And Now For Something Completely Different - Green/Self Sustaining Homes

[Jim Gray]

My life is changing, and I'm looking down the road at how I want to live

- I'm 46 and would like to retire at 58
- both my kids have started college, and we will soon be empty nesters
- college is expensive, and I'd like more disposable income to pay for it
 
I have a good job with a generous salary, and can afford my large home, but it's a waste of money.  My wife and I use 3 or 4 rooms of a 14 room, 4000sq ft  home.  It's not the mortgage.  Even with no mortgage, the taxes, utilities and upkeep on this house is 25 - 30K a year.   

Initially, my plan was to stay in this house until I retire, but moving now could save me as much as 250K over the next 10 years.  I've decided to make a move now. 

I want to build a house that fits my lifestyle and is retirement friendly.  No mortgage, lower property taxes and lower monthly utilities.   I'm thinking about 2000 - 2200 sq feet, and I want to look at energy efficiency and self sustainability.  Six months ago, I wasn't giving any thought to self sustainability, but I looked at a green home that runs entirely on rain water.   Water is very expensive in my area, so I was intrigued and have been doing a lot of research.  This home was 2300 sq feet and the combined taxes and utilities were 6K a year.  The home looked great.

Most "self sufficient" systems have higher up front cost; but that's okay since I have money now.  It's later that I'm concerned about.  There are pro's and con's to everything, so I'm not interested in debating that side of it.  Instead, I want to make sure I'm at least considering everything when I talk to an architect about the plan.  Right now, I'm going to ask about the following

• energy friendly design and materials - I'm in Texas, staying cool is more of a problem than staying warm.  I'm looking at ICF as the primary building material
• solar power or wind power - not sure this is practical, but I'll look.  Electricity off the grid would be fine
• rainwater collection for all water use - I'm thinking about a 20,000 gallon underground storage tank with a sophisticated filtration system
• eco-friendly, long lasting septic system - just beginning to look at this
• grey water system for watering plants/trees - seems like a simple way to use water more than once and save the septic system
• environmentally and eco friendly landscaping - I've been into this for years, and have lots of ideas

Am I missing something? 

Let me be clear.  I'm not looking to live like some crazy-ass hermit, fertilizing all my own food with my own feces, and reading by homemade candles I made from ear wax.  I want to be comfortable and live in a nice house.  If I can do that, reduce monthly costs and have less impact on the environment, great.

[Buddhagirl]

I LOVE urban sustainability and have kept up with it for years. Unfortunately, I'm not anywhere near getting there. My goal is to have some sort of "urban homestead" by the time I'm 45. I'm apartment/condo bound for now. (Which is fine at this point in my life.)

Do you plan on growing your own food and stuff, too? I lean more towards the wacky homemade candle type myself.

[Jim Gray]

Do you plan on growing your own food and stuff, too? I lean more towards the wacky homemade candle type myself.

I'm further ahead on the landscaping side.   On my current property, I have removed all the non-natives and replaced them with low water natives.  I'm ripping out grass and replacing it with planted beds.  This isn't xeriscaping, it's just low maintenance, native landscaping appropriate for Austin.  I had a local landscape architect (know for native planning) create a plan for me, and I've been putting stuff in for several years.    I've planted 63 trees/bushes and no telling how many smaller plants.

My gardening has been hit or miss.  I have a raised garden and a patio garden, but this has been the hottest, dryest year Austin has ever seen.  It's not doing too well.  Part of my plan for a the new place is a larger garden.  It's too hot to grow all my own food, but I'll grow a lot of warm weather crops.

[Buddhagirl]

Cool. I'm jealous. Growing up, my grandparents were pretty much sulf sustained. Of course they lived in the woods of Arkansas and this wasn't done for eco reasons. They had septic tanks, well water, etc. They grew most of their own food. I always thought that was freaking cool. We would go out and just grab some ears of corn, etc for dinner.

I would like to emulate that, but in an urban environment. Because I would HATE living in Arkansas or some other place for the obvious reasons.

ETA:  I think it's fair for me to also toss in the fact that my grandfather was a gardner. So, I might not EVER be able to emulate what he did.

[bsfins]

What about going to something around 1300 to 1500 squarefoot....If it's just you and your wife....And go with more useable space.I'm trying to remember the Name of the plans for house they showed built in AZ,on this old house....It was more tall than wide,built more like a Big studio apartment,with an upstairs bedroom...I'll look for the plan thing later....

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Very good idea Jim.... although be sure you keep a spare bedroom for when the kids visit.   

