Coastal Florida has soil that is basically just beach sand. Not very fertile. There is a reason one doesn't see 1,000 acre farms of row crops. Usually the biggest ag use is cattle pasture or miles of pine tree farms. It does drain well, but requires good foundations when building.
Looks awesome, I'm excited to see pictures of the barndominium when you reach that point.
There is something tremendously peaceful about a decent plot of land that's yours, paid for, and close enough to escape to when you need it.
At this point we are likely not going the barndo route. Still going to have a lot of garage, just a downsized version of what we have in block on a slab. But the wife did want to go to a 3 year plan instead of a 5.
Really enjoying the thread. Keep it up. I think the no barndo thing is a good call but I see the appeal.
Wife and I are waiting out a few things to escape PA but with kids in school it complicates things. We also have a 3 year plan at this point too.
So this is what we have planned. Basically a downsized version of our current house with the garage fixed. In this house the garage was just 24x35 with 9.5' ceilings. Have that area behind the last bay that could have been a 9x10 room for tool box, cabinets, compressor, benches etc. That stuff all lines the current garage which means you lose 2-3/ in depth and 2-3' in width.
Are there any windows above the sink in the master bath? If not, either add one or extend the garage bump another few feet? That area also feels like it would be ripe for your water heater and air handler.
In reply to the_machina :
Wife doesn't like windows in the bathroom, that's where our large mirror goes.
Maybe I'm stupid, but is there another 'non-garage' entrance into the front of the house or? I see the sliders on the back side, I just didn't know if that'd be helpful or useful at all, i.e. moving stuff in/out.
Looks awesome otherwise. Basically my dream Ranch plan myself.
In reply to golfduke :
Looks like an entry between the dining room and lower right bedroom.
In reply to Stampie :
I saw that as more of a storage closet, but that makes sense. My mistake, carryon! haha.
In reply to bobzilla :
A couple of things. Are there plans for porches especially screened in ones? While fireplaces are necessary up north down here it's a added expense during the build that really is only decoration afterwards.
In reply to golfduke :
BETWEEN B3 and the Dining Room. Same entrance as what we have now.
Stampie said:In reply to bobzilla :
A couple of things. Are there plans for porches especially screened in ones? While fireplaces are necessary up north down here it's a added expense during the build that really is only decoration afterwards.
That's the problem with working on 8 1/2 x 11 paper... no room. Yes. Current plan is to cover the back two thirds with a covered/screened porch. And the weekend we were there, a fireplace would have been used. 53 and rain is perfect for a warm fire. It'll be Propane anyway, on a switch.
In reply to bobzilla :
Ok I'll allow that. Don't know when your current house was built but a modern well sealed house with a heat pump for heating and cooling is perfect for the mild temps in that area.
In reply to Stampie :
We built ours in 2004 and yes, it heats fine. But its a damp heat. Fire is ALWAYS betterer. And if electricity is down and it's 50* and raining what are you going to heat with? I plan on back ups for my backups just like now.
bobzilla said:In reply to Stampie :
if electricity is down and it's 50* and raining what are you going to heat with?
Heat? Remember you'll be a Florida man by then. You get naked and go play in the mud.
In reply to bobzilla :
Also since you mention a damp heat, really consider a dehumidifier. I just started running one in the last 6 months and I really like the results.
In reply to Stampie :
NAH, I figure at our age our blood will thin out that first 24 months and then anything below 70 will have us in parkas and sweaters.
Stampie said:In reply to bobzilla :
Also since you mention a damp heat, really consider a dehumidifier. I just started running one in the last 6 months and I really like the results.
That's called "AC" lol
In reply to bobzilla :
I haven't run my AC these last 6 months.
bobzilla said:Stampie said:In reply to bobzilla :
Also since you mention a damp heat, really consider a dehumidifier. I just started running one in the last 6 months and I really like the results.
That's called "AC" lol
Still worthy of consideration. Our AC units don't work nearly as hard since we got one, and it lets us keep the temperature a little higher and still be comfortable.
Growing up, my mom swore that it lowered the electricity bill because the ac didn't have to run as much, but I don't know if you could actually quantify that.
We live in Gainesville and could stand to have a dehumidifier. As Stampie noted, there is a pretty significant portion of the year when we don't run the AC (like today). We keep Damprid in all of our closets.
In Lebanon, the summers are long, warm, humid, and wet; the winters are freezing, snowy, and windy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 20°F to 84°F and is rarely below 2°F or above 91°F.
In Crystal River, the summers are long, hot, oppressive, and mostly cloudy; the winters are short, cool, and partly cloudy; and it is wet year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 45°F to 90°F and is rarely below 31°F or above 94°F.
Notice the difference between humid and oppressive.
In reply to mtn :
It definitely can be quantified.
Efficient HVAC system design is more about managing humidity than temperature.
People are comfortable with higher temperatures when humidity is low. When humidity and temperature are high, people are uncomfortable and compensate with increased AC.
It's also better for building health. Higher humidity equates to deterioration and mold issues in buildings.
I am now sealing well, and using actual blower door testing and duct testing to ensure building efficiency on everything I build.
You'd be shocked how much an infrared camera can show about 90% of existing buildings.
I'm doing an addition on my house in AL (high humidity and heat). I won't be upgrading the SEER ratings on my HVAC system, but I WILL be doing a careful job with my blower door testing. It makes a big difference.
There is no point in a high efficiency HVAC system if your house is low efficiency. The losses are in the duct system, the unconditioned space management, the vapor and moisture control, and the inefficient structure itself, not the heat pump.
I don't want to derail Bob's thread but the dehumidification discussion is valid. Also congratulations on finding your land and living your dream!
It's really important to not oversize an AC system as drying the air out is what makes us feel more comfortable. In order to do that the system runs long cooling cycles, coil stays cold and removes moisture all the time that the compressor is running. To get this right an accurate load calculation is really important. Oversizing a system can result in the unit dropping the temperature quickly but not drying it out and a damp clammy feeling.
I like to have the indoor air handler capacity slightly higher than the capacity of the outdoor condensing unit as it helps add a little more coil area to assist in dehumidification. (Example, if the load calculates out to 18,000 BTUH or a 1.5 ton condenser you would pair it with a 24,000 BTUH / 2 ton indoor air handler.) Most residential units are available in 1/2 ton increments from 1 1/2 tons up through 4 1/2 tons.
Edited to add: SVREX's comments on having a tight envelope, proper insulation and well sealed duct systems are spot on. Good tight construction and insulation will reduce the cooling (and heating) capacity needed and are worth the initial expense in the long run. All the more reason to have a good accurate load calculation that factors all those things in. Anyone that estimates cooling capacity by "square footing" the building is guessing at best.
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