Our new house has arrived.

[ttwtt78640]

It still needs to be placed on piers (blocks) and tied down. After that, I will have the electric, water and septic connected. Next comes adding central A/C (a must in central Texas) and skirting it. I have (hopefully) included pictures of it arriving and after I painted the trim to match the shed which I recently built on the lot (it still needs a ramp added to it under the roll up door).

 

[trouble13]

Before getting your AC you should look at the ductless systems out. They have come way down in price and good for your situtation

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[Chomsky]

Before getting your AC you should look at the ductless systems out. They have come way down in price and good for your situtation

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Bingo!

Mini-splits are awesome. I can't think of any better.

 

[Chomsky]

It still needs to be placed on piers (blocks) and tied down. After that, I will have the electric, water and septic connected. Next comes adding central A/C (a must in central Texas) and skirting it. I have (hopefully) included pictures of it arriving and after I painted the trim to match the shed which I recently built on the lot (it still needs a ramp added to it under the roll up door).

View attachment 67295890View attachment 67295891

Well, I suppose you'll never have to worry about a leaky basement!

 

[ttwtt78640]

Before getting your AC you should look at the ductless systems out. They have come way down in price and good for your situtation

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The house has a central (heating) system with (overhead) ducts in every room and is wired for central A/C addition. The main reason that we did not elect to have the A/C included with the home is that it came from Athens, TX and we preferred to have a local contractor do the job.

 

[trouble13]

I get it. I am a contractor. Theres nothing wrong with central air. Its traditionally how its done. Thst said the mini split systems have some big advantages to those systems.

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[ttwtt78640]

Well, I suppose you'll never have to worry about a leaky basement!

That is a fact. I also don‘t have to worry about a slab cracking, but will have to periodically tune up the piers to keep the house level and the tie down straps tight.

When building on black dirt prairie (gumbo) it’s best to have a pier and beam foundation. The dirt moves with changes in ground moisture. Much like a sponge: when dry it gets hard and shrinks, when wet it expands and gets soft. I poured nearly 6K pounds of concrete for the (8) cross runner (strip) foundation for the piers (cinder blocks) to rest on.

 

[Chomsky]

That is a fact. I also don‘t have to worry about a slab cracking, but will have to periodically tune up the piers to keep the house level and the tie down straps tight.

Have you ever priced or looked into what it takes to level-out a traditional brick house? Count your blessings!

When building on black dirt prairie (gumbo) it’s best to have a pier and beam foundation. The dirt moves with changes in ground moisture. Much like a sponge: when dry it gets hard and shrinks, when wet it expands and gets soft. I poured nearly 6K pounds of concrete for the (8) cross runner (strip) foundation for the piers (cinder blocks) to rest on.

If you did it yourself (I suspect you did), I give you credit. I once helped dig & pour a driveway. Marone! That was work. Real work.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I get it. I am a contractor. Theres nothing wrong with central air. Its traditionally how its done. Thst said the mini split systems have some big advantages to those systems.

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I get it. I am a contractor. Theres nothing wrong with central air. Its traditionally how its done. Thst said the mini split systems have some big advantages to those systems.

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They also have some disadvantages with initial cost among them.

Central Air Conditioning versus Ductless Split Air Conditioning System | Excellent Air Conditioning And Heating Services Inc.

Excellent Air Conditioning and Heating Services Inc. can assist you with choosing and installing the perfect cooling system for your home.

www.excellentairconditioningandheating.com

 

[ttwtt78640]

Have you ever priced or looked into what it takes to level-out a traditional brick house? Count your blessings!

If you did it yourself (I suspect you did), I give you credit. I once helped dig & pour a driveway. Marone! That was work. Real work.

I did most of it myself. After building/setting the (8) forms, placing the rebar and getting them inspected, I poured the first two strips myself (in a day) but hired a helper the next day to pour the remaining 6 - each strip footer took about 680 pounds (eight and a half 80 pound bags) of concrete. My electric concrete mixer can only handle two 80 pound bags at a time.

For a large slab (like a driveway) it makes more sense to use (hire) a concrete truck, but for smaller pours (under 4 cubic yards) it is too expensive.

