Building Science and Technology Ep.33

[@nicholasdavis9849]

You are an absolute inspiration. Not just in construction, with anyone going to learn or looking at building their own house, but anyone going into their chosen profession. You have 30+ years (I’m guessing) of experience in construction of some sort and what do you do in your free time? Make these videos, think about efficiency on the job site, take extra time to make sure it’s done right, and associate yourself with friends in a similar profession. That is what I hope to find after the same amount of time in my profession.

[@mkbcoolman]

Guys like Dave Taylor are a real gems. People who are passionate about what they do, and are generous with their time and knowledge. I could sit and talk with guys like that for hours.

[@Millistudiosyd]

We are architects in Australia currently going through the journey of our first passivehouse CLT house build and I just wanted to say that your channel has been such a valuable source of knowledge, experience and a calming influence on me. With this spec house series and the way you show and tell each step of your build, my confidence in rolling up our sleeves to plan and do the work in order to get the project on track and within our budget grows. I'm not sure if you've heard about some of the malaise that the home building industry in Australia has been experiencing at the moment but I sincerely wish more builders and homeowners find your channel and start to absord all the knowledge and wisdom you are providing.

[@codyratliff8302]

Wow.. it genuinely fills me with an enormous amount of joy to see just how rapidly the channel has grown. God has blessed you with an extensive depth of knowledge and what seems to be infinite wisdom, through all your years of hard work and the drive to do a task just a little bit better each time you do it..And now the time has come to bring that knowledge to the world! So glad, to have been fortunate enough to be along for the ride! Love you guys, and hope all is well!

[@essentialcraftsman]

Thank you Cody! He also blessed me with a son who has the vision and the ability to make these things happen. There is no possible way I could do this without Nate.

[@Sailor376also]

You sir, are a brilliant man, The solution is somewhere in what exists, what materials are available, the codes, the costs, the usfulness of the structure today and long into tomorrow. I'll keep watching, and learning.

[@colinstu]

awesome that you mentioned Matt Risinger. I've followed him for awhile, he's got a great channel and covers a ton of great stuff.

[@martinpoulsen6564]

Yes. Unfortunately, for me anyway, he has great focus on manufactured products, which is to say the sustainability, or recycling in particular, is not 1st priority. I say this because of what he has presented lately in terms of insulated studs - which in itself is great, insulated sheathing and so on... Unlike a piece of lumber, non of that is going to return to the state of dirt, if you leave it in the yard for an extended period of time. Although things like these are coming about, I still wish more people would have more of an interest in such building technologies. I'm well aware that this will wreck business for some, but just maybe some of them should never have been in business in the 1st place, given the negative effects their product has had on human life as well as the ecosystem as a whole. Hunt for profit should never be the sole motivation in anything, and we need to be responsible for how we utilize resources on our planet, in such a way it will still be a great place for generations to come. We already tried asbestos... With limited success. The same can be said for a lot of foams, plastics and manufactured membranes, that are a lot more likely to fail, than a well thought out structure in natural materials, with the right properties in the right place. Sorry for the rant, but it has become increasingly important to me, as I have witnessed what the building industry has done to nature and to people over time. Building is serious business and not something to be taken lightly and rushed into head first. For everyone's sake: please make the right choices. Avoid concrete where it is not necessary, as that too is a large contributor in depleting our resources whilst adding to the carbon dioxide outlet. This will also be a tied task to architects, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers and builders of the future, as the present way of building in many places is nowhere near sustainable enough. Particularly here in Denmark, where heavy structures in brick or concrete are king - still to this date. Wooden structures are highly preferable in that respect, though some might not regard it as long lasting, which relates a lot more to (bad) building techniques and habits, than the actual truth. Only thing here is to make sure to source lumber as locally as possible, while making sure the supplier manages the forestry business responsibly, avoids pesticides, clearcutting and so on, and then be a part of the building process right from the start, to make clear to the customer the consequences of their choices and what a particular material can or can't do. In this climate, eaves is a particular hang-up. They are absolutely necessary and unavoidable for a structure's longevity. Dry feet and a wide brimmed hat. We have also here reached a tipping point, of where construction of a building expells more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during construction, than through the life expectancy of running a household in that same structure - this is upon the building industry to rectify. Steel, concrete (cement) and other manufactured products in particular, are the main reasons for this imbalance. A lot of heavy transports of aggregate, mixed concrete or even precast sections... Studies have concluded that in using any kind of wooden structure, be it framed, CLT or other, transports to the building site can be reduced by up to 75% both in numbers and weight, thereby also contributing to less traffic congestion in urban areas. While I know this is not a viable option for a 100 storey skyscraper, it is definitely doable of up to at least 12-14 storeys, as they've already built in several places including Canada, Norway and Holland.

