Tell me about your Dream Home

[potato28]

A shack with a PC, Internet, and ATOT.

 

[gsellis]

Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

 

[PrinceofWands]

Location, location, location. The dream is about being hell and gone away from society...mountain, forest, river, etc. As long as it's cool and isolated I'm happy.

Once that stuff is out of the way I'm pretty easy. Ideally I'd have a nice medieval castle. If it's not a castle then I don't really care.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: hjo3
12' ceilings, lots of skylights, and a two-car garage.

Just curious, why do you want the ceilings so high?

I just like the feel of it. Probably comes from living in places with 7' ceilings for too long. When I lived with my parents my computer room had an 11' ceiling because of some weird construction. It was really nice unless you were trying to heat it.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I play The Sims just to build houses. It's pretty fun actually.

thats what i used to do when i palyed the sims. i'm like that with most games of that type, like sim city. i just want to build houses or cities, i don't really care for playing the game as it is supposed to be played.

Have you tried playing with Google SketchUp? It's free and great for doing this sort of thing.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: CraKaJaX
Kaido, if you're still on these forums in __ years... and your dream house actually becomes reality... I'm calling for pics now
I love looking at really sweet, modernized houses. I just enjoy it... and when the time comes for myself, I'll know exactly what I want

Yeah there are so many options, I'm trying to narrow it down to exactly what I want while I have plenty of time to do so. Right now my poor starving student's budget gives me about $21 of mad money a week, so I don't think I'll be building anytime soon My two big projects are learning Perl (command system) and Flash (interface system); after that it's all downhill.

 

[skyking]

Mine keeps changing as I go along. It used to be bigger, have multiple stories. Lots of decks and things.
Now I lean twards self sufficiency, easier keeping/cleaning/maintenance, energy efficient.
Single floor with wide halls, or a mandatory elevator for two or more stories.
The pool is still in the dream, only smaller and easier to keep.

 

[Schadenfroh]

decommissioned nuclear missile silo is where I want to live.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
decommissioned nuclear missile silo is where I want to live.

Dude that would be AWESOME! I took a tour of one out in Arizona a few years ago. They're crazy, it's like straight out of Goldeneye. A little googling found me this:

http://www.silohome.com/

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: skyking
Mine keeps changing as I go along. It used to be bigger, have multiple stories. Lots of decks and things.
Now I lean twards self sufficiency, easier keeping/cleaning/maintenance, energy efficient.
Single floor with wide halls, or a mandatory elevator for two or more stories.
The pool is still in the dream, only smaller and easier to keep.

There's a lot you can do to automate a pool. Automatic chemical measurement and dispersement, algae-eating robots, that sort of stuff. I just wonder how hard it is to maintain in winter with snow and whatnot. I'd definitely want to have a screen system around the pool to keep bugs and critters out and to keep kids out when they're not being supervised. That was the first thing my parents did when we moved to Florida- put a fully enclosed mesh housing around the pool for that purpose. There was a lady across the street who's son drowned in their small pool because he was unsupervised; I'd never want anything to happen to any of my kids like that, so I'm a little wary about even having one. Properly setup though, I'm sure it'd be as easy to maintain as anything else. I can still recall all those many hours I spent cleaning our pool verrrrrrrrrrry sloooooowly with the pool hose. Ugh!

 

[gooseman]

I didn't read all the way through the thread so I'm sure someone has already said this but my dream home would be PAID FOR!!!

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

Ever time we have lost power and water, we have had gas. You don't have to store it or worry about contamination like you do with a diesel supply. You also do not have to transport it. You could store it and run it off of LP. A bit easier to handle than diesel too. AND they make natural gas backup generators for homes, so you get economies of scale in your favor to set one up. Last time I saw them at Lowe's (2 years), $5k got one installed that would have the power to run the heat, freezers and other stuff in the house.

Edit - 45,000 watts! $11k. 16,000 watts are $4k for the generator.

 

[SonnyDaze]

A couple of empty refrigerator boxes and I'd be set. Insurance would be cheap as hell.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: gsellis

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

Ever time we have lost power and water, we have had gas. You don't have to store it or worry about contamination like you do with a diesel supply. You also do not have to transport it. You could store it and run it off of LP. A bit easier to handle than diesel too. AND they make natural gas backup generators for homes, so you get economies of scale in your favor to set one up. Last time I saw them at Lowe's (2 years), $5k got one installed that would have the power to run the heat, freezers and other stuff in the house.

Edit - 45,000 watts! $11k. 16,000 watts are $4k for the generator.

Wow, that sounds really nice. Is it safe to keep in your basement or should it be out in a shed or something?

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Wow, that sounds really nice. Is it safe to keep in your basement or should it be out in a shed or something?

