Houses that are super dense, have clever heating options or clever materials are all well and good, but are there any "simple truths" we've learned from the last 100 years of small house building?
Undoubtedly, there are many houses built in the 1900s that have encountered various problems, but there are also many houses that are standing perfectly fine 100 years later.
If, as an amateur, you want to build a small, cheap, and energy-efficient house, what choices should you make to minimize the risk of making mistakes? Of course, it's a subjective question depending on what you're interested in, but for example, I mean that a passive house is not an option; it has too high demands for high and measured density. I should be able to build the house "myself" today and it should be likely to stand for 100 years.
Basement/no basement?
Vertical/horizontal paneling? Type of wood? Stone? Plaster?
What type of insulation? Can I have thick well-insulated walls, do I risk mold there, or should I just go for it?
Falu paint? Linseed oil paint? Modern paint from TV commercials? Plaster?
Underfloor heating? Radiators? Air heating?
Pellets? Solar heating? Wood? Heat pump?
1 story? Two stories?
Flat roof? Ridge? Sloping in one direction?
Roof covering? Tile? Metal? Grass? Other?
Foundation construction?
Frame?
There are certainly a number of interesting questions, I am simply curious about what choices great-grandfather would have made today if he were to build a house. Most houses built at the turn of the century are, of course, gone, but many remain and thrive. Perhaps it is the "expensive quality houses" that have survived, but I get the feeling that it is just as much houses that were built by "anyone."
I don't want to build an old house with a wood-burning stove and timber, just make the choices that are well-proven, cheap, and simple. Or do these choices not exist? Is it just about using the right technique in the right way?
Tim
Undoubtedly, there are many houses built in the 1900s that have encountered various problems, but there are also many houses that are standing perfectly fine 100 years later.
If, as an amateur, you want to build a small, cheap, and energy-efficient house, what choices should you make to minimize the risk of making mistakes? Of course, it's a subjective question depending on what you're interested in, but for example, I mean that a passive house is not an option; it has too high demands for high and measured density. I should be able to build the house "myself" today and it should be likely to stand for 100 years.
Basement/no basement?
Vertical/horizontal paneling? Type of wood? Stone? Plaster?
What type of insulation? Can I have thick well-insulated walls, do I risk mold there, or should I just go for it?
Falu paint? Linseed oil paint? Modern paint from TV commercials? Plaster?
Underfloor heating? Radiators? Air heating?
Pellets? Solar heating? Wood? Heat pump?
1 story? Two stories?
Flat roof? Ridge? Sloping in one direction?
Roof covering? Tile? Metal? Grass? Other?
Foundation construction?
Frame?
There are certainly a number of interesting questions, I am simply curious about what choices great-grandfather would have made today if he were to build a house. Most houses built at the turn of the century are, of course, gone, but many remain and thrive. Perhaps it is the "expensive quality houses" that have survived, but I get the feeling that it is just as much houses that were built by "anyone."
I don't want to build an old house with a wood-burning stove and timber, just make the choices that are well-proven, cheap, and simple. Or do these choices not exist? Is it just about using the right technique in the right way?
Tim
Build with stone (Leca or equivalent), slab on grade, plaster inside and out, put tiles on the roof, and the house will stand for a thousand years. The reason wooden houses that are a hundred years or older still exist is that, by today's standards, they were almost uninsulated; the walls and roof were warm, which dried out any moisture, and the fireplace was on the ground, drying the foundation. As Maztor writes, today's super-insulated and airtight houses haven't existed for long, who knows how long they will last. Building with inorganic materials is quite obvious if you think about it.
Good LUCK
Good LUCK
I prefer materials that have been used for a long time - like wood and clay plaster. Now I am choosing to build a house insulated with compressed straw bales because it is ecological, cheap, and you CAN build it yourself without being a trained building engineer. The straw bales are the part that hasn't been used for several hundred years, but still for 100 years. If built CORRECTLY, it lasts a very long time. It requires some maintenance with clay plaster with lime plaster on the outside, but not more than on half-timbered houses. The difference from before is that you can now make it a passive house because the walls become so thick.
I am also considering replacing the concrete in the floor with an earthen floor - much more comfortable to walk on and they can be laid in stages, which is more impractical with concrete flooring (since it comes by truck). Naturally, you have 300 mm of insulation underneath and everything else in the same way as with a regular slab on ground.
In the bathroom, I have considered Tadelakt - a type of plaster from Turkey that can withstand being in the bathroom without letting through moisture. Incredibly beautiful.
I was a bit shocked when I read that houses today are expected to have a lifespan of 50 years!!! Wow. I want mine to last 200 years preferably! Today's throwaway society...
