Another 30′ wide (narrow) lot in Belmont. This one required demolishing an old house that was in very poor condition and not worth renovating. In the remaining soil we did discover a few Monticello Dairy glass bottles, which made us wish for that old Charlottesville and remind Joey of a similar business in Uruguay where a girl rode around with croissants and pastries every morning and hollered when she was outside.
Although a very challenging site, we were able to drill two 250′ wells for a geothermal system. The house is only 19′ wide, squeezed in between two other houses, but still has great views of downtown. With an open first floor, a deluxe master bath with a steam shower and ofuru soaking tub, a full basement, and a big back deck surrounded by trees, the house provides a lot for its tight confines.
In addition to the geothermal system (ground source heat pump), the energy efficient tight building envelope (wrapped with 1″ rigid foam), Energy Recovery Ventilator (to bring in conditioned fresh air), metal roof, Energy Star appliances and WaterSource plumbing fixtures will keep utility bills low. The HERS rating is expected to be in the 50-60 range.