 

[trouble13]

This is gonna sound like a sales pitch but you can get 1 ton units online for about $500 all day long. Depending on the size of your home you would only need 2-3 ton of cooling.
One in your bedroom and one in your living area.
They are much more energy efficient and you can control which parts of your home your cooling according to your location in the home.
The best part imo is that if one system goes down its not your whole house. You have cool rooms while its being repaired.
It is true that the labor to install multiple units is higher than hooking up 1 package unit.
Im not trying to sell you anything. I am just passing along some friendly advice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a central air system

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[Chomsky]

I did most of it myself. After building/setting the (8) forms, placing the rebar and getting them inspected, I poured the first two strips myself (in a day) but hired a helper the next day to pour the remaining 6 - each strip footer took about 680 pounds (eight and a half 80 pound bags) of concrete. My electric concrete mixer can only handle two 80 pound bags at a time.

For a large slab (like a driveway) it makes more sense to use (hire) a concrete truck, but for smaller pours (under 4 cubic yards) it is too expensive.

Actually, this was a short city driveway/apron & a garage floor.

These guys mixed their own. It was a 100% DIY. Done by stubborn old-timers from the old-country. Consequently, the result was pretty damn bad. And it sucked way worse as the years went on!

 

[ttwtt78640]

This is gonna sound like a sales pitch but you can get 1 ton units online for about $500 all day long. Depending on the size of your home you would only need 2-3 ton of cooling.
One in your bedroom and one in your living area.
They are much more energy efficient and you can control which parts of your home your cooling according to your location in the home.
The best part imo is that if one system goes down its not your whole house. You have cool rooms while its being repaired.
It is true that the labor to install multiple units is higher than hooking up 1 package unit.
Im not trying to sell you anything. I am just passing along some friendly advice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a central air system

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This house is 952 sf, has two bedrooms and will have a 2.5 ton central unit. One nice feature of the split systems is the ability to shut off rooms when not in use.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Actually, this was a short city driveway/apron & a garage floor.

These guys mixed their own. It was a 100% DIY. Done by stubborn old-timers from the old-country. Consequently, the result was pretty damn bad. And it sucked way worse as the years went on!

Fortunately, strip footers will remain hidden - so the (screed only) “finish“ with sharp corners will do.

 

[trouble13]

2.5 sounds a little big. Rule of thumb for a trailer is 1 ton for every 500sq'. If its insulated well than you can get away with 400sq' per ton.
If you have low humidity where you live you probably wont notice if its a little oversized.

Yes room to room cooling is a nice advantage. Plus all the cooling takes place in your living space and there's no loss in your ducts. Also the compressors use inverter technology so instead of turning on and off the compressor slows down and speeds up according to demand. It prolongs the life of your compressor and provides superior comfort

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[Chomsky]

This is gonna sound like a sales pitch but you can get 1 ton units online for about $500 all day long. Depending on the size of your home you would only need 2-3 ton of cooling.
One in your bedroom and one in your living area.
They are much more energy efficient and you can control which parts of your home your cooling according to your location in the home.
The best part imo is that if one system goes down its not your whole house. You have cool rooms while its being repaired.
It is true that the labor to install multiple units is higher than hooking up 1 package unit.
Im not trying to sell you anything. I am just passing along some friendly advice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a central air system

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You hit on two good points why I absolutely love ductless;

1] Zoning
2] Redundancy.

I'll also add:

3] Quiet
4] Clean
5] Moderate airflow speeds - no big-time blowing

#1 is my personal big draw, and it's a biggie. Get used to properly implemented zoned heating AND cooling, and you're never going back. I'm partial to hot-water heating too, but that's a whole 'nother thing. The point is, both systems - water & ductless - lend themselves to zoning, and both are quiet, consistent, and clean. Good stuff!

 

[trouble13]

Baseboard water heat systems are great in the northern climates. The only bad thing is they take up wall space and can interfere with furniture. I have heard of floorboard heating but have never seen it. I hear it works really well.

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[Chomsky]

Fortunately, strip footers will remain hidden - so the (screed only) “finish“ with sharp corners will do.

