Thowing out Books and Pictures

Recently...that is for the last 49 years life has been flying by.  I've been acting on that lately.  There are several boxes from the garage I've gone through and lots of things have ended up in the trash.  We are all here just a short time and I want to eventually park my car in my garage instead of junk.  Books have been taken to the used bookstore ($20 store credit for a substantial pile of hardback books).

Old pictures and even the negatives have ended up in the rubbish box.  My philosophy on keeping pictures is that they though they are capturing a time and helping me remember that time the picture itself should remind me of something more...or bring me some sort of joy.  Some of the pictures I saved are of my sister's kids.  Kid pictures are always great.  Big boundless smiles.  A lack of self awareness that creates this totally candid, "here I am" moment.  Though one picture would do it I kept several obviously taken right in a row because the expressions are different, sweet, and worthwhile.  It's worth keeping a picture if it brings joy.

The other day I watched a documentary on Minimalism.  Not artistic minimalism or architectural minimalism.  It was more about having less stuff and better stuff.  Stuff that you need, stuff that makes you happy.  It was about buying quality stuff instead of throwaway stuff.  I've got a lot of throwing away to do.  My life will be short no matter how much longer I live.  My goal is July 4th, 2076 the anniversary of our nation.  I'd be 107 yrs old.  I doubt I'll get there, but even if I do it's still just a short time.  I don't want my kids to spend months going through things.  At the same time I don't want them throwing my stuff out without going through them.  I hope the stuff I have retained brings back memories for them as well.

An Underlying Question

It’s a big topic these days and I wanted to weigh in on the matter because I like to weigh in on stuff.  In my, ever so humble, opinion none of the healthcare debate currently happening in the hallowed halls of Washington DC has much of anything to do with bringing down the cost of healthcare.  What is being debated is do we cover everybody?  And if we do what is the best way to do that? 

Whether we decide to do that or not there will be costs involved…either way.  The question is should everyone be covered?  Is it as Bernie Sanders says, “A human right in a civilized society?”  So far in America we have said, “No, it is not a right.” 

We have let insurance companies exclude people with pre-existing conditions.  That right there a long standing policy saying, “Healthcare is not a right.”  It is well known that the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is due to medical expense.[1]  What is less well known is that the number two and three reasons could very well be linked to the number one reason.  Numbers two and three are reduced income and job loss which you might likely have if you are too sick and can’t do your job.  So if healthcare leads many families into bankruptcy we can hardly say we have a system where healthcare is a right…right?

Should everyone be covered?  WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)?  Well, Jesus did heal some sick people, but he didn’t set up a clinic and have everyone pass by all day long so he could heal their infirmities.  It cannot be debated though that Jesus did try to help people and that he commanded us to help people.  What does that mean for us though, not as individuals, but as a society? 

What are the costs of not covering everyone?  Well, we already know we have a lot of bankruptcies. We have a lot of people that die years before they should.  We have millions with chronic conditions that can’t work or can’t work effectively.  So that means more unemployment benefits, more people on SNAP (what people think of as food stamps).  It means people with pre-existing conditions that might get treated largely won’t because they can’t afford it.  So they continue on with torn rotator cuffs, degenerative bone diseases, cancer, and more. 

Obamacare did not cover everyone.  Trumpcare will not cover everyone either.  What does your faith and your ethics (which are hopefully based in your faith) say about the issue?

My question is should make sure that everyone has good, quality health coverage that they can afford?  My answer is yes.  What is your answer? 

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[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/simple-thrifty-living/top-10-reasons-people-go-_b_6887642.html

Old Blog, New Post

So we’ve got a few issues.  By we, I mean America and/or the World.  I also mean Christians.  Sometimes I think it’s tough these days to understand what it means to be a Christian.  On one hand it’s incredibly simple.  The word Christian breaks down into the root and a suffix, “Christ” and “-ian.”  It’s should be no surprise that it means, “Christ – like.”  So a Christian is someone who wants to be like Christ. 

Pretty simple, but until the rubber hits the road that is just religious jargon.  Religious jargon is empty.  It all sounds good, but it means almost nothing.  It leaves the way open for most anything to mean…well…most anything.  Do you remember what WWJD stands for?  What would Jesus do?  It’s an ethical question. 

