So I got a good deal on some trusses...

[dholly]

I ordered the doors and windows today, but need to make a decision on siding. Narrowed the choices down to:

1) Cedar (horizontal 6" exposure) - $628.81
2) Certainteed Monogram Premium vinyl (double 5") - $1,574.28
3) Hardee Plank cement siding (horizontal 6" exposure) - $1,625.10
4) Certainteed Structure Insulated vinyl (double 6") - $2,262.08

Pro's to vinyl are 'set it and forget it', both cedar and Hardee Plank need initial and periodic staining. Price to install vinyl is approx. $55/sq and Hardee Plank $110/sq. Is it that much more time intensive to put up HP? How much is cedar install compared to these?

So... ESTIMATORS - do these materials estimates look/sound correct/complete for a 24'x34'x9' - I didn't expect the cedar to be so much less?

Cedar estimate attached

 

[dholly]

Monogram double 5 estimate

 

[dholly]

Hardee Plank materials estimate

 

[dholly]

Insulated double 6" materials

 

[dholly]

Well, I found myself near an electric supply house at lunch time so I thought I'd stop in and ask the generator/transfer switch question I posted above. I guess nobody here wanted to take a stab at it. Their suggestion was to run the generator into a dedicated 50a breaker in the garage subpanel. That way I could start the generator with the breaker off, go shut off the house panel Mains and, on the panel I ran the garage feed from, shut off all the other breakers, throw the generator subpanel breaker on, go back to the house panel and flip on the well, fridge lights etc. in a controlled fashion so as not to have a huge all-at-once startup surge. Of course that requires all the desirable circuits for emergency use be on the same panel which, of course, they are not. It also requires backfeeding the main panel with out a transfer switch which I do not want to do. Looking for Plan B.

While I was there, I picked up all my wiring, switches, receptacles and breakers. I also bot a Murray 12-space main lug panel box for $39. With (4) 20a breakers ($14) it boiled down to $53 total vs $32 for the GE box + breakers 'kit'. So for only $21 difference I'll take the GE box back and use the industry standard and double breakers. That ought to make a few here happy.

Oh yeah... POUR TOMORROW! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[JimMorrissey]

Looks good. Definitely simple is the way to go.

You might want to get a basic NEC book (paperback at Home Depot). Browse that for a few ideas and methods.

 

[Farwell]

dh,
Think there is a failsafe transfer switch that prevents any possibility of the generated power entering the utility power system as well as preventing the opposite to occur. The switch can run in the hundreds of dollars but may be a good safe investment.

 

[khd]

I just had my electrical updated on Monday which included a transfer switch. Not one of those little 6 circuit ones but a whole house one. Basically utility power comes in the top, generator power in the bottom. The main panel is fed from the switch. Now I will feed the whole house on the generator and just turn circuits up and down based on need and load. The only problem with this set up is because it is a manual switch there is no indication that utility power is back on. I will be providing indicator lights next to the switch to indicate: green for utility, red for gen. The positives are obvious, safe; won't send power back up the line, can pick and choose what to power and when and very simple that the wife can do it.


Regards,
Kevin

 

[woodlot]

Yes, backfeeding the main is not desirable and worst case can kill a line worker. Not something I'd want to live my life thinking about. I'd set up a small subpanel (using a square-d generator panel) that has the proper manual transfer swithcing breaker. It is the one of least expensive ways to go but the box is very nice. You are limited to the circuts in the sub for back-up power. Located the sub where ever you want, but I'd think in the house near the main. Then put your "power inlet" box in the garage or where ever else you want it. You need to run proper sized wire from the power inlet to the sub.

 

[Jagmandave]

This was my plan too, to use a simple "either/or" switch. The idea of putting telltale lights on both is a good one, I'll add that to my idea pile.