> So I'm moving to a bit of dirt about 15 miles south of ann arbor and
> building a home.

> So I have a few questions to brainstorm about:
> 
> 1) What would you change about your house if you could?  Or more
> specifically, what would you change that is easier to do at the start
> than it is to retrofit later?

Install conduits and junction boxes throughout the walls.
Probably 3/4" EMT; maybe bigger.  Put conduit to everyplace
you think you might _ever_ want to put a wire.  Maybe two
conduits; one for power, one for data/fiber/pneumatics/etc.

> 2) Assuming unlimited "dreaming" budget, what would you build
> into a custom designed house?

Observatory with heliostat.

> 4) What would you do with 10 acres of land?

Build a 40' x 30' (at least) 4 car garage with dual layer
materiel storage, machine shop, wood working shop, welding
area, automobile lift, etc.  Cars wouldn't be parked inside
except when being worked on or during restoration.

> 3) Insulated concrete forms, steel frame construction, pole
> construction, log home...

I find 2x6 frame walls, either wood or steel, with fiberglass
insulation works fine -- but then I live in southern California
where climate is quite temperate (or warm, which I like).

> 4) Orchards, gardens, animals, wood/metal shop, english gardens
> (hedge maze!), small landing strip (land is around 1200' x 350'),
> wind & solar electricity...

50' or so wide landing strip is fine; but 1200' (with overrun)
is on the short side for almost any aircraft with long enough
"legs" and decent speed for cross country travel.  But a landing
strip would be quite nice along with a hanger.  Explore entering
an agreement with an adjacent neighbor to have a longer runway
with an overrun and a bit of area for final approach & climb out.

						Lee Jones

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist