The Nutter Residence: Dream Home, Green Home

The Nutter Green Home Tour!

2011-05-25T13:31:00.003-04:00

Come and learn about the sustainable building techniques used to create the Nutter Green Home! We'll be hosting a public tour on Thursday, June 16th at 6:00 PM in the evening. Please email nuttergreenhome@yahoo.com to RSVP. Thanks!

Pool, Deck, and Cabana - FINISHED!!!!

2010-06-26T11:05:00.002-04:00

Well, we are happy to announce that the pool area construction is FINISHED. The only thing left to do is landscaping. The deck material is a high performance composite by Fiberon and is their Horizons line in Rosewood. We looked at the Ipe color as well, but decided on the Rosewood. Here's a link to the product - www.fiberondecking.com Be sure to check out their sustainability statement. Our supplier was Moore's Home Center in Campbell County, KY - thanks for your help Nate. We used the hidden fastener system which make it look so clean.

The shade sail is from Custom Shade Sails online - www.customshadesails.com It's their Porcelain color - ask for Bill. The sectional furniture is from Target.com, the wood market umbrella is from Garden Ridge, and the wood outdoor dining furniture is IKEA.

Congratulations to Science Fair Winners!!!!!!!

2010-03-22T08:53:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone - we've got some great news to share with you! Several months ago, two young ladies, Lauren Wilkins and Anna Hecht, from the Cincinnati area came for a tour and to interview us about our solar home. These middle-schoolers were studying the effects of thermal mass on solar energy collection, so they thought information from users of a passive solar-heated home would be a great addition to their research and Science Fair project. Well, after months of research and presentation, the girls have made it through their local science fair competition, and onto the Cincinnati Regional Competition. Then, they made it through the Cincinnati regional competition and are now preparing for the State Science Fair in Columbus, Ohio! Below is a picture of them with their awards and ribbons.

Basically, their experiement involves measuring the effects of three types of mass on solar energy. They made solar collectors out of three aluminum pop cans filled with different materials to see how the filling material affected the solar energy collection - measured in temperature at certain intervals. The girls left one pop can unfilled as a control, filled another with water, and the last one with sand. They then took temperature readings of the cans' interiors to see which filling material offered the best thermal mass for solar collection.

Below is an email from one of the girls, Lauren Wilkins:

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Nutter,
Thank you again for all of your help. We started at our local school science fair competition at St. Susanna School in Mason, OH. It was about a two month research project and out of about 75 students we were one of a small number of projects to receive a Best Display and an overall score of Superior. Then just last week we had one of the highest scores out of approximately 300 students at the Southwest District Competition at the University of Cincinnati. This qualified us to move onto the State Science Fair Competition at The Ohio State University on May 8th. We are really looking forward to a great experience presenting in front of more people and hopefully educating more people on why being green can be a great thing. Thank you so much for letting us start our research project at your green home! Thank you, Lauren Wilkins"

Notice the picture of the nutter green home on the upper right corner of their display!

Our new green car!

2009-12-16T11:05:00.002-05:00

Here's some photos of our new green mode of transportation. It's a 2010 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (diesel). The 2009 model was named the "Green Car of the Year" - beating out the Prius. In 2010, one of the Audi diesel models won the award. This VW model beat out the hybrid Prius in mpg road tests. This VW, once broken in, will get nearly 50 mpg and it's NOT a hybrid. Ours is Reflex Silver with Titan Black interior, 6 sp manual trans, 17" alloy wheels, bluetooth, panoramic sunroof, and the sport protection package. It also has 8 airbags, including the side AND head curtain airbags in the both the front and back seat. We just had the windows tinted . . . it looks BAD! (meaning GOOD!) VW approves of a biodiesel blend of up to B5 while it's under warranty, and there's a biodiesel station not too far from our house, so we're looking into that.

It's an Eastern White Pine again this year . . .

2009-11-27T23:22:00.002-05:00

We picked out and cut our Christmas Tree this year. Yes, we cut a real tree every year as opposed to having an artificial. To learn why this is a "greener" choice - read back through the archives here - December 08 or December 07. This year's tree is our largest yet - about 13 feet! We love it.

Fall Colors and Pool Closing

2009-10-22T17:50:00.003-04:00

Above: Fall Colors are finally starting to come along . . .
The pool is now closed. We still have to finish the fence, platform deck, and the landscaping. It was a long summer of hard work, but we'll reap the rewards the WHOLE summer next year! We received the final inspection approval on the pool AND the cabana yesterday. Woo hoo! One gate to go and we are totally legal. By midsummer next year, we should have the fence and platform deck complete.

This winter we are focusing on interior trim and tweaking the HRV. Updates to follow . . .

Equipment is up and running. . .

2009-07-12T16:27:00.003-04:00

Fence posts are in . . .

We have the pump and purification system running, the fence posts are in, and we have just a bit more to do to finish hooking up the underwater light. The cabana is ready for rough inspection, and the pool should be ready for it's final inspection this week.

Update sans photos

2009-07-10T09:47:00.005-04:00

There's not much to show photographically, but I can give an update of all of the hard work we've been doing the past few days. When we returned from our relaxing 4th of July vacation in western NY (no hypothermia, thank goodness!), we began finishing up the electrical work on the cabana and continued filling the pool with water. (Right before we left for NY, we finished installing the door on the cabana - see photo in previous post below. Now we are waiting for the key lockset to come in for the door so that we can lock it from the outside - which is something most sliding patio doors don't have, interestingly, so we had to special order it). While we were in NY, the pool guys came and installed the ladder, handrail at the steps, and the diving board.

The pool company came yesterday to do the rough grade, but they still have to install the sump pit near the pump and finish up the grade there. They also need to install some liner clips to the corners to keep the liner from popping out there. Once the grade was complete, we were able to dig our post holes for the fence that will go around the pool and along the property line. We've ordered the siding and trim for the cabana. Trim should be in any time now, and siding should be in hopefully within 10 days from now. We've started filling the trench back in where the electrical conduit is running from the house. We've left a few holes open for inspection and will fill those holes after we pass the rough-in inspection.

Monday will be our cabana electrical rough-in inspection. Today, the pool guys came and put in a vacuum to clean the pool and sanded out some rough spots in the concrete. Last night and this morning, I painted fence posts (only 8 more to go, I think).

Our next step is to hook up the pump and purification system electric and set all of the fence posts. After that, we'll finish up the fence, add the privacy panels to the fence along the property line, and install the siding on the cabana. After that, we'll be taking it easy and hopefully enjoy USING the pool a bit. In our "spare" time, we'll work on landscaping and the platform deck that will be adjacent to the concrete pool deck. In 30-60 days I can stain the concrete deck if I decide to do so. . .

Update photos

2009-07-01T22:07:00.007-04:00

As the photos show, we're too busy to write much, but you can get the idea from the pictures!