Besides, I want modern interiors, except for a masonry heater in the middle (+ underfloor heating).
I am also considering replacing the concrete in the floor with an earthen floor - much more comfortable to walk on and they can be laid in stages, which is more impractical with concrete flooring (since it comes by truck). Naturally, you have 300 mm of insulation underneath and everything else in the same way as with a regular slab on ground.
In the bathroom, I have considered Tadelakt - a type of plaster from Turkey that can withstand being in the bathroom without letting through moisture. Incredibly beautiful.
I was a bit shocked when I read that houses today are expected to have a lifespan of 50 years!!! Wow. I want mine to last 200 years preferably! Today's throwaway society...
Besides, I want modern interiors, except for a masonry heater in the middle (+ underfloor heating).
Search for it on the internet - there is one supplier I know who does it - and another site that probably both does it + where you can buy materials:
Those who only perform it:
E-Art-H Sweden
www.tadelakt.se
info@tadelakt.se
0761-720070
Those who probably both perform and sell materials:
DECO Material & Design:
http://www.decomaterial.se/
(The prices I received)
The price of our Tadelakt is:
20 kg: 3,990 kr incl. VAT, estimated to cover about 10-12 m2
5 kg: 1,190 kr incl. VAT, estimated to cover about 2-3 m2
The material consumption is estimated at +- 2kg/m2
1L olive oil soap 260 kr incl. VAT
Primer (if needed) 520 kr incl. VAT.
Those who only perform it:
E-Art-H Sweden
www.tadelakt.se
info@tadelakt.se
0761-720070
Those who probably both perform and sell materials:
DECO Material & Design:
http://www.decomaterial.se/
(The prices I received)
The price of our Tadelakt is:
20 kg: 3,990 kr incl. VAT, estimated to cover about 10-12 m2
5 kg: 1,190 kr incl. VAT, estimated to cover about 2-3 m2
The material consumption is estimated at +- 2kg/m2
1L olive oil soap 260 kr incl. VAT
Primer (if needed) 520 kr incl. VAT.
Yes, exactly like that! My house will be octagonal in shape, but otherwise just like that.
By the way - extra important if you insulate well is to have good ventilation - preferably FTX ventilation that retains indoor heat by 80-90%.
On my roof - succulents (houseleeks) and strawberry plants, a living roof.
By the way - extra important if you insulate well is to have good ventilation - preferably FTX ventilation that retains indoor heat by 80-90%.
On my roof - succulents (houseleeks) and strawberry plants, a living roof.
How about green roofs, what are the requirements for the underlying construction? For example, I have concrete tiles with a 27-degree slope and a ventilated attic underneath. Do green roofs weigh more or less than concrete tiles? Do you have to seal it extra carefully underneath, since I imagine it retains moisture for quite some time after rain, or?
Yes, green roofs can become heavy. Admittedly, varying in weight depending on what the plants will grow in. Search for "Vegtech" - a company on Gotland (I think) that has quite a few brochures on its website that you can download. Yes, you need a waterproof roof + preferably some kind of root barrier to prevent plants (that may self-seed) from having roots that find their way down to the tongue-and-groove boards. You should not sow just anything but preferably succulents (special types of houseleeks that tolerate cold/drought/heat/sun) or even strawberry plants - i.e., plants that do not have strong roots or require thick soil layers to grow.
I think it sounds tough to climb up on the roof to pick strawberries 
Jonazz, we are also looking into green roofs, specifically a sedum roof, to keep the weight down and minimize maintenance. The weight and watering needs during a dry summer, as well as the 'weeding needs', quickly made us rule out peat/soil roofs. Sedum is estimated to weigh about 50 kilos/sqm when wet, and you can have a maximum roof pitch of 27 degrees, which you have The layer on a pitched roof is around 40mm and is applied on top of the roofing felt.
Like EvaS, we looked at vegtech, but if you google, there are more companies; however, the price seems to be more or less the same, around 500kr/sqm according to other comments we've heard from others, but then installation and some kind of guarantee should be included.
The layer on a pitched roof is around 40mm and is applied on top of the roofing felt.Like EvaS, we looked at vegtech, but if you google, there are more companies; however, the price seems to be more or less the same, around 500kr/sqm according to other comments we've heard from others, but then installation and some kind of guarantee should be included.
Hello!
K.I.S.S = Keep It Simple Stupid is as true today as it was in the 50s. As Plutus said, "You choose a good place to build on....." First rule! Moderately high, good ground conditions, not too windy, good view to the south.
Search for Keck and Bruno Matson solar houses to find out how forward-thinking they were already in the 40s and 50s without extreme solutions. Large window areas to the south and moderate screening to the west to avoid the sultry afternoon sun still work today.
