New house in Melissa

[8mpg]

They've got orange foam insulation all over the place where they went around and sealed penetrations through the tyvek, through the headers, around windows, etc. The house is an Energy Star certified home and has gone through the inspection for that already. Below is a link to all of the things they look at.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/bldrs_lenders_raters/downloads/Inspection_Checklists.pdf

As far as the electrical, it's been inspected as well. It may not be ideal, but there's not much I can do about it now. Perhaps I would have made some revisions if I knew beforehand, but I'm sure it'll be ok. If it trips breakers doing fairly common, frequent tasks, I'll get them to come fix it!

Who is doing the certification? I see the checklist allows for an energy rater or builder to verify? This stuck out to me the other day:


Double jack studs that goes against the energystar link you provided

4.4.5c Framing limited at all windows & doors to one pair of king studs, plus one pair of jack studs
per window opening to support the header and sill 20

I doubt the drywall crew will do this one so you should verify that they do this:

5.2.3 Drywall sealed to top plate at all unconditioned attic / wall interfaces using caulk, foam, drywall
adhesive (but not other construction adhesives), or equivalent material. Either apply sealant
directly between drywall and top plate or to the seam between the two from the attic above.

Dang...just trying to help out, but I would also ask to see their HVAC design and sizing (the actual Manual J). Its part of the energystar thing but most builders dont bother to spend the money and use "rule of thumb" sizing on HVAC. Its an extra $350 or so that isnt required by cities most of the time.

So much stuff to worry about because this stuff is hard to fix later on. Mastic seal all the hvac connections to prevent leakage and waste of heating/cooling.

[Doug Hatton]

How does having doubled up on the studs hurt the energy efficiency?
I'll look at the drywall to see how they do it.
All I know about the HVAC is based on another house that's a little further along than mine is. There are (2) units. One is a 3.5T and the other is a 3T. Total sq footage is 3417 and it's split about evenly for first floor vs second floor.

[juiceweezl]

How does having doubled up on the studs hurt the energy efficiency?
I'll look at the drywall to see how they do it.
All I know about the HVAC is based on another house that's a little further along than mine is. There are (2) units. One is a 3.5T and the other is a 3T. Total sq footage is 3417 and it's split about evenly for first floor vs second floor.

wood < insulation (foam or otherwise) for heating/cooling (R Value)

Wood is structural, and too often something is done "because that's how my daddy and his daddy before him did it." I'm sure "green" has something to do with it as well.

[black2002ls]

Are they having an energy inspector verify the home? Our homes are inspected by fox energy. They do a visual for compliance and a duct leakage at rough. So they make sure that insulation is installed prroperly, blocking is installed where it is needed, wiring and plumbing penetrations are sealed properly, and that the exterior envelope is sealed up. Then they perform a blower test on the HVAC system to check total leakage of the system to ensure we are below the allowed leakage for that particular plan.

At final, they come in and do a blower door test. Testing the house as a whole for leakage, and room to room pressurization.

[Doug Hatton]

All I know is the plumbing, electrical and "energy star" inspections have been done in anticipation of putting in the drywall. They may come back and do further tests. I'm not sure who the actual inspector is.

[8mpg]

How does having doubled up on the studs hurt the energy efficiency?
I'll look at the drywall to see how they do it.
All I know about the HVAC is based on another house that's a little further along than mine is. There are (2) units. One is a 3.5T and the other is a 3T. Total sq footage is 3417 and it's split about evenly for first floor vs second floor.

studs dont insulate well as foam or insulation does as juiceweezl said. Here is a picture of a roof...you can see the rafter lines through the roof because wood doesnt insulate well

[JordonMusser]

Everybody here is right.. but you aren't going to get advanced framing techniques, a PE designing AC ducts etc for a turn key house. that costs 100-120/sqft.

I had a tough enough time getting stuff like that done even with my 100% custom house..

More than likely your house will heat/cool fine and all will be good in the world.

New homes are SO much more efficient even "improperly built" than even houses 6-7 years ago.

And for the record:
Energy inspections are 100% bullshit, along with just about every other inspection except Plumbing (imo).

If you really want to know how good your shit is, hire an outside engineering firm to evaluate (couple $K, tops) and they will give you a laundry list of things that Kill you, cost you $500/extra per month in energy etc.

That is why commercial construction costs so much more.. they do it 100% right(generally..) Residential builders do just enough to get by.

[black2002ls]

Everybody here is right.. but you aren't going to get advanced framing techniques, a PE designing AC ducts etc for a turn key house. that costs 100-120/sqft.

I had a tough enough time getting stuff like that done even with my 100% custom house..

More than likely your house will heat/cool fine and all will be good in the world.

New homes are SO much more efficient even "improperly built" than even houses 6-7 years ago.

And for the record:
Energy inspections are 100% bullshit, along with just about every other inspection except Plumbing (imo).

If you really want to know how good your shit is, hire an outside engineering firm to evaluate (couple $K, tops) and they will give you a laundry list of things that Kill you, cost you $500/extra per month in energy etc.

That is why commercial construction costs so much more.. they do it 100% right(generally..) Residential builders do just enough to get by.

The neighborhood I am building in, our cost per sq. ft. is $90-$120. We employ advanced framing techniques through out. I am not sure if our HVAC system is designed by our contractor or if they have someone designing it for them. Energy inspections aren't a total waste of money. They have a large check list of items that the average person, a lot of builders, and especially the subs don't know or how to look for, ensuring chases are batted and blocked properly, ensuring all batts are fluffed properly, etc. We can't proceed until our energy inspections are passed. We use local code enforcement, outside quality inspector, and an energy inspector. All of our houses come in well below the threshold for environments for living requirements. Most of our homeowners in 3000+ Sq Ft houses have electric bills in the summer time that don't top $150, keeping the entire house at 72 degrees. I can't speak to other builders, but with an electric bill that low, I don't see where an engineer is going to save the homeowner ~$500/month in energy costs.