[@badlandskid]

Colin Stuart I like Matt’s channel as well. His channel and this channel are my two favorite building channels.

[@martinpoulsen6564]

@Clifton Green I do not disagree one bit as to how things are, but wouldn't it be nice to - for once - push towards a positive change? ...and I get it: one in 300,000,000 does not count for much, but everything has to start somewhere. I'm sick and tired of my colleagues getting ill and dying around me, because they have been handling materials that never should have been allowed in the market in the first place... The same materials that make for very bad interior climate, so people have to leave their home because their kids developed asthma and the hubby became sterile. That is just not good enough. Not ever, for anyone. That too should be a concern of a contractor, whether or not he'd be willing to pin his name on that. And the more artificial materials you put in a house, the worse it'll be. Clear lumber will never be a problem either, unless it is just left to rot. Even as fuel it's carbon neutral. The notion of no maintenance material is just a fantasy. They never existed... So you can choose whether you want to let it slowly degrade, with no maintenance, or if you want a certain level of upkeep and repair on it, but why not choose the material closest at hand - to nature - in stead of some more or less harmful 3rd rate product, that in many cases look horrible to begin with, like fiber cement siding or other? ... it's damaging already from point of production.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Martin Poulsen why focus on the recyclable nature of a product when your building something that will last hundreds if not thousands of years? Not the mention the energy savings during that time greatly off setting the impact that the discarded products may have hundreds of years later.

[@martinpoulsen6564]

@@Mrcaffinebean Usually, if a product is not naturally degradeable, it's not suited for human habitation. Not a big fan of living in a plastic bag, no matter what size. Same thing goes for all the caulk, glues, lacquer, varnishes, paint, membranes and everything else of that nature, including whatever is put in the house. Now of course, this is entirely up to people themselves, as to what they want to surround themselves with - I just do not personally have a need to add to the problem of bad indoor climate. And yes - it does set some standards for what needs to be done, in order for a home to last, and also certain limitations and demands, but as I see it - me personally - it's an obligation. To better the welfare of others, and as a tradesperson to contribute positively to society, in stead of being a burden, which I would be, if what I built lessened quality of life for others... leaving them with different illnesses and what not from living in any given structure. Same goes for consumption of said buildings - There should only be a minimum of costs related to living in a house. Every dollar spent on efficiency of a building is well spent. If you can build a home to not need an outside heat source or a cooling system, then why on earth wouldn't you do it? ...without it being a plastic bag, mind you! I have been in the business for a lot of years, and as time has passed, more and more things about it has stopped making sense. The vast majority of product development in the building industry through later decades have first and foremost been patches on bad decisions. In the industry as well as political. A building mass produced to suit people, and not the other way around, would also look very different from what we know, and be very very area specific. A builder would have to know a lot more about the location and the abilities of his/her materials, than most do today. Some of it would involve studying medieval building techniques with cutting edge measuring equipment and very detailed climate conditions to figure out what would be right to do. Where, how many and how big windows would be to both light up rooms, but also delivering warmth to the house and so forth... How is that relation summer vs winter? Direct vs. indirect lighting. Not even a tenth of architects have a clue. Everyone can build a house, but only a qualified builder can build a home worth living in. Not a lot of those around. And don't think for a minute that I'm referring to mansions and that sort of thing, because that is quantity only in most cases, but some of those architects and builders have come up with ingenious ways of dealing with certain challenges, which could also be applied in much smaller scale, but are usually not. Same can be said for cave building or cob structures, but they are abandoned techniques in most of the civilized world... I have no beef with codes dictating a certain level of strength to deal with snow loads, hurricanes, earthquakes and things of that nature. It is necessary when building in such areas, but I do have a problem with misunderstood standards, that end up, directly or indirectly, endorsing 3rd rate material because of bad practice in the industry or society as a whole. Humans first, whether we're talking exploiting the planet for materials, those who have to work with any given material each and every day, those who end up living in it, or those who will eventually have to deal with the leftovers, be it 50, 100 or 1000 years from now. We all want clean air to breathe, clean water and a healthy flora and fauna. Up until now we've done most in our power to wreck it, whether clear-cutting forests, air and water polution from power and chemical plants, monocultures in agriculture and forestry, limited lifespan products in landfills and microplastics and pesticides in our water... feel free to make an exhaustive list. The planet will survive just fine, no matter what - big question is how long it will take us, and how many species we're going to take down along with us, before we eradicate ourselves. We're not put on this planet to rule, but to co-exist. You are most welcome to call me a hypocrite. Building is what I know, and where I can help make a difference. I'm still a sinner - I like travelling and a nice meal or a drink as much as the next person. No saint by any means. Other people have that as their particular field of expertise, transportation, crop growing etc, though I'm pretty sure we can't trust the oil or coal industry to act in our common best interest. It almost seems as if everytime something turns into an industry, it turns unhealthy. In any aspect.