Christian Ethics is integrative.  You take the biblical material, theology, Church History, archeology, even science and look at specific issues and try to figure out WWJD.

What does WWJD mean for the a politically polarized nation?  What does it mean for a world that has huge refugee problems?  What does it mean for healthcare?  What does WWJD mean for the national debt?  What does WWJD mean for taxation policy?  Did you ever think of that?  Does your faith go beyond your own personal morality?  If it doesn’t it’s a shallow faith. 

Here’s the thing.  Most people have never been told, shown, or educated that their faith is about anything other than their soul.  Their soul and other souls, but that’s it.  That’s not the whole story.  The biblical story told of God providing food for the people wondering in the desert.  Jesus fed, Jesus healed.  Many people say they believe in a literal resurrection, a bodily resurrection, but the theology is still couched around the soul and no other concerns. 

But if the body is worthless why did Jesus heal it?  Why should we provide for orphans and widows (or generally those in society that need help) if all that really matters is their soul?  If the body didn’t matter why wasn’t Jesus just resurrected into some angelic form with a halo and wings?

The answer is it does matter.  What we do here on earth matters.  Not just our personal morality.  Did we kill anyone?  Did we have an affair?  Did we not burgle our neighbor’s property?  Now, don’t get me wrong.  All that stuff matters.  Other stuff does too.  We were set in the Garden (and later outside the Garden) and told to be stewards of that land.  That’s not just a personal morality thing.  That is a responsibility given to us that impacts generation after generation. It doesn’t just impact the soul or the body it impacts the earth.  And it is part of our responsibility as Christians. 

In biblical times; there were dictators, pharaohs, and Ceasars.  But today we live in a democracy.  Put another way…now we are part of Ceasar.  The idea of giving unto Ceasar was not specifically about giving to the man with the title, but giving to the political entity running the nation.  When we are told to give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s what does that mean now?  As Christians and members of a democracy we are to be stewards of our money, our time, and now…our taxes. 

What policies would Jesus suggest or support?  Healthcare, student loans, the financial industry, immigration, campaign finance.  Does your faith speak to these issues?  Think about it.

Design Criteria Part 1

I did a good bit of research for our last house.  I've done a TON of research for this house.  I've spent a lot of time reading articles at www.greenbuildingadvisor.com, www.phius.org, and even purchased a subscription to the Journal of Light Construction (online version).  Even after all that I was still a bit dismayed.

Friends in the building industry as well as owner/builders I have met have filled my head with ideas that I could build a house, even with today's prices for as low as $50 a square foot.  However, these green building sites were talking about affodable homes being built for $105-$125 a square foot.  Something was amiss!

Somehow or another I finally ran across Fernando Ruiz.  He's a builder out in California that has been building for $45-50 a square foot for 20+ years...and still doing it.  When he started it wasn't that difficult as materials and labor were less expensive.  Now that's not so much the case, but he has adapted.  He value engineers his houses and makes wise trade-offs that save him and the people that buy his homes tremendous amounts of money.  And he wrote a book.  Which I bought.  And read.

It turns out simpler plans are less expensive to build.  Two story homes are less to build than single story homes.  One note on that.  Architects will tell you just the opposite.  They say they single story is less expensive because stairs are so expensive.  The two most expensive components of a house are the foundation and the roof and architects are worried about the expense of stairs?  Well I think it just goes to show that what you see depends on where you sit.

Architects, by nature, are dealing with higher end residential builders and home owners.  Massive spiral staircases with lots of exposed wood work are flippin' expensive.  Wrought iron balusters and railings can run up costs in a heartbeat.  A stone or granite staircase might cost as much as my whole house.  That's the stuff architects deal with...pricey stuff.  The rest of us...not so much.  Most stair stringers (the stair stepped structural pieces on the side) in "working class" houses are cut from 2x12's,  Mine will be cut from laminated strand lumber.  They will be covered with carpet most likely.  Even in the event that we do put on a "pretty" tread, it will likely be oak or finger jointed pine.
The first few steps may have exposed balusters, but after that it'll be wallboard up to the top.  I like my stairs a little wider than most so I'll go with a 4' wide stair.  It seems like a small thing and some people will say I'm using too much space with the staircase.  However, I have lived in a house with a 4' wide staircase (our last house) and a narrow staircase (our rental) and narrow staircases suck.  Laundry gets carried up and down, kids get carried up and down, luggage gets carried up and down, half the time someone else is on the stairs while all the carrying is going on (see aforementioned kids)...it's exhausting.  A 3' wide staircase is just too confining for all that activity.

