Who knows anything about A-Frame houses

[AdironRider]

So, ever since I was a little kid going skiing, Ive always been intrigued by A-Frame houses. Something about just screams "ski country" to me. I love how they have open floorplans with lofts. I can practically see myself sitting by the fireplace, watching the snow fall through the 20 some odd foot windows on the gable sides. Maybe a couple skylights in the kitchen/bath for better lighting, etc.

Now I know it would probably be incredibly annoying having dead space making up the closest three feet of a room to the roof/walls but I think with a wide open floorplan and some creative interior design it wouldnt really be all that noticable. Id want it to be green friendly, so Id be trying to heat primarily on wood (fireplace in main area/ woodstove basement). So Id have good insulation/ circulation. Anything Im overlooking? I would more than likely have the house poured over a fully weatherproofed basement for a game/ski room/extra crash pad with a few futons and some normal walls to keep it normal.

Also, I've always wanted to build it myself. I dont want to get to crazy and think I can do everything, but Im an experienced boatbuilder/cabinet maker and figure I could handle alot of it myself. Does anyone have any experience with do-it-yourself homebuilding?

Ive narrowed it down to Wilmington NY, the Northeast Kingdom, or Carrabasset Valley. Whiteface, Jay/Stowe, and Sugarloaf are the best of the east in my opinion (excluding Cannon, but the girls family already has property in Twin Mtn NH, so thats always an option to day trip etc).

Thoughts, especially considering Im just getting out of college. Ideally Id love to get started as soon as possible, but getting financing might just be a challenge.

 

[woodlandclown]

There is a big article in Adirondack Life Magazine from a couple months ago on a-frames. i have it at home. i'll look up the month--maybe they have it archived online too.

 

[dmc]

I've lived in a couple....

And there's a reason nobody builds them anymore... Mainly because of space issues..
Also heating... All that heat goes up into the peak... Or out the huge windows in front..

That being said... they're pretty cool...

 

[AdironRider]

If you could find it that would be awesome. I did a quick search and just found the authors name.

 

[AdironRider]

I've lived in a couple....

And there's a reason nobody builds them anymore... Mainly because of space issues..
Also heating... All that heat goes up into the peak... Or out the huge windows in front..

That being said... they're pretty cool...

I can see space becoming a problem, but Ive never liked big houses at all. I like cozy places, which is funny as Im a big guy at 6'3 200. That would be my reasoning for a full basement. If space became an issue that is a whole other floor of usable space.

 

[SkiDog]

I've lived in a couple....

And there's a reason nobody builds them anymore... Mainly because of space issues..
Also heating... All that heat goes up into the peak... Or out the huge windows in front..

That being said... they're pretty cool...

Ceiling fans on reverse would deal with the heat issues as they could push the heat down from the top....

Space.....nothing I can suggest there cept shrinking.

M

 

[ski_resort_observer]

So, ever since I was a little kid going skiing, Ive always been intrigued by A-Frame houses. Something about just screams "ski country" to me. I love how they have open floorplans with lofts. I can practically see myself sitting by the woodstove, watching the snow fall through the 20 some odd foot windows on the gable sides. Maybe a couple skylights in the kitchen/bath for better lighting, etc.

Now I know it would probably be incredibly annoying having dead space making up the closest three feet of a room to the roof/walls but I think with a wide open floorplan and some creative interior design it wouldnt really be all that noticable. Anything Im overlooking? I would more than likely have the house poured over a fully weatherproofed basement for a game/ski room/extra crash pad with a few futons and some normal walls to keep it normal.

Also, I've always wanted to build it myself. I dont want to get to crazy and think I can do everything, but Im an experienced boatbuilder/cabinet maker and figure I could handle alot of it myself. Does anyone have any experience with do-it-yourself homebuilding?