[@cbell9100]

I'm glad you are building this as a spec house to give me an idea of what it takes to build a good standard well-built house. I've helped with almost every aspect of building a house but I haven't done one job from start to finish and so far this is an amazing series. I'm ecstatic there is a man (you) that is willing to build a house on video to show what it takes to do it "yourself"

[@tetsudo1111]

Custom builder from north of you here, and I'd add that all of these 'efficient new building techniques' are a byproduct of architects that have never picked up a hammer but do subscribe to the popular building print magazines. Our favorite and most actually efficient architect was a man who got his stamp in the 50s and drew logical, livable homes with a pencil until he passed at 85 years old. He said when he was going through school, an architecture student had to work for two years as a framer before he could graduate. What an idea! Cheers from Mt. Hood.

[@rodneywilliams6963]

You are awesome. I've been building in northern new Mexico for 20 years with alternative technology. You just answered my doubt about you. You are solid and open minded. A good builder and open minded. I like Matt Ressinger also.

[@DIYMechanic1]

Great insights and this hits at something "the internet" often doesn't recognize, which is that just because something may be "the best" does not always mean that it is appropriate. Keep up the good work, gentlemen. I look forward to each and every new installment.

[@Tubeytime]

When you said building science I immediately thought of Matt Risinger. I'd love to see a collaborative effort from you two or even just a one-off video.

[@carlislehendersonthethird7799]

I watch Risinger often. Very educational. I think EC is the best channel on KZbin right now tho. In a close second is somebody I haven’t seen mentioned in the comments yet, The Crazy Framer. Not so much “how to” but his videos are addictive. Tremendous work ethic as well.

[@Ranbuowsatrawarriar]

Congrats to you on 500k subscribers. Your channel and more specifically your knowledge sharing is a real treat for so many of us. Cheers, Mr. Craftsman. - Dylan

[@joemedrano1970]

I'm not sure why, but I love watching the amount of stickers grow on that orange filing cabinet! Great videos, keep it up!

[@josephadams5993]

just thinking the same thing. Almost half mil subs!

[@sticknstonesbrkbones]

Scott Wadsworth, I have to say that you put some of the best content on youtube in my opinion. I have watched a lot of your videos and I learn something, if not several things, with every video I watch of yours. Keep them coming...and thanks for the effort you put in to it.

[@adamr1637]

You nailed the block layout with your footing pour. Great job!

[@kev5782]

I was hoping for a conditioned crawlspace, but you have your reasons. Thank you guys for putting out this wonderful and educational series.

[@databoy2010]

Had It not been for the vent block they showed at the end I was holding out hope that they would seal and condition the crawl space with some poly board and plastic. I mean I guess they still kinda could but those vent blocks are pointless then.

[@bloodgain]

I really dig the ICF walls like Fox Blocks. If/when I build, I'll probably go that route, especially if I can find a good place to support a basement build. Preformed concrete walls (e.g. Superior Walls) is another good option if they're installed right.

[@willb3018]

Essential Craftsman = Essential Viewing. Always learning here.

