. If you really wanna be OFF grid . . then you'll need to supply / generate your own electricity. That means either PV ( solar panels / batteries ), wind ( "windmill" and batteries ), or fossil fuel generator. Fossil fuel generator will also mean you must store a fair amount of fuel; lest you have a generator and cannot obtain fuel if the power is out. Being in the "Sunshine state" would make the choice of PV the no-brainer. Wind is usually not constant enough to be the ONLY source. Generators make noise and need maintenance / replacement; especially if run constantly. Plans are wide open except for their energy consumption consequences. You will want to pay GREAT attention to efficiencies of EVERYTHING you have . . every light bulb ( DON'T use ANY incandescents ), appliance, etc. I read that every dollar spent in reducing your needs; saves $20 off the cost of whatever system you choose to produce your electricity with. A/C is a BIG user, if that's even on your radar. I have a PV ( grid-tied ) system; and I went through each and every load one by one. Biggest load in the whole house is . . . the hairdryer. The other biggies are well pump, the vacuum, the microwave, the toaster . . . . the fridge ended up being fairly low; while a large size it was bought by it's efficiency; NOT by doo-dads and ice makers . . . . As far as supplying your own water; you will need a well . . and choose the pump carefully . . don't just put in whatever size everyone "usually" does . . it may be oversized. Water is heavy, and is pumped under pressure. Depending upon how deep you've got to pump it from; it can be a sizeable load. Also know that reducing your water usage will help greatly. Get a washer that uses less water / electricity . . such as the front-loader types. I guess what I'm driving at is that building a place to achieve what you want to achieve; leaves a good bit of room for style / layout etc . . . but that you'll need to include energy considerations as part of ANY plan you end up choosing. Use large eave overhangs, face/size windows appropriately, use trees freely as they can greatly reduce cooling needs. Insulate well; this help with both cooling and heating needs. And of course; smaller is better . . . a smaller amount of sqare footage, WELL thought out / planned; is more efficient and cheaper to build. Bob

I hope whoever buys it "understands" It is on the historic register so the outside would be very difficult to alter. I think the biggest potential problem with the exterior is the windows: They were made up as they went along, are probably far from standard size, and I am not sure, but if they are what I think most of them are, they are a pane of glass held in with deteriorating quarter round and caulk.Putting efficient windows in this house would be a major expense. The interior of the house is not regulated in anyway so thats a real crap shoot as to what could happen next. This house is way off the scale for my price range, and not my best location. The irony is that I just looked at a house from the same era, but a modernist-colonial-revival. Open plan and 60s spirit tricked out with some colonial touchstones: the fanlight, 6-panel doors and colonial trim, some antique brick...THAT one had a new bathroom that had a glass vessel sink on a glass vanity, a frameless glass shower...with blue and purple iridescent glass tile. Not as an accent-- the majority of the bathroom. It was really an unfortunate choice for a fairly tradional MC house, in my book. Not my taste certainly, but it may have been more of a success in the house pictured here--the bathroom in the house pictured here is uncle to that purple glass bath.

I have the Orca and 3 grids, one bottom, one half way up for both sides. I will use the bottom and right side grids the most, probably. The bottom one means you can pile in dishes and water still runs and drains freely plus protecting the sink as others have noted, but since I found SS to be pretty ruged that was less of a concern to me. The right one half way up is great for draining what you what you just washed on the left and in that sense lets you use a single sink like a double, and the one half way up on left lets me elevate that side to put a bowl or whatever so it is at a comfortable working height. So far, I put most dishes in the dw, all three grids have stayed in the sink, and having both grids half way up gives me a large work area at a comfortable height for washing, rinsing, preparing veggies, etc. I don't have a prep sink. Sue

Just got done with the meeting with Project Manager and Framer.. As suspected the Project Manager did not understand what walls I was speaking about as he was only mentioning the kitchen wall.. I then began to mention all of the other areas noting that some were extremely minor while others, like the kitchen, stairs, and master bedroom walls, were a bit more important.. At this point both of their faces dropped and the plans came out.. They both began checking and measuring and in the end the Framer owned up that he misread the plans which offset everything else.. So they began scrambling around checking the walls and double checking.. According to them everything is fixable with the exception of two walls.. So here is a list of the modifications that will be made: The master bedroom wall that butts up against the stairs and master bathroom can only be shifted where the bathroom is.. The part by the stairs will have to be furred out to make it even with the part from the bathroom wall.. Closet wall that adjoins the master bathroom will be pulled out accordingly. Stair case will be re-framed to the correct specs. This will require moving beams in the basement. This also requires a wall on the first floor to be moved that holds up the floorjoists for second floor over the garage. To move this wall they will be sistering the floor joists of the second floor to extend them to the new wall. All bedrooms on second floor will be pulled out into the hallway as per plan. Master bedroom wall that adjoins the hallway will be moved in 5 inches to align with new staircase. Kitchen wall will be re-framed according to plan. Side entry door will be re-framed to adjust opening. Master bedroom window will be re-framed to adjust for wall movement. Master bedroom door opening will be re-framed to adjust for wall movement. Second floor hallway window will be re-framed to adjust for all movement. Parallam that runs between first and second floor above dining room will be moved to be even with wall that's to be moved with staircase. I think that pretty much covers all the changes.. Honestly, I don't know how this is all getting fixed.. Main beams are being moved that have framed walls sitting on top of them.. I just don't see how this can be structurally sound after its done and how it won't effect everything above.. I mean floor boards are nailed under the framing of second floor perimeter walls and they are moving beams below that are nailed and glued to them.. I have the mentality that once you open something up it is never the same as when you started.. Things loosen up, shift, etc.. I guess we will see what happens.. At least they took responsibility for their mistakes and owned up to it.. Let's just see how the adjustments turn out.. I just pray that they are not making changes that shouldn't be touched, although I can't see them alter something that would effect the structural integrity of the house or result in a poor quality result.... These are not the complete plans, but just to give you an idea of the work that is being changed..