Trust me: When you mix & pour your own concrete, not knowing what you're doing, you end-up with concrete that does not last. pouring is one thing, mixing by hand, is another! These guys were mixing in galvanized steel tubs, using shovels and rakes! And adding stones!

 

[ttwtt78640]

Trust me: When you mix & pour your own concrete, not knowing what you're doing, you end-up with concrete that does not last. pouring is one thing, mixing by hand, is another! These guys were mixing in galvanized steel tubs, using shovels and rakes! And adding stones!

I used Quikrete and an electric mixer which makes it almost idiot proof. I bought the mixer about a year ago to make the (6) footers for a double carport job I did. IIRC, that job required 27 80# bags, which was more than I wanted to mix by hand.

 

[Chomsky]

Baseboard water heat systems are great in the northern climates. The only bad thing is they take up wall space and can interfere with furniture. I have heard of floorboard heating but have never seen it. I hear it works really well.

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There's also water 'radiators', too. They're often inset within the wall. Yeah, different technologies for different applications.

I once stayed in Northern Canada in a condo with water baseboard heating, during a period of 40* below temps at night. Seriously, 40 below! The damn coldest I ever experienced! Too cold to even ski on a ski trip! Too cold to go out really, and many cars wouldn't start anyway unless they had plug-in oil heaters (many did - that should have been hint).

The condo hadn't been used in weeks, and the thermostat was set in the low 50's. I had my doubts when the manager offered me the place, because I stopped short of the slopes specifically due to the extreme cold and was concerned about warmth. He assured me it was fine, and I'll be damned if the place wasn't appreciably warmer within a half hour! By the time we cooked dinner and sat down to eat, the place was warm & toasty. I was sold! I came to appreciate the baseboard's heating the lengths of the exterior walls. During extremely cold weather, it can be difficult to sleep or sit near an exterior wall. Not with baseboard heat!

And yeah, i have a lot of cold climate experience, and am familiar with heated floors. I know and have visited people that have it, and I even stayed over at a friend's place with it. In an apartment, of all things! It seemed pretty good, and the floor was not as warm as I though it would be. I could comfortably walk around barefoot. I could see the draw if you have a thing for wanting your winter floors cozy warm. I did like it. But the idea of having to rip up a floor to do a repair? Not for me!

 

[trouble13]

Thats the thing about heat in the floor for me too. What it leaks or needs to be replaced. Sounds like a big expensive mess just to walk around comfortable in your bare feet. Socks work fine.

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[Chomsky]

I used Quikrete and an electric mixer which makes it almost idiot proof. I bought the mixer about a year ago to make the (6) footers for a double carport job I did. IIRC, that job required 27 80# bags, which was more than I wanted to mix by hand.

View attachment 67295898

Nice job. That's above & beyond 'handyman' stuff, that's for sure!

I'm envious of guys that got enough land they can add structures to their property. I like where I live for the most part, but more & more I'm coming to want to get a little land around me. Not a lot, just an acre or three will do. But that's a tall order in dense metro areas.

 

[Chomsky]

Thats the thing about heat in the floor for me too. What it leaks or needs to be replaced. Sounds like a big expensive mess just to walk around comfortable in your bare feet. Socks work fine.

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I cant say for sure, but the place I stayed at appeared to be concrete with floor coverings! It was a first floor apartment of a large building of maybe 24 units or so. I don't know if it was water or electric. I didn't really pay much attention, because it was before I had my first house - so it didn't matter much to me. But I'm thinking back on it now.

Imagine ripping that up?

 

[swing_voter]

Congrats on the house!

And the burdens of home ownership.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Nice job. That's above & beyond 'handyman' stuff, that's for sure!

I'm envious of guys that got enough land they can add structures to their property. I like where I live for the most part, but more & more I'm coming to want to get a little land around me. Not a lot, just an acre or three will do. But that's a tall order in dense metro areas.

Thank you. I don’t consider (framing) carpentry to be beyond handyman stuff. A lot of my work is building, rebuilding or expanding decks, sheds and other wooden structures.