Fine Home Building

“In this Pro-Talk podcast, Ian talks to builder Dan Kolbert, one of the authors of the Pretty Good House book.”

Building Optimal Radio

“In this conversation we sit down with Dan Kolbert, co-author of Pretty Good House, and owner of Kolbert Building in Portland, Maine, to discuss high performance homes, the next evolution in building, and Dan's advice in today's economy.”

Entrearchitect

This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, A Guide To Creating Better Homes with Chris Briley.

Building HVAC Science

“For several years, in southern Maine, a small group of building professionals have been getting together monthly to discuss building science…

At one of those meetings, one of my guests today, builder, Dan Kolbert, expressed frustration with the status quo, and even more frustration with the various rating systems that had him jumping through many hoops to prove that his work was in fact “green” and energy efficient. “

Current Affairs

“It’s easy to complain about the built world in the U.S.—strip malls, McMansions, endless highways. We put up buildings that are too big, ugly, and terrible for the environment. But how can we make better things? Dan Kolbert (a builder) and Emily Mottram (an architect) are two of the co-authors of the book Pretty Good House, a guide to the principles of making houses that are green, comfortable, and fit for purpose.”

Remodelers on the Rise

“Kyle interviews Dan Kolbert and Emily Mottram, two of the authors of the new book Pretty Good House. Pretty Good House provides a framework and guidelines to focus on the core issues that should be front and center when designing and building a high-quality home or renovation.”

Retrofit

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Dan Kolbert, owner of Kolbert Building, where he focuses on good design and controlling heat, weather, moisture, and drafts to craft homes that'll last generations.

Builder vs Buyer

“I recently spoke with Michael Maines of Maines Design and Co-Author of Pretty Good House. We talk high performance homes, cost in design and our shared background as engineers turned designers.”

This Is Hell

“Chuck interviews Dan Kolbert, co-author along with Christopher Briley, Michael Maines and Emily Mottram, of, “Pretty Good House: A Guide to Creating Better Homes.” Dan has been a carpenter and contractor in Portland, Maine, for three decades. He has written for various trade publications, including Fine Homebuilding magazine, and for the past 10 years has been moderator of the original Building Science Discussion Group in Portland, Maine, where the Pretty Good House idea originated.”

Keep Craft Alive - Fine Home Building

“As one of the founders of the Pretty Good House movement, Dan talks about his shift into building science and why PGH is accessible to everyone from homeowners to builders.”

News Center Maine

“New England's first pantry on wheels gives access to everyone in the community, 24/7. It began operations this weekend and will move locations every few weeks.”

houzz

“Peck worked with contractor Dan Kolbert, the co-author of Pretty Good House: A Guide to Creating Better Homes. “The book is about a movement toward smaller, healthier, more resilient, energy-efficient and low-carbon homes,” Peck says. Kolbert helped him figure out how to complete the renovation in a sustainable way.”

Fine Home Building

“This concept of a home that strikes a balance between construction cost and energy performance is a guideline for builders and architects looking for an alternative to complicated green-building certification programs.”

Fine Home Building

“Straightforward construction, common materials, and low embodied carbon are just some of the benefits of this superinsulated assembly.”

Fine Home Building

“Using helical piers to add footings to an old house is faster, less disruptive, and comparable in cost to excavating and pouring concrete.”

The Journal of Light Construction

“When I first entered the “men’s world” of carpentry, I had no idea how to dress. My previous workwear style of business casual dresses, and ideally, a sandal with a medium heel, was woefully inadequate. In my first trades job, I was snarkily told my summer outfit of denim shorts, a tank top, and a flannel shirt was “unprofessional,” but I was given no other actual guidance.”

Fine Home Building

“This excerpt from Pretty Good House (The Taunton Press, 2022) is a case study of the Copper Farmhouse, one of five high-performance homes in Cumberland, Maine, and the fourth installment to this energy-efficient community. Named for its copper fixtures and antique pieces the owner brought to the project, the home was constructed on design theories and methods based on a Pretty Good House. A Pretty Good House encapsulates what it means to be environmentally friendly in size, simplicity, durability, and design.”

The Journal of Light Construction

“Our carpentry crew uses a variety of tools in Makita’s LXT 18-volt and CXT 12-volt battery platforms. Recently, our company hired a new carpenter, who brought with him—along with a wide range of experience, talent, and knowledge—Makita’s new XGT 40-volt 7 1/4‑inch rear-handle circular saw. Since we are big fans of the older, LXT 36-volt (two 18-volt batteries) version of the saw, we were eager to see how new hire Ryan O’Malley’s saw compared.”

Green Building Advisor

“You may already know about the Pretty Good House concept, the result of a question that moderator Dan Kolbert asked back in 2011, partly as a joke, at the long-running building science discussion group at Performance Building Supply in Portland, Maine.”

Maine Homes by Downeast

“Niftier than its tongue-in-cheek name suggests, the grassroots building standard launched in Portland balances cost and energy performance.”