Stomping around the treed site I realized that most practical spot for the house (where south facing windows will capture solar heat from the sun in the winter months) has the Solar access seriously restricted by a stand of nice pine trees and will also require the removal of a very nice, old birch tree.
Being a tree lover, much to the demise of my excavation contractor, I needed to find a way to preserve as many of the good trees as possible. The hardwoods are not an issue for the solar gain in the winter and are actually good to provide shading in the summer. The spruce, fir and pine trees on the south side of the lot are a concern, however. An emergency call to sustainable landscape architect, Sue Sirrs of Outside, and we have a solution. By moving the house back about 30 feet on the lot we can clear a few unhealthy trees, preserving the pines and birch. A quick calculation, and I know this change will cost me between $2-3,000, well worth the cost, to me anyway.
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