Build Your High Performance Home

The collaborative process is exciting as we build your dream together.

3_JordanHouse

Ready to Build?

Prudent Living welcomes the opportunity to serve you in four key areas. Build your future Zero Energy Solar Home or high-performance home with Prudent Living Homes. Start saving now on your energy bills with Prudent Living Solar. Explore high-performance home construction details and learn about alternative home energy solutions with Prudent Living Magazine, our weekly blog. And climb aboard the Prudent Living Train for your entertainment and education through an immersive video experience. We love building Zero Energy High-Performance Homes that provide sustainable solutions for our customers.

OUR SPECIALTIES

Custom high performance design/build firm.

Our full-service design/build team starts with talking about your project and developing trust in our "meet and greet" meeting. Here we'll share ideas on we begin to make your dream a reality!

  • Custom Design
  • Remodeling
  • Solar Energy Systems
  • High-Performance Homes
  • Kitchen Remodeling
DCIM100MEDIADJI_0009.JPG

LATEST NEWS

Check out our blog to stay up-to-date on helpful tips and useful information.

What Is A Solar Hot Water System?

Solar hot water systems use basic thermal principles to capture incomingsolar radiation and heat water for domestic and other uses. Over the years,a variety of system designs have been developed and tested to meet speciMc consumer needs and conditions. Due to the cold climate in the Northeastwe use primarily closed loop systems with a 50/50…

Cost and Energy Considerations for a ProHome

Cost and energy efficiency considerations drove many design decisions for the ProHOME project. But the upgrades inside, like the cabinets and counters in the kitchen and the radiant heat in the bathroom, help to make the sale. Watch this video to see how these factors related to finish a beautiful and affordable production home. 

How Much Per Square Foot?

by Paul Biebel, President Biebel Builders, Inc & Prudent Living, Inc In thirty years of building homes, the most common question I’ve heard from prospective clients is: “How much will it cost per square foot?” The answer to that question is: “Well…cough…sputter…gag…that depends….” If you ever hear another answer from a prospective builder, it’s a…

Safety On The Home Front

by Nancy Wolff When I was asked to write an article on Safety my mind started to go in all different directions. Should I write about the safety of using homemade cleaning products versus store bought? Of the importance of keeping the prongs of a garden rake pointed downwards when you garden? Or should I…

Down the Up Staircase

How an Eyesore Became a Centerpiece When Tom and Sarah purchased an 1870 farmhouse and barn in West Windsor, Vermont, in 2003, their farm was already famous. For example, they were told by several locals that “Good Morning, America” had once used the barn as a backdrop for one of their programs. And a 500-piece…

A few hundred dollars of prevention can save future headaches.

Radon is a no stranger to this area of the country. Not all homes have a radon problem but it’s impossible to know if a new home will have a problem until it’s complete. Trying to remediate the problem after a home is finishes is cumbersome and ugly. It’s better to prep for radon now…

Net-Zero, Primary Residence Homes, Part 2

First of all, the process of building a house consumes a huge amount of energy before anyone even moves in and calls it home.  Here’s a brief snapshot of what I mean.    There’s no such thing as a house that doesn’t consume energy Site & Concrete:  First the loggers come and clear out the…

What’s a Smart Slab Assembly for Net Zero Construction in Vermont?

Net zero construction in Vermont requires executing high performance building practices in every aspect of the residential project. A home built to net zero construction in Vermont assumes that the building contractor has incorporated high performance standards within every element of construction. A high performance home is super-insulated from the foundation to the roof, super sealed from…

Home Downsizing Strategies for Seniors – A Case Study

My grandparents have downsized…twice! The first time was when they moved to Florida from New Hampshire about 20 years ago. Then they downsized again a couple years ago when they moved back to New Hampshire to share a home they built with my aunt and uncle. Since they are so experienced with downsizing strategies for…

Because It’s Time: What Does It Mean? Part 2

As Y2K approached and many thought the world might end or would at the very least be extremely discombobulated in attempting to adjust clocks and computers to the new millennium, Biebel reminisces, “We stocked up a year’s supply of food, just in case, and we asked ourselves, ‘Why are we buying food that comes from…