| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| French Doors | 2/10/2009 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I have french doors in my bedroom. My problems is that in the winter time my bedroom gets really ...
A: You can have weather stripping redone to help with heat loss. You may also consider replacing them ...
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| alternative housing | 11/23/2008 | Brian McElroy |
Q: What about underground and/or used containers ANSWER: I am sorry. I do not understand the question? ...
A: Florida codes do not address alternative materials. What you have to do, and I think it is ...
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| Solar Hot Water system for Heat | 7/1/2008 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I can get my hands on some used solar thermal (hot water) panels and was curious about using them ...
A: I think it is a great idea. The problem will be to find someone that can install the system and ...
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| attic insulation | 3/13/2008 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I want to increase the insulation in my attic and have looked at a tri-laminated aluminum mylar ...
A: I have seen products similar like radiant barriers. I would need some 3rd part verifications as to ...
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| attic insulation | 3/12/2008 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I want to increase the insulation in my attic and have looked at a tri-laminated aluminum mylar ...
A: I know nothing about it. I have never used it but in Florida, we are somewhat limited. If you want ...
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| wood stove to slab heating | 12/26/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I saw a house built in the early '80s that heated water in black pipe on a wood burning stove and ...
A: You would need a recirculating pump and maybe an expansion tank as well. I do similar now for my ...
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| new tech low cost hosinig | 12/9/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: .. I want to ask about any technology to build low cost house
A: Right now, honestly, there is no such thing as low cost housing in my humble opinion. Regulation ...
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| Dome Home Finance | 8/2/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I'm a realtor who recently took a listing on a Geodesic Dome House. I was wondering if you know of ...
A: I have been asked this question 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Unless you can get an appraiser to ...
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| Cheap barn-style house | 7/6/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: Is it feasible to build a barn style two story house cheaply? I want to find a builder/architect to ...
A: I can only speak for homes in Florida. Generally, 2 stories are about 30% more expensive than single ...
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| dome financing follow up | 7/2/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: Brian, My wife and I are looking at an existing geodesic dome in Hillsborough, NC. It's 2200 sf ...
A: I spoke with my lender friend. He said it probably would not work out because it is a 2nd home. You ...
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| Florida alternative housing | 6/17/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I have a mobil home on property in Hernando county Florida zoned AR. I would like to have a simple ...
A: They do not allow such structures. Due to hurricane codes, Florida is very limited in how we can ...
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| Florida alternative housing | 6/14/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I have a mobil home on property in Hernando county Florida zoned AR. I would like to have a simple ...
A: I build in parts of Hernando. I build a specialized energy efficient hurricane resistant product. ...
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| attic insulation options | 5/20/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: we've had a botched roof job and got moisture in the attic insulation, and some leakage onto the ...
A: First, any materials exposed to water will need to be replaced. Mold can grow in these areas, may ...
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| mobile house | 3/3/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: what's the name of the temporary houses you rent while you are in construction?
A: There is not a name as such. Sometimes you can find furnished apartments forrent often termed ...
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| Alternative home financing | 1/13/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: Do you have people who need financing for dome homes and other "earth friendly designs"? We finance ...
A: We do not build dome homes. But if anyone asks, I will pass the info along. I have had a couple of ...
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| low-e windows | 1/3/2007 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I live in the Washington DC area and am considering replacing my 40-year old single-glazed ...
A: Sorry, I might have not been clear about the interior films. These films are actually placed inside ...
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| dome financing | 11/14/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I have just read a question sent to you from a lady named Karen. I have the exact scenario. The ...
A: I talked to another lender today. If the borrower has an office in the area, they might help. Look ...
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| Dome Houses | 10/23/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: My name is Karen. I am a mortgage broker in Gulfport, Ms. I have a client that is buying a dome ...
A: :My name is Karen. I am a mortgage broker in Gulfport, Ms. I have a client that is buying a dome ...
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| Dome Houses | 10/18/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: My name is Karen. I am a mortgage broker in Gulfport, Ms. I have a client that is buying a dome ...
A: I have not heard back from you... I have a couple of questions. What is the approx. value of the ...
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| housing option | 9/1/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: understood. I was thinking along the same lines. I really cannot afford much of anything, but I have ...
