[Greenbuilding] Advice for a Rehab Newbie

[Stephen Collette]

Hi Lynelle,

I’d recommend Roxul Comfortboard IS for outboard of the sheathing. I used it myself last year, and it’s excellent, and with 2 3” rigid boards, you can get to the R-40 range easy enough. No trusses needed. 

Is flooding a remote concern? I agree with Joe that slab on grade is better, but not if flooding may occur. If you can’t put a basement, maybe you can’t put a slab, or is it a water table issue? 

GreenTerraHomes, I’ve seen them, and read some stuff, but haven’t looked at their products up close and in detail. Nice and local for sure for both of us, but that’s all I know. 

Stephen

Stephen Collette BBEC, LEED AP, BSSO
Your Healthy House - Indoor Environmental Testing & Building Consulting
http://www.yourhealthyhouse.ca <http://www.yourhealthyhouse.ca/>
stephen at yourhealthyhouse.ca <mailto:stephen at yourhealthyhouse.ca>
705.652.5159



> On Apr 28, 2016, at 2:00 PM, greenbuilding-request at lists.bioenergylists.org wrote:
> 
> From: Lynelle Hamilton <lynelle at lahamilton.com <mailto:lynelle at lahamilton.com>>
> To: Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org <mailto:Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org>
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] Advice for a Rehab Newbie?
> Message-ID: <57216882.2010909 at lahamilton.com <mailto:57216882.2010909 at lahamilton.com>>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
> 
> Hello Listers
> 
> I am on the third house and hope I can impose with a few questions to 
> those who've much more experience than I. I've only built from scratch, 
> so have no feel for the following.
> 
> 1. What has been your experience with raising and extensively rehabing
>    (new windows, insulation, sealing, etc.) a cottage. I'm considering
>    a lot that has an existing cottage that may be usable as a second
>    story "shell".  The existing structure is on piers, with reasonable
>    air circulation underneath, so may be structurally viable.  it's 40'
>    x 18.5'.  It has no insulation and the windows are old single glazed
>    and damaged. Siding is crappy looking but not rotten...I'd likely
>    replace it as part of the insulation/sealing.  Interior walls are
>    hardboard or plywood and would go. I'd likely larsen truss the
>    exterior and insulate to R-40
> 2. Which is best: insulated slab on grade or an insulated crawl space? 
>    The conservation folks (and I agree) will not allow a basement, due
>    to the water table.
> 3. Because of the time of year and my ability to find reliable folks to
>    work, I'm considering using a prefab shell.  I care that any
>    structure I use is well-sealed and insulated (walls R-40)  Has
>    anyone had any experience with GreenTerraHomes? Are there any others
>    out there, or folks in the York/Durham Region who anyone knows are
>    familiar with low energy construction
> 
> MANY thanks for any advice you have!
> 
> Lynelle

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