Outdoor install by your power or gas meter is how I understood it. It needs a box that comes with it to be wired into your panel.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

Ever time we have lost power and water, we have had gas. You don't have to store it or worry about contamination like you do with a diesel supply. You also do not have to transport it. You could store it and run it off of LP. A bit easier to handle than diesel too. AND they make natural gas backup generators for homes, so you get economies of scale in your favor to set one up. Last time I saw them at Lowe's (2 years), $5k got one installed that would have the power to run the heat, freezers and other stuff in the house.

Edit - 45,000 watts! $11k. 16,000 watts are $4k for the generator.

Wow, that sounds really nice. Is it safe to keep in your basement or should it be out in a shed or something?

You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

Ever time we have lost power and water, we have had gas. You don't have to store it or worry about contamination like you do with a diesel supply. You also do not have to transport it. You could store it and run it off of LP. A bit easier to handle than diesel too. AND they make natural gas backup generators for homes, so you get economies of scale in your favor to set one up. Last time I saw them at Lowe's (2 years), $5k got one installed that would have the power to run the heat, freezers and other stuff in the house.

Edit - 45,000 watts! $11k. 16,000 watts are $4k for the generator.

Wow, that sounds really nice. Is it safe to keep in your basement or should it be out in a shed or something?

You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

:Q

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: gsellis
Kaido, go with the backup natural gas generator...

I have always wanted a house with a central, greenhouse garden that opens to the other rooms with a waterfall and pond.

When you build the house, remember that a master on the main floor design MUST have a guest bath more central to living and dining room. My other wants are a walk-in pantry, gas stove, large clothes closets in the Master, dishwasher on the left (right handed).

Can it store natural gas? I'm just concerned if I lose power in winter or something (it's happened before!), if the rest of the city services will go out.

Ever time we have lost power and water, we have had gas. You don't have to store it or worry about contamination like you do with a diesel supply. You also do not have to transport it. You could store it and run it off of LP. A bit easier to handle than diesel too. AND they make natural gas backup generators for homes, so you get economies of scale in your favor to set one up. Last time I saw them at Lowe's (2 years), $5k got one installed that would have the power to run the heat, freezers and other stuff in the house.

Edit - 45,000 watts! $11k. 16,000 watts are $4k for the generator.

Wow, that sounds really nice. Is it safe to keep in your basement or should it be out in a shed or something?

You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

:Q

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I just rather not have it happen in my basement next to a 1,000+ gallons of diesel fuel.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052
You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

:Q

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I just rather not have it happen in my basement next to a 1,000+ gallons of diesel fuel.

Yeah, makes sense. How long can a tank fuel a house for? A few hours, a few days? I only have experience with the small generators that you can wheel around. Also it looks like my $600 touchpanel design isn't so far out of line:

http://www.smarthome.com/63015cs.html

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052
You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

:Q

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I just rather not have it happen in my basement next to a 1,000+ gallons of diesel fuel.

Yeah, makes sense. How long can a tank fuel a house for? A few hours, a few days? I only have experience with the small generators that you can wheel around. Also it looks like my $600 touchpanel design isn't so far out of line:

http://www.smarthome.com/63015cs.html

Figure 3.5ish gph at full load (which you shouldn't be at). You can install any size tank you want really but I figure 1,000 gallons (about 12 days full load 24/7) + a solar-electric/battery bank rig would stretch that out a long while in a prolonged outage.

 

[AdamK47]

Ever read The Fall of the House of Usher? That house.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: K1052
You can have either an above ground LP tank or get one buried. The generator should be in a separate shed or enclosure as they do occasionally catch on fire.

What fuel I would chose depends on the location of the house though I personally lean to diesel w/ in ground fuel storage in the 30K watt range.

:Q

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I just rather not have it happen in my basement next to a 1,000+ gallons of diesel fuel.

Yeah, makes sense. How long can a tank fuel a house for? A few hours, a few days? I only have experience with the small generators that you can wheel around. Also it looks like my $600 touchpanel design isn't so far out of line:

http://www.smarthome.com/63015cs.html

Figure 3.5ish gph at full load (which you shouldn't be at). You can install any size tank you want really but I figure 1,000 gallons (about 12 days full load 24/7) + a solar-electric/battery bank rig would stretch that out a long while in a prolonged outage.

12 days is pretty dang good. Even throughout all the hurricanes I went through in Florida, I don't think our power was ever out that long. One thing I'm concerned about with solar is battery banks & having to be replaced. I like the idea of a grid-connected solar-power system plus a natural gas backup generator, that way nothing has to be stored on-site but you still have a backup system available if you need it. I need to do more research in this area.

 

[Kaido]

I found a style I really like, Barn homes:

http://www.yankeebarnhomes.com/index.php

Be sure to check out the photo gallery. It'd be real easy to build that style home with ICFs and steel beams

 

[Kaido]

Just found another neato thing called "Solatube". It's like a skylight but with a tube and mirrors and stuff:

http://www.solatube.com/residential.php

There are a few pics on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=solatube