Window Trim Goes Up - Local Wood looks Great!

Dave is making our window casements from local lumber from our Timberworks Neighbor, Greg Tsoules, milled right here in Bartlett. Floors were oiled and looking sharp. Stove is out of the box, impressed with it's design, as it will work when the power does not - one of the only stoves and ranges I belive that will work 100% off the grid and on? I hope I'm not misquoting it. The stove is a Pro Series Range From Premiere

Horton Brasses & Home Grown Lumber

Dave finished laying all the floors. The wood: Locally Grown and Milled Eastern White Pine, purchased through Home Grown Lumber in Center Conway, NH. The nails from Horton Brasses in Cromwell, CT. The Wrought Head Nails, simulate hand forged nails. The head is three sided. Ideal for authentic restorations and antique effects. Also used in batten doors, rough sawn siding, face nailing flooring, and paneling.
Below: Sanded but not oiled floors upstairs.
Dave discusses the benefits of the 6 burner Premiere Pro Gas Range & Oven.

Eastern White Pine with Hand Cut Nails

FLOORS: Locally Grown and Milled, Eastern White Pine flooring with cut nails 16" on center supplied by Horton Brasses in Cromwell, CT. They will be finished with a Tung Oil from Golden's Antique Supply, Woodstock, GA.
We had some requests this week for close up shots of the American Clay so people can see the texture on the wall. Some asked if it's smooth? Rough? I think it's just natural. NOT like "popcorn" walls, textured ceilings etc... it's just natural with our trowel marks. I hope some of these images work.
ALSO: Below photos are of flooring and 2nd coat of Lake Tahoe Blue in the entryway as it's drying. Note that it goes on dark and dries like you see in other post photos. The Maunaloa 2nd coat in the Kitchen, as you can see the 1st coat below.

Cheat Neutral: Offset your Infidelities

Too funny to pass up - we re-posted what Sally From Port City Studios posted today...
This video features the co-creators of CheatNeutral.com, a spoof on the prevalent practice of Carbon Offsetting. If it doesn’t make sense to offset cheating on your spouse, why does it make sense to offset polluting?

Why cheat when you can live responsibly today?

Thank you Fosters Daily Democrat

We very much appreciate the press!

Lake Tahoe Blue - Blue Stone Gets Set!

American Clay Earth Plaster goes on in the final room - the entry way. We chose Lake Tahoe Blue, which reminds us of not only the Lake but the Mountains and those "Epic Blue Sky Powder Days" on the slopes... we wanted the entry of the house to feel like you were brining the outside in when you enter. The Blue in the Bedroom is Powder River - a different shade as you can see subtle differences in the photos below. This is just the first coat of the Lake Tahoe Blue. Two photos showing the different "looks" it has depending on how the light hits it.






We used the Loma finish for our home. American Clay has three finishes, Loma, Porcelina, and Marittimo. The ceilings and 2nd floor are completely done in "Base Color" aka "Snow Canyon" I am also showing daylight photos of Dave putting in the Blue Stone of the wood stove hearth...but behind it is the "Tuscon Gold" American Clay, and in other photos you can get a glimpse of the red "Maunaloa" which we LOVE! Tuscon Gold is very warm and we are excited to get some lights made from our local glass blower Philip Jacobs who owns "Earth and Fire" and "Leage of NH Craftsmen" here in North Conway. His pendant lights are all UL rated and Beautiful - they will be a great accent to match the Tuscon Gold and Maunaloa. I will have to take photos of their studio.






Dave sets the Blue Stone Hearth....






Thank you to Kathy Sanderson of Northway Bank, Kathleen, Joanne, and Diane from Badger Realty for visiting today - great to see others responses to the clay and the house in general. We appreciate everyones support and interest.


Dave started the flooring today too - more photos on that later.
Below a shot of the Lake Tahoe where it meets Snow Canyon Base Color at the Ceiling....




I guess I should mention we were written up in the Conway Daily Sun - a press release on our Solar Hot Water system thanks to our marketing consultant Pete Eiermann for his help and inspiration with that.




FIRST $1,500 SOLAR HOT WATER REBATE AWARDED IN BARTLETT, NH
New Hampshire Electric Co-op incentives make positive
impact on environment and pocketbook!

Bartlett, NH – Homeowners Dave Eiermann and Meghan Simone will receive a $1,500 rebate from the New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC) and a $2,000 federal tax credit for their recent installation of a Solar Hot Water System. They expect the $7,500 investment to pay for itself in less than three years, while decreasing their C02 emissions by as much as 20% annually.

It is the first such rebate to be awarded in Bartlett by NHEC, which has awarded rebates totaling nearly $20,000 to 10 members who have installed qualified solar hot water systems in Co-op service territory since July 2007.

“Solar hot water is a sensible and practical way to make a positive impact on the environment while saving money at the same time,” said NHEC Program Manager Tom Palma. “It also costs 50%-85% less to operate than traditional water heating.”

Energyworks LLC, a mechanical contracting company that specializes in solar hot water and solar electricity installed the system, which consists of an Apricus Solar Collector and a Stiebel Eltron water heater. “We do everything from design to installation,” said Jen Hatch. “We carry all licenses and certifications in house, streamlining the installation process for the client.”

