Hey guys finally got the HVAC plans to our builders AC guy. They ran a j-calc and did cost comparisons for the units we specified. The calc shows that we need 3.88 tons including ventilation air. first, we looked at conventional units. Between 14 and 16 seer, there is a $2200 difference in equipment cost. 14 SEER = $10893 & 16 SEER = $13,100 b/c they buy so many 15 seer trane systems, they get the 15 seer system at the same price as a 14seer. For our home, there is only a $90/year difference in operating cost between 15seer and 16seer. so the payback would be 6.7 years to go from 15 to 16 seer. we would pick the 15 seer unit in this comparisson. Air source heat pump in the same range isn't even worth looking at. it only saves an additional $10/month. Again, not a big jump from 15 seer conventional gas. however, the dealer did mention that we would probably have to install a fresh air system if we go with gas heat -- this is due to foam spray in our attic and the corners of our house. we may need to rethingk a few things if we go with gas. this is where it gets interesting. we looked at geothermal. 1. the dealer sells all types of systems and manufactureres -- geothermal, air source heat pump, conventional ac... carrier, trane, frigidaire, water furnace... etc etc. 2. he assured me that he has hundreds of units in each system type installed in the local area. 3. there are two other geothermal companies in town, so should he and their whole company get hit by a bus tomorrow, there is still knowledgable geothermal service in the area. 4. I was initially interested in a closed loop system, but we do have a potable water well on site. a/c guy swears that in over 20 years he has not had a problem with open loop geothermal units on a potable water well in our area. local water quality is very high compared to other states where they have installed them. also says that the temperature in a closed loop varies b/c ground temp changes. says open loop is his preference due to consistent water temp from ground well. 5. top of the line Envision system from Water Furnace is $21,495 but the tax rebate is $6,449. 6. geothermal costs half as much to operate. operating cost for the three units is as follows... 15 seer unit = $142/month = $1708 per year 16 seer unit = $134/month = $1610 per year Geothermal = $ 61/month = $ 732 per year 7. we then put the units into a 6.5% interest loan scenario VS the monthly savings to calculate the investment payoff. Pay off for geothermal VS 15 seer is 4.1 years. Pay off for geothermal VS 16 seer is 3.8 years. 8. an installation tech showed us the geothermal loop piping. they use an iron to fusion weld the piping to the fittings. makes for a solid and thick joint. 9. hot water biproduct from geothermal can be used for hot water in our home. all comments are welcome. please shoot holes in all of this. thanks again!!!

My fiance and I have been looking to buy our first home for almost a year now. We have been looking for an older home (pre 1930's), because we love the historical feel, especially victorian architecture. A lot of us have that same dream. When I was a teen, I was dating a guy that was in a fraternity that was out of a beautiful Victorian. I remember the stairway, the flowers that were engraved in the wood. I remember the "dome room" and while it was a PITA to put furniture in, amazed me every time I went into it. I remember beautiful moldings, everything was etched and 3 or 4 fireplaces. It had a decent sized kitchen from what I remember, also had a servant room. Man I loved that house and swore that one day, if I could afford to have the house moved I would. The house was located in one of the worst neighborhoods. You had to lock your doors to drive there and run in the house. I bet that in it's day, it was one of the grandest houses. They ended up knocking it down, don't know when but I drove by about 16 years ago, there was nothing on the lot. Anyway, a lot of us have the same dream, to own a beautiful, grand house. Reality is the lack of things needed to live in it in today's world as Tricia said. Since you are not married with kids yet, it wouldn't really matter much, you would probably get by fine. Once you have kids and they start getting older is when you will notice how hard it is to raise a family there unless you luck out and get a house that has larger rooms where you can make closets, or one that has a decent kitchen. I wonder then if my fiance and I should actually change our dream to accomodate the current economy and the deals available? IMO, this might be a good idea, at least for now. Being newly married can be stressful. Unless the 2 of you are currently living together, you have to learn to live with your partner. How do both of you handle stress? Buying a house that you are working on all of the time is very stressful and could eventually start pulling you apart. You'll come home from work some days so tired but you have to sand & throw another coat of spackle on, or paint, or run out to the home store to buy supplies. Hubby & I worked on our last house starting 2 years after I moved in. We removed paneling, faux brick, painted, put in floors as well as putting a new floor frame on a concrete slab in the laundry area to build it up so that we could put a floor down. By the time we sold we were tired & cranky. Add to this a roof, electric upgrade, plumbing, which was a job in itself since there was only 1 shutoff valve, which meant we lost water for the day. We also did central air, a hot water heater as well as new furnace, and had planned to redo all of the baseboards as well. Are there any houses that are in between the old house and new construction for a compromise? You might be able to live a little bit more comfortably and not have to work as hard. It will also give you an idea of how the 2 of you work together as a team (or not). You can save the Victorian house for later on

I believe they will look the same, but You should call Milgard and ask. I know Anderson's have a nail fin option on their wood windows that doesn't change the look.

Not being "like for like" does not necessitate new construction. You are dealing with an empty opening whether you are installing into a buck frame or a rough opening. Replacement style is a nice choice for most people. New construction (full tear-out) is a better choice when you have existing water management issues, substantial structural frame damage/rot, or you are very concerned about the potential loss of glass area. The pros of replacement are cost ( typically a couple hundred + ), your interior woodwork is not disturbed, and a far less intensive installation. Did I mention that there is a MAJOR cost difference? ;)