[Jim Gray]

What about going to something around 1300 to 1500 squarefoot....

Initially, I considered that; but for a couple of reasons, I'll go a little larger. 

- some of the areas where we are looking are in "ranch communities".  The lots are 5 - 10 acres and get an ag exemption, so the taxes are next to nothing.  The communities have a 2000 sq ft minimum on houses.  Even though the houses are smaller, the quality is very, very high with lots of upgrades.
- if I did need to sell some time in the future, a 2000 sq ft house with 3 bedrooms is a lot easier to sell here.
- I want a 3/2.  Master bedroom and bath, guest bedroom, office, laundry/mud room, great room, kitchen with a nook for a table.  I DON'T want a living room, dinning room, game room, media room, etc. 
- needs to be 1 story. 

[bsfins]

Does your area include Deck,patio and garage area? (When they measure square footage)

I understand what you're Saying...I live in 800 square feet...So I thought Wow that's still quite alot of space for 2 people....

[BeefStewert]

Ever consider a monolithic dome?  They usually aren't pretty to look at from the outside, but if you are interested in efficiency, they can't be beat.  They are also virtually indestructible.  If you cut away from the perimeter or create a 360-degree outdoor living space, they can be more aesthetically pleasing.

http://static.monolithic.com/
http://www.domeofahome.com/
http://static.monolithic.com/gallery/homes/index.html

[Jim Gray]

Ever consider a monolithic dome?  They usually aren't pretty to look at from the outside, but if you are interested in efficiency, they can't be beat.  They are also virtually indestructible.  If you cut away from the perimeter or create a 360-degree outdoor living space, they can be more aesthetically pleasing.

http://static.monolithic.com/
http://www.domeofahome.com/
http://static.monolithic.com/gallery/homes/index.html

Not really.  There are a couple close to my parents home, and they look so out of place.  These looked dated 20 years ago.   I doubt I could get them past any architectual review board in any of the places I want to live.

[Jim Gray]

Does your area include Deck,patio and garage area? (When they measure square footage)

I understand what you're Saying...I live in 800 square feet...So I thought Wow that's still quite alot of space for 2 people....

The 2000 sq feet is under air only.  Doesn't include garage or decks.  I will have a 2 car garage separate from the house, and lot's of decks.  The property I'm looking at is very hilly, so I hope to have a large covered by deck that overlooks a wooded valley. 

2000 sq ft is less than 1/2 of what I have now, so I'm expecting that to be a squeeze for us.... but doable.   (My wife has collected a lot of crap besides me)

[CF DolFan]

The 2000 sq feet is under air only.  Doesn't include garage or decks.  I will have a 2 car garage separate from the house, and lot's of decks.  The property I'm looking at is very hilly, so I hope to have a large covered by deck that overlooks a wooded valley. 

2000 sq ft is less than 1/2 of what I have now, so I'm expecting that to be a squeeze for us.... but doable.   (My wife has collected a lot of crap besides me)

Obviously you have to take things into consideration but sqaure footage is very effected by the lay-out.  Our first house we buit and it was 1750 sq ft but I swear it lived more like a 2200 or bigger house.  We had a hard time trying to find something for our furniture to fit into under 2000 sq ft and in ways ... I think I used to have more room.   

[BeefStewert]

Does your area include Deck,patio and garage area? (When they measure square footage)

I understand what you're Saying...I live in 800 square feet...So I thought Wow that's still quite alot of space for 2 people....

B, do you have a basement?  One thing I've learned is that when you don't have a basement you need a lot more square footage just to store all of your crap.

[Jim Gray]

Obviously you have to take things into consideration but sqaure footage is very effected by the lay-out.  Our first house we buit and it was 1750 sq ft but I swear it lived more like a 2200 or bigger house.  We had a hard time trying to find something for our furniture to fit into under 2000 sq ft and in ways ... I think I used to have more room.   

I agree.  I've been using some floorplan software and putting the furniture we have into different spaces.  I like a big family room (great room) with a high ceiling, but I don't need a big master bedroom.  I don't want a big jacuzzi tub or huge shower stall.   I'm really trying to be smart about putting the most space into the areas we spend the most time.

[bsfins]

No Basement,Just a detached garage.....

My old house that I lived in I ponce Deleon Mo.,Was just as small but felt like a mansion,because the space was better utilized....(it's probably the same size or smaller than the one I have now.it was taller than it iwas wide...) The Bedroom hungover the Living room...It was dirt cheap to Heat,and cool...Very Efficient,for my Girlfriend,two dogs and I...Back in the day....