You have questions and we have answers! Our founder & CEO, Jordi, answers the most frequent questions you ask us through social media. We'll be feeding this section with more videos and information as you send us more queries. Let's go for it! (For now, the videos are available only in Spanish)
As a general rule, a passive house has a price very similar to the conventional ones. It can be between 3% and 8% more expensive, but the great advantage is that over time you amortize it because the electricity bill drops a lot. The houses we build are usually around 2,100 € per m2, although the final price will depend on the peculiarities of your project.
Learn more about the price of a passive house in this article of our blog >> https://www.iminfortheplanet.com/post/precio-y-amortizacion-de-una-casa-pasiva
At I'm in we build Passivhaus houses, and we also build houses that are very close to a Passivhaus but adapted to the client's wishes. If we are purists, the Passivhaus standard does not recommend opening the windows, in order to avoid a sudden change in the thermal state of the house that causes an energy overload. Also, if you open the windows, air impurities will enter your home.
That said, we have to be realistic, and sometimes you may feel like opening the windows, especially on a summer or spring day. So we advocate that you can open your windows if you feel like it, but you should be aware that this will mean an energy cost. However, if you want to open the windows to ventilate the house, you should know that it is not necessary, passive houses are already prepared with a ventilation system that allows constant air circulation without the need to open the windows.
This type of house meets a standard that performs very well in both winter and summer, because its insulation is effective on very cold days and on very hot days. However, it is true that everything has to be said, and as they insulate so well from the outside, when it is summer and there are many windows it may get very hot. For this, it is highly recommended to put some suitable blinds, a sunscreen or some kind of structure that allows protection from the sun. If this is taken into account you will see that it is not a problem, and you will not have to spend a lot on air conditioning.
Find out more about how the Passivhaus standard is adapted to the Mediterranean climate in this article from our blog >> https://www.iminfortheplanet.com/post/el-estandar-passivhaus-adaptado-al-clima-mediterraneo
No, the finishes do not always have to be wood, what is made of wood is the structure of the house. Making the structure out of wood helps energy efficiency, because wood contains micro air bubbles that act as insulation. That said, whether the finishes are wood or not is up to the client. We always recommend a balance between some exposed wood elements and some that are not.
Learn more about wooden houses and their finishes in this article of our blog >> https://www.iminfortheplanet.com/post/casas-de-madera-olvidate-de-las-tipicas-cabanas
This is one of the questions we are asked most often, and the answer is very simple: we don't have models of houses, we make custom-made houses. What we do is listen to our clients and then come up with a design that best fits their idea, taking into account the land, the budget and other variables.
In Spain, the "autopromotor" mortgage is the best option to finance the construction of a house. It is a mortgage offered by several banks and is aimed at individuals who want to build a house. The requirements are: 1) To have solvency 2) To have a developable land in property 3) To have the architectural project reviewed by the architects association 4) To apply for a building license 5) To have a construction budget from a construction company. At I'm in we provide you with the architectural project and the construction budget.
Find out more about the "autopromotor" mortgage in this article of our blog >> https://www.iminfortheplanet.com/post/hipoteca-autopromotor-para-financiar-tu-nueva-casa-pasiva
Construction time of our houses: approximately 10 months from the date of the building permit. This time may be less or more depending on the complexity of the project and how many "green lights" we encounter throughout the project.
Maintenance: If it is well built, a house with a wooden structure has the same maintenance as a house made with more traditional materials, no more. However, yo do need to consider the maintenance of electrical appliances, such as changing the filters in the ventilation system, and occasional maintenance of the facade if you have decided to use wood finishes, mostly for aesthetics.
Durability: Again, a well-built timber frame house can have the same or more durability than a traditional brick house.
