RedneckModern

Installing Solar // Exploration

We've been exploring the idea of photovoltaic (PV) solar for a while, but are now pulling the trigger. Of course, the Coronavirus pandemic hasn't made this easy, but hopefully we can start to compile a team to get panels on our roof sometime this year. I'll create a few posts to try to keep things in one place for all of the parties involved.

Step 1 // Identifying the goals

There are a lot of reasons people might choose to install PV-solar. For us, the primary driver is cost-savings. Our average electric bill is about $300/month — higher in the summer with air conditioners and lower in the winter when the gas kicks on for the boiler. With solar, we'd opt to use more electricity and less gas (i.e.: use the mini-splits in the winter for heat) — then there's the eventuality of an electric car at some point (for everyone — not just us). If we were to boil down our motivating factors into a list:


1 // Architectural Integrity

In the Eichler-built house, we've paid a significant premium on all fronts to live in an architecturally significant house — and we obviously embrace that. This is a big driver with all decisions. The yard is not landscaped with roses. There are no Colonial-inspired accents... the list goes on. There are many homes in the neighborhood where the solar array is simply an eyesore. We will take a hit on efficiency to have the panels in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement, but if we can't install them in an invisible way, we simply won't take the plunge. Why spend $30,000 on something that you'll regret every time you pull into the driveway? This is also be a significant determining factor when selecting a vendor. Some will understand — and be willing to work with this obstacle — and some will not. That's OK — the Eichler home isn't for everyone either.

“... if we can’t install them in an invisible way, we simply won’t take the plunge. Why spend $30,000 on something that you will regret every time you pull into the driveway?”

2 // Cost Savings

With a $300/mo bill (and less gas use after solar), it's one of the few things that have a trackable payback on the renovation front. Also, with more-and-more work-from-home days, energy use will rise.

3 // Electrical Independence

Edit: While we're not opposed to a system that is "battery ready", we're not looking to add a battery at this time, but instead integrating a transfer switch or interlock so that the system can work with a portable generator. We had no days of power-outage last summer and adding $5K to the overall bill for very little risk does not make sense.

With PG+E cutting power in the summer, having a back-up source of power will be essential for California residents. Solar will help with this. A battery will assist as well. There are a number of other ways that we'll explore in a later addition to this post including integration of a transfer switch (or interlock) which will enable hooking a petrol/LP-powered generator to the house. More on that later.

6 // Pool Heating

Edit: We've crossed this off the list... We have a new natural gas heater for the pool (installed in 2018 with the pool)... and considering the pool gets to 85 degrees on it's own by June — and any additional system will cost far more than natural gas...

The pool currently uses a natural gas heater (when we actually use it). However, by June, the pool heats up via the regular sun anyway, so we'd only use pool heating a few weeks anyway — and the safety cover retains a good bit of heat. Additionally, with PV in the mix, we can replace the gas heater with an electric pool heat pump down the road and avoid having hundreds of gallons of water being pumped up to our roof — and be able to cool the water if needed. Less roof penetrations, fewer systems, more efficient pump usage, controllable water temps... but, since any pool heating system will cost at least $4K, it's important to note that we already have a natural gas heater... and $4K will buy a lot of gas.

7 // Eco-mindedness

We already have a choice to pull grid-power from more sustainable sources via the electric company... and it's not that we don't care about the environment (of course we do), but since we can already make this choice at the grid-level, it's not as much of a driver when on our roof-top.

Why skip #4 and #5? Because the first three are that much further ahead than the last two. It's worth mentioning #6 + #7 as they do come up, but it's also important to focus-on-the-focus:

• 1 // Be respectful to the architecture
• 2 // Self-generation of power, and
• 3 // Being able to use that power when we need it...

 

(c. 2018) Google street view isn't always the most flattering, but at least it's timely. The goal is not to see any evidence of solar from this point-of-view.