Is that a pool cabana?

2009-06-29T22:24:00.003-04:00

Another update to keep our demanding fans happy! Here's what we accomplished today. We set all four walls of the pool house on the slab. We still need to finish sheeting and placing rafters, but this is a pretty good start. Since we were waiting on the pool contractors to finish up the concrete we had pre-built the walls of the pool house. So, with the help of a dolly, Kenny and I set the back and left (west) walls and anchored them to the slab. Then with some help from neighbors we were able to set the right (east) and front walls. The kids helped to anchor those, and with all bracing still in place, well pick up where we left off in the am. On tap for tomorrow is to finish sheeting and top plates, then the rafters. Hopefully we'll be to a wrapping/felting stage soon, which means that the electrical panel in the pool house comes next.

Over the weekend, Kenny and I trenched and ran underground conduit and wire to the pool house and underwater light. Temps were above 90 and humidity was off the charts, but we got it done. Now we need to place the panel and get it wired up and rough inspected. Temps this week are supposed to be lower with "normal" humidity, so we should make some progress.

Pool guys are supposed to be finishing the bottom of the pool with vermiculite and sand, and then installing the liner. More pics to follow!

Electrical Work

2009-06-25T21:31:00.003-04:00

Over 90-degrees in Cincinnati again today, but we spent the day digging trenches for the pool electric. We'll be starting the Pool House on Monday or Tuesday next week. The pool company is supposed to be coming to work on the pool bottom and the liner either tomorrow, Saturday, or Monday.

We had to trench from the house out to the pump and then all the way around the back of the pool to the opposite end where the light under the diving board will be. That's about 200 feet of trench for those of you who are counting . . .

Concrete pour pictures

2009-06-24T22:06:00.003-04:00

With temps over 90-degrees today, pouring and finishing the concrete deck got interesting. . .

Cantilever edge below:

Green Facts: High embodied-energy portland cement product was replaced with recycled fly ash in this concrete mixture. This mixture contained approximately 35% fly ash.

Concrete forms . . .

2009-06-23T22:49:00.001-04:00

Pool Progress

2009-06-19T21:03:00.003-04:00

Backfill complete - waiting for bonding inspection and concrete deck.

Pool Update . . .

2009-06-11T08:18:00.001-04:00

RAIN.

Pool Update . . .

2009-06-10T17:42:00.000-04:00

Rain.

Digging Update

2009-06-08T17:55:00.002-04:00

Now we're talkin'!

2009-06-08T10:16:00.003-04:00

7:30am: Anchor Pools arrives on-site.

The clearing begins.
Mike finds a souvenir for his son.

Clearing complete and layout begins.

Digging the hole. (Kids are excited).

It's Official!!!

2009-05-01T16:14:00.002-04:00

Today we signed the papers to begin the swimming pool construction. I'll be sure to update with pictures often, so for now let's everyone wish for lots of sunshine and dry weather. They will start excavation as soon as it's dry enough not to tear up the rest of the yard. For those of you who just can't wait for the details, here's the specs:

18'x36' in ground, rectangle, vinyl liner pool (I know, I hate vinyl, but gunite bids came in at nearly 1/3 the cost of our house!)

Liner will be a dark blue/black to look like a lagoon

cantilever concrete deck - either colored or textured

diving board

variable speed pump which saves 30%-90% energy over a standard pump

DE filter which allows for water savings - no backwashing of filter required

LED color changing underwater light

and a Mineral Purification System called Smart Green - which means no burning eyes from chlorine!

Check back soon for links to all of these eco-pool options!

Tours, Tours, and MORE Tours . . .

2009-04-19T15:14:00.003-04:00

These are some busy times here at the Nutter Green Home. Before Spring Break, we had a few client tours on the same day, and today we have two educational tours scheduled. This morning, we had an Interior Design class from the College of Mt. St. Joseph and some members of the Batavia Greens and Beans garden club. This afternoon, we'll be hosting the Boyer Guild Architectural group and possibly more members of the Greens and Beans club. This morning we had about 20 people, and this afternoon we should have around 10-15. Here are more interior shots:

We have been working on the exterior landscaping and vegetable garden. I'll get some photos posted as soon as I can. We've also started the interior trim, so we are hoping to be able to add a lot more update photos soon. I've also started a bit of consulting, so I'm working on a kitchen remodel and some general consulting every now and then. I'm keeping way too busy, and of course don't forget about the big Earth Day Festival that is going to be held at our house on Wednesday - April 22nd. We have about 80 kids coming to participate! I'm sure we'll have lots of fun photos to post this coming week of that as well, so check back soon!

Nutter Green Home at NeoCon!

2009-02-16T09:15:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to announce that I've been accepted to present a seminar at NeoCon in Chicago this year! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the NeoCon World's Trade Fair, it's a convention for designer, architects, and related professionals that is held each year to release new products and information related to the building and interior design industries. We will see the introduction of new products such as furniture and interior accessories, new software, books, wallcoverings, textiles, and other related items. It's similar to what the auto-industry has in Detroit each year. As found on the NeoCon website: http://mmart-staging.com/neocon2009/

"NeoCon® is a three-day celebration of the commercial furnishings industry. Every June, more than 50,000 industry professionals come to The Merchandise Mart in Chicago not only to see all the new products, but to NETWORK, LEARN and HAVE FUN.

Hundreds of parties are hosted by manufacturers, industry associations, publications and not-for-profits in fabulous permanent showrooms, temporary exhibits and interesting venues around the city. A plethora of networking opportunities from Black-Tie Events to Meet-and-Greets give attendees the opportunity to take advantage of their experience at NeoCon.

Off-site tours to experience the beautiful architecture around the city are offered throughout the three days and innovative exhibits will offer fresh perspective to give you inspiration for your own projects.

NeoCon offers more than 150 educational opportunities from keynotes and luncheon programs to association forums and 60-minute seminars. All 60-minute seminars are CEU, LU and CMU accredited. NeoCon offers more than 150 educational opportunities from keynotes and luncheon programs to association forums and 60-minute seminars. All 60-minute seminars are CEU, LU and CMU accredited. "

Yep, one of those 150 educational opportunities will be me! The title of my presentation is, Sustainable Residential Construction – A Case Study Analysis: Nutter Green Home. I'll be sure to take lots of photos!

Tired of Christmas Trees?

2009-02-10T21:36:00.011-05:00

Just a reminder that if you are new to this blog, you should probably go to the archives and start at the beginning. The beginning (March 2006) will tell you a bit about the start of this journey and what we were striving to do. The rest is just progress reports on how and why we did what we did! For more current information, to set up a tour/consultation, or for specific questions, feel free to email me at nuttergreenhome@yahoo.com

Hello Everyone,

Well, I was politely "reminded" that I hadn't updated the blog in a while, as some family-member-to-remain-nameless told me that he was tired of looking at Christmas trees on our site. So to appease the masses, here is an update.

