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Ancestral Home & Design

Our approach

A house is a system. Evaluate it like one.

The EPA notes that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time indoors (source). So the building deserves the same scrutiny as the price. Here is the order Jacob works in, and why.

The order of things

Earlier items tend to cause or hide later ones. Fixing them in order avoids paying twice.

  1. 01

    Water in and around the house

    Roof, gutters, grading, foundation. Bulk water is behind most rot, mold and air-quality complaints.
  2. 02

    Drinking water

    Town or well, and what the most recent test says. In New Hampshire bedrock wells, testing isn't optional.
  3. 03

    Air and combustion safety

    Radon results, CO alarms, fuel-burning appliances, and exhaust that actually leaves the building.
  4. 04

    Ventilation

    Tighter houses save energy but need a deliberate plan for fresh air.
  5. 05

    Materials

    What's there now (lead in older paint, for example) and what a renovation will add. 'Natural' doesn't automatically mean better; disclosure and fit matter more.
  6. 06

    Light, land and layout

    Orientation, drainage, septic, and how the house will be lived in through winter.
  7. 07

    Craftsmanship

    Whether past work was done carefully, because that predicts what you'll find next.
Rolling farmland and autumn hills in southwestern New Hampshire
Illustrative image

What this isn't

It isn't a certification, a medical opinion or a promise about how you'll feel. It is a careful, practical way to look at a house, the way a builder would, so you can decide with better information.

Try it on your own home

The Self-Check walks through the same order and shows what's worth testing.

Start the Self-Check

Start with a conversation.

Tell Jacob what you're weighing: a house you've seen, a move you're planning, or a room that isn't working. He'll tell you plainly what he'd look at first.

Request a consultation

Or call (603) 930-8057