This volume contains some of the most unique and beautiful yet affordable patterns  to create the comfortable home you will be proud to live in.  These types of patterns have been handed down through centuries of living in harmony with Nature.  For independence, in order to save operating costs paid to others, the consumer wishes to use solar energy, which is delivered at no cost to every doorstep.  For comfort, and beauty, and to make a liveable and easy to care for home, the patterns show how anyone can do something unique for themselves.  The patterns and information should feel common sense and adaptable for use in most situations.

Professionals have prepared these patterns which  combine new and old technologies along a profitable line of thought which consumers now are taking.  All the specified materials and ideas are high quality for the long term.

The goal of this book is to stimulate the creation of the affordable and enduring dream home.  These ideas come from the imagination, a realm of creativity which excludes no human being who allows for touching something sublime in their lifetime.  Having created a home from this stuff of imagination means being surrounded daily by something solid enough to reach out and touch, to communicate with friends the inner worth shared within the reality of your dreamed home, which you create yourself with the patterns in this volume.

The first and most important step, though, is to set aside any thought of impossibility for yourself and allow your imagination to play with your dreams.  The springboard, the vista, the clues, are in this book, with all the steps to follow to create your plan.

Once a real dream is possible in the mind of one who desires it,  then it can become reality, but one must not skip the step of dreaming.  What a great pleasure to experience dreaming your unique home into shape!   Then, the facts and figures and  projected savings you can make will help you set your budget and find the way to finance your project.

To make your house your home, requires adding some attributes which the original builders had not considered, or perhaps are present but which need to be brought out more fully in order for them to give their full value in beauty, lower operating costs and comfort.  Indeed, the site may have advantages which can be optimized and the house may have a hidden value waiting to be discovered in one of these patterns. 

Because this volume offers new ideas, the result will uniquely  express each owner's vision which falls within patterns and guidelines for the greatest affordable advantages.

#___ Solar Energy Renovation - uses the heat of the sun even in wintertime to make the house warm. 

Any house can use the sun to keep warm and the warmth can be stored, held during the night or even during the week.  There are three things a solar house has which ordinary houses do not have yet, and these can be added separately or together. 

1.  Windows (#___) which face the sun and hold in heat. 

2.  Insulation(#___) to keep the heat from passing through walls and roof and floor.

3.  A place to store heat (#___) enough to keep the temperature even day and night.  If all three ingredients are included, the recipe is complete: ILLUSTRATION #1

Success demands a balance between collecting heat and stopping it from escaping through the walls and roof and foundation of the building.  Part of collecting the heat is storing it.  (See Solar)

These Solar energy renovations have:

1. No operating costs
2. Actually lower costs of living
3. Have a payback on investment
4. Improve comfort and quality of life
5. Increase property value
6. Lower maintenance work
7. Increase free time
8. Create unique home environments
9. Enhanced health and well-being
10. Attractive rental appeal
11. Beauty and luxury

The process of planning creates the possibility of fulfillment of dreams and wishes.  The process of planning puts the cost and other issues on the table.  Discussing everything allows everyone to see the same clear picture before commencing.  Confronting discomfort now, saves pain later.  What other admonishments could we all add in this department? 

Ideally, we would want the plan to give a framework for cooperation and coordination of many skilled people converging on shared goals:

1. Successful completion
2. Satisfaction of owner
3. Fair Price

Dialog ensues where these thoughts become embodied into the reality of a drawing and a price quote.  These important steps incur costs, take time and effort, and some face to face meetings as well as homework for everyone.  At this point the artifacts of the project might consist of drawings, samples, specifications, quotes or contracts, financial  arrangements and enthusiasm.

They respond to information, seek information and make decisions which become included in contracts.  They check their agreements to assure themselves of clarity.  They inspect work completed. They are bound to pay for the work achieved according to the terms of their contracts.

The Project Manager - The project manager obtains building permits and sees the project through to completion.  His or her organization compiles the price quotation and manages the construction budget and timing.  The drawing  and specifications together with cost figures and description of work forms the contract to coordinate workers and supplies. The project manager informs owners of extra work not included in their contract, quotes any added costs of such work, and submits a change order or extra contract for owners' approval before proceeding.  He assesses quality, communicates among owners and designers, subcontractors and authorities.

The Designer - The designer facilitates visualization of  the completed product for others by means of drawings and descriptions, specifications and samples. 

Architectural Designer - Shapes form, strength, plumbing, heating, electrical and other systems together with matters of the site and permitting, practicality, durability, appearance, materials and finish.

Interior Designer -The floor layout, internal surfaces, fixtures, appearance, texture, colour and utility often become the focus of the Interior Designer.  Costs in the planning stage derive from details settled by consulting with this specialist.

Engineer - This  engineer checks the proposed drawings for strength and durability of the structure, compliance with building codes and materials specifications and approves and/or makes recommendations to designer, contractor and owner.   The engineer stamps the construction drawings prior to submission for the building permit.

Subtrades - Using the blueprint and instructions from the site supervisor, each specialist carries out his job knowing others must precede and follow.  Therefore he wants others to leave him a good path and he prepares a good path for others.  On the site, trades communicate with each other.  The tradesman carries the responsibility to settle decisions, sometimes consulting with the owner and designer or engineer, and with authorities.

Homeowners have expectations prior to renovating.   Construction entails planning and forethought.  To carry out a project requires the communication among numerous specialized tradespeople meeting a timetable in a confined space which is constantly changing.  The expectations of the client most successfully find expression in the planning stages of the project.  The planning stage with its communication and clarification processes determines how the project succeeeds in achieving the aims of the project's originators.  Changes can be made during construction, but interrupting the flow weighs in the balance.  The most efficient work is well-planned with few interruptions.

The process is not the result.  The goal is to improve the building.  The process is the twilight zone, experienced as scary, messy, disruptive, dirty, chaotic, disorienting, unnerving irritating, impossible, wrong etc..  This is especially noticeable when the workers go to their own snug homes each night, leaving their worksite and your snug refuge in the twilight zone between where it once gave solace, comfort and order,  to where it is chaos, before sense will ever return again. If it is any consolation to you, our home, the dwelling of an inveterate renovator and his family,  is always in some sort of production in process.