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Kachmar’s plans for the new home took cues from historical architecture. “It’s not an exact reproduction, but it is in keeping with the styling of homes built in the era,” he said. For example, the third floor features arched windows that evoke some of the curvature found in the former home’s Victorian styling. The square footage runs about 1,000 square feet bigger than the original home, and the basement was dug out to create an in-law apartment for Kachmar’s mother. The new house was also built 15 feet closer to the street to match the orientation of the rest of the houses on the block.
“When it came to Sam Kachmar's home, he sought creative ways to harness light and views in partnership with a local dealer and products that he could trust,” said Joe Adams, sales consultant at JB Sash & Door. “What’s great about being a premier Marvin dealer is our ability to bring our forward-thinking customers, like Sam, innovative products that help him imagine and create better ways of living for himself and his clients.”
Building an efficient home was a top priority. The new residence has a fully solar roof and a HERS rating of 41, which means that it’s nearly 60 percent more energy efficient than a standard home. Key in achieving this ranking was the window selection.
“Previously, the house had old single-pane windows. We could hear people’s conversations on the street,” Kachmar said. “They were very drafty; we couldn’t get the house to stay warm without burning a ton of fossil fuels.”
The new home utilizes triple-pane Marvin Ultimate windows throughout. “These windows allow for a much higher level of efficiency,” he said. “They were able to handle that brief Arctic blast we had for a couple of days this year; there were no drafts—it was pretty toasty in the house and very quiet!”
These windows allow for a much higher level of efficiency. They were able to handle that brief Arctic blast we had for a couple of days this year; there were no drafts—it was pretty toasty in the house and very quiet!”
Sam Kachmar
Architect and Homeowner
A version of this article was originally published in New England Living magazine.
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