Alright, I know I am opening a can a worms but I am going to ask anyways. I have been reading up on SIPS (Wood) for over a year and a half and convinced myself that it is my construction method of choice. The problem is, I am starting to get bids back on the kits and they range anywhere from 60 - $90,000. The house is not a conventional in style but it seems to be a simple build. It is a 2500 living and 3600 sqft including garage and covered porches. 4453 Square Feet 6-5/8" Panel 3647 Square Feet 8-3/8" Panel My problem is that I FEEL like the SIPS are much higher than the cost of framing and spray foam (I Do not need a lecture on the plus and minus of stick framing). I may just be being unrealistic with my budget also. I also may be being unrealistic about insulation needs. Would 4 inch walls with 6 inch roof panels be suffice for central Texas? Is there anyone with any knowledge on a percentage of the budget in normal construction for framing and insulation and the percentage of a budget for sip kits. I do not want to get bids for stick framing just to do a comparative if I do not have to. I am ready to start this job, but feel like I took a huge step back looking at these bids. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Reesesproject...Building with SIPS is more expensive than stick building as you already know. The last two houses that we have built for customers had 38% of the total build budget for the SIPS materials and labor. This included interior metal framing. We only use steel-skinned SIPS since the wood could rot if ever exposed to moisture. We use 4" for walls and 6" for roof. In most climates, this is appropriate. Once you add the hat channel on the inside of the house along with the drywall, the added insulation value far exceeds those of stick building. You will probably get some very different opinions on this forum.

The price for the SIPs themselves doesnt seem out of line especially considering cutouts for windows and doors. I recently installed 1600 sq ft of 11" SIPs over a curve greatroom, and granted they are thicker than what you are looking at, but simple solid panels, and they totalled $22,000 including shipping. And the bids from three suppliers were quite close. Will SIPs be more expensive, yes, somewhat. But don't kid yourself about the cost of stick building. The material package for the top floor of my current build is stick built, only about 1100 sq ft. The materials for it are somwhere in the order of $20,000 +, doesn't yet have insulation, needs stud bays to be caulked, exterior foam bought and installed for thermal bridging abatement, and certainly added to the labor time and cost. I would expect stick framing your build could be similar to the lower end of your bids. But I am sure that the professionals on this forum, especially Bob I. Over in the residential side could throw a more accurate estimate.

Regarding thickness, I cant seem to find code rquirements right at the moment, but having lived in central Texas and its brutally hot summers, I would run the 8" panels in the roof. 4" in the walls meets code, but what is the extra expense to go to 6"? And how quickly will that be amortized by lower electricty costs?
Just my 2cents

Just found the insulation requirements. Zone 2A requires R38 in the ceiling. Seems that 8 3/8" would be borderline. Can't find anything but wood framed and mass wall requirements for walls at the moment. But a wood-framed wall only needs to be R13. Local jurisdictions may require more however. Houston has a R 13+5 IIRC.

Thanks for the info. Maybe the number just looks so much higher than I expected. There is not much of a cost difference (Based on discussions) for the 6", that why I went with them in the walls. I guess i I knew a general percentage of the budget normally allocated for a stick frame and insulation, it would make it easier to compare, but no one has any real numbers to use. When using sips, does 100- 150/sqft seem to low for budgeting in new construction?? Thanks,

Found on waco site. Window U factor must be a maximum of .40 with a maximum SHGC of .25. Wall insulation must be a minimum of R-13; R-38 min. in ceilings.

Reesesproject: Are the 60K to 90K price differences from different SIP companies or from design changes? Or both?

Paying up to $25 per square foot of a project on a SIP kit doesn't alarm me that much, especially if all of the garage, house and porch space will be capped with SIP roof panels.

I've been through the pricing/designing stage with SIP companies and found that at times minor design changes could make dramatic changes in price and sometimes dramatic changes in design could make minor changes in price. This starts to make sense once you consider how the companies have to prepare cut lists and calculate waste.

I once stumbled across an error in a SIPs bid where some very large cut off pieces weren't being used elsewhere in the project. I brought it to their attention and they acknowledged their design software had missed this and they would be happy to re-calculate the estimate based on those cutoff pieces being used where I had planned them. It brought down the price quite a bit.

Now with all that said, my home is about a simple two story rectangle with a large attached garage. Total square footage about the same as the house you're planning. I didn't build or GC this house but my quick math says I have a bit over 400 linear feet of ~8' tall insulated wall, including the shared wall between garage and house.

Your original post mentions 4453 square feet of 6 5/8" panel. With SIP gables I don't see that being far off so I'm guessing you won't find a glaring error like I did.

Hi here is way to get a ball park figure.
Take your total sqft of panel and multiple it by $9.00 a sqft of wall area this will you the cost of panel and accessories.

To use Sips on your porch and garage is a waste of you money but since you like in Texas maybe you have big money as well. (Joking) this should get you real close to your cost.

Thanks for all the info.

One last question............. Living in Texas, I am debating on whether or not a 6.5" wall and 8.5" ceiling is a bit of overkill, based on our plan (VS. 4.5" and 6.5") . I know there is some energy savings, but is there really that big of a difference, based on the weather in Texas? Without getting into detail, I am going to make sure we are building in the most efficient manner in regards to Windows, roofing, flooring, and A/C. If I am to save 10, 15, 20,000 dollars the net difference in energy savings between the 2 sizes seems to be negligible.

Any help?

Texas give me call and I will help get you number pen point 940 732 0101 Duncan panels

Posted By Reesesproject on 23 Jan 2017 01:35 PM
Thanks for all the info.

One last question............. Living in Texas, I am debating on whether or not a 6.5" wall and 8.5" ceiling is a bit of overkill, based on our plan (VS. 4.5" and 6.5") . I know there is some energy savings, but is there really that big of a difference, based on the weather in Texas? Without getting into detail, I am going to make sure we are building in the most efficient manner in regards to Windows, roofing, flooring, and A/C. If I am to save 10, 15, 20,000 dollars the net difference in energy savings between the 2 sizes seems to be negligible.

Any help?

not overkill, I have 4" and 6" on my own home, but if done over I would use 6" and 8" , I have noticed buildings with the thicker panels are significantly quieter ,the foam is the cheaper part of the panel assembly
,
if you use a panel that is already pre-finished, then is makes sense to use them over porch areas, for that reason and they will keep those exterior slightly cooler by repelling the radiant heat