Same here with the frustration and depression to be moved in but not really "finished". And knowing that will actually take years since we did all the work ourselves and I'm totally burned out. And yet I've been doing this for a year now and I struggle to turn the "builder's brain" off. That being said, the SO proposed this spring when we moved in, so I've swapped "builder's brain" for "marriage planning" and suddenly I have a whole new hobby to keep me busy. I of course, feared that I was replacing one obsession with another and post-wedding would likely find myself doubly-depressed...only to realize that we're gung-ho to start our family so we're pretty much going to never stop and just be bored again in our lives. Which is kinda terrifying too.

mugnaini Heat Pumps are always a consideration especially in a dual fuel application(HP with nat gas furnace backup) in a climate like yours. I like HPs as well-for the right application. HPs are not for everyone or every application. There are many factors to consider for HPs and those include location/winter climate, comfort, home's envelope/insulation properties, and electric rate vs other alternative heating fuels. I want to go back to furnace sizing and the statement made in my previous post. I don't know why dealers want to oversize. I would want a load calc performed on heating. I still believe the 100K mdls are oversized. More of a big deal on the Trane furnace than the Carrier furnace. Your heat sourse fuel is nat gas, not propane? The Carrier quote #2 is a nicer system than the Trane system. That Carrier furnace is 3 stg while the Trane is two stg. The Carrier quote includes a new correctly sized refrigerant lineset and new box filter? dealers have inspected your ductwork system? you have damper control on supply lines to main floor, upstairs, and basement zones? If not bthey should be added to better balance airflow. I can provide the AHRI performance/eff numbers if you are interested. IMO

Nice house with potential. It's been added onto at least once, looks like twice. Are the kitchen and bath in the newest parts? Second the idea of retaining the trees for awhile, thinking you may keep them, because they 'are' period authentic. I live in an 1820s federal and there was also a very tall one directly in front of our bedroom window, past the second story. In it sat mockingbirds the first night I slept in this house. Since this house has been around so long, all the other oldsters in our rural area have memories about it, and many have shared, including pictures. There in one picture of a Civil war soldier about to leave for battle, was the tree. And several others still standing on our property. It finally came down in a storm a couple years ago, and I felt like a piece of history went with it.

I know what you mean about being a slug, altho I walked the dogs and went to the AC gym today. But my daughter ran 12 miles today in training for the NYC marathon and my son rode 100 miles on his bike thru the woods here in PA in a race. He said there was lightning half way thru the race. It was in the mid 90's but is only 70 now, thank heavens.