2x4 or 2x6 framing? I can't decide....

[jonkayak]

I think that blue board will give you issues. The main one being it will effect your door and window openings. Instead spend the money on a quality house wrap. Not all house wraps are equal. A high quality wrap w/taped seams and properly installed will offer better protection then blue board. Also with spray foam I just can't see it being anything but a head ach and total waste of good money. One thing to do inside is to caulk all seems and joints in the framing. Like where the bottom plate meets the flooring and around corners, headers, ext.... If you have you a good insulator then they should take care of it.

 

[bassboy1]

If it's going to be your forever home, use stress skin panels.

http://www.sips.org/about/what-are-sips

 

[GA native]

I tend to agree with your lady. Upgrading your windows would be more cost effective.

 

[1gr8bldr]

If you study "heat loss and gain", you will see that 2x6 is a joke. Even "energy star" houses do not use 2x6. Your windows are your weak link. I used to study this. But before the internet. You may be able to google heat loss and gain. But, be careful, the net is full of opinions not backed by experience. The foam only goes in my "clip" areas such as often found in a bonus room. Only because I do not lose headspace with the foam by having to furr down.

 

[gunnurse]

Wild card time... What does your local building code require. Some areas require 2x6's.

As for Doug Rye, if you build by his standards, he "guarantees" to pay your utility bill if it exceeds a certain amount. This deal includes a geothermal heat pump. If this is indeed a forever home site, you cannot over invest. I wish I would have taken more control over my homebuilder during the construction of my "spec" home.

 

[mguthrie]

You won't go wrong with spray foam and 2x4 walls. As said before use a high quality house wrap and tape all seems. Cut an x at windows and doors and wrap inside opening,staple and cut off excess. Set windows and doors and use a tape made for this purpose. Upgrade your windows AND doors. Don't worry about making it to air tight. A house needs to "breath".

 

[OmenHonkey]

Here are my plans.

For your viewing pleasure! Let me know what ya'll think. I know everyone has an opinion and I have spent years planning and thinking about this house. I realize I have no extra storage space in the house really but I have a 60x80 shop that is already built, insulated and ready for whatever I want to do with it. So in my mind storage is a moot point. I don't think I like the master bath very much and I am still playing with that some. If you see anything offer me your suggestions!! Please!!!

 

[Duff]

I like it. Large rooms and very little wasted space.

I would definetly install a door to seperate the laundy room and kitchen and probably a bi fold or pocket door to seperate the laundy and hall.

I might do away with the peninsula in the kitchen and put the range in an island in front of the sink. You would have a huge living area if you could find a way to incorpate the columns under the load bearing wall. If not, you may could use some of that extra space for a 1/2 bath adjecent to the living room.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Looks good!!

 

[Duff]

Oh yea, find a way for more closet in the down stairs bedroom. Even if you don't plan on using it.

 

[1gr8bldr]

For your viewing pleasure! Let me know what ya'll think. I know everyone has an opinion and I have spent years planning and thinking about this house. I realize I have no extra storage space in the house really but I have a 60x80 shop that is already built, insulated and ready for whatever I want to do with it. So in my mind storage is a moot point. I don't think I like the master bath very much and I am still playing with that some. If you see anything offer me your suggestions!! Please!!!

Looks good, vaulting the dormer ceiling as drawn makes it very hard to frame, support the load. You will need double rafters each side of the dormer with a beam the width of the dormer hanging on hangers that will carry the rafters. Support is good this way.... but once you vault it, the beam has to be moved to the highest point of the vault and the valleys added in without good support. This is hard to explain. If needed I could draw a pic.

 

[1gr8bldr]

Is your loft an open rail, half wall or a solid wall?

 

[1gr8bldr]

I love porches, but they are expensive, as much or more as bedroom footage. You got lots of porch there. They are beautiful. One of the local lending institutions in my area only appraise homes for their heated square foot. Which amounts to the cost to debt ratio being unfavorably very high in these cases.

 

[OmenHonkey]

The loft wall is solid (So I can hang my trophies on) to all that enter the front door and it will be sided with old barn wood. I have an ace in the hole with the cost of the porch. The land typically sells for about 20k per acre I got 2 acres for free. So I have a jump on the equity already. My local building supply owner off the cuff stated that the 8 ft porch would cost me 80 K but, I don't see it.

 

[OmenHonkey]

I like it. Large rooms and very little wasted space.

I would definetly install a door to seperate the laundy room and kitchen and probably a bi fold or pocket door to seperate the laundy and hall.

I might do away with the peninsula in the kitchen and put the range in an island in front of the sink. You would have a huge living area if you could find a way to incorpate the columns under the load bearing wall. If not, you may could use some of that extra space for a 1/2 bath adjecent to the living room.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Looks good!!

I drew the peninsula in my original drawings. That was a must have for me. I enjoy cooking and entertaining. I wanted anyone that was in the kitchen cooking to be able to still be involved in what's going on in the great room. I love the look of it too!! But, thanks for your thoughts and input Duff.

 

[OmenHonkey]

Also 1gr8bldr, there is no dormer over the great room. Only in the 2 upstairs bedrooms. (The girls rooms) They wanted reading nooks.

 

[OmenHonkey]

Here is a funny drawing I did on Paint at work yesterday. It's elementary in quality but maybe will show the look i'm trying to achieve.

 

[Duff]

I drew the peninsula in my original drawings. That was a must have for me. I enjoy cooking and entertaining. I wanted anyone that was in the kitchen cooking to be able to still be involved in what's going on in the great room. I love the look of it too!! But, thanks for your thoughts and input Duff.

Sounds like you have thought it out . Hope you enjoy it

I like the porches also!!!

 

[1gr8bldr]

Also 1gr8bldr, there is no dormer over the great room. Only in the 2 upstairs bedrooms. (The girls rooms) They wanted reading nooks.

I was referring to the dashed line, typical of a vault in the two bedroom dormers

 

[1gr8bldr]

Since your porch wraps all the way around, your windows will typically be restricted in height because of roof climb. This usually causes an "egress" issue. Of the windows I like to use, A 2'8x5'2 or 3'0x4'6 or 3'4x 4'2 is the minimum to pass code here in NC.

Egress has to do with entry or exit involving such as a fire, for all bedrooms. Most window manufactures have their windows marked or highlighted as egress in their window size charts

 

[OmenHonkey]

I was referring to the dashed line, typical of a vault in the two bedroom dormers

Oh. I misunderstood you. Having the solid wall on the loft will help alot with supporting the roof weight or at least that's my thoughts, but that has nothing to do with the dormers you mentioned. And I have no clue as to what your explaining either. lol . I do have a question regarding the beam across the great room. How does one go about determining whether this large old barn beam I have is substantial enough. It's going to be exposed beam and I really want this to work out but the house needs to be structurally sound before I worry about looks.