As some of you might know, it is currently basketball season - and so with 3 out of 4 of us either playing or coaching in multiple games each week, and the 4th of us relegated to support-duty (ie. chauffeuring), basically nothing much has been done on the house is a while now.

We were fortunate enough to get 4 snow days at the end of January, and so 2 out of 3 bi-fold closet doors were hung upstairs - yippee!!!!!!! Unfortunately, as the 3rd door was going up, a part broke and so now that one needs to go back to the store - bummer. Here's a few pictures of the snow days!

Our Spring/Summer tour schedule is getting full already - several groups will be visiting around the Earth Day holiday, and another group is planned for June. Of course there is the National Solar Tour in October again, but I'm not sure we'll do that one or not.

On our short-term To-Do List of course is finishing the interior trim (oh wait, that would mean that the trim had been started), fiddling with the HRV to get it set up correctly, finishing the stair riser metal, staining the windows, planting the wetland, and starting a vegetable garden. We are hoping to grow much of our own vegetables, strawberries, and blueberries this year. Eventually, we'll add blackberries and raspberries too.

Progress update from last year: many of last years' projects have turned out well. We added snow guards to the house and garage roof to stop the avalanche-effect. The house snow guards have worked perfectly! Unfortunately, the garage roof on the north side sees so little sun that the snow piled up, didn't melt, and the snow guards didn't hold, so now we need to reinstall the guards on the garage roof and perhaps add another row to assist with holding back the weight of the snow for longer periods of time. Or perhaps we just need to attach them tighter? No worries though - there appears to be no damage. You live and learn and that's what experimenting is all about. Last year we also planted grass seed and groundcover the ENTIRE length of the driveway on both sides. It sure felt good to get that done, and I can't wait to see it green up in spring.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm getting excited for Spring to finally be here (or is it just for basketball to be over?) I'll be sure to add photos as I get them - and I'll try not to wait so long between posts!

Christmas Trees!

2008-12-01T21:28:00.002-05:00

The Kid's Tree in the Loft above the Great Room

The Adult Tree in the Great Room

(still looking for a lightweight lighted topper)

Holiday Pictures

2008-11-25T18:54:00.002-05:00

Here are some interior shots before Thanksgiving gets underway. Enjoy!

We are a "Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat"!!!!

2008-10-28T09:25:00.003-04:00

We have had our property certified as a "Backyard Wildlife Habitat" by the National Wildlife Foundation http://www.nwf.org/backyard/. We should have a sign to post in the yard soon, but for now it appears that the word is out. Here is a new visitor that just started coming around in the mornings yesterday and today. I couldn't really get a great picture because he was about 70 ft away and I shot the photo through a window and screen. I don't have a powerful zoom on my D-SLR yet, so this is the best I could get with a little cropping and sharpen filter in Photoshop.

Kaila was the first to spot this guy yesterday. She said she saw a deer run through the yard and it looked wierd, "like a big dog with huge horns on it." I was a little intrigued with that description so I had her to describe whether the horns were big or little - she said big and made a HUGE gesture with her hands - so I was thinking we must have Bambi's Dad walking around and was expecting like a 12-point or something. As it turns out, this little guy appears pretty young - for a minute I thought it was a goat! Nevertheless, he does have antlers - although I couldn't get a good enough look to count them and I'm not sure my photo is good enough either. Anyway, I hope he sticks around a while and brings a few friends too. Enjoy!

She was \'green\' when it was just a color | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com

2008-10-04T16:36:00.001-04:00

She was 'green' when it was just a color | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com

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Solar Tour and Artwork

2008-10-04T15:22:00.003-04:00

Below are photos of a piece of artwork by local artist, Nicholas Yust that was installed at the house (very early) this morning before the Solar Tour (Thanks Nicholas!) He trained at the University of Cincinnati and does some fabulous metal work. This looks absolutely awesome in our house - the photos do not do it justice - especially daytime photos. I can't wait to take some at night when the house is dark and the only lighting is on the piece itself.

The solar tour today was very sucessful - it was a guided tour on a planned route this year, so we really were only alotted time from 9:55 to 10:30. We tried to keep to that schedule as much as possible, but we still had some stragglers afterward until about noon, and then a few more came around 2:00. All in all, I think there were between 75 and 100 people who toured the house today - not too bad considering last year we had between 150 and 200, but were open all day from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Feedback on the house was all very positive, and we were also featured on the front page of the Home Style: Life & Leisure section of the Cincinnati Enquirer today. We attended the solar tour kick-off Gala at Governor Strickland's residence in Columbus last night, and were up bright and early getting the house ready for the tour this morning. Overall it was a great day and I think everyone had a lot of fun! Thanks to all who attended!

Storm Damage

2008-09-15T19:14:00.003-04:00

After the remnants of hurricane Ike ripped through the Ohio Valley yesterday bringing sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts reported up to 80 mph for several hours, we feel lucky to have such little damage to the house. Here you can see part of a 40 ft tall pine tree that snapped in our front yard and the neighborhood men trying to get it down safely without damage to my newly installed raingarden.

We were without power for almost exactly 24 hours, but Duke Energy is reporting that power will not be restored to everyone for about a week. All in all, over 800,000 people in the Duke service area - about 90% of it's customers were without power at some point. That is the most in this region's history according to the local news reports. I think there are still about 500,000 people without power. We had sent many of our crews down to assist with Hurricane Ike clean up in Texas, but the crews had to then be recalled back to Cincinnati. So we have to wait for those crews to get back home. Luckily, we had little damage and only one day and night without power. The kids were troopers and we tried to make it fun like camping. The worst part was driving around this morning (with all of the traffic lights out) to try to find ice to save the food in our refrigerator. We were able to cook with our grill and gas cooking stove inside, and our solar hot water heater performed beautifully of course. So the refrigeration was the only issue. For those of you that called to see if we were exempt from the power woes because we were solar, remember that we have a grid-tied system, so when the grid goes out, so do we. This is to protect workers who might be out working on the line - it wouldn't be good for us to be sending power down lines that they thought were dead. And also, we do not have any battery storage for our solar power, so we were just as much in the dark as everyone else. But again, it wasn't really that much of an inconvenience except for the refrigeration and having to fill the toilet tanks with water from milk jugs because no power to our cistern pump means no power to fill the toilet tanks with our rain water. There is a small add-on system that we can get that has some additional safety features and a small bank of batteries so that we can run critical circuits from solar power when the grid goes out. We may consider that more seriously now.
Below you can see that all of the siding and solar panels on our house made it through the storm safely and are in top shape. The only damage to the house was to the western-most sunshade above the first floor window. You can see below how it was damaged in the middle when a branch or something hit it. Actually, it's great that the sunshade was there to take the impact and protect the window.