[@alec4672]

Matt is such a nerd about building science I'm so glad you know of his channel

[@davidt8145]

When I read the title of your video, I was curious if you'd mention Matt. Very knowledgeable guy. Really looking forward to see how you put this house together.

[@AustinHansen]

I’ve been following you for a while now, and I really enjoy these videos. I’m a roofer in northern Minnesota, and a lot of my work is for a select few contacts who flip houses. I really hope you give the roofers their own video. I’m interested to see how a quality crew out there does things!

[@jwd888]

square plum and true in an efficient manor.. some say he's called the essential craftsman....cheers for all you and nate do and have done, watching on from the u.k

[@raylogan8355]

Such a great channel. Thank you for sharing your experience and know-how. While every project is different, I feel that this channel can be viewed as a trusted source.

[@zeedevil4409]

Love all your content and commentary you provide an insider’s view into construction through a very honorable and certainly well experienced view. Always captivating to watch masons go at it.

[@anthonyloy3713]

Thanks for your different take on the components in the green new technology on today and the future.

[@thomasmckelvey8961]

This video marks my 1st Subscribed Notification for this channel, where common sense, logic, intelligence, & practical experience dictate the path... How sweet it is!

[@bobbyj0708]

I've been a long time subscriber to Fine Homebuilding and I have to admit I've had it up to here with articles on energy efficiency. They pump out article after article on hyper-insulated homes (R-60 roofs, R-30 walls) as if the law of diminishing returns doesn't apply to insulation. I'm all for employing good waterproofing techniques and minimizing penetrations into the house but there's a significant difference in cost between "good enough" and "state of the art", thank you for pointing that there's nothing wrong with "good enough".

[@dh66]

It's not diminished if the HVAC, fenestration and sealing techniques match the base insulation. Home design also is key. With the rate of land values increasing, it only makes sense to spend more on the build cost of the house IMO. Code changes are coming anyways, you can't stop it or get around them.

[@jpbinva9919]

@@dh66 Aren't you going to see diminished returns at some point? No matter how much insulation you have, you're not going to be able to eliminate an HVAC system (unless your climate allows for PAHS, but that's completely another story) and it's difficult to get fenestration with a U factor of under .1. Do you think it would be worth it to insulation all exterior surfaces to R120?

[@dh66]

I guess it would depend on all other factors mentioned, including the climate. I'm not an engineer, I have just been studying energy efficiency codes and techniques lately. Yes, there is diminishing returns but not at the current minimum code in almost all jurisdictions. If people didn't move so frequently, energy efficiency would be on everyone's minds and it would matter a whole lot more.

[@davetaylor8614]

Bob Johnston, your statement on law of diminishing returns should be qualified as to where you are located in what climate zone! Climate zone 5 covers most of North America and to build R30 walls and R 65 roofs which I do only increases the build cost by minimal amounts. You must look at the Btu's per square foot of any project as the main driver of the decision. I build at 10 Btu's or under per square foot to achieve comfort. Passive house builds at 5 Btu's per square foot. Adding R10 to code built walls $1.50 per square foot today's material costs. Adding R30 to R38 today's code only adds $1.50 per square foot on blow in. If you have a 2000 square foot house you have added $6000.00 dollars to put a heavy jacket on the outside instead of a windbreaker. Don't be a Windbreaker!

[@jpbinva9919]

@@josephv5346 what level of insulation do you have in your home? If R120 is not past the point of diminishing returns, what about R300? Also, if you really knew what you were talking about, you would know that PAHS is an underground house.

[@jasonquenga]

Like most others, Matt Risinger came to mind. Matt's channel is like the classroom work, and the Essential Craftsman is the Lab class.

[@vanish85]

It was a very nice video to set a north. A clear intent and direction. Nice! Amazing to watch those guys set the cinder blocks! Looked beautiful!

