Structure & Envelope · Envelope packages
Choose your home's envelope package
Your home's envelope is everything between you and the weather: the walls, roof, windows, and the seal that ties them together. You pick one package for the whole house, from a solid code-built home to our ultra-efficient double-wall build.
Good meets Washington's current energy code. Better and Best step up from there. After the package, you choose a flat or vaulted ceiling.
Your options
Pick one package for the whole house
Good
Built Right to Code
A solid, well-sealed home that meets Washington's current energy code. A layer of rigid foam board wraps the outside of the framing so the studs don't leak heat, and the house must pass a blower-door test, a fan test that measures air leaks.
Benefits
- Lowest cost of the three packages
- Proven, familiar construction
- Meets current energy code
Trade-offs
- Highest heating bills of the three
- Usually needs a heat pump to meet the energy code
Better
High Performance
Thicker mineral wool insulation wraps the whole house, with a vented gap behind the siding so the walls can dry. The house is sealed to less than half the air leakage code allows, and an HRV (heat-recovery ventilator) brings in fresh, filtered air while keeping the heat inside.
Benefits
- Fewer drafts, steadier temperatures, quieter rooms
- Fresh air year-round, even with windows closed
- Walls that dry out, with an outer layer that won't burn
Trade-offs
- Costs more than Good
- Window sills sit a couple of inches deeper
Best
Ultra-Efficient
A double-stud wall, two framed walls side by side, makes a 12-inch-thick wall packed with cellulose insulation. A continuous sealed membrane wraps the house to about a third of the air leakage code allows, paired with a high-efficiency HRV. It's the most comfortable, lowest-energy home we build.
Benefits
- Lowest heating bills, smallest heating system
- Very quiet, even temperatures wall to wall
- Walls insulated with recycled paper (cellulose), not foam
Trade-offs
- Highest cost and the longest build
- Thick walls: about 13-inch-deep window sills, a little less floor space
Side by side
| Feature | Good | Better | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walls | 2x6 framing + foam board outside | 2x6 framing + mineral wool board outside | 12-inch double-stud wall |
| Wall insulation | Code level | About 15% more | About 35% more |
| Air leakage | Meets code | 2.5× tighter than code | Over 3× tighter than code |
| Fresh air | Bath and kitchen exhaust fans | Heat-recovery ventilator | High-efficiency heat-recovery ventilator |
| Siding | Fastened directly to the wall | On a vented gap so the wall can dry | On a vented gap so the wall can dry |
| Window sills inside | Standard depth | A couple of inches deeper | About 13 inches: room for a window seat |
Included at every level
Standing seam metal roof over full-coverage ice and water membrane
Framing engineered for Methow snow loads
Blower-door air-leak test on every house
Built to Washington's current energy code
FAQ
Common questions
What is a building envelope?
It's the shell that separates inside from outside: walls, roof, windows, doors, and the foundation, plus the insulation and air seal built into them. A good envelope keeps heat in, drafts and moisture out, and lets you get by with smaller heating equipment.
Is a double stud wall worth it in the Methow Valley?
For long, cold winters it often is. Two framed walls side by side make room for about a foot of cellulose insulation with almost no wood passing through it, so heating bills drop and rooms stay even. The trade-offs are cost, a little floor space, and deep window sills.
Which envelope package is right for my home?
It depends on your budget, how long you plan to stay and how much comfort matters to you. Good is a solid, code-built home. Better adds comfort, fresh air, and durability for a moderate step up. Best suits owners staying for the long haul who want the lowest bills. We price all three on your plans during pre-construction.
Related decisions
Not sure which fits?
We'll walk through the packages with you during pre-construction, using your plans, budget, and site, and price each option before you decide.