Hello. I am a journalist anxious to find out whether that 1970s favorite, A-frame houses, are being reworked. I seem to have noticed some updated A-framing going on in New England but wanted to find out whether this is in fact happening. I know these homes were built with a lot of Swiss-style fru-fru and an overabundance of orange trim on on brown frame. I also understand that these cute homes are not the most practical use of space. And yet they are sort of a ski icon. Is there anyone who knows whether A-frame rehab is afoot? I think it would be a great magazine story.

Anyone who owns old real estate is of course preserving their investment, but I know of nobody who is stil building them. They were cheap to build but as you note, had other inefficiencies.

One of the greater problems that we are discovering in the past decade has to do with venting, insulation, and vapour control designs. vaulted cielings tend to trap excess airborne moisture near the top of the cieling where it can force it's way into the roof assembly where mold can then present itself if no adequate ventilation exists.

Another negative point as our population ages - our eyes need more light, and the fact that only two end walls are conducive to window placement limits the amt of natural light we can get on the interior.

the new thing in alternate home design is concrette dome shells that tolerate extreme weather quite well, as demonstrated in recent hurricanes.

Excellence is its own reward!

wow, thanks for such a detailed and easy to understand answer. My question is, are people trying ways to update these homes to solve some of these problems? First of all, they sort of look silly by today's standards, the orange trim on brown is sort of yick, just like shag rugs. Second are the inefficiencies you discussed, Fascinating that the older eyes aren't seeing as well in the home the younger eyes picked out. What are people doing with these homes? That's the story I'd like to write because it would be fascinating the show the change in time, what was in and popular then and how it's changed. Are we as gung ho about making our mountain homes resemble the Alps? Again, thanks. I'd like to hear more.

I can't help much more than that. I do remodeling of rather expensive classical homes. Interest in them is high.

Excellence is its own reward!

you have been a big help, given me some excellent information I can use. Thanks.

http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/

http://architecture.about.com/

Here are a couple of other sites that may help you. There is an avid community of professionals at Breaktime ( Fine Home Building) from a wide spectrum of backgrounds

Excellence is its own reward!

again, thanks. given what you've said about these homes there have to be builders who are working with people o fixing them. Otherwise they are either all falling apart or people are taking them down. I appreciate your suggestions.