ATTEND THE OHIO SOLAR TOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-04T18:49:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to remind everyone that this year's Ohio Solar Tour - as part of the National Solar Tour sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society - will be Saturday, October 4th. We're on the tour again this year and we're really looking forward to it. Our tour will be the second stop on the Cincinnati East Tour that kicks off at the Melink Headquarters in Milford. Tour guide books and other info should be available on the Green Energy Ohio (GEO) website soon. Check in there at www.greenenergyohio.org and click on Solar Tour on the left sidebar. Make sure you look for the 2008 Tour info because the last time I checked, they still had the 2007 info up there. Hope to see some of you in October! If you have any questions, just email me at nuttergreenhome@yahoo.com Thanks!

Snow Guards and visitors

2008-07-29T20:51:00.002-04:00

Here's just a little update to show the snow guards we've added to the roof - the shot below shows that garage roof, but we installed the same system on the house roof as well. You can imagine what problems that snow falling from the house roof could do to someone trying to come to the front door, so we decided to get this taken care of before fall. These guards will hold the snow back and let it melt slowly and come off the roof in small pieces - rather than in one huge avalanche! Chris Stearns at Alpine Snow Guards http://www.alpinesnowguards.com/ was so helpful. We really like the fact that the guards installed fairly easily and they use the same clamping system that was used to install our PV solar panels. Thanks Chris - they look great!
The next three pictures show you some of our recent visitors. We've had a lot of deer coming through in the evenings lately. We have a momma and two fawns that have walked through a couple of times. The littlest one stopped to chomp on my new red chokeberry shrub, so I had to shoo them along! Here's one roaming solo . . .
One of the reasons we wanted to plant a raingarden was to assist with wildlife habitat - especially birds and butterflies. Below is what I've really been hoping to see. I'm not an expert on insects, but the plant in the picture is Butterfly Milkweed - also known as red or swamp milkweed. These plants are critical to the Monarch butterfly. I don't really know if this one in the picture is a Monarch, but nevertheless, the butterflies are loving this plant!

Yes, fence me in!

2008-07-26T15:21:00.003-04:00

Here's the updates on the fence. This is the general fence we have along the property line. Right now you can see the baseball fields quite clearly, but after a year or two, we'll have some landscaping to soften and screen the view - AND give us some privacy in the back yard. This fence just gives us a backdrop for the landscaping and keeps the baseball kids out of the yard. The first picture below is from the ball fields looking back onto our property. The second one is a view from the back porch, and the last one is another close up of the baseball field side of the fence. It's just landscape timbers and 5/4" PT decking painted barn red, and 2"x4" welded wire fencing for the infill.

Rain Garden

2008-07-18T12:59:00.001-04:00

Here's the semi-completed raingarden. We will be adding a few more plants and it will obviously look much more established in a year or so, but you get the idea. We'll also be switching out the small stones for much larger ones around the perimeter to highlight and outline the shape of the actual rain garden. The back part outside the stones is not really part of the garden, but receives mulch anyway until the Elderberry shrub hedge grows up and fills in.

I guess this is what they mean by "the cheap seats"

2008-06-16T15:22:00.002-04:00

As you can see we've been busy taking away in order to add to the backyard. All of the dirt you see here was once non-native invasive shrubs (we seriously think some of them were man-eating). These things were wicked, thorny, vines and shrubs and we had the excavator pull them out with a back-hoe so that we could put in some more ecologically sound species along the back property line. As much as our friends think we should just put in a set of bleachers and charge admission for the baseball games, we decided against it and will instead put up a privacy fence (think Fenway Park's big green wall) and some native shrubs to give us a softer and more natural look along the property line - without fear that if the kids walk too close to the landscaping that they might get pulled in and swallowed by the vines a la the Robin Williams movie Jumangi.

You can see the wetland pond in the picture if you look closely. There is a white pvc pipe that flows into the pond. We'll be planting wetland trees, shrubs and plants in this area to try and bring in wildlife such as birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, toads, and turtles. We already have some frogs and turtles, along with deer and rabbits!

View from the ball fields . . .

2008-06-16T15:21:00.001-04:00

Landscaping - sort of . . .

2008-06-16T15:19:00.002-04:00

Here is where the wetland pond will go. It's basically a detention basin for the water that comes off of our driveway and our neighbor's property. We piped it underground to this location

The clearing that we did to the left of the shed added about 4000 sf of area (40' x 100') to our back yard. This area will be used for a wetland and part of the general back yard. The area to the right of the shed that we cleared is about 50'x40' and much of that will eventually become a vegetable and fruit garden.

Here you go . . .

2008-05-25T21:41:00.002-04:00

An update on the sunshades, as promised. You can see below a shot of the sunshades in progress. The single windows on the first floor all the way to the right and left are finished -you can see the shadows being created around the windows by the sunshades. On the long set of windows in the center of the house, you can see that the three to the right are complete and in shadow, while the two to the left are not complete and have no shadows.

Here's a close up of one completed . . .

Sunshades in progress

2008-05-25T09:55:00.002-04:00

We should be finishing up the custom architectural sunshades on the exterior of the house today or tomorrow. The Memorial Day weekend is being kind to us and allowing an extra day of good weather to work in.

It also looks like we'll have another summer of frequent blog updates, as we've decided to add a pool to the landscape. Hopefully if all goes well with financing and planning, we should be able to start excavation for the pool in mid-late June. Of course we'll keep you posted with updates and photos. We decided that we aren't getting any younger and neither are the kids - and pools won't be getting any cheaper, so we're going to really do it. That means that our mini-vacation to Indianapolis is pushed back to next year, and next year's planned trip to Disney World is pushed to 2010. All the while, we'll be kicking back in the pool and having fun!

Anyway, look for an update later today or tomorrow for the sunshades, and don't forget to check back for updates on the landscape - raingarden, wetland, and prairie - soon too. The excavator will be starting to clear for the wetland next week.

As for an update on the inside - Kenny will be starting trim sometime this summer and I'll be working on touch up painting and getting another coat of wax on the floor. By the way, dogs are not kind to the wax finish on my floors! Oh well, it's otherwise indestructable and great for both kids and pets. I can't tell you how many times something has been spilled or dropped or there's been a pet/kid "accident" and it's just no big deal. In our old house we'd have to break out the towels, carpet spot treatment, shampoo machine, etc. Here, it's a quick 1-2 with the mop and you're done. I will never have carpet in my living areas ever again - it is so nasty.

Also, those of you who know me probably remember that I had a terrible time with springtime seasonal allergies. I'm happy to report that amazingly, I have not had the slightest problem with allergies since moving into our house - which is wierd considering that we now keep the windows open all the time. (Knocking on wood as I type).