The five-dollar house jack

In a recent renovation, I kind of* invented something: the $5 house jack. Using two pieces of material — in this case: composite decking (with good compressive strength) — and some common hardware, we were able to lift the beam holding the house, the 1/2in necessary to install a secondary support post. Check it out.

[The house jack in action ... below a cut-to-size 4X4 post]

(link: https://youtu.be/Yy3Fq0sO8sA) 

(* props to both the Egyptians and Greeks who probably did something like this first, but in the context of MCM renovation, it's a nice "reinvention", perhaps)

 

 

 

Where design meets real life: A POV

As a builder, every time I pick up a hammer,

I realize something that I got wrong as a designer...

By day, I spend my time as a designer and design-educator dreaming up new ways to solve visual problems with a bit of beauty or interest. However, early-on in my career, I took a strong liking to the craft of production... on the journey, I've picked up a few new monikers: builder, maker, craftsman (or the latest: "super-detail-oriented-customer"). Between cabinetry designs, bath renovations, door installs and now audio builds, I'm keeping myself busy.

This has given a unique perspective on how to get stuff done that looks great and works well. I has also dispelled the idea that "good design" isn't about uniqueness, but has as much to do with what can be produced — and repeated if necessary... and last a long time. This spans the gamut from material choices to installation techniques... and along the way, I've learned a few things. Here are three tips that might come in handy when planning a project:

1: It might look great in the catalog, but... 

[tip: Ask lots of questions]

Added to the above is photographer as well — things can certainly be made to look good in pictures, but how they feel in your hand and look in person are very different things. It's important to ask questions early in the process.

This came up most recently with an inquiry about outdoor cabinetry. For instance, "veneer" and "laminate" in cabinetry are two very different things — one is primarily used to describe a natural wood covering (wood) while the latter is reserved for a man-made covering (plastic). The outdoor cabinets planned for a landscape project look great in pictures (and are very likely great in person), but this particular brand is available only online, so everything is dependent on marketing imagery or online reviews. When I began to ask more specific questions, the agents were quite helpful, but the details were still a bit foggy. In this case, I feel confident enough to order — and return if necessary — but there's a big gap between what I know will show up and what I hope will show up. Hope is not a strategy, but the questions I asked helped to instill at least a bit of confidence.

[New Age Products makes some great looking outdoor cabinets. Will they look as good in person? When they show up, I'll take pictures and report back.]

Blue Champagne Pools Review

[file under: watch this space] ... We contracted with Blue Champagne Pools earlier in the summer (Mid-April) for a pool build — It's Labor Day and we're still finishing off a few things here and there. Needless to say, 45 days was certainly hopeful. That said, like any project there are ups and down. This post will chronicle the process so that folks hoping to build a new pool might learn from our experiences.

Eichlerstencils.com + Kind words from the Eichler Network

The latest set of stencils are available at EichlerStencils.com and the Eichler Network has stepped in to get the word out.

Special Thanks to Marty Arbunich for his interest and to Dan Smith for the interview and great attention to detail in the article in general. Given their format, word count is at a minimum, but here in blog format, I can expand a bit on what Dan said in his original text.

4082 Wilson Lane For Sale

Our friends Sean and Tracy are selling their house on Wilson. While we'll be sorry to see them go, we suspect they'll stay close, so we'll still see them often... and someone else gets to pick up a sweet house.

It's a "flat roof" model which is a bit under-appreciated in my opinion... I've always liked the simplicity of the flow and — to me — it feels a bit more vintage that the other two models in our tract. It also has the largest garage of the three. I was able to stop by the other day for some photos and to check out some of the work that Sean and Tracy have done to prepare for the sale.

Fitting Ikea Utrusta hinges to Akurum Cabinets

Yes, you can fit Ikea's Utrusta hinges (specifically the 153-degree type) to older Akurum cabinets (w/ Integral hinges) with slight modification. You'll need:

• gumption: this is not a direct bolt-on modification and it finds you drilling larger keyholes in your now-discontinued doors
• 153-degree hinges: these are available new at IKEA
• 9/32 drill bit
• a steady hand
• the original Akurum T-style mounting plates: Perhaps you already have these mounted — if not, you'll need to find some or drill new pilot holes for the flat Sektion style — even more nerve wracking.

