Looking for recommendations on sustainable/alternative homebuilders/contractors. My partner and I just bought land outside of Madison and are looking to build a house....
avman1023 replied:
[Design Coalition](http://www.designcoalition.org/) can help with design, they might have recommendations for builders. [Loren Imhoff](https://lorenimhoff.com/) built our traditionally-built passive solar home and incorporated all the "green" stuff we wanted (solar hot water, solar electric, geothermal, etc.). Don't know if Loren has ever done earthen homes, but he was open to non-traditional stuff like insulated concrete forms.
v-angustifolium replied:
I work for a Madison area General Contractor, if you end up looking at more 'traditional' super insulated construction (double stud wall, dense pack cellulose, focus on air-sealing, etc) please feel free to reach out. I don't have experience with cob/rammed earth. If you pick up any used books on passive solar, a lot of the older ones (1960-1980's) have designs that typically overheat the house. It's a tricky balance and having an energy model done is a good way of finding some obvious flaws that aren't obvious when you are just looking at a design in a printed book. Perhaps Design Coalition would have some ideas: http://www.designcoalition.org/
LaceyMauled replied:
I’d check out the MREA
hobokobo1028 replied:
It sounds like you’re looking to build a Hobbit hole. Unless you want an adventure, be wary of unexpected guests and don’t accept any mysterious jewelry from your uncle.
For my general contractor/roofing friends. Question - I have a client who may have an issue with their roof. One of the roofers they called for an estimate made a big...
Jim C. replied:
Go to ABC Supply in Madison. Ask for Jeff. Buy the shingles he tells you to. Ask for 3 names of recommended roofers and hire one of them. Done!
Jason G. replied:
You can look up Helwig roofing in Belleville. Tim will know.
It's a rare service provider or contractor who impresses me.
Yesterday I was wowed with the job Andy Hughes did installing our new luxury vinyl tile (LVT) floors.
If...
Suresh N. replied:
'If I were a tailor, I'd make it my pride The best of all tailors to be; If I were a tinker, no tinker beside Should mend an old kettle like me.' - Old English nursery rhyme