room has one wall that's nearly all glass. That's going to cause a cold air draft in the winter; you'll lose heat through the glass, even if double-pained, and cold air falling from the surface of the glass will create a draft. It will take a lot more juice to heat that room, because of those factors. I guess you've never lived in a house with big windows before. Having heating elements below the windows can help mitigate that, as the rising warm air combining with the falling cold air causes a convection that sends heat out into the room. But yours doesn't have that.

[jlud]

I’m gonna guess he’s not too worried about the cost of utlilities caused by the windows, as it would be relatively minor in expense.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jlud

I’m gonna guess he’s not too worried about the cost of utlilities caused by the windows, as it would be relatively minor in expense.

Not everyone can afford that, though. Are you saying, that anyone who can afford to build a place like this, probably can afford to heat it, without worrying about the bill? OK, you might have a point.