Ok, so that's about it for the update today - I'll see some of you in August for the Dalton Reunion, and others for various tours that we'll be doing through the summer months, so be sure to mention that you still check in on the blog. I'll only keep it up as long as people want me to, so let me know!

Clean Energy Strategies for Consumers Workshop!

2008-05-15T20:12:00.001-04:00

Green Energy Ohio has asked if I would post this announcement. For more info or to register, please go to www.greenenergyohio.org. Thanks!

GEO Southwest Ohio 2008 Regional Workshop
Managing Your Carbon FootprintClean Energy Strategies for Consumers

Saturday, May 17, 2008
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cincinnati ZooHarold C. Schott Education Center3400 Vine StreetCincinnati, Ohio 45220See Agenda & Register On-Line [CLICK HERE] Map & Directions [CLICK HERE]

This all-day workshop provides multiple sessions with expert speakers covering current topics in energy efficiency and alternative energy practices relevant to Midwest residential and small business applications. This Southwest Ohio Regional Workshop is co-hosted by Green Energy Ohio, the Ohio Department of Development, the Cincinnati Zoo and the Cincinnati Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. Companies providing sustainable design and energy services will be on hand displaying products and services. Expert speakers will discuss these issues:

How can you save energy and reduce your utility bills?
Wondering how to rehab a building in a green way?
Will renewable energy work for you?
Where can you find providers of sustainable energy products?
How will Ohio's new Energy Bill impact renewable energy and energy efficiency?
Two programs in three afternoon breakout sessions are offered:
Basic information on efficiency, renewable energy and green design.
Advanced information for those seeking more detailed knowledge for specific projects.
Registration: $60 Individual Registratin /$48 GEO/Zoo/USGBC Members Walk-In Registrations Welcome, But Lunches Limited
Questions: Contact James Kinsman at james@greenenergyoh io.org or 513.293.3241

Front porch paint!

2008-05-13T13:51:00.004-04:00

We finally finished painting the front porch! I can't believe how much of an improvement it is. Next on our list is getting some landscaping and possibly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a pool. We are getting some bids and thinking it over. Of course, that's a whole other blog, right? For the landscaping, we are putting in a rain garden in the front yard - downslope from the house. And in the back yard, we'll be putting in a wetland. Eventually, I'd like to also have a native prairie.

If you look at the top of the blog you'll see I added a photo fixed to the top and a little general info to the right sidebar. The photo at top, shows the view of the house with the PV solar panels layed down flat to the roof (the solar hot water panels are permanently raised to that angle, but the PV electric panels can be raised or lowered based on the seasonal angle of the sun). This is the summer look. The panels are only raised up in winter. We'll see if the angle change really impacts us that much for our summer electric production. That's about all for now - we'll keep you updated (hopefully more often) on the landscaping and pool. As always, thanks for reading!

Final Paperwork is in . . .

2008-04-14T20:20:00.002-04:00

Here is some of the final paperwork on the house. You can see here how well we scored. We scored a HERS Index of 36, which means our house is 64% more efficient that a standard 2006 home built to code. If anyone is interested in the process or the tests they performed, just let me know!

ENERGY STAR TESTING RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-27T17:26:00.001-04:00

Well today was the day! The HERS Rater came and did the Blower Door Test and the Duct Leakage tests on the house today. First, let's talk about progress on the garage . . .

Below you can see that we've been working hard on the garage since the drywallers finished. We've installed new cabinets (actually used: salvaged from Building Value - see link at right for their website). We'll be painting these cabinets for a more professional look, but for now at least we have some storage. We've also got some misc. storage shelves on the other wall - you can see they need some adjustment to be more efficient, but it's a start. The cabinets that Kenny is sitting on are also salvaged, and the tops open up like a toybox. They are really narrow too, so they are perfect for the side of the garage for outdoor toy storage for the kids.

Below is Holly doing the Blower Door Test. She's from a company called Homes + here in Cincinnati. She's been doing a lot of commercial LEED work lately, she said.

So, we hooked up the contraption below to the door and made sure all other doors and vents were closed. She turned on the fan using the smallest ring (there's three different rings and the smaller ones are used for smaller houses). She said that even though our house was bigger and probably needed the bigger ring, she'd start with the smaller one just to see if we could get a reading considering how tight we think we'd built the house. I don't know much about these tests, but she said we had to reach a 50 in the readout window on the left and then when that one reached 50, we would record the number in the readout window on the right. As it turns out, our house - even though it is big - was able to make the reading using the smallest ring. The reading that we recorded was 320. She said that was the lowest she'd ever seen and that even though it was unofficial, it was a pretty safe assumption that we would receive the highest available rating of 5+ Stars!!!

In addition, Holly tested the ductwork for leakage percentage. We did this by covering all of the supply and return registers with wide tape. Then we ran the blower door fan again to get another reading and do another calculation. She said that a typical "production-type" house usually has around 24-25% leakage in the ductwork. An Energy Star Certified home must reach 17% or lower. Our ductwork had less than a 10% leakage rating - which is really low. We really don't know what the actual reading is because when taping off all of the registers we FORGOT to cover all of the upstairs returns in the bedrooms and halls (because we were concentrating on the floor registers and forgot that the upstairs returns are in the walls). So even with the upstairs returns uncovered, we still only had 10% leakage!!!

Now we wait for our certificate and stickers to come from Columbus! Of course I'll post photos when it gets here!

Below is the storage cabinet above the future sink. We have the stainless sink that goes there - just one more thing on the list to be finished!

Nutter Green Home - In Print

2008-03-12T09:16:00.002-04:00

Here are a few of the print articles we have been featured in this month. The house was also featured in the program guide for the Cincinnati Home and Garden show that was held in early March at the Convention Center.

I've also been busy speaking to local groups about the home. In January, I spoke at Cincinnati State to the Green Energy Ohio group, then in February I spoke at the College of Mt. St. Joseph to an Interior Design studio, and then yesterday, I gave a presentation at Xavier University to a group of faculty. (and some of those were actually PAID gigs!) Anyway, hopefully we'll get more people involved with the native landscape this spring. We can use all of the funding and volunteer help we can find! Enjoy the photos! (BTW - both of the articles below of from the March issues of each magazine)

In Cincinnati Magazine's article, our house is discussed, along with a few other green homes in the area. It's kind of buried in the back of the magazine in the Home and Garden Section.

Drywall Complete!

2008-03-12T09:05:00.002-04:00

Well, we finally have drywall in the basement and garage complete. Here are some pictures of the garage. Now we need to install shelving and the storage system so that we can clean out much of the basement and shed. Once that is finished, we'll be able to install the shelving in the shed and work through our storage woes.

