Maine’s largest city has a strong buy-local movement. Landry made every effort to capitalize on that sensibility when choosing products and building materials, and played up the local connection when marketing the home through his real estate agency, Benchmark Residential and Investment Real Estate.
“These kitchen countertops are made one-eighth of a mile away,” he says, referencing a nearby concrete artisan. “We tried to support local businesses.”
When practical, local lumber was chosen. Eastern white pine, grown, milled and SFI certified by Maine-based Hancock Lumber, was used for the yard fence and for rear exterior siding.
Efficient Warmth
At any price point, home heating is a prime concern in Maine. Buyers want a house that’s easy on fuel, but Landry stopped short of going to extremes. Solar panels and alternative heating systems were not considered for this job.
“The old housing stock in this area is completely defective,” Landry said. “So you don’t have to go zero carbon footprint to stand out from the competition.”
With the house gutted, insulating was a straight-ahead job. Closed-cell foam was sprayed from cellar to ceiling to achieve the highest R-values permitted by the framing.
In the basement, the foam encapsulates the cold, leaky stone and brick foundation that’s typical of the area’s 19th-Century construction. A new, poured concrete floor makes the space dry and usable. Elevated radon gas levels, tied to the region’s granite geology, required the addition of an air-to-air heat exchanger.
For heat and hot water, Landry chose a Laars Endurance multi-zone boiler, fueled by natural gas. It’s a cleaner, less-costly choice in a state where fuel oil remains the dominant source of heat energy. The boiler feeds wall-mounted Biasi radiator panels, which add a contemporary, European flourish to the home’s basic New England roots.
In the den, there’s a novel heating choice: An EcoSmart vent-free fireplace. Fueled by smokeless, emissions-free bio-ethanol, the modern, stainless steel fireplace warms the room like a giant alcohol burner.
COLONIAL CHIC: CAPE COD STYLE
New England’s architectural landscape is dotted with Cape Cod–style homes, a design that’s sometimes called America’s first house style. Highly symmetrical, with a centered front door and flanking windows on its long elevation, the design is simple and practical. Today, the style is often just called a cape.
Adopted by the English settlers in the 17th Century, the steep roof was well suited to stormy weather and shedding snow. The center chimney helped warm the structure, and shuttered windows turned back rain and wind.
The earliest capes were one story, but as people moved upstairs, builders added dormers for headroom. In the 20th Century, the cape enjoyed a revival in America’s new suburbs. Its simple lines and construction made it a perfect starter home.
The Cape Cod remains popular today in the region, although it’s likely to be paired with a two-car garage and topped with a shed dormer in back, or two eyebrow dormers in front. A chimney is often added to the gabled end for a living room hearth.
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