The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes
It’s Not That Hard
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How Do You Estimate What You’ve Never Done Before?
In January, 2019, I started work as a lead carpenter at HVP Corp. The crew all seemed top-notch, but I was a little concerned about the other lead carpenter, Ian…
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Can We Make Green DIY Easier?
I don’t feel old. Well, not mentally at least. But it recently hit me that I read the first issue of Fine Homebuilding, whose legacy GBA belongs to, in 1981.…
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Green Speculation
There was a time when I thought that success was measured by making a lot of money, so I became a spec builder. I partnered up with a former boss…
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Missing the Point
Earth Day’s 50th anniversary is one week after this post’s publication date. You’d think that after half a century, we’d have figured this stuff out. But far too often, I…
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Coronavirus and Green Building
I was going to write an April Fool’s Day piece, but that’s a lot harder than it might seem this spring, and likely in bad taste. In the spirit though,…
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It All Started with “Buggy”
I was a mediocre student. There were almost always things more interesting than whatever it was school was trying to teach at the time. Hunting and fishing and model airplanes…
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Of Remodeling and Networking
I recently left the company I’d been working for in favor of a loose partnership with Brent, a fellow I’ve worked with on and off for the past 15 years.…
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How To Talk About Building Science
In case you didn’t suss it out, the name of this blog is meant facetiously. Green building really isn’t easy, and it’s been a long road with a bunch of…
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The Art of the Possible
For at least five years now, I’ve had a standing email conversation with five other guys. We cover topics from building to politics to business to our marriages and divorces.…
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It’s Not that Hard… Or Is It?
Editor's note: This is the first post of a new GBA Prime blog "It's Not that Hard," by Andy Engel. With a wide range of experience in the building trades…
