Just an update: It's here, sitting proudly just off my living room, which is not where I had hoped for it to go. Try as I did, it is just too deep (front to back) to fit in my bathroom where my old washer is. So it will go near my galley kitchen. There's still alot of work to do to get it up and running. I need to add a 120-240V/15A circuit breaker (or a fuse or easy-install kit for the existing 240V outlet) and run new wiring. A means of attaching it to the kitchen sink to drink from and drain to. A Y-adapter to feed cold water to both the cold and hot inlets. (I've relegated most of my installation issues to this thread). My dryer - an old, small GE ventless unit - is starting to become unreliable too. If I find a decent used condensation dryer at a good price I may get that too. But here I see I run into a problem - evidently Miele hasn't made 6kg ventless condenser dryers. They have lots of 5kg condensation dryers, but I don't think they can be stacked atop a 6kg washer like the W1926. Correct? I'm in the dark about whether some sort of stacking kit is needed to stack a Miele dryer atop a Miele washer, and whether only certain combinations of W & D can be stacked. It appears it is although I can't find any references to specific model numbers and the stacked machines shown in their manuals don't seem to list any particular additional hardware, Anyone here familiar with this? And is stacking a non-Miele condensation dryer on a Miele washer verboten? Is there some sort of homemade mount you can build that will keep the dryer from sliding off? If I had a closet, I'd just build a shelf a few inches above the washer and be set. I could reverse the old layout - washer near kitchen, dryer in bathroom. Then I could use any brand. I have a 120V/15A dryer now but can go to a 240V condensation dryer that should increase my options considerably. Miele and Bosch seem to sell for much more secondhand than Asko or other brands. I'm also seriously confused about the plugs, outlet, and wiring required by the W1926. It's rated at 120-240V/15A, yet is fitted with a Hubbell NEMA 14-20P plug, the type normally found on a grounded 125V/250V 20A (not 15A) device. The electrical cord is a Carol 12/4 Type SJ (UL) (also listed as CSA Type SJ FT-2), with a sticker noting that the black and red wires are the L1 and L2 hots respectively, with a white neutral and green ground. Why not 14-gauge cable ending in a usual 240V/15A plug as Bosch uses? Further confusing things, the Miele owner's manual seems to indicate the plug is a NEMA 14-30P, the big ones normally found on 240V/30A dryer plugs. Could this not be the original cable or plug? The new double-pole circuit breaker should clearly be 15A but should 14-3 w/ground or 12-3 w/ground NM-B (Romex) cable be run? (I lean towards the latter since that's what the washer cord uses). I may have been better off with one of the 5kg Miele washers - it would have fit in my bathroom and I could stack a Miele condensation dryer over it eventually and save space. They are essentially alike only 4 inches shallower front to back, and with (even) higher spin speeds. But I hope to someday have a larger home and then I can take the W1926 with me and use any ol' normal vented dryer, and I'll be glad I have the extra space. The Miele really is nicely designed - very straightforward controls that tell you what they're doing - no "workout wear" or "kid's clothes" settings that leave you wondering what it's really doing. And of course, actual temperature markings, a rarity in U.S.-market washers. Can you imagine an oven that didn't show temperatures, just "cold", "warm", and "hot"?

You're right, funnycide, in that we probably won't need more than a one ton unit. I believe the Acadia is making a two ton unit for radiant heat, but even that is too big for us and I've put the question to the firm as to whether or not a one ton unit is in the works. From what I've read, the Acadia is assembled from off-the-shelf, standard parts. How they are put together is new. A "local" dealer is located half-an-hour from us. From what I've read, installation is on the high-end of traditional systems -- nothing like geothermal. But we've a long way to go before settling on the Acadia, like I said, because we don't want an oversized system. I know it would kill the air conditioning, if nothing else. One of the reasons I really like the idea of the Acadia is that we will get gouged if we go with propane gas. Our local dealer charges an exorbitant amount if you use just a little gas. For example, our friends have a gas cookstove. Two years ago they were paying upwards of $7/unit because they used so little. We will not reap the economies of scale with gas. Also, with electric there is the possibility of photo volataic. We're being cautious with this. Watching the internet for reports on the company and it's product because we don't want to get burned with a flash-in-the-pan but don't want to pass up a really good, new technology either. I know that I'd buy a hypercar from the Rocky Mountain Institute in a heartbeat if I were loaded, new technology and start-up company and all.

