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My Monitor Barndominium Greenhouse project

 
Elanor Gardner
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I decided it's time to share my current project with everyone. This is the design I have planned out using Google Gemini. We are currently still at step one, however. Got to start somewhere.
image_a94876b7.png
[Thumbnail for image_a94876b7.png]

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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Step one. (Real life - not AI) Forms set. Grade beams dug....  the larger hole in the middle is the footprint for a future Matt Walker masonry stove.
0726261631a_HDR-2.jpg
[Thumbnail for 0726261631a_HDR-2.jpg]

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
John C Daley
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Are you putting concrete inside that formwork?
It does not look strong enough for that!

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
Benefits of rainfall collection https://permies.com/t/88043/benefits-rainfall-collection
GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

 
Elanor Gardner
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John C Daley wrote:Are you putting concrete inside that formwork?
It does not look strong enough for that!


Prior to the pour, we will be digging in some plumbing, covering it with plastic and 2" foam, backfilling the forms and beefing up any areas needing beefing up. My dad owned a concrete company. I worked for him about 20ish years ago. My brother now owns a concrete company. Neither has scoffed at my work yet. I think by pour time we will be looking good. Your concern is appreciated!

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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The septic permit was approved and now we can apply for the building permit. The septic gets installed next week!

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
John C Daley
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Sounds like some good help there in the background.

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
Benefits of rainfall collection https://permies.com/t/88043/benefits-rainfall-collection
GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

 
L Kawamura
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Beautiful design!

I see you are in 5a, do you see much heavy snow? I am wondering if you have some kind of system planned to keep snow from dumping off the upper roof onto the greenhouse in the event of a blizzard. My house is a similar shape and I would love an attached greenhouse but I can't figure out how to protect the glass.
 
Nancy Reading
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It looks like it will be lovely Eleanor! Is it going to be a tiny house or 'just' a workshop?

How Permies works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
My projects on Skye: The tree field, Growing and landracing, perennial polycultures, "Don't dream it - be it! "

 
Elanor Gardner
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L Kawamura wrote:Beautiful design!

I see you are in 5a, do you see much heavy snow? I am wondering if you have some kind of system planned to keep snow from dumping off the upper roof onto the greenhouse in the event of a blizzard. My house is a similar shape and I would love an attached greenhouse but I can't figure out how to protect the glass.



This project is in zone 4. (I currently live in 5a)  We don't get as much snow as years ago, but we still get snow. I will be going with the snowcatchers that are installed in the roof, so that it doesn't all flop onto the roof of the greenhouse in one fell swoop.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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Nancy Reading wrote:It looks like it will be lovely Eleanor! Is it going to be a tiny house or 'just' a workshop?



Tiny is in the eye of the beholder, I think. While the living space in this house, not counting the greenhouse, is 1188 sq feet, my current house only has 892 sq feet. Therefore, this house is going to feel giant!  There will be an unfinished second floor for storage space, and if, in the future, someone needs to move in, I will have the area available for them.  I like to keep my living expenses down by keeping my footprint small, so I can retire someday.  

Plus, there will be a woodshop in the attached garage, so definitely, yay on that.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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John C Daley wrote:Sounds like some good help there in the background.



It takes a village, John.

I have many helpers in this project.
If I did not have these helpers, this build would have cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars, which would have made the project not happen.
I give all the credit to my helpers.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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I received a letter in the mail today. It was from the county. They've issued me an address. It is a small step but it somehow makes this homestead build into a very permanent thing.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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I talked to a building inspector this week. He said get me this, that and the other. Than we'll get a building permit. Then they township sent me a signed building permit application I had submitted, and said let this signed application serve as your building permit. Can I go, or can I not go? I am so confused.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Elanor Gardner
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I officially have a building permit! I am so happy. That was so much work as I did the plans myself to save $. So many late nights were spent on working on blueprints, electrical load calculations, heat loss calculations, and elevations. I took a half day off work yesterday to drop off everything at the building inspector's house 2 1/2 hours away. Today I received the approval. Yay! Onward to concrete!

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Carla Burke
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Congratulations, Elanor!! That's excellent news!!

"The only thing...more expensive than education is ignorance."~Ben Franklin. "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." ~ Plato

 
Elanor Gardner
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This Monday: the plumber is coming to do the rough-in before the concrete gets placed. On the 14th, the septic tank is being installed. It has been pushed back on the schedule until now. I do not yet have a well installation date. The builder is ordering materials, and we are setting a date to knock out the concrete. This weekend we will check on the concrete forms to make sure all are at the right height as they have already been there for a while. I still have to sweet talk my brothers into assisting with concrete day.  I've been getting well-acquainted with the planning of heat tubes placement. I've made the final decision that this house will be solar with generator backup. We are not connecting to the grid. I have zero love for utility companies these days. This build gives me hope for a better future. Not that my current situation is bad or anything, but the new place offers new opportunities and better work-life balance. I hope to get some pictures for you on Monday.

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Doug McEvers
pollinator
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Insulate and air seal very well. Annual Heating Degree Days (hdd) divided by 180 for wall R-value and 120 for ceilings. Example, 6,000 hdd, walls R-33 and ceilings R-50. Shoot for 1 or less ach50, (air changes per hour @ 50 pascals). This level of insulation and airtightness will put you on a path of high efficiency, less than 1.5 Btu per square foot per heating degree day. Depending on the ceiling design you might consider moving up to R-60 or 70. If it is blown insulation, extra R-value is quite easy.
 
Elanor Gardner
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Doug, last time I built a house, we sealed it up tighter than Ft. Knox. The windows all would sweat after that. How do I avoid this? I do not have a furnace to run an air exchanger, as we are doing infloor heat with a combi unit. Any thoughts?

Recommended reading material: Romans 10:9

 
Doug McEvers
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Elanor,

You just need enough fresh air to offset the humidity that is generated inside the house by people, showers, cooking and the like. Make sure your vapor barrier under the slab is perfect. I would consider a high grade material over standard polyethylene, seal and limit any penetrations. The rule of thumb I use for continuous ventilation is 15 cfm per bedroom plus 15. You need fresh air, just enough, you want control of all energy expenditures.

https://www.lunos.de/en/exhaust-air

https://www.positive-energy.com/product/fresh-100-air-inlet/

https://www.conservationtechnology.com/building_films.html
 
I think I'm turning Japanese. I really think so. This tiny ad thinks so too:
Switching from electric heat to a rocket mass heater reduces your carbon footprint as much as parking 7 cars
http://woodheat.net
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