Cost Analysis, Amateur Style

[Greenbank]

I've been using Dunn Lumber's site to price materials...I've always liked their lumber compared to the big box stores, though I don't know what premium you pay to shop there vs. Home Despot or the like.

On thing I like in my speculative mode is that you can get up-to-the-minute prices from their site on a lot of the pieces you need to build a cottage, which can then be plugged into spreadsheets.

(They're at http://dunnlum.com .)

One question: can anyone tell me what t-111 or similar is referred to as within the trade? I like the look (and the potential savings) of the plain siding with added batts, but am not entirely sure I'm costing the right stuff.

I'm not trying to put together a final order, I would work directly with the yard on that, I'm just doing feasibility stuff.

[Amanda_931]

I tried a couple of search phrases.

Looks like t1-11 siding gave me about the best results--I don't think that upper-case vs lower case counts with google.   But it did need the word "siding".

From this I learned that PPG thinks that my old house in Nashville, with uncoated T1-11 siding that weathered nicely if unevenly under the overhangs, couldn't have stood the 18 years or so it did without being PAINTED!  I always figured it lasted as well as it did because it could breathe.

[VaCottage]

Hardi makes a cement based material that looks just like T1-11.  Since it is cement based and not  wood it should last for a LONG time.  It's about the same price too.