At first glance, the older Integral hinges and the 153-degree Utrusta are identical. They are not. They're close — and usable — but they are not direct bolt-on replacements. In order to use them, you'll need to drill larger keyholes in your doors. If you have your old/existing T-style mounting plates, you can re-use them (they are a direct bolt on), but if you don't, you'll either have to find some in an Integral set or drill new holes for the Utrusta / Flat-style as the hold configuration between the cabinets are different (side/side vs. top/bottom). Neither are hard, but if you're not careful, you can screw up a door that is no longer made. Here's how to do it and avoid catastrophe:

You can see the key "nuggets" are a bit larger on the Utrusta necessitating that you either shave them off or drill slightly larger keyholes in your doors.

You'll want to retain your original T-style mounting plates. You can certainly drill new holes for the Utrusta ones (they're more adjustable), but in many cases, the fewer holes in particleboard, the better.

Drilling larger holes is nerve-wracking. Be careful that the drill bit doesn't surge forward and puncture the face of the cabinet. I used a 9/32 drill bit... a tight fit, still, but better than to big. A rubber mallet helped to nest them in place.

All mounted up... now we can install the drawers inside the cabinet... something we should have done a loooong time ago.

You can compare the older style Integral hinge here with the Utrusta hinge (one picture above). They're similar, but not exact.

Redneckmodern — a look back and a look forward

Redneckmodern started as an inside joke, then became a blog, then something else.

At the core, it's blog about the renovation of an Eichler-built home in Northern California and a sister site to Norcalmod.com. However, when we purchased the house, it was simply meant as a space to share photos with east-coast, southern relatives — the joke was: it took a move to California to motivate the purchase of a beat-up pickup truck (and not something that was otherwise part of growing up south of the Mason-Dixon line). At the same time, we started Norcalmod as a space to feature our design-build and product work.

While both sites got their start over 10 years ago, the renovation project took over (as they tend to do) — and interest grew in what we were doing grew. The site and house got a bit of attention at spots like Dwell, DWR, ApartmentTherapy, DesignSponge and West Elm's Front+Main.

Since the renovation project has almost) wrapped, there's less going on here, and more going on over at Norcalmod — and now at Cyanovox. There's still stuff to do around the house and there's still stuff to discover if you're tackling your own new renovation (so dig around), but don't be mystified if there aren't weekly updates — that's how it's supposed to go: you are supposed to finish projects, right?

Since the renovation wrapped, more time has been dedicated to your house (not my house) — and the NorCalMod projects... from built-in cabinetry to bespoke storage units (with integrated audio!) began to flourish.

Welcome — let's get to work... but maybe over at Norcalmod.com and Cyanovox.com.

Workshop 2.0: Transition (+ Overview)

This spring, we tackled a small project that turned into a major one that was going to turn into an even more major one and then we got sidetracked... and then it was October.

Long story short, the workshop was stripped bare and reorganized.

Ellen has a new door

Ellen lives a few streets over and needed a new door... as most folks know, the original doors are hollow-core 1-3/8 interior doors — not really suited for exterior use... especially 50+ years of exterior use.

She has the same model as we do (and the same as Chris/Sara and Lindsey/Jeff and Chris/Laura, Glen/Molly and Judith/David...) so it was a fairly familiar fit. However, in a past repair, someone had jacked up the framing a good bit which necessitated a good bit more repair work around the jamb, including sawing out the old bore-locations and replacing with new redwood... (tip: this is how it's s'posed to be done... leave the Bondo at home, kids).

Ellen also opted for both the top and bottom plates. As an avid cyclist (and grandmother of rowdy kids), protection at the bottom corner from kicks and tires will be nice.

She likes it so much, she's started to dress like it. ;)

... and there's a good bit more landscaping and construction going on around the house, too.