I have homebuilding experience. Here is an addition to my place on the coast of Maine that I am building myself. Course, the electrical and excavation was done by a licensed contractor. It has taken awhile but next week I am going to be spending a week/10 days there to finally get it completely finished. It all outside work that needs to be finished. My wife is starting to lose patience.

When I was in high school I helped my father build 3 A-frames for employee housing at our resort on Lake George.

There are positives but also a whole bunch of negetives. As you pointed out the loss of standing floor space with the slanted roof is a problem, even more so on the second floor/loft. This is why they are not a great investment as they are harder to sell and are usually at below market value. There are 2 in the valley that have for sale for quite awhile and the price is pretty cheap when compared to other types of houses. Here is one of them, 3rd listing down.. You even get 1.68 acres and it's less than a mile from the covered bridge in Waitsfield.
http://www.nneren.com/find.php?resd...ghprice=500000&imageField.x=60&imageField.y=7

On the positive the snow does slide off real nice tho. I would suggest when you get a chance you should check a few out. In my travels I have seen a few ma&pa motels have them as cabins. Stay in one for a few days. They might work out great for what your looking for. I do think they work better maybe as a vacation home vs your primary home.

 

[AdironRider]

Thanks for the advice. I wouldnt be building the house with resale value in mind so its not really a concern. The house would ideally be staying in the family permanently, but if we were forced to sell Id deal with the value it would get.

I really like this design, although I would modify it a bit. Instead of a totally slanted left wall Id make the first floor of it a completely vertical "popout" to allow perfect standing room/windows along the kitchen/bath/living/dining area. The right side would stay completely slanted. This in combination with a fully outfitted living area in the basement would give about 1500 square feet of living area. I could live with that, and Id have enough extra space for kids/guests/ etc.
http://www.orderhomeplans.com/exec/...lans/filter/PlnExNm.H-15-1/browsemode/details

 

[riverc0il]

Thanks for the advice. I wouldnt be building the house with resale value in mind so its not really a concern.

While I am not currently a home owner, I am entering the market as a perspective Home Buyer this Summer. My perspective is that even if you think you are getting your dream house that you will live in for the rest of your life, I do not think it is a good idea to over look possible resale value. Anything can happen. Even if you love the place, life events may force you to move. While not a primary issue, resale value probably should not be dismissed outright. Would not be very good to take a loss in a market that rarely goes down except in very short periods of correction.

In the same boat as you are regarding wanting a small place. No need for a huge house for a couple, but that could change so also good to look long term. Large houses mean more space to heat and more rooms to fill with junk... more money. We are just looking for small ranch style houses but we are open to anything if it fits. If you are set on an A Frame, that is certainly cool. I would definitely take SRO up on his advice and explore a few as soon as possible as your first step.

 

[wa-loaf]

Our 5 to 10 year (probably closer to 10 :smile plan is to move to VT or NH and build a strawbale house with a masonry heater. Add solar and or wind power and get off the grid as much as possible. We both grew up in the country (me Maine, she western Connecticut) and want the same for our kids.

 

[ckofer]

Thanks for the advice. I wouldnt be building the house with resale value in mind so its not really a concern. The house would ideally be staying in the family permanently, but if we were forced to sell Id deal with the value it would get.

I really like this design, although I would modify it a bit. Instead of a totally slanted left wall Id make the first floor of it a completely vertical "popout" to allow perfect standing room/windows along the kitchen/bath/living/dining area. The right side would stay completely slanted. This in combination with a fully outfitted living area in the basement would give about 1500 square feet of living area. I could live with that, and Id have enough extra space for kids/guests/ etc.
http://www.orderhomeplans.com/exec/...lans/filter/PlnExNm.H-15-1/browsemode/details

You would be well-served to put all your good ideas and find an architect (interview a few).

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Our 5 to 10 year (probably closer to 10 :smile plan is to move to VT or NH and build a strawbale house with a masonry heater. Add solar and or wind power and get off the grid as much as possible. We both grew up in the country (me Maine, she western Connecticut) and want the same for our kids.

