How do you reconcile inevitable compromises?

We all know life is a series of compromises.  We have limited resources both personally and on a global scale.  What are some compromises you had to consider and how do you decide which direction is best?

For us:

The difference between salvaged windows and new, much more energy efficient windows.  We decided to go with salvaged windows because we want our earthbag home to have that "rustic" look.  We've even found some cool ones with leaded glass.  Here's are the elements we considered when making our choice:

Financial:  Salvaged windows are cheaper, but not wildly so since we often have to travel to get them.  This wasn't the major determining factor.

Esthetics:  We really want a "Hobbity" look to our house and normal vinyl windows just won't do that as well.  This was a large part of our decision.

Efficiency:  This is, of course, on the side of modern windows.  However, we're mitigating our losses on this by having a small living space (<400 square feet), a huge amount of thermal mass (walls and RMH), strawbale insulated North wall, only putting in a few smallish windows and a green roof to keep the heat out.  We may come up with some sort of insulated shutters or drapes as well.

It seems like every project we do has a similar decision-making process.  I'm curious as to that of others.

I personally don't see an issue with your plan.

I consider the dwelling you want to construct, as well as the choice of how to heat the dwelling, to inherently be more efficient than some two story houses with a bunch of windows.

Consider some thermally insulating curtains for the windows that you can shut at night or when it is cold to provide some additional insulation. You will know your windows are your 'weak point' and can monitor the area as time goes on. Worst case is in the future you retrofit better windows when you can afford them.

Timothy brings up an excellent point.   I tend to buy either the highest quality …or the cheapest that will do a passable job.  If I go the passable route, I design with the idea of eventual replacement.

A potential advantage of used windows is they may not have the low-e coating on them. I compromised by using the basic (cheap) new aluminum windows because it was tough to source used where I live and have found that I get minimal solar gains in the winter. They also have a slight gray tint which I don't care for. I love how long lasting aluminum windows are enough to forgive the coldness factor but wish I was getting a more natural light through these.

You might also want to explore the actual gains the difference in r value will get you between the windows you want and what you can afford.   I suspect      
cheap windows with insulated drapes may give you more bang for your buck.

My short answer is that we tend to choose the best we can afford. Sometimes the best is old. We rarely find ourselves feeling swayed by things like PVC or composite lumber or low grade products. We make do and mend about as long as we can as long as it functions and isn't an eyesore. Health always gets prioritized and local economy ranks high too.

M Waisman wrote:My short answer is that we tend to choose the best we can afford. Sometimes the best is old. We rarely find ourselves feeling swayed by things like PVC or composite lumber or low grade products. We make do and mend about as long as we can as long as it functions and isn't an eyesore. Health always gets prioritized and local economy ranks high too.

I very much agree with this.  We could afford expensive new windows, but since our budget does have a limit (who's doesn't?), getting them would either mean something else would be delayed or given up altogether.  We also want the "look" old windows, especially the leaded glass ones, will give the building.  I love the idea of rehabing and reusing something old and it's so much fun to search for and find interesting stuff.  

I think the search is 3/4 the fun and both my husband and I love yard-sales and scavenging.

John F Dean wrote:You might also want to explore the actual gains the difference in r value will get you between the windows you want and what you can afford.   I suspect      
cheap windows with insulated drapes may give you more bang for your buck.

As far as windows in my home design I looked at the R rating of a bunch, and the expensive ones didn't have much difference. So I designed in a really well thought out, part of the house design, multi-type shading/shuttering system (for both heat and cold,) over basic windows. I'd have wanted that over the expensive ones anyway.

How I do reconcile compromise? About like you did. Pick your battles, decide what is priority to you, and do the best you can on it.

The sort of "system" I like best is called a "pretty good house." Their theory is so many houses do one thing to 100% (like the people who obsess that 3 pieces of rebar going through the slab will be a horrifying thermal break disaster) and skip a LOT of other factors that matter too. They work off the 80/20 thought: 20% of your effort goes to the easy 80%, then the other 80% of your effort goes to the last 20% that is difficult. They suggest getting ALL of the factors you can think of up to 85-90% and none of them up to 100, as the last 10% or so is the most time and money consuming, when if the rest is done well, the overall average of the house is MUCH better than most of them on the market.  

