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Pretty Good House

  • Question & Answers

    Installation and trimming of finless replacement windows into RO

    Hello everyone,I’m doing a gut renovate on a 100-year-old house in Zone 4.I have pulled out all the windows, in most cases to completely re-do rotted-out framing.  The windows, of…

  • Question & Answers

    Best and most affordable insulated daylight/walkout basement wall?

    We are planning a new build and trying to decide on the best way to build our basement walls (walkout/daylight). I know there is the standard poured/cast -in-place wall, ICF's,…

  • Question & Answers

    Can you feel the difference between R-15 vs R-25?

    I have a drafty house built during the 1960’s.  The siding was done 2 years ago.  I am going to improve the insulation and was wondering, all other things being…

  • Question & Answers

    What would you consider to be a “pretty good” window in CZ5?

    I'm currently in the process of comparing window quotes for a new build in Southern Ontario (CZ5). What would folks consider to be "Pretty Good" target performance for this climate zone?…

  • Question & Answers

    ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & HOUSE DESIGN

    All the current blather about Artificial Intelligence makesone think that a logical place to utilize AI would be to optimizethe ROI for house design - you should be able find…

  • Question & Answers

    Leaving part of a second story unfinished for a Pretty Good House?

    One of the concepts in PGH is to reduce square footage.Another is to keep the volume simple i.e. a box.For a hypothetical PGH, if you need say, 1500 square feet…

  • Question & Answers

    Window debate

    I am getting ready to order my windows for my new build in central maine and am debating between cost and performance.  The two windows I am debating are Mathews…

  • Question & Answers

    Low Slope Roof Detailing for PGH

    This is a new SFR in PNW zone 5B. The primary roof is to be framed flat with 9.5" I-joists, see attached SE. The final roof profile is to be…

  • Question & Answers

    Architect/Design team recs – Lexington KY. Thanks!

    Hi everyone!PGH book recommended this bulletin board for recommendations.  We are planning to build a house on a 15-acre forest-lot in Lexington KY and are looking for recommendations for a…

  • Question & Answers

    Wall Assembly

    Hello - we are in the process of building plans for a new house in New York. I have read quite a bit about wall assembly and trying to optimize…