The other big thing on the agenda for the spring is the landscaping. We're trying to get supplies, volunteers, and funding in place to install a native rain garden, and also a wetland to help with some drainage issues. In the fall, we're also planning on adding a native prairie. So if anyone out there would like to take part and assist us in some of these projects, we're looking for young people to come and spend the day with us learning about the benefit of these landscape techniques. My Daisy Girl Scout troop will be participating in some of the planting, and I've also contacted the Clermont County Master Gardener's and 4-H groups. Just send me an email at nuttergreenhome@yahoo.com for more information or if you are a native landscape supplier and would like to sponsor a portion of the project. Keep in mind that we give tours of the home and grounds frequently and have been featured in several local print media such as Cincinnati Magazine, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Home Improvement Magazine, and the Cincinnati Enquirer. Thanks!

Garage Insulation

2008-01-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

Well, we rented a lift today and Kenny and I worked on insulating the garage ceiling. (We took a few breaks to allow the kids a little fun - see below). We were able to finish the ceiling, and only have a few wall pieces left until the entire garage is insulated. Then we can have the drywallers come in and finish off the room in the basement, garage, and fix some miscellaneous drywall goofs in the house that the previous drywaller never came back to fix. We hope to have the basement painted by the end of February. Kenny will be finished with basketball by then, so hopefully then we'll be able to move on to trim. You'll notice that we used the rolls of formaldehyde-free insulation on the garage ceiling, but used the regular batts (with formaldehyde) in the garage walls. It was just a matter of convenience and we felt we were ok in having the formaldehyde in the garage since there's an exhaust fan and it will be covered anyway.

Basement

2008-01-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics of the basement. We've added some walls and insulation for acoustics. Hopefully we'll get the garage insulation finished so that we can have both drywalled and move on to painting, drop ceiling, and carpet. Note that the insulation in the basement is Johns Manville Formaldehyde-Free insulation.

Garage insulation

2007-12-28T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hello again. I know, I know - I'm taking much too long in between updates these days, but with the holidays and actually living in the house, time just flies by!

Below are two snapshots of today's work. We're trying to get the garage insulated so that we can have it drywalled. Today, we did about 2 full walls. We actually worked on 3 walls, but there's some missing pieces on each wall, so it's about 2 walls total. Once we finish the walls, we'll rent a lift and do the ceiling. It's going really well and quick, thankfully. The hardest part is having to move all of our crap in the garage each time we get to a new area. We don't have any extra storage areas, so we have stuff packed into the shed and sitting in the driveway on the trailer. Of course it was raining and cold, so we had to make sure the stuff we put outside was ok to get wet. I can't imagine what we'll have to do when the drywallers come . . .

First Snow

2007-12-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

Heat Recovery Ventilation

2007-11-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest photos from the Nutter Green Home. After finishing up the ductwork in the basement for the HRV Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system, we had to drill 2 six-inch diameter holes through the 14" thick foundation. (To find out what an HRV does, see the bottom of this post).

Our plan was to use a 3/4" bit and drill a series of several holes around a 6" circle and chip out the middle. BUT, we found this nifty little tool to rent at one of the local rental places. It's a 6" core bit that's 15" long!!!! It has a compressor-like attachment that suctions the drill contraption to the wall, and a vacuum and water attachment that sends water to the bit (see the hose running to it?) We were finished drilling both holes and packed up and ready to return it in less than 2 hours. SWEET!

In the picture below you can see one hole already drilled on the right, and Kenny is working on drilling the second hole on the left.

Here's a close up of the system.
Here's a close up of the piece after we pulled it out of the hole. You can see the 2 5/8" thick ICF foam on either side and the 8+ inches of concrete in the middle. Not to mention that we also had 1" thick of stucco from the exterior that's not shown, and 5/8" of drywall from the interior that came off the foam when we pulled the piece out.

What's an HRV? Well, basically it's a way to get fresh "make up" air into the house. Most of the time, houses get fresh air from incidential air infiltration - leaks in the home's envelope. Since our house is so tight, there's no way for us to get fresh air except for opening the windows - which is not very energy efficient. So, an HRV brings in fresh outside and and exhausts stale interior air. When the two airs pass each other, there is a heat exchanger that takes the heat from the stale air exhausts and gives it to the incoming fresh air. This is a way to preheat the incoming fresh air so that it doesn't affect the temperature of the house and it makes your heating systme work less. This is an energy efficient way to get fresh air into the house during the winter and hot parts of the summer when the house is closed up.

We Won!!!!

2007-10-16T20:58:00.000-04:00

Yes, this is a terrible photo - I'll get a better one - but this is our award for the Cincinnati Sustainability Awards that we won this evening. It is sponsored by the Cincinnati American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE), as well as ASID and IIDA, two interior design professional organizations. We were entered in the architecture catagory and were chosen as one of the winners! We were shocked because all of the entries were so good. Three projects were awarded in the architecture catagory, one for interior design, and one for landscape architecture.

More Stucco

2007-10-07T19:16:00.000-04:00

First Coat . . .

Applying the final coat . . .

Photos from the Solar Tour

2007-10-07T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos of one of the smaller groups visiting our house for the Solar Tour yesterday. After this group, we got so swamped with visitors, that we were no longer able to take any photos. So for some of you who had cameras at the tour, if you have any good group shots, please email them to me (I posted our email address below) so that I can post them here on the website. Thanks!

Thanks to all who attended the OHIO SOLAR TOUR!

2007-10-06T22:18:00.000-04:00

We wanted to thank all of you who attended the Green Energy Ohio sponsored portion of the National Solar Tour. Those of you who were here know that we were kept very busy. We had between 150 and 200 people visit our site between 10 and 4:30 today and most of the time my husband and I each had large groups of 20 or more people. We guided the tours and talked non-stop for over 6 hours and although neither of us have a voice left - we enjoyed every minute of it. Our visitors asked educated questions and were genuinely interested in green building. This fact reaffirms our decision and passion for sustainable building - so thank you to all who attended. We hope that everyone in attendance learned a lot about green building and walked away with a little of our enthusiasm and passion for sustainable design.

I'll be updating this website again tomorrow and adding a few pictures from the tour. BY THE WAY - if you happened to be one of the people who took still photos or group shots of the tour participants and my husband or I giving tours, please email us some good photos that we can post here on the website (our email address is below). We were so busy giving the tour that we didn't have time to get any good photos! :(

If you missed some of the information or have additional questions, you can email me at nuttergreenhome@yahoo.com and I will try to get to answering specific questions as soon as possible. Thanks again!

Let the Stucco Begin!

2007-10-05T10:09:00.000-04:00

Actually it's EIFS, a similar system, but either way, we're getting rid of the dirty blue foam foundation, so I'm elated. Hopefully by the end of next week, we'll have a totally finished exterior! I'll post more pics of this process over the next few days. I'll also post pictures from the Solar Tour which is tomorrow. They told us to expect between 50 and 200 people. Yikes!

