BigDogue -- Thank you so much for the tip about the black poly pipe. I have some of it lying around, so I can try this now. I'll describe the problem a little more clearly below and will really appreciate any other input or suggestions you have. bmoser -- I looked up wire-lock systems, and they seem perfect for securing plastic sheeting to a wood or metal pipe base, but this is a temporary structure that I only need for this winter. This property is being sold and the new owners are allowing me the space for this greenhouse until I established at a permanent location for my rapidly growing (but still in start-up) rare plants business. The sale of the property, including the good greenhouses I've been using, was unexpected, so I am scrambling to save my plants. For now, I have driven 6' rebar a foot or more into the ground, spaced 4' apart, and slid sun-resistant pvc conduit over the rebar to make the arches. There is one central purlin. There isn't time (with the first freezes setting in) to build wooden ends, so those are also stretched plastic. I have bought 6 mil. plastic sheeting in 10'x 25' rolls. The arches are exactly 25', so there is no extra for burying. I'm thinking I'll staple the bottom to scrap lumber with batting strips. HERE'S MY REAL PROBLEM: (1) I need to secure sheeting to the ends (which, in this location will have to take a good bit of wind). I will try the black poly pipe clips BD suggested, and I'm open to other ideas. (2) Then I need to secure the first sheet to the end arch. Again, the black poly pipe might work. (3) I need to connect the successive plastic sheets together over the arches every 10 feet. I donÂt see how the poly pipe clips would work here. Right now, all I can come up with is pulling the overlaping sheets together on the inside, folding it over and stapling it in a fold of denser plastic (milk carton) as batting. (4) IÂm not sure how IÂll manage an entrance on the other end  maybe just overlapping flaps. (5) For heat, I have a 2 tall, forced-air, electric heater and a portable, electric, oil-filled radiator. I can put a box fan behind the radiator to circulate the heated air. IÂm concerned that plain radiant heat would go straight up and dissipate through the cold plastic. Any input on these ideas? IÂm putting down black ground cloth, which might help keep the ground warm. Is it better to put plants directly on the ground, so theyÂd get ground warmth, or to put them on pallets and benches to benefit from warmer air circulating above the ground? IÂll be grateful for any helpful ideas.

I remember your posts! My suggestions for affordable utility costs would be: orient n/s as e/w windows allow a lot of heat gain of course there are excellent windows with solar heat gain coefficients (shgc) and u-factors of .3 and less. Also porches are an excellent option also. and provide that extra living space in the great outdoors. Tech Shield roof decking or open cell foam on roofline. Yes closed cell provides higher r-value but traps water unlike foam which allows it to move through the foam. Foam insulating the roofline also creates an unvented attic and mechanicals and ductwork perform better. 1"foam sheathing boards to exterior of walls with seams taped and holes sealed before cladding is installed this combimed with air tight drywall approach will make conventional insulation in the walls perform as rated. it is air movement through insulation that lowers the r-value. I run the numbers for these options for a living and foam in walls is a waste..if you can beat the heat/air infiltration ..fg batts will perform well, sheetrock should be taped between wall and ceiling even if moldings will be installed. seal all of these junctions..even in closets. You can always add fancy ceiling moldings later. (if you like that look!) One thing commonly missed is the sealing of the sole plates to the slab..there is a product called Sill Seal installed before sole plate is installed that is very inexpensive and works well..or a double bead of caulk between sole plate & slab. recessed lights ICAT insulation contact air tight,,,cost is minimal (maybe $15. per box of 6) but retrofit is $15 per recessed light for air tight insert..and a pita to install. Duct leakage..mastic seal at takeoffs at plenum (and all seams if hard ducting) and mastic seal at supply box to attic floor. Heat Pump for heating & cooling..don't buy minimum efficiency (13 SEER) opt for higher seer & variable speed my calcs show that 18 seer & above just are not worth the cost..and unless things have changed drasticaly in the past year..not worth the additional cost. Bath fans...always a bigger cut in sheetrock than actual fan housing size..this also should be sealed. efficiency is detail work...cheap materials, but well worth the time/effort/cost. Utility costs won't go down! best of luck and congrats on your newest build!

The building company we like has a web site with their floor plans listed and all the options available and the cost of the upgrades spelled out. As I said before, most of the items available we have researched and we like what's offered. On those areas we don't, we will have the ability to tell the company what we would prefer to use and then they will order it and install it. For example, the company uses Mohawk carpet. We don't care for any of the levels they offer. However, there are higher levels of Mohawk that we like. Given that it is still Mohawk, they will order it through their supplier. The same holds true for the Congoleum vinyl they use. How much extra is unknown to me right now given that we aren't ready to break ground. The company sales rep said the company doesn't begin to start talking numbers on items until we put down a $500 completely refundable good faith deposit meaning we have a floor plan in mind and are ready to act on it, which I can completely understand. I will know how much it would cost retail (which I completely understand is not what the company would pay for it) so I can at least compare the price they give me to what it would cost me to have it done on my own. That is an option, as we were told the other day by the carpeting sales lady we were talking with regarding our current home. In fact, she was preparing for a meeting with the building company next week on a whole-house install. If I don't like the price the company offers then I'm free to have the work done myself as long as I'm willing to foot the costs. They will tell me how much of a credit I will be getting for them not doing the work or providing the material. Again, that was spelled out to me in the email with the company's sales rep and confirmed independently by a friend. Another example is in the appliance package. They offer different levels of GE appliances, which I hate. I prefer LG. The only thing I will be required to do is to purchase the appliances, provide the builder with the measurements, as it will affect the kitchen cabinet sizes, and then pay to have them installed. I understand the builder will not warranty them, but the installer I hire will and so will LG. Maybe this company is different from other production builders, but one of their advertised promises is that they will take any of their floor plans and modify them however you want with whatever material you want. They are even willing to do some structural rearranging. We want a pantry in the kitchen, which their in-house architect will work into the floor plan before the contract is signed, and which we will then be presented in terms of how much it will add to the cost. We also want a different style of backsplash in the kitchen incorporating a tile mural I love. I will buy and supply the tile and they will provide the installation based on the detailed plans I am required to provide. Again, I understand that all that will come at a higher cost, but before the contract is signed all those costs will be spelled out in writing. When it comes to the main structure of the house, I know this company's reputation. They build solid homes. We will see the floor plan we like in a few weeks as they are currently building it as a market home. At that time I will be able to judge how well it will work for us. Where the structure of the house is concerned (the bones) from the experience of people I know and trust the house is fine. Where we will want changes are in the areas I've previously mentioned, and they are willing to accommodate us in those changes. If I think I can get a better price on those cosmetic areas then I'm free to do so. Even the pantry isn't that big of a deal as we know a couple who did the same thing. They spent an additional $800 for it and was given a $250 credit for the cabinet they chose to leave out.

I'm 2/3 set....well, sort of. I'm still working on the hand made item, but I found the cookbook yesterday. Like many of you, I had to get 2 of them, one for myself and one for my partner. I'm still puzzling over the local item. I've found a nice locally produce item, but I'm not sure about shipping it. I'm going to do some more research. I've thought of other things, but Texas is a big state, and I'm not sure if the other side of Texas counts as local. Unfortunately, where I live the primary locally produced products are McMansions. I know I can spend as much as I want, but I'm NOT spending THAT much! LOL. Besides, that would definately be hard to ship! Sally