Started New House

[saltman]

We both are lucky to live in great counties, and I feel blessed to have one home and to be building another!

Sometimes I need to ground myself and look at the big picture.

We had a big storm over the weekend and the road getting to my property was mudded up so bad that things were delayed a few days. Shooting for the 23rd for the texture on the walls and drywall mud to be done.

I'll post photos of my solar this weekend.

 

[saltman]

Mounted the solar panels on Friday. 2,000 watts enough to power the house for everything but heat and ac.

They finished the dry wall texture on Thursday and started painting this morning. Trim will be done early this week and more paint and then I am having the floors stained. Cabinets will be installed next week!

 

[mjncad]

Don't let Barbara Boxer see that hideously ugly solar panel, or she'll find a way to fine you.

 

[saltman]

mjncad "hidiously ugly" I disagree, I think the solar panels look good, not good enough to put them on the front (South Facing) roof but ok for the back of the house. They look much better than the over head power lines running into my house in town.

 

[mjncad]

Saltman:

Oops, I forgot to add a cheesy or sarcastic smile to my post. I don't find the panel ugly; but I'm sure Barbara Boxer would since she's opposing construction of a solar power plant in the Mojave. I guess she expects everyone to generate electricity with fart gas or some such thing.

 

[saltman]

Here is a quick update, the house is done except for the finish details. The final inspection is set for this Monday!!

Solar is up and running, making over 2,000 watts an hour and getting over 8 hours of full sun this time of year and gaining.

Lot's of staining and painting to do but those are things I don't mind.

 

[ultrarunner]

Any updates???

 

[Alan L.]

What I hate about CFLs is that by the time they are bright enough for me to see anything I'm done with that room. I call them Obama bulbs. I can see where you do what you gotta do though if you are dealing with expensive alternate energy.

House looks great. I like trees but your view is beautiful.

 

[Qapla]

I checked into the cost of converting my house to solar. Mine is about 2500 sq ft. Since I live in Florida, the amount of sunshine is not a problem (and we also have trees).

However, I discovered the cost of installing the solar was estimated to be $249,000 and would take 19.5 years to recover. At my age, that is a bit out of the question.

Solar and other alternative power needs to be much cheaper for it to become piratical and commonplace. The benefits of moving off the grid are not the problem, it is the cost of purchase and installation that stops most people from being able to get past the "that sounds interesting" point.

 

[ultrarunner]

I checked into the cost of converting my house to solar. Mine is about 2500 sq ft. Since I live in Florida, the amount of sunshine is not a problem (and we also have trees).

However, I discovered the cost of installing the solar was estimated to be $249,000 and would take 19.5 years to recover. At my age, that is a bit out of the question.

Solar and other alternative power needs to be much cheaper for it to become piratical and commonplace. The benefits of moving off the grid are not the problem, it is the cost of purchase and installation that stops most people from being able to get past the "that sounds interesting" point.

My 76 year old California neighbor installed a solar system last year... he has almost 50k into it... materials, wages for one helper and permits.

Hasn't had an electric bill since... now he's looking into buying an electric car because he produces extra power... his built his 3800 square foot home 20 years ago when he retired from the phone company