From wood? Good one Americans, really good one, ha.
The Pretty Good House
111–120 of 339 posts
Re: The Pretty Good House
#112> Even the best windows and doors on the market perform much worse than even an average wall New windows here in Norway are often triple or quadruple glazed, and they have a pretty good R-value; so they are not that much worse than average walls at least.
We just refurbished our house here in Norway. New windows and 10 cm extra insulation. I am shocked how well the windows perform! Ice on the outside, but nice and warm on the inside. Amazing!
It's a different world. The amount of "fyring" (burning wood on the stove) we had to do before we did the renovation of the house was nuts. Also the "vindsperre" works pretty well.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
Unfortunately, if you want it done right, you really have to be involved. Frequent checking on the work and hounding the people to fix it. Which also means you need to know enough about construction to ask the right questions to figure out what's right or not. It's very hard to effectively contract that out. If you can date/marry someone in construction/architecture, and let them supervise, it helps. You can just pay…
> Frequent checking on the work and hounding the people to fix it. Isn't this partially what you pay your architect for? If you're willing to pay top dollar you should be able to find one that's very hands on and coordinates the whole building process as your representative.
No.
Architects are about end results and "vision". General contractors, while imperfect, should be about getting it built.
So an architect you should roughly expect getting something built at any cost. A GC should be how to do it pragmatically or even if it's possible.
In between is the end result.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#114Earlier quoted context omitted.
It is a little worse than that: some triple glazed windows are intentionally made more opaque/green tint for 2 reasons: 1. easier on the eye when sunny outside, and 2. block up to half of solar radiation, to prevent overheating indoors
does Norway worry about overheating indoors though?
Not sure, but consider that summer months can have little to no nighttime owing to the northerly latitude.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Frequent checking on the work and hounding the people to fix it. Isn't this partially what you pay your architect for? If you're willing to pay top dollar you should be able to find one that's very hands on and coordinates the whole building process as your representative.
>> Frequent checking on the work and hounding the people to fix it. > Isn't this partially what you pay your architect for? There simply isn't a way to eliminate the principal-agent problem.
This neatly summarizes the dynamics of so many client-contractor relationships. Takes real professional integrity not to exploit the information asymmetry, which I regrettably found to be in short supply in the building trades, at least in the UK.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
In triple and quadruple glazing, you frequently don't get three or four layers of actual glass. The two outer layers are still glass, but the inner layers are usually thin sheets of plastic, and the voids are frequently filled with noble gasses like Argon for improved insulation. Although I have seen in Alaska where they do double glazing windows on the outside as storm windows, then about six inches to a foot inside…
>>and the voids are frequently filled with noble gasses like Argon for improved insulation. How long is such a window rated for? Surely the gas will eventually leak out?
Not really a problem one would be aware of. Double glazing is the default
since 50 years at least in Germany, so the manufacturing processes are quite good.
Still, leakages happen, you recognize that usually by water/steam between the two glass panes. If the windows aren't to old you can just switch out the glass leaving the plastic frames. If they're older (30 yrs) it's more economical to switch out glass and frames.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Australia, homes tend to be more an investment. The home part just needs to be good enough, the land is the real value. A shit rundown place can be worth millions, just because of the land. The house itself gets knocked down for an apartment complex.
The US is the same, except for the part where you replace the house by an apartment complex because US zoning is fucked.
It's the same everywhere that doesn't implement a robust land tax. Which is to say, everywhere.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#118From wood? Good one Americans, really good one, ha.
Aren't most single- or few-family homes made of wood? I'm living in in the farming belt (i.e. not the actual forested parts of our country) and over 80% of these houses are wooden. It's mostly apartment buildings over three floors being built using cement.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
That person is called a construction supervisor: someone hired by the owner who makes sure the contractor is doing good work and not ripping you off, as well as keeping the owner in line and making sure they don’t get in the contractor’s way, delay decisions etc. Around here they aren’t interested in projects under $5M.
In some parts of the world, mine in Europe included, those guys are required by law and are usually employed by the municipality (but the construction project owners are charged for their services via a special fee). They take on some personal responsibility for the way the construction project is handled (at least for the things that fall within their purview).
That sounds like building inspectors in the US. They vary widely in competence, but all will ensure the permit fees are paid and property taxes raised; most will ensure the work is done to code; approximately none will ensure the work is built to plan details.
Re: The Pretty Good House
#120> Even the best windows and doors on the market perform much worse than even an average wall New windows here in Norway are often triple or quadruple glazed, and they have a pretty good R-value; so they are not that much worse than average walls at least.
I'm still amazed seeing "x panes" windows that are supoosed to be great with a "trinkle vent"/ aka adjustable gap - at the top of them to let air in/ out!!!