[@chavoac9713]

For a long while energy efficiency has been an interesting of mine, since undergrad to gradschool. 16 years into my aero career I'm still intrigued by it, it's become my hobby. Your channel has become an educational inspiration. Thank you A little side note: When I was.a young intern, I had a nice cool looking model of a P51D mustang in my cube, one day an old guy came along, taking roll-call to update who was seating where. When he came along (I can't recall his name) he started talking to me about the P51D model I had, and started mentioning NAMES of the individuals who designed the scoop under the wingbox, who designed the canopy, wings, and control surfaces. This guy was a wealth of knowledge. I asked him to sign the airplane model. No real moral to the story, it just reminded me of the older gentleman in NM you met. Aaron

[@Stihlheadd]

I did siding for many years so not use "pre finished siding" it's very hard to caulking to match in color. Not to mention as they age the color difference will only increase

[@JDeWittDIY]

They need to sell the same paint that was used to pre paint the siding along with it for touch ups, etc.

[@KC-rk1hx]

Been watching your channel since pretty close to the beginning. My backround is in stone masonry and now structural concrete/ bridges (still learning). Work with remodelers in the off seasons. Seems just about all your videos apply to some project I get myself into. Keep up the good work. Kyle C.

[@EyeintheSky999]

My temp swing this year has been -20 to 102 f all while living in 120-year-old tech. We have scrapped boiler from 1910 and used the chimney to run ductwork to the second floor and shot cellulose and expanding foam into walls. Gone through more tubes of caulk than you can imagine. So yes you have to adapt to climate and work within building restraints.

[@wjthehomebuilder]

Very well addressed.

[@matthews.1813]

What an awesome video!!!! I hope the feature home owner knows how bless they are to have you as there builder. Keep up the great work!

[@PuppetNerd]

Great stuff! Keep up the great work!

[@kennyx8482]

this mans a great teacher, in many ways than one

[@kyleamcphee]

Great video as always, love the honesty and transparency, but there's a sticking point here that I feel the need to mention. I feel as if the move to normalize efficiency in residential construction is being stifled by competent, able, builders like yourselves sticking to what's in your wheel house. Your points for staying the course with this build are valid, though it would be a great opportunity to show us how you deal with new challenges, new contractors, new materials, and so on. This won't effect my dinner time viewings but I hope you'll take these points into consideration for future projects. All the best, crew and thanks for the great videos! Cheers from Cape Breton!

[@dozer1642]

It’s funny, I was checking out the one-ton hub cap in the corner of the screen when the efficiency counter started. 🙃

[@ramstonet]

Me too for some reason i want that cap🤔

[@dozer1642]

I threw one away a few weeks ago. That beauty would complete my set again. 😍

[@aserta]

I was specking cap too. Thinking of using one as a portable forge.

[@0j0nn]

same!

[@paradoxdea]

Bless you, kind sir. You've given me a real reason to become more professional and productive.

[@terrylorentz5572]

Love your program and really enjoy how you communicate your thoughts. Thanks so much for doing it. Best wishes from Ontario!

[@danielduplessis1582]

You are a legend . You know your business.

[@arkansas1336]

My compliments to you on the accomplished task, so far. You hit the layout of the 'bulkheads' and 'the vertical bars' spot on! That took a lot of calculations, making notes and extensive studying before getting on the job to achieve the desired results....and I know it wasn't easy! Very well done! You standing on the job in the 'observance position as a professional' is money well spent as you can see 'possible future problems' before they occur and take 'before needed corrective action(s)'....another job well done! Btw, the foundation has an "impressive refinement" in it's appearance, a great decision to use the CMU's.

[@imout671]

Appreciate what you and your son are doing. Look forward to each new video. I've been studying the code of late as it relates to my business and surprised to realize it is a minimum standard and in a few examples its a poor standard.

[@bobt9948]

So nice to watch this video! I feel the same about Mat Reisinger, pretty complete building nerd! I gotta tell you tho, there is something I don't get from his channel that I do get from yours. I know you weren't looking for a comparison. I just have to point out my appreciation for your channel!!!!

[@DustinDeuling]

I've been watching this series in reverse. I wish you would have went with the ICF style crawl space with an insulated slab underneath. A conditioned crawl space is free from bugs, moisture, heat loss and gain. Either way the home is beautiful. I thoroughly enjoy your craftsmanship, keep up the good work and thanks.

[@tcpnetworks]

Quite an efficient piece. Efficiency of delivery...

[@TheAxecutioner]

Risinger's methods are way above and beyond what's practical & affordable. Spending 30-40% more than a normal build to get 5% better performance for most of the country just isn't logical.

[@maycatyuiop]

I have yet to see a youtuber I can respect half as much as you

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

AvE?

