And again, without an air gap a radiant barrier is not r3-4. It is a waste of money. Or worse. Steel siding directly over steel studs introduces a risk of condensation and mold in the walls.

Not sure where you get "more laborious." A 25-ga stud is wet noodle-like until it's assembled, erected and sided, which happens with self tapping screws in a process that no one would mistake for seamless joy.

Also not sure why you are fixated on kits. The cheapest, easiest option is OVE framing (33 percent fewer studs) with reclaimed wood.

Prefab today usually requires a regular builder to prepare the site, lay the foundation and finish out the home after it's delivered and bolted together. In DIY, that builder is you. A kit home would require the same of you plus erecting the shell.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but you can't believe the salesmen who tell you your buds can throw it together no problem. After 50 years of DIY, I have come to accept that mistakes separate the sheep from the goats. You will make them; what your house looks like depends on your willingness to take it apart and start over. In some cases, like hanging a door, you may fall short on Try 4. At every point in design, ask yourself if the feature involve big mistakes or little ones? For example, shingles are DIY friendly but steel roofs are not. (If the first panel isn't perfectly square, the last could well be two inches lower on one side than the other.) If you find a task is beyond your ability, seek professional help sooner rather than later.

This isn't necessarily an indictment of DIY. Pros make mistakes too, and in my experience are less willing to admit it and fix them. A pole building may be your best bet. I'm sure Dana can tell you how to make it efficient. Back a travel trailer into it and the rest can happen in slow motion.

Posted By toddm on 20 Jul 2015 08:59 AM

...Not sure where you get "more laborious." A 25-ga stud is wet noodle-like until it's assembled, erected and sided, which happens with self tapping screws in a process that no one would mistake for seamless joy...

Well because steel is much lighter and can be erected in place one stud at a time if necessary if you're an army of one DIYer (rather than the way it's typically done with lumber on the ground and then raised). BTW self-tapping is not the way to go with 25 gauge.

But it's agreed, the "kits" are not going to shake out to be your best bet in the long run.

I like Dana's suggestion of CMU externally insulated, but I would add a steel SIP roof to that, keeping the insulation outside the envelope. Not sure why the suggestion for a 2x3 wall inside the CMU walls for chases - why not just fur that space out?

In middle Tennessee are tornadoes a problem? Basements are good for that, otherwise go with the slab.

I have been looking at steel kits too! I have just as many ?s as you. also require help to DYI husband hs degenerative disc disease ie bad back so it's all on me and our limited budget. That said I'm in NC, on a river in the woods.Advice I've gotten so far is about as discourging as yours on steel frame, many types of insulaton can trap moisture and cause rust. in beams or rot in wood. Concerns with insect in wood also don't know how to finish exterior and I still like the kits by CSC building systems-NuShelter NS4136. I'll be following this dicussion closely and add any info I get and follow up on leads you get TKS

ps. I just googled CMU - none of the results concerned building, What is CMU?

Hi UREdoglady,

CMU stands for concrete masonry unit. These are also known as concrete blocks, and in some regions they call them cinder blocks.

Posted By Jelly on 21 Aug 2015 12:04 AM
Hi UREdoglady,

CMU stands for concrete masonry unit. These are also known as concrete blocks, and in some regions they call them cinder blocks.

Cinder blocks are a form of CMU that used to be site-made in molds with fly-ash, sand, and coal clinker &/or iron slag cinders as aggregate.  Since most homes are no longer heated with coal, the fly ash and coal clinker supply has dried up a bit.    The structural capacity of cinder block (not surprisingly) varied by quite a bit!  (As a young child I lived in a 3-story cinder block house built around 1905, and the molds for the cinder blocks were kicking around in one corner of the basement.  The house had no insulation, and was pretty cold in winter despite the oversized oil hot air furnance roaring in the basement.)

Commercially available CMU are made with portland cement, sand, and  stone aggregate, and are manufactured with specified densities and structural properties.  It's still a popular way to build foundation walls in many parts of the US since it's usually cheaper (and far more DIY-able) than poured concrete, and it's used for above-grade walls on commercial construction just about everywhere in the US.

Stuck on steel, look into CSC Building Systems/ NuShelter kits.so

Goes to show what I know about construction! What do you know about foaming concrete,aerated concrete, or lightweight cellular concrete? Lots of videos out there. Even machines to produce it ànd form it into bricks.What's the deal? Not up to US code?

Have you considered shelter kit? It should meet your quick dry in criteria, and they also have options for double stud walls. I think a poster by the name of Lucy Foxworth over on the Green Building Advisor blog went this route and built a super insulated house.

Posted By UREdogLady on 22 Aug 2015 11:23 AM
Goes to show what I know about construction! What do you know about foaming concrete,aerated concrete, or lightweight cellular concrete? Lots of videos out there. Even machines to produce it ànd form it into bricks.What's the deal? Not up to US code?

Autoclaved aerated concrete is available in the US, but it's hard to find (google Ytong and Hebel). The whole residential construction industry is still stuck on lumber despite it's obvious problems. You're getting discouragement about steel because of the same reason. But steel framing is ubiquitous in commercial construction. I think researching kits may be problem number 1.