This does NOT mean skimping on things like safety, vapor barriers or ventilation, it does mean things like design in the shading/shuttering system so it's not an afterthought when you realize the basic windows you can afford are going to leak air. It means choosing where you skimp, where you compromise, and be AWARE that it's being done, and have a plan for mitigating it ahead of time, if you don't build the mitigation during initial construction, leave headers or pass through points in place, ready to be used when you do need to get back to them. Make it part of the design, not an afterthought later. Very few people have the means to do ALL of it 100%, and you are STILL going to end up above most house construction.

My last home, when I built a clerestory type thing, we framed it in for an air conditioner, and covered it. If I had needed it, it was there, would have only taken a sawzall to open it up. I didn't use it, the air flow worked as designed, as a solar chimney that moved the heat out of the house, but I had a back up plan framed in when it was easy to do, just in case I was wrong. My current house design has neat ways to heat it designed in, but space for a heat pump with wiring and pass through points left if what I designed fails to work.

So I'd say that's how I reconcile it, choose my battles, mitigate as part of the design, and leave systems in place in case I lose the battles.

Sherry Willis wrote: What are some compromises you had to consider and how do you decide which direction is best? ...

It seems like every project we do has a similar decision-making process.  I'm curious as to that of others.

I consider myself a realist rather than a dreamer.

We bought someone else's dream.

To make it ours, we took this endeavor one step at a time. First things first.

This was just a shell, four walls, and a roof.

If I remember correctly, the first obstacle we tackled was the bathroom. To do this we had to hook up the water lines and the sewer lines.

Then we installed the toilet that had been left sitting in one of the corners.

That is how we reconcile inevitable compromises ... one step at a time.

We bought stuff as needed.

I don't have much new to add to what people have said about how they reconcile or navigate compromises, so here are a couple other things I figure are worth mentioning:

- Sometimes the need to compromise is an illusion, and there is a hidden solution that is actually the best of both worlds (hopefully it is discovered before you've already pulled the trigger on one of the compromise alternatives).

- Related to the above: sometimes the perceived need to compromise only exists because we haven't thought hard enough about what we really want.

- The fact that life is full of compromises might be one reason why we walk around in a state of almost perpetual cognitive dissonance. It's difficult and uncomfortable to be constantly reminded of how we need to make compromises (and then to negotiate each compromise). Much easier just to waffle (lean in 100% on whatever we feel in the moment) or make up stories we tell ourselves that make us seem less compromising.

Everything I do is a compromise usually based on money  or lack of money.  I often make plans, than back up plans, than back up plans to the back up plans.

As an example.  We bought a truck for $300.  
  The original plan was to get it running and use it on the road.  
  The back up plan was to get it running and use it only on the farm if it wasn't road worthy.  
  The double back up plan was I build much of my own farm equipment and I would have a use for the transfer case, both axles, and many other parts of the truck, then scrap out the rest of the truck.

As of right now the first plan appears to have worked, we got it running this weekend and it appears to be road worthy.

Another example;  I am building a log house at the moment, and I am not sure how comfortable(temperature wise) it will be or how quickly the logs will rot.  
   The original plan is to build a 3 season porch on each side to help keep the heat in and protect the logs.
   The back up is to build enclosed porches on all 4 sides.
   The 3rd plan is to fur out the entire exterior of the house , cover it with tin, house wrap and insulate it
   The 4th plan is to fur out the inside and Sheetrock and insulate it
   The 5th plan is to put in a propane heater in addition to the wood stove we plan to heat with.
   And there are probably 5 or 6 more back up plans.

With all those back up plans I am fairly confidant that everything will be fine and I am more comfortably sinking my money and time into a project that is very likely to turn out well.

You could make the windows double pane yourself with storm windows.  

Old windows with removable storm windows in good condition can be better than a low end new double pane window.

Or you can put plastic over the windows, or thermal curtains,

Aside: I think the word "compromise" is sort of automatically toxic and negative in our culture. It shapes the conversation, implying some sort of failure or loss of integrity.

But practical people know there is no perfection in this world. Perhaps "adapt" or "improvise" might serve better? Just my 2c -- but words matter.

I do things on a whim.
If I see something I like or can use I will get it or make it.
I do everything over a period of time so I can change things without pulling anything apart,
or find something to help or improve it..
Somethings take longer than others have in mind, BUY John time is just about right for me.

John C Daley wrote:I do things on a whim.
If I see something I like or can use I will get it or make it.
I do everything over a period of time so I can change things without pulling anything apart,
or find something to help or improve it..
Somethings take longer than others have in mind, BUY John time is just about right for me.

LOL!  I hear you there.  We plan things roughly, but our motto is "We plan and then all Hell breaks loose and we just figure it out as we go".