“Jen coordinated everything with the Co-op for us, it was too easy!” Simone said, encouraging others to take advantage. “Being resource-responsible is extremely important in today’s world. We are fortunate that NHEC offers rebates because not all utility companies do. It’s because of the forward thinking of the Co-op that we were able to do this. It’s an investment now that will pay off greatly. With rising costs of fuel and electricity, solar and other alternative and renewable methods are definitely the wave of the future.”

Dave Eiermann, who is also the builder of the new home in Bartlett, NH, says he’s hoping to install a Grid Tie Solar Electric system, (also know as Photo-voltaic or PV), which would generate electricity for the home. “Our home is already designed for the installation of Grid Tie Solar,” said Eiermann. “We are just waiting for state and federal incentives to help us pay for it.”

This system would allow homeowners to sell electricity back to the grid during high productivity time, and buy from the grid when they need it.
For more information on the NHEC solar hot water rebate program, visit their website at www.nhec.coop. Or for information on how a solar hot water application could work for you, contact Jen at Energyworks LLC, 207-221-6342, or email jen@energyworksllc.com.

Garage Door Arrives - Amarr Garage Door

Ammar by Design - Runion door Sold wood - it's a gem!

Wayne from White Mt. Overhead Doors came by today to install - we will post more photos when Dave finishes trimming it out. Dave got the Blue Stone from Gilbert Block when he went down to renew his drivers license. Gilbert Block is in Tamworth just before Chocorua Village as you head North on the Left. He laid it out and we think that's what it will look like. Not permanent yet...

More Nordic Skiing to keep the energy going... need to get in some exercise -that is why we live here!

2nd Coat - First Floor American Clay...DONE

We finished all the 2nd coats of American Clay Earth Plaster on the main floor minus one wall of the Maunaloa (red) color. I can't wait to plaster the entry "Lake Tahoe" (blue) - you will see in the video the clay is still drying - the video is very "warm" so the colors are a bit off. Sally and Peter came with Pippi to visit and we were so excited to hear they like the color choice too. I have to give some props to them both for the AWESOME hand me down jacket - I have been itching for a layer just like this, and I was so excited to try it out, I went for a quick skate ski after work today, headlamp and all wizzing by all the condos and dashing through the woods - it was INCREDIBLE skiing out there! Thank you AGAIN Pete and Sally for everything you do for us!

Video Notes: American Clay still drying - Dave and Meg tour down to the well pump that is now IN because Pete came over and helped Dave drop it down...or however that works!

American Clay and a visit from Andy Narducci

Better images of the American Clay Earth Plaster. Maunaloa in the kitchen, Tuscon Gold in the living room, and Powder River in the bedroom.


We got a visit from Andy Narducci! New Truck! It was so great to see him - he was on the framing crew this summer (see older posts for details). Andy will be building a house on the Vineyard this summer, but stopped in to see our progress and say hello. It was great to see his reaction to some of the things we've used - the American Clay - Quentin Gilmores wall of heating zones (Andy's eyes popped out of their sockets) - the upstairs etc... I think it must be so great to be in Dave and Andy's shoes to see how the house has come from the ground up. Andy was there from the beginning! Thanks Andy!



Pete Eiermann is back to help - Dave and Pete put in the well pump today (Few, says Dave)... Pete is very gracious with his time and always great to have around and bounce ideas off of.



It was fun to see how much space we still have in our giant parking lot - Daves really psyched about all our extra space. The boys "talk shop" and tour the outside of the house...

Colors are up

Here are a few photos of the American Clay - the blue is how the photos in my previous post dried out... you can see it dries much lighter, but pretty true to the color swatch they provide. I don't have any photos of the Red dried, just wet... i had some gunk on the lens (Daves work camera).

Seasons GREENings from Meg & Dave

....and a Happy New Year! We spent the last day of 2007 plastering the walls with the American Clay - shown below, the Powder River blue color before it mixes in to the Loma. We took photos of the walls after it just went on, and when we went back up today to see it all dried out it really was pretty exact to the color swatch American Clay provided (which is MUCH lighter than in the photos) You can see from one photo I tried to show both the wet and dry clay colors...

We had Jessica Armstrong Visit on x-mas (friend from Childhood) who brought a great book from Storey Publishing, she works there, the books called, Organic Body Care Recipes and I didn't get to post a photo of her visit until today. Then Marianne Croft my old college roommate and Tom Gilmore - (related to Quentin) came up on 12/31 - then I went to our neighbors Trish and Glenn's and had amazing hores de ovures and met some more really nice locals and builders. I had Christmas with Pete and Sara on 12/31 and then today Peter, Sally, Dave, Ellen and I skied from her condo to the Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co for a great treat of yummy food and beer. On the way out we ran into Kim and Joe Vasta (old neighbor and friend) and hopefully with all this great snow Dave will take the day off and ski tomorrow since he has only taken 2 days (x-mas and today) off since Woodsman's Day at the Fryeburg Fair... that was back last week of September!