Using SIPs for your small home?

Started by Paulcf, April 21, 2007, 08:09:20 PM

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Paulcf

HI, new poster/member here! I ordered the small home kit from John...amazing service and support thus far! I plan to build a small home in my backyard for 2 reasons: 1. to build a small home with my hands/brain and understand the basis of construction and 2. to use my SIPs that my company fabricates.

I want to demonstrate to people here that small homes are comfortable and more importantly, in our crazy housing market, can be built quickly with SIPs and heated very economically. The other benefit is the fast assembly time for a SIPs project. Generally we see 2,500 sq.ft. homes assembled with our SIPs going up in 3 days to roof tight. Thus a small 200 sq.ft. home should be done by lunch time?!

However our SIPs are not cheap (labour costs, taxes, etc, etc...) make them in the $12/sq.ft.range but they are all custom made for the blueprints and engineer certified. Each is R-44 with NO thermal breaks. We also have R-28 (thinner walls).

I will post pictures and more information hopefully in the future on my project. I really enjoy this forum and reading everyone's posts and how helpful everyone is. Some of the small homes built are amazing and would shame any "tract built stapled breeder box" (that's what they call them here!) home easily.

Knock on foam!
Paul

glenn-k

#1
It would be great to see how it goes.  Keep a cut list - maybe someone else will be interested.  What area are you located in Paulcf?  Looks like maybe BC.

thanks


peg_688

Quote

 What area are you located in Paulcf?  


Looks like maybe BC.


Welcome aboard Paulcf.

And Glenn , dang yer eyes are g :o :od   ;D

glenn-k

#3
You didn't see that, PEG? -- oops - must have abused my powers again.  Maybe I'm wrong. :-/ :)

Paulcf

I've completed a cut list...our SIPs would be expensive relative to stick built of course. It would be about $7,000CAD for all the SIPs needed for the small house. Remember that includes the floor, the walls of course and the roof with the gable ends. It would only need a single centre truss and a ridge beam and two gable supports. Thus dimensional lumber is reduced to almost nothing. Our SIPs can span up to 8 feet without reinforcement support. This is with R-44 panels with no thermal breaks using Polyurethane closed cell foam, the SIPs are 6.5" thick. Estimated assembly time is one day on installed footings. Thanks.
PS: Location is Calgary, Alberta.


glenn-k

Thanks, Paulcf.

Looks like I got the country right anyway. :)

If possible could you take digital pictures of the process and post them here.  Sounds like an interesting project. :)

jraabe

#6
Welcome aboard Paul:

It will be interesting to see how this goes together for you. There is a lot of interest on the site in SIPS construction. While the cost is higher the performance is greatly enhanced as well.

It would be interesting to see a cost comparison between a SIPS house and the same house stick framed in 2x6 R-21. How would they compare when fuel costs are factored in?

If it cost $5,000 more to do SIPS and it saves you $500/yr on heating/cooling costs then you would have a 10 year simple payback. A pretty wise investment in a house that might have a 50 to 100 year lifespan.

Such a cost analysis makes the most sense in severe climates (like Calgary? ;))

MountainDon

#7
QuoteSuch a cost analysis makes the most sense in severe climates (like Calgary?
Try Edmonton, Saskatoon or Winnipeg for severe!  (need a shivering smilie, or would that be a frownie?)

glenn-k

Quote

Such a cost analysis makes the most sense in severe climates (like Calgary? ;))

It's a real bummer when ISP's reroute their servers through other provinces.   :o

At least I didn't put him in China or South America -- it was Canada. :)


jraabe

Yep, when you live in Canada you get to thinking of the frozen north edge of the U.S. as the balmy south. :D. I wonder what they're building in Yellowknife these days?