BUILDING THE FOX family’s Net-Zero Energy Home was not without its challenges. Still, the challenges ended up working in everyone’s favor in the end, producing this beautiful and unique home.
The build started in the winter. After the builder, TC Legend Homes, poured the concrete slab, the weather turned and frosted. They saved the slab from freezing using plastic sheets and hay, but the wind kicked up and caused the hay to come into direct contact with the slab as it was curing.
The hay interacted with the concrete and caused color undulations, adding to the home’s character. Funny enough, the customer and the team loved the end result. This ‘happy accident’ is now a new intentional option for future clients who want some extra pizzazz and variety in the coloring of their concrete floors!
This four bedroom, two-point-five bath home was designed to have the first floor aging in place. The home is 1,978 square feet with an attached 876 square-foot garage. With a 9kW solar array, this home is net-zero, with an annual energy cost savings of $2,800. The Fox Home is DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certified, ENERGY STAR certified, EPA Indoor airPLUS certified, and anticipates to be Built Green 5-star certified!
Additionally, the home is Cool Roof Certified which means that it reflects enough sunlight to cool down the surface temperature. Consequently, less heat transfers into the house and the surrounding air around the house—an effort that is good globally to reduce climate change! The combination of the cool roof and TC Legend’s standard extended eaves, porch, and window layout, as well as the client choosing the lighter color paint on the exterior, will help the house stay cool in the peak of the summer heat.
A remarkable feature of this property is the landscaping done by Lightcatcher Gardens; built with pathways, a garden, a composting system, native shrubbery and plants, a fireplace terrace, and a noise reduction tree buffer, the grounds turn this home into a private oasis.
Custom homes often reflect the character of the client. We always love when clients add their personal touches to a home. In this case that personal touch was in the form of a repurposed trash receptacle as a laundry chute! They also installed a beautiful hummingbird wallpaper in one of the rooms.
“The homeowners were so kind and were such a pleasure to work with,” says Nicole Miller, a TC Legend crew member. TC Legend hopes the whole family enjoys their home for decades to come! TC Legend Homes, 2515 Saint Paul St., Bellingham, tclegendhomes.com
