Since overhauling his business agreements, Jon Beer earns a profit and covers... More
In the wake of Texas power failures, one builder moves away from electrification... More
JLC follows a custom build of an architect-designed getaway home in rural Maine. More
Everybody wonders how long it should take to build a house. The answer is simple:... More
Builders in Asheville, North Carolina are back to a healthy level of construction — but the houses are smaller and not so pricey. More
Modular designers have shown they can provide upscale packages, but are the homes... More
Q: I build custom homes in a northern (heating) climate. My clients want tight, well-insulated homes - we use cellulose and often spray foam - but many also want a wood-burning fireplace. Is it possible to have a traditional hearth in a modern, tightly insulated home? More
Q. We built a custom home for a client in west Michigan a couple of years ago, and the home has had problems with ice ever since. It's a 1,450-square-foot ranch with cathedral ceilings and many can lights throughout. We used blown fiberglass insulation in the ceiling assemblies. From the beginning, the can lights (IC-rated) overheated and tripped their thermal-protection breakers. We finally resorted to pulling the insulation away from the housing of the can lights so they TAs a result, the heat from these lights now warms up the roof and has created a horrible ice problem instead. Last fall we even added four pot vents to the back of the roof in addition to the soffit-to-ridge venting. The homeowner called to report that the pot vents have improved the situation but not completely. I drive by this home frequently and see ice buildup there while other homes in the area are ice free. More
By working closely with a modular manufacturer, it’s possible to build a custom-quality home faster and less expensively than the site-built variety. A New Jersey builder of solar homes tells how he does it. More