If you are going to do a lot of the work yourself, and only hire out the work for some specific licensed trades and work that specialty equipment or tools or skill are needed, you sound similar to what my husband and I have done on approx 5 houses in the last 10 years, all similar in age and character and condition to the one you are looking at. I know prices vary by region, and I'm probably opening myself up to a bunch of critical comments from people saying either we spent too much and wasted money in one area, or too cheap in another... But I want to try to offer some help in a possible pricing to help you decide if you want to go down this path or not... P - hire a plumber: varies with the house and whether you add a bathroom, but plan for $5k, assumes they take care of big stuff, roughin the shower, code, venting, but you DIY fixture installations - Hire an electrician: similar to plumbing, varies with the house, but assume $3k for them to do layout changes, code corrections, but you DIY fixture installations - if a roof is needed and/ or painting touchups, fascia repairs, etc: big variable but for this assume $8k minimum - assumes siding is in good condtition, $0k or add more - assumes heat / air conditioning / hot water heater are all in good condition, or add more - assumes water in the basement isn't a problem, or add more for dealing with mold, draintile, grade corrections outside, etc. - Hire a hardwood floor refinisher: $2k - assumes hardwood everywhere except kitchen and bathrooms, otherwise add more for carpet/ new floor in other rooms - windows: Varies a lot if you repair or replace, and if replace what quality, but for this rough estimate figure $200 per window x probably around 20 windows would either pay for repair supplies and hardware, or a cheap vinyl replacement, DIY install. $4k - Kitchen materials: ikea cabinets $4k with butcher block countertops, or add $3-4k for granite, $3k cheap ss appliances, $1k tile and paint, you DIY all installation - Bathroom materials: $2k ( tub/shower, vanity, faucets, ligt fixtures, tile), You DIY all installation, Looks like times two in this house plus $1k powder room= $5k., all DIY installation except for the roughin plumbing notes above - light and door fixtures : $1k, all DIY install - basic supplies: Paint, sheetrock, spackle, sanding pads, hinges, eurythane : $3k, all DIY install - holding costs: depends on tax rates, if you need to heat/cool, etc but if you figure $400/ month for 3-4 months (this would have you and your husband there probably 20-30/hrs a week if you are moderately competent but not streamlined professionals at this), adds a bit more than $1k, more if you have a loan with interest accruing. Soooo.... If I add all of this up, I get at least $40k of fixup costs which is you doing almost all of the work. And I should note these are economical material and finishing choices. And assumes you already own all the tools needed to do the work. If you pay $25 k plus $1k in closing costs (no mortgage fees) you'd have at least $66k in to it. If you later sell for $125k, after real estate commissions and another 3 months of holding costs, you may get $110k. So- best case scenario i think you might potentially take home a little over $40k for 3+ months of work. Or, it could be a lot less profit if you hire out more of the work, if you add a 10% error budget ($4k), need new HVAC ($6k), mold/water issues ($?), extensive plumbing (+$6k), exterior repairs ($3-$15k), if opening up walls triggers other code improvements like insulation and vapor barrier ($2k or more), if you add landscaping curb appeal ($1-3k)..... Hopefully you find this helpful, and can adjust this to fit the house you are looking at, your local requirements and rates, etc. It can be fun to bring these houses back to beautiful, and there can be some money to be made doing it. But it's important to run the numbers upfront so you know what you are getting in to. It also makes the work a lot more fun when you feel like you are doing it "on budget"- noone has fun when things are going wrong or you are stuck midway knowing you are loosing money on it. Another thing that my husband and I do, is we each get a $1k "allowance" to spent on "frivolous" things for the house. Well maybe "frivolous" is too spendy of a word, but for certain as you are going through the project you and you husband will have differences of opinion on what to put in the house: Maybe he likes a $2.99/sqft tile and you don't want to waste money and are ok with a $0.99 tile. If he really likes the more expensive tile, that extra $2/ sqft can come out of his "frivolous allowance". It allows both of you to have input and fun with some minor upgrades, but keeps a cap on them. Good luck if you decide to do this - either on this house or a different one! :-)

Congratulations on your first house! It will be exciting to be part of a new community that is forming. - I agree that the natural finish cabinets are a good choice, but just for your own peace of mind, find out how much the upgrade to Shaker would be. Assuming Shaker continues to be a valued classic, that could be an advantage for you one day when you sell. - About that bi-level bar island...... It might seem like a great idea for adult gatherings, but if you need to talk somebody out of that, think about the future children using it!!! It's safer for them if the surface is NOT so elevated where they will be perching. Plus, there are many advantages to a one level surface so they can spread out their big pieces of artwork, craft projects, etc. They want to be near the person working in the kitchen, so make that easy for them and their stuff. - For the counters, did you consider the leathered finishes instead of the shiney ones? It looks like there are maybe four available at the link you provided, including this one which could be a happy combo with the natural cabinetry: https://www.chbriggs.com/pub/media/chb/Venetia-Cream-Leathered.jpg It seems like non-shiney might work better in a scandi-type vibe. In general, when man-made materials are imitating stone, I think the less obvious the pattern the better, so the ways in which the imitation falls short aren't in your face! Fortunately, your choices include a really nice option without a distracting pattern: https://www.chbriggs.com/pub/media/chb/Bianco-Pur.jpg - About the drawers, it really would be so handy to have at least one stack of drawers since there are so many small things in a kitchen to keep organized. Maybe use the cabinet to the right of the sink, as I am guessing from the handle that the one to the left is the trash bin? Personally, I think pullouts are over-rated, and a big un-constructed cabinet holds more (and costs less). Maybe you could see about switching one of the two pull-outs in the standard package to a 3 or 4 drawer stack. - Finally, flooring. It's nice that the same material will be used throughout the main level! But again, you have man-made materials imitating natural ones so you would potentially have to contend with the dissonance of fake wood floors next to real wood furniture and cabinetry, not just in your kitchen but in the living room and other space. Sigh. Thinking outside the box a bit, could you step aside from the floors trying to look like wood (and not doing a very good job of it) and go with one of the tile-like options instead? Those choices are quite limited at the link you provided, and all imitating travertine, a stone with a pretty dramatic pattern. I'd ask if other flooring patterns are available and see what upcharge there might be, if any, and try to find something with a pattern that won't be trying to dominate everything else you put in the rooms. Right now the market for LVP is mostly the fake wood patterns, so finding imitations of stone or ceramic tile is hard (I went through this recently myself!), but they are out there. Find a flooring store that loans out samples so you can take a piece home to live with it for a while.