Oh, I forgot to tell you that someone from a local radio station - WGUC - called yesterday to interview me over the phone about the house. I'm not sure when it will air, but I'll let you know if I hear it. There's also supposed to be something in the Cincinnati Enquirer about the Solar Tour - not sure if it will mention our house specifically.

We're famous . . .

2007-09-30T14:52:00.000-04:00

Today we were visited by a TV crew for an international satellite news station. They do positive news pieces that have a global perspective and so they wanted to do a piece on our house, the Ohio Solar Tour, and the organization, Green Energy Ohio. They will broadcast the piece all over the world - although in the US it's only available on the Internet. I'll let everyone know when it's finished with the editing process and when you can view it online.

Need YOUR Help

2007-09-29T14:56:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone - I promised an update for today and here it is. This time I'm going to need a little help. Below you can see this nifty little 50s Retro chair that I bought at a flea market in Batavia, Ohio. I've decided that this corner of the living room will be our classic corner. Now I just need a little something to add to it. I was originally thinking of some kind of little table, and that's still an option, but then I started thinking about something more unconventional. There's always a stack of old retro suitcases, but that's kind of over done. Then I thought about 2 or 3 retro hat boxes stacked to make a little table next to the chair. What do YOU think? You, our readers have been so supportive and helpful (and demanding), so now it's your turn to contribute. Log in, post us some comments with your ideas and opinions.

Below are two shots of the mud room coat storage area made from left over lumber from the playset. I'm going to get some funky storage boxes to go on the top shelf for extra hats, gloves, scarfs, etc. and perhaps some metal boxes below the bench for the kids' shoes.

You can see in all of these pictures that we still haven't finished the baseboard and window trim, so there's still more to do!

Ok, Ok, Here's an Update!!!!!

2007-09-28T20:06:00.000-04:00

I'm glad we have such a loyal fan base! We've heard from so many people wanting updates, so here it is. With "Back to School" over for us now, we can focus back on the house. We've started installing the HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation), and have installed both of the storm doors. Today we worked on the "mud room" coat storage area. I'll post more pics tomorrow when it's finished. Below you can see the finished pictures of the kids' playset, and the really cool thing about the playset is that we had some leftover lumber from the kit that we were able to use to build our custom mud room coat storage area - it's really cool, you'll love it!

In these two pics above and below, you can see the new area rug under the dining room table. I called my rep at Interface Flooring and told him about the project. BTW for those of you who are not in the design field, Interface is THE best commercial carpet company in terms of environmental responsibility and sustainability. Feel free to read their CEO (Ray Anderson's) book, Mid Course Correction. Anyway, so the rep hooks me up and I pick out the tiles above. We're still waiting for the living area tiles - YES, I'll post pictures when they come in. The colors don't read as well here as in real life - there's more orange to it in reality, but you get the idea. . .

One thing to add about the playset: a lot of the mulch that you see there is actually mulch that we made from a huge pile of trees and brush that we had been stockpiling on our property since we started building. We rented a chipper and within about 2 or 3 hours, it was all reduced to what you see here. We ended up needing more, so there is a load of mulch there from a bulk landscape supplier that we purchased. We could actually use a bit more and we'll probably buy it since the rental on the chipper is like the price of 4 or 5 loads of the bulk stuff we bought.

Below is one of my favorite trees on our property. It's right outside our bedroom window and it's already started to turn colors . . .

One more exterior shot

2007-09-06T21:53:00.000-04:00

I just realized that I hadn't included this shot in my section of exterior pics from a week or so ago. This is the view of the house as you approach it on the driveway.

Latest Project

2007-09-06T19:53:00.000-04:00

Ha! You all thought we'd retired and given up on house projects and our blog, didn't you? Well heck no - we've just been busy on our latest project - see below. It's almost complete, the monkey bars are the only thing left to add, and they'll go at the back behind the rock wall and tunnel. Just in case you can't tell from the pictures, there's also a slide, two swings, a trapeze/ring bar, a clubhouse with steering wheel and telescope, and a sand box below. We still have the mulch left to do, but overall it has the kids' approval.
It's made of Cedar and Cyprus - so it's durable and no toxic chemicals with pressure-treated lumber to worry about with the kids!
Next on the list: mulch around the playset, misc. landscape cleanup, getting some shade trees planted, and getting the HRV installed. Once the weather turns cold we'll begin working on interior trim.

Oh yeah, I forgot to update everyone on the blinds - we have interior blinds now and the ones in the great room, dining room, and kitchen are motorized on a timer so that we can set them to go up and down with the sun. Until next time . . .

2007-08-18T21:10:00.000-04:00

2007-08-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

2007-08-18T17:11:00.000-04:00

New Addition

2007-08-14T21:03:00.000-04:00

We are proud to announce the new addition to our family and new home - Her name is C-vette VomBuflod. She is a 3 1/2 year old German Sherpherd. She is soooo sweet and loves the kids. She is well mannered and even though she has no formal obedience training yet, she comes when we call her and walks really well on a leash. We'll start Obedience classes with her and hope to have her achieve her Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog certifications. We'll start there and maybe proceed on to other activities! (The first picture below is courtesy of VomBuflod German Shepherds in Waynesville, Ohio)

Enviroglas in Master Bath

2007-08-06T18:23:00.000-04:00

Enviroglas in Master Bath

2007-08-06T18:20:00.000-04:00

More Master Bath Pics

2007-08-06T18:17:00.000-04:00

2007-08-04T08:13:00.000-04:00

2007-08-04T08:12:00.000-04:00

2007-08-04T08:11:00.000-04:00

2007-08-04T08:10:00.000-04:00

2007-07-30T19:33:00.000-04:00

Helicopters and Driveways . . .

2007-07-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

Hopefully we have seen the last of concrete trucks and helicopters at our house!

So much for a quiet life in the country . . .

2007-07-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

It's a long story, but you can see in the pics below that we had a very interesting morning!

Late July Update

2007-07-22T20:06:00.000-04:00

Backyard - the grass is growing . . .

Patio is finished . . .

Exterior Doors are painted . . .

2007-07-22T20:05:00.000-04:00

Driveway concrete's almost complete!

Exterior doors are painted and both AC units are in!

Patio finished . . .

The new umbrella is solar - there's a small solar panel in the top that charges batteries during the day. Then at night we have 8-12 hours of LED lighting under our umbrella!

Thank You!

2007-07-10T16:00:00.000-04:00

Within an hour of the sod being installed we had huge thunderstorms roll in!

Green at Last!

2007-07-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

10,000 sf of sod was installed today! Thanks Eastgate Sod!

For the first time in TWO YEARS we're wishing for lots and lots of RAIN!!