[@shanegillespie6014]

Not to take anything away from EC, but if you've yet to see another youtuber you can't even respect half as much as EC, you need to find better to channels to watch. There are some really classy guys out there. He even mentions one in this video.

[@maycatyuiop]

@@gramursowanfaborden5820 ok ave is awesome but he doesn't explained things half as well as EC does. Maybe it's just the Canadian accent

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

@@maycatyuiop ye gawt te internalise the vernacular.

[@bigunone]

Future wire your house, all convenience and lighting circuits in 12 gauge, even if you run them on a 15 amp breaker. Don't let you electrician load the circuits to their maximum leave some carrying capacity! Code is just a minimal set of standards

[@gabewhisen3446]

I did that on my add-on just cause and if I want to make them 20A I can a change of breaker and outlets and boom it was not a big expense to go 12gauge at that time

[@mraliks1]

Future is wireless

[@roosterhunter6245]

@@mraliks1 HAHAHA!

[@bigunone]

@@mraliks1 The government grabbed all of Tesla's notes, so wireless power transmission may be a pipe dream

[@dh66]

@@bigunone wireless power transmission is inefficient and not required.

[@thewilddinkus8026]

The amount he said efficiency is inefficient

[@eustache_dauger]

True. Not a very efficient use of the word.. 😅

[@billyrussell5148]

Taking in to account Time (t) / Quantity (Q) I thought he was very efficient.!

[@martinrampersad7210]

so who really cares.....it's the information that you are interested in.... guess when we get old like him we will be encyclopedic in our effort to teach others for free.....

[@TV-lm3bn]

your video help me a lot. I'm a constructor in Korea. we are especially building wood house suing light lumber...

[@michaelbolen2118]

Thanks for the info on yet another solid video, and honest appraisal of your strengths/weaknesses

[@johnlh1996]

Some modern building science details aren’t that expensive. Capillary breaks, insulation in the right place. Matching layers to layers on all sides. Building and sealing your window frames in such a way that there is a failsafe for any water that gets in. Not every home needs to be at Passive House standards. I enjoy Matt Risinger’s channel a lot. I put more focus though on Dr. Joseph Lsitburek. In one talk he made a fantastic point which I think Matt has also mentioned. We once built with wood which had specific properties when getting saturated and dried. We switched to plywood and OSB without considering the way they are different from wood. We’ve trapped water instead of redirecting it, or allowing it a path by which to evaporate, water always wins. I would suggest you look up say roof details from Dr. Lstibureks 2019 talk. He explains the process of ice dam which makes complete sense and how to avoid it. I think traditional with a few critical tweaks would create a remarkable house even factoring in cost/benefit. All that being said, nothing we will build will last forever. And every new method material seems to have some unforeseen issue 5 - 45 years later. Whatever you decide, best of luck throughout the project.

[@dondomes9864]

Joe L is absolutely awesome. Real practical and down to earth as an engineer. His daughter has a channel that is also really interesting. See Craig E comment for more info

[@biffoswilly]

You are about my age and the way we build is best - Well done

[@oldschool6345]

Efficiency and green are selling tools for a million things. You can't heat a house with a light bulb no matter how hard you try. Your approach is most correct I would say. Many times the efficiency being sold hasnt been thought through, other outside factors can negate them. Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing

[@charlesmiller5078]

Love to style of block you used. Watched someone build a castle in Orlando in the early 70s, actually I poured the concrete on the guard walks on top. The block they used was a cut stone from England, it had apparently small amounts of Mica in it, it would twinkle in the sunlight. Most amazing stone I have ever seen. This was a huge Castle, so expense for the stone, and shipping must of cost a fortune.

[@bradmathews]

I have been wondering for a few episodes now why you went with block instead of just pouring the stem wall at the same time (efficiency!) Now I see, your "crawl" space is more of a stoop over space, no knee pads needed. Man am I jealous of how much room you have down there - the crawl space in my new addition is like 24", and only 12" under the beams.

[@torque350hp]

Good points there. Efficiency is good but how relevant it is depends on the gain. Efficiency for efficiencies sake is vanity and a striving after the wind.

[@pats1010]

Cheers for the lessons!

[@castledomeknives9395]

Greetings from So E Arizona...today's temp. 94 / 67° F.....wish I was up north!

