all electric heat is expensive! propane is a little cheaper, but not much. if i had it to do all over again, i would have my heat pump use propane for the backup. i do prefer to cook on gas, though we currently use an electric stove. the nice thing about using a gas stove is that even in the worst case they require a 120v outlet to operate the gas valve and ignitors, so even a small portable generator will run them. if you go all electric, you need a big gen set to run the central HVAC, water heater, and stove/oven. that is IF you desire to be able to use all at one time. my line of thinking is that i would size the generator big enough to handle all at once if you have frequent extended outages. if it is for just a once in a blue moon 2-3 hours outage, then size it to run the single largest load +at least 25% more. say you have 15kw electric strip heat, then you need 15kw genny JUST to run that. so figure on a 20kw to give headroom for the fridge and your lights. now, what we do is is use a 6kw installed genny. small, but it was free! i can run all of the 120v stuff in my house with no issues. during the winter we heat the den with blower insert inthe fireplace. this runs off 120v, so the genny takes care of it. i cannot run either HVAC system off it, but i do get my lights, tv, satellite and internet plus the fridge and deep feeze. so far, i have only needed it one time for about 3 hours. no where near enough time required there to even need the HVAC systems!

Fori- Thanks for the link. I like the idea of putting an induction hob in a subtle location. I actually considered using a smooth electric or induction in a "Hutch style" setup with a wall oven in the pantry or underneath the cooktop with pocket doors like those made by yestertec. DH really would prefer more of a focal point. Igloo- I'll be interested to hear how you like your Legacy. I know it for a future rental, but if I remember correctly you'll be living there temporarily. Which handles did you order? I like both options, DH doesn't like the spiral. We'll probably end up with the Legacy, but I'm am still so drawn to the cast iron of the 6-4 and the traditional AGA. Here is a link that might be useful: Yestertec

IÂm back! This time, looking for help creating a "hearth". IÂve been trying to find photos on the web, but canÂt really find anything that would work. Again, this is a small townhouse. The dining area is terrazzo tile; the living area is carpet. I do have a few tiles that I could use to set the fireplace on, or I could try to build something out of brick. I could also do what deltabreee suggested and build a "stage" for it. Most of the photos and discussions I see here are for full-sized homes, not tiny townhouses like mine, so I donÂt know whether anyone can relate, but, while I donÂt have a lot of money, I donÂt want it to look cheap or tacky, either. Any ideas? Has anyone else ever done such a thing?

1) Recessed outlets behind furniture -- nightstands, wall-mounted TVs, fridge https://www.google.com/search?q=recessed+outlet&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIibiwo-H5xwIVlVqICh1vewte&biw=1333&bih=658 2) Adjustable depth outlets (the ones with a screw that you can tighten or unscrew to move the entire outlet box forward or back within the wall) in kitchen, bath, and anywhere else that would be relevant. After your walls/tile is finished, it is so easy to get the adjustable outlets to be flush with your tile/backsplash, but it so hard to get non-adjustable ones set to the right depth ahead of time (before any walls/tile are in place). 3) Two-way switches at the entrance and exit of every hallway, staircase (indoor and outdoor), and large room. 4) If you are getting dimmers, go handle some dimmers at a lighting store. Some of the controls are super annoying (the buttons, the slides controlled by a tiny nib) and some are a breeze (the slides with larger handles). Make sure you like what you're getting. You will handle these things every day. 5) Think about glare on the TV and try to provide for at least some lighting that avoids that. My husband hates the glare from our lighting on the TV so much that our entire living/dining/kitchen has to be dark when he is watching TV. I rarely am watching TV with him and do not want to do my activities in the dark. Many arguments have sprung from this. In some large rooms or rooms with several different types of lighting (like the kitchen), you might want to break up some of the lighting into different switches. Think that through. E.g., in the family room, maybe the table/floor lamps are on one switch and the overhead lighting is on a different switch. E.g. #2, we have seven can lights in our kitchen, and they are controlled by two switches -- the two cans over the sink on one switch, and the five others on the other switch. I don't ever really want dim light in the kitchen, but sometimes I am just getting a glass of water and all I really need is the sink illuminated, but I want that light to be bright. 7) If you do not already have your light fixtures chosen, quickly choose as many of them as possible. For example, one light over the bathroom mirror requires one box, but two lights over the bathroom mirror requires two separate boxes. You may think the former will be fine but then in practice down the road, you cannot find anything you like that is both pretty and bright enough in one fixture. Now you wish you could get two, and you're stuck. Place boxes with actual fixtures you already know of, like, and an can afford either purchased or in mind.