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CUSTOM HOME DESIGNS SERVING CLIENT NEEDS AND BUDGET

    Earth-Solar House Plans

    Simple 1 story slab on grade designs encouraging using the earth as insulation and solar penetration as energy.

    Description: 1 primary living level slab on grade with rear side built into a moderate slope. Long and low, and pretty simple to build. Definite passive solar potential. This design format has one primary topographical orientation being ‘downhill’. This design format has some inherent planning limitations because of its 1 story long and narrow format. Note a primer on passive solar design conditions is included in all design sets.

    Size: 842 sf  up to 2420 sf on one living level. Bedroom and bath count, and room sizing is proportionate with overall square footage.

    Style: Characterized with low profile, low slope roofs and a mostly contemporary appearance. This series maintains the same general architectural format from the smaller size designs to the larger ones.

    These low profile designs under single roof plane offer a simple contemporary construction and look.

    Earth-Solar #1

    842 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 1 Bath: 1
    Some physical settings allow these low profile designs to tuck into the environment.

    Earth-Solar #2

    1053 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 1 Bath: 1
    View represents the gradual upfill site slope suitable to this home design series that partially buries rear side into that sloped hillside.

    Earth-Solar #3

    1260 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 1+flex Bath: 1.5
    Roof extensions over entry, the central living spaces, and the flex and bedroom spaces are all available to manage for best sun penetration.

    Earth-Solar #4

    1331 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 1 plus flex Bath: 1.5
    This exterior view shows the stepped window design theme distinguishing this variation of design #4.

    Earth-Solar #4a

    1331 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 1 plus flex Bath: 1.5

    Earth-Solar #5

    1394 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 2 Bath: 2
    This longer design is benefited by raising the roof plane over the open living spaces.

    Earth-Solar #6

    1636 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 3 Bath: 2.5
    Exterior detailing give some texture to this long design elevation.

    Earth-Solar #7

    2146 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 3 Bath: 2.5

    Earth-Solar #8

    2420 sf Levels: 1 Bedrm: 3 Bath: 3.5

    Series Overview

    Site: These designs are best suited to a 5 %-12% site slope which permits the rear side to be tucked into the hillside and to have the front side near or at grade suitable to both some easy access outside living and vehicular access to covered parking. With the front south facing there is passive solar potential for sure. The design sets include a passive solar primer.

    Construction: These are slab on grade constructions. The rear hillside walls have an outboard retaining masonry layer permitting the interior walls at that rear wall to be unbroken framed and insulated walls. The roof planes are all single slope with the high side on the front for greater glass opportunity, and total control or the roof ‘sun management’ overhang both of which give passive solar its best chance.

    Layout: These plans are all necessarily narrow and long. Front left to right the basic positioning of parking-then entry and living spaces- then bedroom spaces- is the only workable arrangement and all plans follow that basic sequence. Mirroring is an easy option.

    DIY friendly: This slab on grade, close to the ground, single slope roof construction is sympathetic to DIY efforts. Some scopes need or want subcontracting but a lot can be executed by a qualified 2 man crew.

    Appearance: The low profile and single slope roof create a contemporary look. The smaller designs are truly simple. The larger designs are necessarily longer and have been given more detail to keep them interesting looking.

    Conversion to garage: All designs showing open fronted carports can easily be converted to enclosed garages.