A Solar House at 4775 So. Taylor Ave. in Shadow Valley
No one said it would be easy to build a solar house at this particular location. The main purpose I had in mind was to lower my utility bills. This I did in Aces, but it didn’t come easy or cheap.
I first got interested in a solar house when I read an article in the New York Times about a guy who built a house using twigs, mud, and straw and stayed a cool 67 degrees all year round.
Shortly thereafter, I saw a house in Uinta located at the west end of Bonneville Drive that looked like what I wanted. I took a few pictures of it, and also some pictures of the lot I owned at 4775 Taylor. I took the pictures into Don “Fred” Fredrickson a well-known custom home architect and designer, and asked him to sketch me a similar design. After a time he called me into his office and he and his son showed me the preliminary sketches.
I loved the sketches they were beautiful. No changes necessary, neither inside nor outside, landscaping included. I next went to the lot and with the help of my son Jeff staked out where the footings would should be located on the lot.
Next is to get a permit and approved by the city planning department. I persist, I was saving onutility bills. No one said it would be easy.
So sometime later Fred “Farfuncle” and your contractor too, ask you to sign a document saying you won’t sue. You make the mistake of mentioning this arrangement to your wife, Joelene. But you are not deterred, because you now have a dream it is going solar.
My next hurdle is the Ogden city planning department. They like to approve things that are similar to things they've approved before. To do otherwise is to risk their being laid off, and the neighbors don't want to live next to a house that is half underground and three stories high with glass. But let's say, for the sake of this true story, that everyone in the planning department is heavily medicated with Prozac and they approve my project over the objections of neighbors, except for the beavers and termites, who are a little suspicious if project will go forward. You need a contractor who is willing to risk his career to build this cutting-edge structure. No builder wants a risky project that could end his career. How would he price it?
To be continued…
KARL WALLACE
To read more Karl Wallace short stories go to: karlwallaceblog.blogspot.com
No one said it would be easy to build a solar house at this particular location. The main purpose I had in mind was to lower my utility bills. This I did in Aces, but it didn’t come easy or cheap.
I first got interested in a solar house when I read an article in the New York Times about a guy who built a house using twigs, mud, and straw and stayed a cool 67 degrees all year round.
Shortly thereafter, I saw a house in Uinta located at the west end of Bonneville Drive that looked like what I wanted. I took a few pictures of it, and also some pictures of the lot I owned at 4775 Taylor. I took the pictures into Don “Fred” Fredrickson a well-known custom home architect and designer, and asked him to sketch me a similar design. After a time he called me into his office and he and his son showed me the preliminary sketches.
I loved the sketches they were beautiful. No changes necessary, neither inside nor outside, landscaping included. I next went to the lot and with the help of my son Jeff staked out where the footings would should be located on the lot.
Next is to get a permit and approved by the city planning department. I persist, I was saving onutility bills. No one said it would be easy.
So sometime later Fred “Farfuncle” and your contractor too, ask you to sign a document saying you won’t sue. You make the mistake of mentioning this arrangement to your wife, Joelene. But you are not deterred, because you now have a dream it is going solar.
My next hurdle is the Ogden city planning department. They like to approve things that are similar to things they've approved before. To do otherwise is to risk their being laid off, and the neighbors don't want to live next to a house that is half underground and three stories high with glass. But let's say, for the sake of this true story, that everyone in the planning department is heavily medicated with Prozac and they approve my project over the objections of neighbors, except for the beavers and termites, who are a little suspicious if project will go forward. You need a contractor who is willing to risk his career to build this cutting-edge structure. No builder wants a risky project that could end his career. How would he price it?
To be continued…
KARL WALLACE
To read more Karl Wallace short stories go to: karlwallaceblog.blogspot.com