Construction solutions? Well, which ones have historically worked when executed correctly? Remember that you probably want a fairly maintenance-free house. The following answers are based on what isn't there can't mold.
K.I.S.S = Keep It Simple Stupid is as true today as it was in the 50s. As Plutus said, "You choose a good place to build on....." First rule! Moderately high, good ground conditions, not too windy, good view to the south.
Search for Keck and Bruno Matson solar houses to find out how forward-thinking they were already in the 40s and 50s without extreme solutions. Large window areas to the south and moderate screening to the west to avoid the sultry afternoon sun still work today.
Construction solutions? Well, which ones have historically worked when executed correctly? Remember that you probably want a fairly maintenance-free house. The following answers are based on what isn't there can't mold.
Basement/no basement? NO basement.
Vertical/horizontal paneling? Type of wood? Stone? Plaster? Brick façade or vertical wood paneling. Plaster in the right climate.
What type of insulation? If I have thick well-insulated walls, do I risk mold there, or is it just full steam ahead? There's no mold risk with the right construction, search the internet. Basically, vertical studs with insulation in between and then a vapor barrier on the inside (applies given that the house is heated all year round).
Red paint? Linseed oil paint? Modern paint from TV commercials? Plaster? Any high-quality paint. I claim that the quality of the paint matters more than the type it is. And that you can paint well.
Underfloor heating? Radiators? Air heating? I've never seen a single argument against radiators except that it's more work to clean. There are those who claim that energy consumption decreases because you can lower the interior temperature by a couple of degrees as long as your feet are warm, but I can't recall a single scientific report on a large group of houses where consumption decreases with underfloor heating. Then let's not talk about maintainability....... I think it's more fun to fix a leak in 70 years in a system with exposed radiators and pipes.
Pellets? Solar heating? Wood? Heat pump? Water-based system, pellets, or wood if you have room for accumulator tanks. Air-air heat pump as a complement, as it's easy to replace when something better comes along.
1 Floor? Two floors? 1 floor provides better accessibility but costs more in heating, your choice.
Flat roof? Ridge? Sloping one way? Gabled roof > 14 degrees slope.
Roof covering? Tile? Metal? Grass? Other? Tile or metal.
Foundation construction? Slab on grade that is properly executed with drainage, moisture barrier, and insulation.
Frame? Vertical wooden studs.
Then a couple of general rules: NEVER let the house remain unheated. ALWAYS use a shower cabin or bathtub with a curtain. ONLY use factory-made hoses for dishwasher and washing machine. SCHEDULE maintenance like repainting. NEVER skimp on electrical installation.
So, those were my own personal opinions, now I await the storm of protests.........
Best regards,
Anders Nilsson
Vertical/horizontal paneling? Type of wood? Stone? Plaster? Brick façade or vertical wood paneling. Plaster in the right climate.
What type of insulation? If I have thick well-insulated walls, do I risk mold there, or is it just full steam ahead? There's no mold risk with the right construction, search the internet. Basically, vertical studs with insulation in between and then a vapor barrier on the inside (applies given that the house is heated all year round).
Red paint? Linseed oil paint? Modern paint from TV commercials? Plaster? Any high-quality paint. I claim that the quality of the paint matters more than the type it is. And that you can paint well.
Underfloor heating? Radiators? Air heating? I've never seen a single argument against radiators except that it's more work to clean. There are those who claim that energy consumption decreases because you can lower the interior temperature by a couple of degrees as long as your feet are warm, but I can't recall a single scientific report on a large group of houses where consumption decreases with underfloor heating. Then let's not talk about maintainability....... I think it's more fun to fix a leak in 70 years in a system with exposed radiators and pipes.
Pellets? Solar heating? Wood? Heat pump? Water-based system, pellets, or wood if you have room for accumulator tanks. Air-air heat pump as a complement, as it's easy to replace when something better comes along.
1 Floor? Two floors? 1 floor provides better accessibility but costs more in heating, your choice.
Flat roof? Ridge? Sloping one way? Gabled roof > 14 degrees slope.
Roof covering? Tile? Metal? Grass? Other? Tile or metal.
Foundation construction? Slab on grade that is properly executed with drainage, moisture barrier, and insulation.
Frame? Vertical wooden studs.
Then a couple of general rules: NEVER let the house remain unheated. ALWAYS use a shower cabin or bathtub with a curtain. ONLY use factory-made hoses for dishwasher and washing machine. SCHEDULE maintenance like repainting. NEVER skimp on electrical installation.
So, those were my own personal opinions, now I await the storm of protests.........
Best regards,
Anders Nilsson