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Scott describes DIY outdoor lighting. Justin gives an update on air barrier improvements. Steven shares information about building in Cochise County, Arizona. Michael says ADUs are expensive. Sean wonders if he can insulate it himself. Brian asks how to fix a door that doesn't fit. Edel asks the best way to detail a mechanical penetration in a double stud wall.
Editor updates:
- microphone: Logging
- Brian: Built-in entrance hall
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Listener Feedback 1:
Scott from southwest Ohio wrote:
Hello Patrick and friends.
After building our house, we wanted to add outdoor lighting and were evaluating options between outsourcing and DIY. We got quotes from companies ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, which seemed expensive. Luckily, we found Better Homes & Gardens LED lighting kits at Walmart.
The kit came with a transformer, 5 aisle lights, and 2 spotlights. I did some quick math and realized I had more than enough capacity in the transformer, so I bought an extra spotlight, a cable splitter, and some extra cable. For under $150 and not much time, I had a great solution. It's been over 7 years since then, and in that time my transformer has failed, so I've bought a spare transformer and spare lights.
A few lights are out and the finish is faded but the system works fine. If I could go back in time I would have bought 2-3 of these kits to have a lifetime supply of parts. I check Walmart every year and they don't have another kit or anything similar for sale.
I'm enjoying the podcast!
Scott
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Listener feedback 2:
Justin from northeastern Pennsylvania wrote:
Well, hello again Patrick and friends.
I will keep you updated on the patio ceiling and bedroom floor projects. Episode 599As you may remember, I had a ventilated soffit built into my patio ceiling that was leaking air into some of the bedroom floors above. I nearly got through the winter before we discussed whether a repair would work. I took your advice into account, but still opted to over insulate/air seal. Still, I really appreciate your advice and reassurance. I would never have come up with this plan without listening to over 600 episodes of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast.
As you can see in the pictures, the first layer under the frame is the ZIP sheathing which I screwed and glued in. I considered butting a piece of rigid foam against the frame with cap nails and then screwing the sheathing underneath, but I realised the assembly would be much more secure if I put the sheathing directly against the frame.
Now onto the excess features of the 2-inch XPS.
As winter draws to a close, I've noticed a clear change not only in the temperature of my home, but also in the way sound travels. The noise of passing traffic has almost completely disappeared. I've really enjoyed my various attempts to air seal and insulate over the years, and have noticed a big difference in my comfort and heating bills since upgrading. But as others have said on the podcast, if you live in an older home with little or no insulation in the wall cavities, there's only so much you can do.
But wait, there's more! I found two tips that might be helpful to others too.
- To hold the sheathing and layers of insulation in place I used a cheap $50/pair telescoping lift (cabinet jack?) Not sure what to call it but here's a link. Similar products. (The photo I sent is from the upper bedroom looking down onto the patio so you can see what I used.) It's cheaply made and only good for light work, but otherwise would have been impossible to work on myself.
- I used masking tape to mark the frame locations (you can see this in the photos) so that as I went through each layer I could see where the fasteners needed to be attached.
As always, thank you for your work, my house would be freezing without you guys.
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Listener feedback 3:
“I'm hoping to build in Cochise County, Arizona,” wrote Steven.
I listened Podcast 626 We discussed the question regarding the Cochise County opt-out and wanted to follow up with some information that might be helpful to someone else.
- Land: The land must be zoned RU4 and a minimum of 4 acres. A 4-acre piece of rural land here costs around $2,000-6,000. Cochise County sells OTC land from January to March each year with prices starting at $2,000. These parcels are tax-delinquent properties that did not sell in August of the previous year. You can get the land for free. If the land is subdivided, do a GIS (geographic information system) or a survey at the county office and stay away from properties with drainage easements.
- Septic tanks: A septic tank permit is required, as is a percolation test.
- Water: If your land is not within the Douglas Active Management Area (AMA), you can dig your own well by submitting an intent to drill. Your lot must be less than 5 acres, residential only, and you cannot dig wells larger than 32 gpm. Within the AMA, you need a driller's license.
- Building: You can build with any material, including hay and adobe, as long as you follow the 2019 building code. Smoke detectors are required. If your residential structure has running water and septic, you can get a temporary occupancy permit to live in the finished home portion or a six-month temporary RV permit to live in an RV during construction.
Thanks, I hope this helps someone else.
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Listener feedback 4:
Michael from Minnesota wrote:
Hello everyone
As for the $300,000 tiny house? Podcast 625: We built a 600 sq ft ADU as part of a garage conversion in southwest Minneapolis. People often ask me how much it cost to build, and they seem to expect it to be cheap. I point out that the tiny dwelling has all the expensive rooms (kitchen, bathrooms, mechanical rooms) and very few cheap rooms (bedrooms, drywall, ceiling fixtures). The cost per square foot of our ADU was much higher than a similar quality custom build.
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Question 1: Can I make high density pack insulation myself or do I need to hire a professional?
Sean from Idaho asks:
everyone,
I’m currently looking back at the early days of the podcast and it seems like the team all agrees that dense packed cellulose is the best for insulated wall assemblies. Fine Home Building I've looked at resources and even videos on the process, and while this seems like a great option, it requires an insulation crew and is not DIY friendly.
As an owner-builder about to break ground on a new construction, my current plan is to use mineral wool insulation in the 2×6 cavities in the walls, which is a very DIY-friendly approach most people would agree with. I will be using a combination of ZIP R-6 sheathing and CZ 6's Smart Vapor Membrane. I know the podcast crew is very hands-on and DIY-loving, so I'd like to know if high density cellulose is DIY-able or if its installation really requires professional expertise and equipment. It doesn't seem complicated, but maybe I'm missing something. Or maybe the spraying equipment is what's preventing homeowners from trying this in their own homes.
Thanks for the podcast.
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Question 2: What is the best way to repair a door gap?
Brian from Oneonta, New York asks:
Hello Patrick and the team.
Our farmhouse was built in the 1850's and has experienced significant settling. There is a large gap at the top of this door. What do you think is the best thing to do?
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Question 3: What is the best way to detail mechanical penetrations in double stud walls?
Edel Mackey from Quebec asks on GBA.com:
Hi guys,
I bought it, read it, and then it was lurking for a while. Pretty good house.
I finally decided to take the plunge and go to PGH in Quebec/Canada (CZ 6).
So far, my general contractor and building team have been very interested in it, and I was able to hire someone skilled enough to spray cellulose on the double stud walls (R-4 2×6″-3.5″-2×4″), and now everyone else is starting to drill holes everywhere: plumbers, ventilators, heat pump guys.
I would like more information on how to properly inspect and repair holes in this type of construction. Does anyone have more information on common holes and proper ways to deal with them?
So far (I'm probably missing some):
- HRV intake and output
- Range hood hole
- Pipe vent
- HVAC holes for connecting external units
- Outdoor lighting electrical wiring
We intend to test the blower door soon, and we also want to future-proof the opening as some of our contractors are not very familiar with double stud construction. Everyone has been very interested in the construction and has been meticulous so far.
Thank you for your support!
Q&A about the GBA from Edel Mackey
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Well, unfortunately that's all for today. Thank you to Mike, Brian, Andres, and everyone who has listened. If you have any questions or suggestions, [email protected]and however you listen, please give us a like, comment and review, as that helps others find our podcast.
Happy building!
This show is run by listeners, so please subscribe and rate us on iTunes or Google Play, and send us a question you'd like us to cover in a future episode by emailing us at: [email protected]Also, be sure to follow Fine Home Building Like us on Instagram FacebookYou can watch the show above or on YouTube. Fine Homebuilding YouTube Channel.