Hello GBT SIPpers :)
My wife and I have been debating the merits of a SIPS house for several months now. We are trying to build this summer, but caught in the chicken-and-egg dilemma of not being able to decide between SIPS/Stick because we don't know the price, so we can't choose a plan, etc.
We have finally decided on this plan:
Frank Betz Amsterdam
Can any of you comment on the following questions we have:
1) Do you think this is a good plan for SIPS? We do. But we might be wrong :)
2) Would you go ridge beam + rafter/purlin the full width of the house? Or do bonus room trusses for the upstairs rooms and ridge beam only over the vaulted center? If we decided to go stick-built, would you use scissor trusses over the Great Room?
2) If a SIP roof costs too much, would it be possible to insulate this sufficiently with cellulose/fiberglass as a stick built home? Bonus room trusses always seem to have a poorl insulated sides, and scissor trusses seem quite thin.
3) This similar alternate plan has an optional bonus room above the garage:
Frank Betz Wynterhall
This garage bonus room seems like a bad use of SIPS. You'd be insulating the roof of the whole garage, plus you'd probably need a SIPS floor to complete the envelope. Better to stick frame it and use it as unconditioned storage, or get rid of it completely. Does that sound right?
4) How do we compare the price of this house SIPS vs stick? Just compare the costs of exterior framing + insulation + labor?
I'm sure we have a million more questions, but would greatly appreciate anyone's advice on building this house with SIPS.
Thank you!
Mark Grammer
Vernal, Utah (84078)