My wife and I are planning on building a SIP home in the Port Townsend area in 2010, and I am looking for a builder or designer to begin working with. If you know a designer, contractor, builder, etc. and would care to pass along their info, then I would be grateful!

Planning on using Premier SIPs since they should save on trucking costs.

Site is cleared, no septic, no water or electric (in street) no permits as of yet...

Thanks!

Aaron

Hose plan is found here.

If you are interested in passive solar  check out winter sun design. (Seattle)

Saving on trucking costs may not justify choosing one SIPS vendor over another. I've discovered that there is a huge variation in the gross margin that different companies use. Some seem to have a low margin/high volume model, others a high margin/low volume model, and others a "let's make sure we make out like bandits from selling to people who want 'green'" model. Just to be on the safe side, I'd compare Premier's quote with Energreen/El Paso [Greg S. Freyermuth 915-256-7563, [email protected]], for standard OSB SIPS and with Sip Supply's panels http://www.sipsupply.com/ . Premier may be the best value for you, but if it is I don't think that it will be because of trucking costs.

Hughianowen
Did you use Energreen? If so I assume you are happy?

I'm in your position. I'm getting ready to build, and I've done a fair amount of "shopping" regarding EPS/OSB SIPS. I've got a local manufacturer of EPS/OSB panels that I thought would be the lowest cost because of low trucking costs, but it turns out that volume/business model is more important. The company in El Paso has a high volume/low cost model and has been doing, among other things housing at Fort Bliss. On the PU side of things SIPS Supply also appears to have a better price (subject to seeing my final plans) than my local EPS/OSB manufacturer, even taking into account the cost of trucking. For panel products other than conventional SIPS, Transcon Steel's UltraFrame and Thermasteel's panels are also less expensive. My point is not that Premier isn't the most cost effective product for you, but rather that I wouldn't assume that the trucking costs would decide the issue (I started with that assumption, too). If you are so inclined and have an electronic version of your plans, I'd see what some other EPS/OSB companies can do so that if you go with Premier you know you got the best deal. BTW, I'm originally from Washington State and wish I were building in Port Townsend ;-)

Thanks for the tips. I will be sure to shop around and compare total costs.

-AA

Remember, Gang, this IS "Green" Building Talk. Think of the "green" implications of about 8o miles vs 1,800 miles for one or more big rigs. (distances between Fife, Wa and Port Towsend, Wa. vs El Paso, Tx to Port Towsend) Also, service after the sale can sometimes be an issue when dealing with long distances.