A: Give me some more information and I may be able to help. Where do you live? What size home? Do you ...
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| alt construction | 8/5/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: Have you had any experiences with Papercrete? It is said to be strong like concrete but lighter in ...
A: I read the info on their website, but I would need more information before making a decision. I do ...
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| Thermasave | 7/27/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: What is your take on Thermasave's product,stressed skin/foam core panels? I live in an older stick ...
A: I have built homes here in Florida with a similar panel system. I loved the insulation values and ...
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| How do you stop the sun's heat getting through ? | 7/2/2006 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I live in a block of maisonettes but none of us have access to the attic. There is no entrance ...
A: Because of the outside ambient temperatures, and lack of efficient construction methods used for ...
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| Efficiency | 11/11/2005 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I appreciate the quick response. I can understand the situation of heating in Florida. I live in NC, ...
A: You are welcome. Also, I am one of the first builders in my area to use double pane glass and energy ...
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| Efficiency | 11/11/2005 | Brian McElroy |
Q: Being you seem to be all about construction efficiency, have you or any other contractors you have ...
A: Honestly, you are the first person to ever bring up that issue in all my years of building new ...
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| who made my home | 5/20/2005 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: I recently moved into a modular home. How do I find out who the manufacturer was(some one told me to ...
A: David I'm assuming this is a home that someone else had lived in before you rather than one you ...
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| New Technology re: Housing | 1/11/2005 | Brian McElroy |
Q: You said your are looking for an improved method of producing High Quality Housing that is ...
A: I would be interested, however, I have heard it all and very few of these claims pan out as true. ...
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| Windows | 12/7/2004 | Brian McElroy |
Q: I live in Las Vegas, Nv. My house was built in 53'. My window efficeincy is terrible to say the ...
A: I have never heard of replacing the single panes with double panes. I think the reason is because ...
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| modular homes | 10/8/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: My husband and I are considering building a modular home. We live in eastern North Carolina. We ...
A: Patricia I know you send this request some time ago, and I must apologize. I had a family medical ...
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| Mortgage for dome house | 9/12/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: I have a dome house that I'm selling to interested tenants (current mortgage is not assumable). My ...
A: Dulce The company that I'm most familiar with for alternative home lending (both purchase & ...
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| Alternative Housing | 8/22/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: I hope you can help me come up with some affordable housing for myself. I will list some facts for ...
A: Bill I'll try to answer your questions as fully as I can without the benefit of a more complete ...
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| Modular homes | 8/2/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: I would like to build a 3 story modular home, not including finished basement, on a 50' X 115' plot ...
A: JoeJoe Sorry I have to be brief, but I'm about to leave for a short vacation in a few, and wanted to ...
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| new home design | 7/29/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: I've been looking for a new house to buy, but I'm not really happy with anything I see. I looked ...
A: Mike I'm sorry you couldn't access my website. I've temporarily taken it offline because I can't ...
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| General Alternative Housing | 7/25/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: What is the absolute cheapest way for someone without appreciable building skills or finances to end ...
A: Dave, This is a really good question, and a really tough one to answer. Actually, it's the reason I ...
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| General Alternative Housing | 7/23/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: What is the absolute cheapest way for someone without appreciable building skills or finances to end ...
A: Dave Just a few questions for you before I respond. Are we assuming that land for this home is ...
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| Constructing a home from steel shipping containers | 6/27/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: Do you have any information or suggestions regarding converting steel shipping containers into a ...
A: Lynn I don't have a lot of knowledge about the process of converting shipping containers to ...
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| grant | 6/6/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: We are thinking of building some type of super efficent house. My wife said someone told her that we ...
A: George There have been grants available from time to time for energy-efficient housing. But I am ...
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| Techni stone | 3/19/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: What information can you give me for a Techni stone counter top? How does it hold up to heat and ...
A: Randy Technistone can really be called a "superstone," as it has practically all of the desirable ...
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| Building a home | 2/9/2004 | Lemelia Bonner |
Q: Lemelia: Is it an economically feasible option to consider building a house in California, in ...
A: Helen, I had to take a little time to research your issue. No, I don't think it's madness for a ...
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