[@afh7689]

At least you don't have the humidity on top of the heat like Florida does!

[@wpherigo1]

Very well presented. The logic made sense. Thanks.

[@scruffy6151]

Now i have been efficiently informed lol. Love the channel and remember when you started it. I am glad it has grown and hope it gets bigger because, of the information that will help many.

[@essentialcraftsman]

Thanks Scruffy!

[@kiwibird8441]

Early haha, caught up on the last few vids and loving the build series. Missing being on the tools though. Thanks sharing your knowledge EC

[@kiwibird8441]

Great video. Everyone watching this series needs to see this, might be the awnser to a few questions in future episodes lol.

[@ansmercuri]

Another great Video 👍. It was very interesting seeing cinder blocks being used for construction, most other youtube channels I watch normally just shoot them 😂

[@patrickeh696]

Most homes in FL are now built with those blocks.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

angelo-john Mercuri haha right!? I had no idea they had these other uses!

[@rafburke7828]

Love the block choice going to look great!

[@jawbone83]

Are you guys planning on putting in a heat pump? I think that would add a huge value since its cheaper to run than a furnace and also functions as an AC in the summer for those periodic heat waves.

[@zschudrowitz155]

Building and building Green seems like a constant balance to be worked out.

[@TheAxecutioner]

I LOVE the look of the split face block there at the end, it's going to be a great looking house!

[@detonator2x]

I dont know if this has been brought up or is something you've even considered or not but, what are your plans for heating that house? Have you given any consideration to radiant floor heat via pex tubing? I think that would be really cool to see!

[@BenMack87]

A great book about energy saving and a building method is outside the box by Bill Hanlon he was one of my construction teachers he developed this system and it works great

[@zimalkhan1422]

Very good and funny videos bring a great sense of entertainment!

[@terrystephens1102]

Another great episode filled with very useful information, thanks 👌👍👏👏👏👏

[@danbreyfogle8486]

After a lifetime in the trades I often ask, "what did we ever do before construction screws became a thing?" One small example of the changes in technology.

[@giovannifiorentino8947]

Cool music too, great match to your style.

[@nondisclosed8866]

Awesome channel 👍 you should look into encapsulated crawlspaces

[@raphaelb.2350]

I was very excited when I saw the title of your video, except by the end of it, your message was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. If I can paraphrase: "building science is nice, but it's expensive, I don't think I need it, no one is asking for it, I'm not really interested in it." Let's unpack this. - It's expensive: Yes. Architects/engineers will charge a premium for advanced framing, load calculations, energy estimation, solar gain calculation, etc. Then most trades don't know how to create air-tight envelopes, so you need more quality control, which should not be a problem for you :) - I don't think I need it. Your clients do. Houses with sound building science are just more comfortable. No draft, no condensation, no mold, no odors, fresh air, all rooms at the same temperature, less maintenance, etc. - No one is asking for it. Unfortunately, that's true. And that's the only reason you can get away with it. But younger generations care about energy consumption and our finite resources. Wouldn't it be nice to tell your grand-children that at some point you decided to build houses that were in line with their expectations? - I'm not really interested in it. That's a personal choice. Matt Risinger was not always as knowledgable about building science as he is today (watch his earlier videos - building pseudoscience at best :) . But I think he's understood that as a builder you can make a difference in one of the most important industries emitting co2. I still think your videos are very interesting, it's just a missed opportunity.

[@Phillip-fj9yn]

Mucha gracias por compartir su conosimiento en construction aprendi much o thank-you very moucj

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Great video Essential craftsman

[@mraliks1]

Beautiful blocks! Thanks for another video! Here in WA, WSU develops a lot of the energy efficiency guidelines, and they are simple, yet impactful on our area. But even between western and eastern WA there is tremendous difference in how much building energy efficiency will bring in ROI. Sure it's nice, is it worth it?

[@johnpurdum8126]

It took me a minute to figure out what you meant by CMU. Concrete Masonry Unit. Not in the trades but I love watching the channel.

[@makemyday1477]

This was a very efficient video.

[@robthewaywardwoodworker9956]

Great video, as always. One thing I can say for sure it that house is going to have an insane view! Git 'er dun!