2007-07-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

We are back online now! We had our phone line trenched last week (finally) and our interior phone and DSL connections made today. After 10 days without Internet service, I feel like I am back in the land of the living. Below are a few photos of the kitchen and dining rooms. I'll get more photos uploaded as we get the rooms finished. We still need to finish up some painting of the doors and other trim work.

Today, Kenny and his dad finished putting in one of the air conditioning condensers. The kids now have AC upstairs, although it hasn't really been that bad. We've been living here for 10 days in 80 and 90-degree weather and been fine. The orientation and passive cooling/ventilation techniques are working very well. It's a little uncomfortable in the middle of the day, but we can turn on fans to make it comfortable. I didn't have AC growing up in NY, and actually, it's been better here than in the houses I grew up in. Today right at the hottest part of the day we fired up the condenser and it quickly brought the temperature upstairs from 84 to 80. Consequently, the downstairs temp went down to 80 as well. It's almost 10:00 pm now and the AC is off and the windows are open. By morning it gets down to about 70 and we start all over. Today, Kenny's uncle Joe also finished up our phone and Internet (we haven't tested them all yet Uncle Joe, but the one in the office for the fax doesn't work, so we moved the fax machine into the Toy room for now). Other than that, all is working fine. We also had Direct TV put in on Friday.

I won't bore my readers with all of the details and crazy things that have happened over the past 10 days, but hopefully we can finish up some final items and start to take it easy. We have to have sod installed within the next week or so for our final Certificate of Occupancy. We also need to have the driveway finished. Other than that, we're working on the patio and some last minute items before the Dalton Family Reunion which we will host here in August. Enjoy the pics and check back often - I'll try to keep updating the photos daily!

Nutter Green Home Certificate of Occupancy!

2007-06-25T20:26:00.000-04:00

Well, sort of . . .

Today we received our "conditional" certificate of occupancy. We passed all of our interior inspections, but we haven't finished our final grade, sod/grass, and driveway. This concerns the county because of WMSC - water management and sediment control. So, once all of that is finished - in about 2-3 weeks depending on weather - we will have our FINAL certificate of occupancy. But in the mean time, we are allowed to move in and live there, while the outside work is being finished up. We started moving things in today and hopefully will be completely in by the weekend. So glad I'm on vacation this week!

We'll be getting our phone/internet via a temporary line in a week or so, so my postings may be sporadic between now and then. I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can! Wish us luck . . .

Carpet

2007-06-21T20:51:00.000-04:00

The carpet contractors finished up today -see below!

The Perfect Babysitter . . .

2007-06-21T20:50:00.001-04:00

Today we witnessed something completely amazing. Our kids sat still in chairs watching the concrete guys work for nearly an hour and a half. Meanwhile, Kenny and I were downstairs working in the basement on some final plumbing adjustments. The picture below is priceless.

Ready for Inspections

2007-06-19T18:09:00.000-04:00

Well, the floor is dirty, but other than that, we are ready to go. The final plumbing inspection is supposed to be Thursday, and if all goes well, the other final inspections will be Friday. Our fingers are crossed to begin moving "stuff" in over the weekend!

The "Money Shot" will look even better with furniture . . .

Exterior "Money Shot" - could use some landscaping!

2007-06-19T18:08:00.000-04:00

More exterior shots . . .

2007-06-19T18:07:00.000-04:00

Views of and from the loft . . .

2007-06-19T18:06:00.000-04:00

Upstairs . . .

2007-06-19T18:05:00.000-04:00

Downstairs . . .

Money Shots . . .

2007-06-19T18:04:00.000-04:00

Some of the best shots of the downstairs public areas - kitchen, dining, and great room . . .

Getting Close . . .

2007-06-17T21:21:00.000-04:00

Porch is done (except for paint) . . .

Hard hat area . . .

Kitchen appliances and cabinet pulls . . .

Door Days

2007-06-16T22:10:00.001-04:00

After working with our door supplier all week to get the jambs and hinges replaced, the new jambs and hinges arrived yesterday. So today Kenny and his Dad switched out all of the jambs and hinges while Kenny's Step Dad, Myron hung the doors in place. Below is Kenny and his Dad working on one of the jambs.

Our new steps built last week by Myron . . .

Interior door . . .

Interior Doors . . .

Doors

2007-06-16T22:10:00.000-04:00

Exterior Details

2007-06-16T22:09:00.000-04:00

Front porch roof framing . . . (metal roofing will be installed tomorrow)

Driveway framed up for concrete . . .

More Finishing Details

2007-06-14T21:14:00.000-04:00

The solar how water heater is now completely installed . . .

The corrugated metal toe kick on the back of the island was finished off today (one more check mark on the list. We are hoping for inspections and our Certificate of Occupancy early next week!

Finishing up the Rainwater Catchment System

2007-06-14T21:13:00.000-04:00

Below you can see Kenny getting ready to hook up the pump and lower it down into the tank.

Kenny lowering the pump into the tank and the lines from the downspouts to the tank in the background.

The supply line that runs from the tank to the house, and the electric line that runs from the house to the tank to power the pump.

We found out today that the pump isn't working correctly, so they are sending us a new one. Augh. . .

Visiting Neighbors

2007-06-11T21:04:00.000-04:00

Well, one of our neighbors stopped by late last week for some dinner. She didn't mention whether she liked the house or not, but she seemed at home.

Interior Details

2007-06-11T21:03:00.001-04:00

Sliding door to Master Bath

No more holes in the floor - registers are in !!!!!!

More pics of our neigbbor and Master Bath

2007-06-11T21:03:00.000-04:00

She's a little shy . . .

Below are some photos of our master bath with vessel sink, waterfall faucet, shower, and Karsten Dual Flush toilet from Sterling

Finished Concrete Floor Pictures

2007-06-05T18:59:00.000-04:00

Here is a pic of the dining and great room concrete floor - stained and sealed. Only 2 coats of wax to go!

Inside Out

2007-06-05T18:58:00.000-04:00

Here's a nice pic of the kitchen area . . .

The sidewalk was poured today (color was charcoal gray and integrated right into the concrete) and I put a special "secret" texture on it! Our concrete guy thought I was crazy, but he loved the result!

The Nutter Green Home logo embedded into the concrete.

Concrete Floor Stained and Sealed

2007-06-05T18:57:00.000-04:00

Kitchen floor . . .

Powder Room Floor . . .

Dining Room Floor . . .

More Dining Room floor . . .

Pouring the Sidewalk

2007-06-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

Putting in the expansion joints . . .

Finishing the expansion joints (after my "secret" texture and logo)

A view from the driveway

See the texture?

Finishing Touches to the Grade

2007-06-02T19:41:00.000-04:00

Here you can see the trenches that we've dug for the downspout inlet to the cistern, as well as the outlet from the sump pump in the basement. In the background are the kids playing and Kenny and his brother, CJ, are working on drilling the hole through the foundation for the supply water line from the cistern to the house.