Our quality inspections are VERY thorough, everything from the function of the windows to the way cabinet doors open and operate. Some of the items they tag us for are VERY minor in the grand scheme of things and don't affect the function of the home, but ensure the quality of the fine details and the little things the home-owners are going to use every day. Some things, will probably never have any negative affect, but we get tagged for it, such as sealing the hose bibs to the brickwork with silicone.

[JordonMusser]

Unfortunately that is definitely not standard in the industry!

And I meant the energy audits and inspections that are "required" are worthless.

Too easy to fake and pass them all, inspectors dont pay enough attention, etc.

Outside inspection is the way to go.

But I still bet that if Doug hired an outside firm (auditor, engineering, whatever) they would have a huge list... the builder would say "tough shit" and Doug will be probably pretty damn happy with his house either way!

I was my own outside inspector, and I just simply could not afford the time and/or money to fix all the stuff. The list got longer and longer as the build went. It would have probably cost me another 50K and another 6+ months. Even stuff that I was told would be fixed wasn't always done, and then covered up. Even went and ripped a wall down to prove it. Framer basically stopped answering my calls. So I got to pay to put the drywall back up. ha. Fuckers.

Wish my electric bill was $150. heh.

[8mpg]

The neighborhood I am building in, our cost per sq. ft. is $90-$120. We employ advanced framing techniques through out. I am not sure if our HVAC system is designed by our contractor or if they have someone designing it for them. Energy inspections aren't a total waste of money. They have a large check list of items that the average person, a lot of builders, and especially the subs don't know or how to look for, ensuring chases are batted and blocked properly, ensuring all batts are fluffed properly, etc. We can't proceed until our energy inspections are passed. We use local code enforcement, outside quality inspector, and an energy inspector. All of our houses come in well below the threshold for environments for living requirements. Most of our homeowners in 3000+ Sq Ft houses have electric bills in the summer time that don't top $150, keeping the entire house at 72 degrees. I can't speak to other builders, but with an electric bill that low, I don't see where an engineer is going to save the homeowner ~$500/month in energy costs.

Our quality inspections are VERY thorough, everything from the function of the windows to the way cabinet doors open and operate. Some of the items they tag us for are VERY minor in the grand scheme of things and don't affect the function of the home, but ensure the quality of the fine details and the little things the home-owners are going to use every day. Some things, will probably never have any negative affect, but we get tagged for it, such as sealing the hose bibs to the brickwork with silicone.

You guys are doing what some of the engineers do which is mainly design the HVAC system. Way too many people still want to do the "rule of thumb" on tonnage per square foot. If we used good ole rule of thumb, I should have got a 4 or 4.5 ton a/c with a couple contractors suggesting the latter to make sure "one unit could really cool the whole house". I spent $300 and got a designed HVAC system by an engineer and they suggested a 3 ton based on the windows, insulation, sq footage, duct type, etc. It also had the proper duct sizing to try and equal out the air flow. While it wasnt installed 100% to the plan, I have had many of my friends/family amazed how well the house was balanced. This was definitely worth $300. Downsizing the system alone saved $300. My electric bills on a 2150sqft house is $50-60 running 75*F. So no, not $500/mo but well worth $300

Unfortunately that is definitely not standard in the industry!

And I meant the energy audits and inspections that are "required" are worthless.

Too easy to fake and pass them all, inspectors dont pay enough attention, etc.

Outside inspection is the way to go.

But I still bet that if Doug hired an outside firm (auditor, engineering, whatever) they would have a huge list... the builder would say "tough shit" and Doug will be probably pretty damn happy with his house either way!

I was my own outside inspector, and I just simply could not afford the time and/or money to fix all the stuff. The list got longer and longer as the build went. It would have probably cost me another 50K and another 6+ months. Even stuff that I was told would be fixed wasn't always done, and then covered up. Even went and ripped a wall down to prove it. Framer basically stopped answering my calls. So I got to pay to put the drywall back up. ha. Fuckers.

Wish my electric bill was $150. heh.

You self contracted correct? Im really thinking about doing it. You were still $100+/sqft?

[black2002ls]

You guys are doing what some of the engineers do which is mainly design the HVAC system. Way too many people still want to do the "rule of thumb" on tonnage per square foot. If we used good ole rule of thumb, I should have got a 4 or 4.5 ton a/c with a couple contractors suggesting the latter to make sure "one unit could really cool the whole house". I spent $300 and got a designed HVAC system by an engineer and they suggested a 3 ton based on the windows, insulation, sq footage, duct type, etc. It also had the proper duct sizing to try and equal out the air flow. While it wasnt installed 100% to the plan, I have had many of my friends/family amazed how well the house was balanced. This was definitely worth $300. Downsizing the system alone saved $300. My electric bills on a 2150sqft house is $50-60 running 75*F. So no, not $500/mo but well worth $300



You self contracted correct? Im really thinking about doing it. You were still $100+/sqft?

Not sure what all goes into designing the systems we install. I know they spend a lot of time making sure the units are sized properly to not only cool the house but to dry it out so to speak.

[8mpg]

Not sure what all goes into designing the systems we install. I know they spend a lot of time making sure the units are sized properly to not only cool the house but to dry it out so to speak.

who do you work for? Im actually impressed for a production builder to take the time and effort to do things mostly correct.

[black2002ls]

Highland homes. We have 4 divisions, Horizon, Highland, Huntington, and Sanders

[GeorgeG.]

do y'all build on owner lots or just subdivisions?

[black2002ls]

I am not sure about Sanders, the other three are subdivision.