[@mt929496]

Such honesty is a rare and valuable treasure (not a commodity) these days. I am in the process of building a home in TN with a custom builder. When I started following you, I had hoped you would be further along on your home to show me the way as I built my home, but I have gotten well ahead of you. Aside from that, you have provided invaluable guidance nonetheless. In the beginning, I wanted the best of AC, heating, insulation, windows, etc. In the end, the only things I paid for were good low-e windows and a sealed, enclosed crawl space. Eventually, I will add a Panasonic ERV and/or whole house humidification. But these things need to be held to economic scrutiny, as a lot of the traditional insulation and HVAC upgrades have very long paybacks. Solar also has a longer, but very well defined payback, which trumps all of the other investments. In other words, we can afford to be less efficient in our homes once we invest in the sun to provide our energy. It is is important to consider future energy alternatives against spending today's money on insulating technologies. Thanks for a great video.

[@patrickeh696]

The payback time for your solar EXCEEDS the warranted life of the equipment in almost all cases. BTW, you can get a house with the equivalent of R-100 for what you are paying.

[@mt929496]

@@patrickeh696, most panels are warranted for 25-30 years. Paybacks are way less than that. As to your insulation claim, can you detail the specs for achieving R-100 in a modern home? Not sure I've ever seen that claim.

[@patrickeh696]

@@mt929496 Paybacks are only less than that in lower latitudes. Sorry but I have been designing solar systems since '79. How 'bout you? How much experience do you have? A solar panel's performance warranty will typically guarantee 90% production at 10 years and 80% at 25 years. An equipment warranty will typically guarantee 10-12 years without failing. Sorry, you need a LOT more education

[@mt929496]

Patrick EH so you have been designing systems with no financial return for the past 40 years?

[@wildtimbrown]

A great way to keep up with building science. Read Fine Homebuilding magazine..

[@gentbar7296]

i like tool tanks and most... knowledge bottomless tanks... cheers uncle

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing. Yes.

[@garethsnaim8174]

I hope there will be a dedicated video to the start of the MCU build, its just so satisfying watching craftsman do their thing.

[@ecteam276]

Gareth Irwin There will be

[@lexislandscape8345]

Good stuff! Thank you.

[@Jim1457a]

If it's not too late... can you add a short vid of the mason laying a few blocks at regular speed? The pros make it look SO much easier than it actually is!

[@ecteam276]

Jim1457a that video is coming soon

[@bcbloc02]

Any reason why when they laid the block they only mudded the outside joints? I have always mudded the whole layer.

[@Stewbular]

Well I’ll be dang! The two building KZbin channels I watch the most are this one And Matt’s “t h e Build Show’” Back in the ancient days of the 1970’s , when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we who were into it, called what is now sustainability, alternative energy. We built four identical cabins but each w different methods of passive solar design. PG&E embedded thermistors in various places and hooked that up to a computer bigger than a HVAC unit. Our data and data from other folks doing the same kind of research lead to formulas to be able to calculate & size the amount of glazing to square footage to thermal mass instead of guessing. Our super insulated houses led to the more recent Passive Hous movement *Opps old man rambling warning * Keep up the excellent work brother Wadsworth, this old dog learns new tricks in almost every episode

[@MD-cd7em]

YOU IN CALI??

[@Stewbular]

M D Was back in the day

[@mattdemanche]

Really curious what you’re going to use for a weather barrier. I could almost see you going with anything from 15# felt to Typar or Blueskin. Would also love to see you do a video of flashing a window!

[@charleyandsarah]

Im surprised youre doing a vented crawlspace, and not conditioned? Those cmu blocks look nice as a stem wall

[@brentderksen]

Well put!

[@Mrcaffinebean]

All very excellent points regarding as to why this house won’t be “the highest tech” house. That is is totally OK with me because it’s honestly more applicable: I love high tech stuff, but if I was building my home there are a lot of things that I would skip just for costs.

[@snjairbeater]

Love Matt!

[@patrickmitchell100]

Efficiency might be the key here 😁

[@MrDerekmoney]

Im assuming those decorative cinder blocks are doubling as venting for under your crawl space? It's interesting to me since theres such a back and forth on closing vents or opening them. Most likely code up there dictates they have to be there, but whats your take on venting your crawl space?