If I had to guess, it's a 10' ceiling with an 8' door vs standard 6'8" door. I am not an architect, but in keeping w/scale of the house, you could drop the door height down to 6'8". Congrats on your long-awaited dream...that view is amazing!

@melaska- what a horrendous view! But you're going to hate to look at your window and see that every day!

(Just kidding!!!!!!! Amazing!!!)

LOL kelhuck...yep - gonna be horrendous! :)

Those mountains go all the way to the east & west as well. There's a river in front of them. We also have mountains to the south.

I took a picture of these mountains which are just up the road about 12 miles or so. Valdez is called "The Little Switzerland of the North". This is a small part of "Thompson Pass" - the site for the WESC - World Extreme Skiing Championship.

We live 14 miles out of town but here's a town picture to give you an idea...it's a 'stock' photo.

If you want to 'tour' Alaska...the link below is a great way to do that. I think that's where I found the town photo.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alaska photos

melaska,

Congrats on starting your project.

You asked about our ceilings/doors/transoms. The ceilings are 9-0 high and the doors are 7-0 high.

Best wishes for your build!

Jay

Jay,

Thanks so much for answering - I was so happy to see your ceilings are 9'...that's what ours will be, too. Do your transoms have glass?

I was showing hubby your house pics - he really likes your house, too...he's particularly interested in your screened-in porch & the roof. As of now, we don't have a roof over our deck. I know it's something we should do.

He would like to do something with passive solar so we're trying to figure out a way to do that. Do you thing it would work with what you have? He says vertical solar collectors work best up here.

Do your screens open? I've seen windows that have screens that slide up or sideways. That would be nice to have for the winter.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my ceiling question...I really appreciate it.

Melinda

Melinda,

The transoms in the bathrooms and bedrooms are glazed - all the rest are open.

We spend a ton of time on the covered portion of the deck. The bugs haven't been too bad where we are (until it started to turn cold) so we haven't spent as much time in the screen porch as on the deck. The covered portion of the deck provides a real feeling of shelter while still being completely open, if that makes any sense.

If you're asking about the porch screens opening, they are fixed. The screens on the windows will be removed and stored here in the next week or so.

Not sure if you're understanding the term 'passive solar' correctly, but the large overhangs on the house are for exactly that reason. The house is oriented exactly on compass axis so the south side of the living room wing is protected by the overhangs when the sun is high in the summer, but lets sunlight into the house in the winter when the sun is low. The south end of the bedroom wing (master bedroom) does not currently have any protection, but future plans call for a pergola at the end of that wing that will provide some shading in the summer.

The roof pitch was selected to be the optimum angle (45 degrees - roughly equal to our latitude here)for future photo voltaic panels.

I'm sure your husband is probably correct on the vertical collectors for active solar way up where you are.

I've added a few new photos showing some of the new landscaping

Here is a link that might be useful: Recent photos begin here

Thanks, Jay, for all that info.

I tried to pin down hubby on being more specific but he was on a one-track mission so didn't get much. He said he had all the information. Ha ha...I'd like to see it!

I found the site I linked below. Is that what you're talking about?

If you'd like to see our ever-changing house plans, I put a post on here - it's at the top. Of course, nothing like your house - we went tiny & tried to make it efficient. I posted for feedback/suggestions.

We'd love to be able to use a windmill - we sure do get lots of wind here! I wish snow could generate power.

Where are you going to put your collection panels? Where did you get most of your solar info?

Hubby & I were looking at your photo album today - great pics! I love the one taken of the outside of your house in the dark with the moon. Beautiful.

So...your transoms are 12" high? Thanks for that info.

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Passive solar sustainable sources

Thanks Melinda,

The transom openings are about 16" clear.

If and when we do PV, the panels will go on the back (south) side of the living room wing. I have no idea when that will be within our budget.

Jay

Thanks for the info, Jay.

What kind of solar panels are you going to use?

No idea - a garage is way higher on the priority list!

I know what you mean. We hope to have a garage in our future, too. But, the carport is a HUGE improvement for us since we have nothing now! Just to get it out of Alaska's elements is enough for me.

I'll still deal with the cold but I will rest easier starting the car with my remote knowing there's no garage door to accidentally be left closed to gas us :)

Jay...I LOVE the landscaping you have done! That first picture with the flowers & offset what looks like something concrete is so striking! Where did you get that idea? Your whole house in the fall landscape is just breath taking.

You should post that pic on GW - I thought of it but didn't know if you'd want it on here in this thread. I like to ask first.

Thanks for the pic link!

Nice view.

It looks a lot more like footers than a foundation though.

You're right, brickeyee...I'll put the finished photo below.

NOW you have a foundation.

Congrats.