So you can see where builders say one thing and architects say another and they are both right.

Now back to affordable design.  A square is more cost effective than a rectangle, but with the lot we have we want to minimize excavation and that means shallow front to back with some extra width. As I sit and think about it our old house was three different sized rectangles combined.  The first rectangle was the garage area.  The second held the dining area, kitchen, pantry, laundry room, half bath and a few closets.  The third rectangle was the living room, master bedroom, and study.  Our new house will essentially be two rectangles of equal depth.  The first will be the garage and the second will be the structure of the house itself.

Both rectangles will be the same depth and possibly some rooms of the house would be behind the area in the garage (if the garage is 24 wide and 22 deep and that rectangle is 24' wide and 32' deep we could use the extra space for storage or possibly the master closet and bathroom.  

See Ruiz's "Affordability Checklist" to see what you can use on your next project.  Affordability Checklist

Initial Thoughts

House number two is now on the horizon.  It's a difficult lot, a forward facing slope with a significant elevation gain from front to back.  The lot is currently wooded, overgrown, and seems to have been used by neighbors as a dumping ground for their brush and limbs for years.

For this house I have two basic design criteria driving my decisions.  First is affordability.  Houses today are not terribly affordable.  Everyone wants a McMansion, but hardly anyone can afford one.  Looking at the houses of today vs the houses are parents and grandparents purchased two things are evident.  The houses of today are larger and more complex.  If you drive through an older subdivision you will find squares and rectangles.  Houses were smaller and simpler and took up a smaller percentage of the average wage earners paycheck.  Out last house was 2700 square feet this house will be somewhere between 1800 and 2500.

That last number doesn't sound that much different than 2700 but over 600 sf will be "to be finished later" space, and we may or may not build that area in the first place.

My second criteria is about energy efficiency.  If you remember our last house used structural insulated panels, we had all our ductwork inside the heated cooled part of the house, used a marathon hot water heater (a very well insulated electric tank water heater), energy star appliances, and a front load washer dryer set.  All that kept our utility bills reasonable.

This time around we are going to use some different construction techniques to make our building envelope even more energy efficient.  To that end we'll have double stud walls with three layers of R15 fiberglass batts.  We will air seal with acoustical caulk both on the exterior sheathing and the drywall to create a very air tight building envelope.  We will likely use a mini-split unit with a heat recovery ventilation system for our HVAC system.  A heat pump water heater will lead to more efficiencies there and we will possibly use Whirlpool's new condensing dryer to lower energy output there as well.

The subdivision we are building on is not on city sewer so we will have a septic tank.  I've never had a septic tank before, but everyone tells me they work just fine and I have no reason to no believe them.  The thing I am excited about is no more sewer bill!!  Yippeee!!

In the last house our average utility bill (water, sewer, and electric) was $263.  That's not horrible for a 2700 square foot house.  This time around my goal is to lower that to $75.  With no sewer bill, lower heating and cooling costs, lower water heating costs, and cost to operate our dyer I'm hoping that is a realistic goal.

How to lay the pipe

There is a water spigot that is too close to the ground now that some of the final grading has been done...is there a way to move it up? It would be mounted on the rim joist if we move it up into the siding area.  (update 2015 - we've sold this house now and are getting ready to build another.  We did move the spigot up.)

Below is a wider angle shot of where the spigot is. It is two blocks to the left of the vent area.

The sewer and water hook ups can be seen in the front right corner of the below photo. The pump will reside in the area between the walkway and the driveway to the left of the front porch. (update 2015.  The pump ended up going in to the right of the front porch as you look at this picture..over where the shade is on the right).

A wider angle view.

All Frozen Up

So we had a little HVAC problem.  I don't even remember what it was at this point, but it turned out not to be a big deal at all.  I think we had one thermostat trying to cool while another was trying to heat...something like that.