I have dreamed about building a straw bale house since I first read about them 25 years ago in Mother Earth News. They are awesome in many diferent ways. The Yestermorrow School just down the road from me has classes and programs on building them.

 

[wa-loaf]

The Yestermorrow School just down the road from me has classes and programs on building them.

We get their catalog, but haven't had the time/money to attend any classes. There's a housee up in your area that has the basic floor plan we like and they have tours every once in awhile. They were featured in a straw bale book, I think it's called "the straw bale house" of all things. ;-)

Do you know much about masonry heaters? The kick the a** out of woodstoves.

 

[Goblin84]

Wa-loaf- that is my dream house too. A properly designed house can save a lot in heating/electicity and get you off the grid. Windows have made big improvments so they are not as much of a heat sink as they once were.

I know in the ADK there is a huge community of off the house grids, some actually live in a formal community others just live nearby. It is called Birdsfoot I believe, they used to make great ice cream and yogurt.

 

[woodlandclown]

If you could find it that would be awesome. I did a quick search and just found the authors name.

i forgot to look last night--i will look for it this weekend. if you want to PM me your address or a fax number i can send it to you.

 

[Angus]

the benefits of lots of travel!

http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=7987

what would it be like to live off the electricity grid? In the next part of our KPBS radio series “A Matter of Degrees: Climate Change in San Diego,” we visit Laura Silver. Silver lives in an energy-efficient straw bale house in San Diego’s East County and runs her household on electricity from solar panels, supplemented by a small generator in the back yard. KPBS Radio’s Alison St John has more.

 

[wa-loaf]

Cool article.

Actually I'd like to be independent of the grid but still connected, so on the days my house is generating more electricity than I need I can sell it to the power company.

 

[AdironRider]

I dont want to be completely off the grid, I like some luxury (aka hottubs). I wouldnt be opposed to having a few solar panels on the roof to supplement. How much does it even cost to add a couple panels? Cant imagine they are very cheap initially.

 

[wa-loaf]

You could probably get supplemental panels for a few thousand. To power your whole house runs $20,000+ minus a few thousand in federal grants. There are other options like these guys. They will install enough solar on your house to power it completely for free (they negotiate permits and get to keep all federal grants and tax benefits). You pay them the going rate (at the time of install) for electricity and it is capped at that rate for the life of your contract (20 years). Won't save you money in the short term, but as electric rates go up you are not effected.

We've actually signed up to have it done to our current house.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

We get their catalog, but haven't had the time/money to attend any classes. There's a housee up in your area that has the basic floor plan we like and they have tours every once in awhile. They were featured in a straw bale book, I think it's called "the straw bale house" of all things. ;-)

Do you know much about masonry heaters? The kick the a** out of woodstoves.

Never had personal experience but they have been around for years.. They do have some advantages over woodstoves but since they burn wood have alot of the same problems as wood plus a couple of unique ones.

The do take a long time to heat up to temperature I think I heard that it takes a day or even longer. By the same token if the place gets overheated you can't really turn them down. Wood smoke is a big polluter. In Jackson, Wy, 10 years ago they banned them in all new construction.

When I bought my place in Waitsfield I pulled out the electric baseboard heaters and put in a couple of Rinnai heaters using propane. They work great and produce far less pollution than wood burning stoves and are much more efficient.

My place out west had no central heat, heated completely by a Vermont Castings woodstove. Alot of work, got the 4 cords I needed every year myself. Only $5 a cord for a permit from the NFS. When I returned back to Vermont I didn't want to even look at a woodstove, let alone have one in my place...

If you are looking for a system to be self-sufficiant, there are so many ways to do it nowadays without burning wood. Apologize if I sound like I am preaching I don't mean to. Using a modern woodstove or masonry stove works pretty good if you use it in a smart way and are fully aware before you buy one the advantages and disadvantages.