@ UREdogLady Thanks for chiming in on the post. We're getting close to pulling the trigger with Budget Home Kits. I've compared the ones you've mentioned and many more including Kookoon Homes, 84 Lumber, and Shelter Kit mentioned above. Shelter Kit seems to be the most expensive. I'm with you on steel with it's advantages over lumber, fire, pest, mold, rot, much stronger etc. I believe where we save (specifically with Budget) is much less labor time especially if you go with slab foundation. With budget, it comes with the form and everything needed right up to pour. So, you eliminate cost and time of a contractor building out the form to begin with. We will use finished slab as our flooring so we scratch the cost of additional flooring. We're going with one of the two biggest models, and customizing it changing 20 ft. of one end for a big 3 car garage. Fully customized engineered plans come with the package. You get to do a completely custom floor plan that doesn't have to conform at all to the standard plans they have at NO extra charge, and you'll get all interior studs with it, all roofing, siding and trim. Shelter Lit says "Price: $30-38 per square foot of living space, depending on size & options". We'll be paying less than half that. I just can't find anything that compares. I have some very skilled friends helping me, including one who is an experience builder with both stick and steel. After very in depth conference calls with the lead coordinator at Budget, he was saying he wished he could've used it for his own home that he built. That's the only big difference I see between our situations. I wouldn't discourage you from steel kits by any stretch, but I couldn't see doing this project if I had to lean primarily on my wife, and she's actually pretty handy. In fact, she can't wait to be involved. But I have a pretty good crew that are all pitching in asking for nothing. That's where you save the most obviously, free labor. I would still encourage you to call Budget though. Get the number from their homepage, and call Danny at Ext. 302. My heart goes out to you with your husband's condition. I just don't know about doing this without at least one other person helping you. If you want to send me a private message, we can talk more details. I'm willing to help you in any way I can.

fpbros I'm looking at NuShelter weekender kit just under 1100sq ft for about $8,500. I don't see where it Includes siding but how much can it cost? the price on Budget is starting at $35,000 so..I'm not a math genious far from it but, I'd really like to compare costs and structural componets. If anyone out there wants to chime in I'd really appreciate it!

Jelly I'm onto SafeCrete AAC blocks, on the Mblog shows a garage and small cabin which looks like something I can handle and if combined would be big enough. I requested contact info for woman who built cabin, to ask cost. now I need to investigate finish ing it out sealants etc. My husband still thinks I'm crazy and we should just get a turn key deal on a mobile home, so I need alot of ammo to convince him. I have some pretty handy neighbors and I think they're getting interested in the process enough to help. I have to decide on pros and cons but AAC vs steel frame,AAC blocks W/AAC panel roofing looks alot more solid.So its a question of cost.

UREdogLady, you might consider starting a new thread, that way we can get all the details specific to your project in one place. Climate, zone, size, accessibility, anything that's important to you or specific to your situation.

theres a finished wood kit by FirstDay Cottage. more cost per sq ft but pretty complete w/easy DYI instructions

theres a finished wood kit by FirstDay Cottage. more cost per sq ft but pretty complete w/easy DYI instructions

fpbros 20 July: I have to lean heavily on my free help friends because of my disability, and none of them are experienced in framing or very little. I have some who have some good skills in general though.

fpbros 23 Aug: I have some very skilled friends helping me, including one who is an experience builder with both stick and steel.

Posted By UREdogLady on 23 Aug 2015 10:56 AM
fpbros I'm looking at NuShelter weekender kit just under 1100sq ft for about $8,500. I don't see where it Includes siding but how much can it cost? the price on Budget is starting at $35,000 so..I'm not a math genious far from it but, I'd really like to compare costs and structural componets. If anyone out there wants to chime in I'd really appreciate it!

Yes, I should've asked what square footage you want to build. IMO Budget is a great deal with the larger models, the best in steel kits from what I've found, but I don't know how they compare with the smaller 1100-1500 or so range. NuShelter looks pretty cost effective for those smaller models. The siding and roofing isn't included, but of course you can get material yourself. With steel siding and roofing it sounds like you need skilled labor to pull that off if it's not pre-cut... pretty difficult job. That's where kits come in with value in dollars. We have to consider the difficulty level, and all the extra hours involved with starting from scratch material. But you don't have to do the exterior in steel either. You could go with stucco exterior walls, which can be DIY friendly if you do your homework, and with a smaller home, hiring the roof might fit your budget. Or if your neighbors pitch in, the roof can be DIY too. Budget adds custom floor plan, fully engineered, but if you like the other standard plans, that doesn't effect your project. They also assign a project coordinator that assists with every phase, and even gets involved in other material purchase and / or subs negotiations as needed. I believe this is another good layer of mistake mitigation. Anywho, I think you could swing it with NuShelter with a little neighborly help. Keep us posted!

Posted By toddm on 25 Aug 2015 08:10 AM
fpbros 20 July: I have to lean heavily on my free help friends because of my disability, and none of them are experienced in framing or very little. I have some who have some good skills in general though.

fpbros 23 Aug: I have some very skilled friends helping me, including one who is an experience builder with both stick and steel.

Sherlock says, "Hmmm... does this person not actually know the individuals he speaks of or should we examine the substantial space of time lapse between the two posts and conclude that it is possible, another more highly skilled builder has joined the project?" "Elementary my dear Watson!"