Are your structures any different  from "The Foundation Group LLC" located in Clearwater. The web site looks like they are sing a similar SIP. Personally, I still believe the $100 per sqft price is off the mark for todays home building unless it is an extreme home. There are conventional builders in the southeast that would build complete homes with mechanics, plus appliances for $60 per sqft. What do you think? Any takers on this matter.

I could build a $60 per sq. ft. house, IF anyone would buy it!!
My typical client has a wish list of finish items that average $60 psf just by themselves.
I can build two homes side by side. From the outside, they look identical, from the inside, they function identically.
BUT the sq. ft. price can 50+% higher for one over the other, just because of the finish items that the clients just have to have.
Now I will also say that my $60 house will not win any prizes for quality or originality. Every item in it will be 'builder grade'(another way of saying cheap), and it will not be very energy efficient (by my definition). But it will be house, and it will be a house during its usable lifespan of 25-30 years. Now, if that is what you want, I could provide it for you, but I won't, because I like to sleep at night.

Posted By Gin on 07 Aug 2010 06:15 PM
Are your structures any different  from "The Foundation Group LLC" located in Clearwater. The web site looks like they are sing a similar SIP. Personally, I still believe the $100 per sqft price is off the mark for todays home building unless it is an extreme home. There are conventional builders in the southeast that would build complete homes with mechanics, plus appliances for $60 per sqft. What do you think? Any takers on this matter.

Gin;

Wes is right, we could build a house for $60. / sq. ft. , but no one would like it, they would probably want stucco and shingles on it


I have never heard of "The Foundation Group LLC" , I have done extensive building in Pinellas County and have not see $60./sq. ft. since 1989           Pinellas County (Clearwater) is in a 130 mph hurricane zone and imposes impact fees on all new homes, you would be hard pressed to find conventional method construction for less that $85.
The Award winning home included the energystar rated appliances, 15 SEER Hvac systems, 50 year warranty steel roof, all marble floors, granite tops, insulated impact glass windows and doors, all 6" SIP construction ....was a steal @ $97.00 , which included the $8,900. impact fee.

Posted By Jelly on 06 Aug 2010 09:32 AM
Chris, what kind of hot water heater went into the home?

Jelly;

FSEC had HW heater comparisons in their recent newsletter
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/media/ne.../index.htm

ohh nice congradz

Energy Efficient Home provide the perfect healthy environment for your family for generations passive sustainable building provides the solution to all problems with housing.A self sufficient home provides energy for itself, has a higher value, and create zero carbon emissions.

Congrats cm.

and, as this is my first post after much lurking ... thx for all the good advice
(this goes out to the many other quality posters ... you guys and gals rock)

I am building a home in the NE for under $80 a sq ft with just under 2800 ft2 of conditioned space furnished, finished with appliances, that is testing very well for energy efficiency BUT ... it has nowhere near the high quality finish Chris's house has - and the ground floor with half the square footage is plumbed and electrified but unfinished. And I am doing much of the work myself besides GCing it. I think that is an amazing price for a house of that quality, especially when compared to the $200 per ft2 and UP prices I got when pricing out houses.

Chris, has the house been eStar rated? Blower door tested? I am just curious as to performance evals if any.

-Rosalinda

Rosalinda;

 

the home was energystar and tested HERS 64, was good enough for a $2,000. tax credit. Home is 3,500 air conditioned space that we delivered "turnkey" to the owner for $95./sq.ft.

anyone building a decent efficient home in MN for those prices? talk to me! LOL

Chris, as I said I think you built an AMAZING house for the price. If someone out this way had given me such great price for such an energy efficient house with all the high quality features you put in it, I probably would have jumped at it.
Mine tested a bit better at HERS 45, but has few of the really high quality items you put in yours. Very very impressive!

-Rosalinda

Posted By Rosalinda on 22 Apr 2011 12:16 AM
Chris, as I said I think you built an AMAZING house for the price. If someone out this way had given me such great price for such an energy efficient house with all the high quality features you put in it, I probably would have jumped at it.
Mine tested a bit better at HERS 45, but has few of the really high quality items you put in yours. Very very impressive!

-Rosalinda

In  complete agreement, congratulations Chris!

Congrats Chris,

I think sip homes are a great value (I literally am going to lay tube in one today in Golden Valley,  MN).
 
But, "nothing special there, just a 50 gal electric"?
 
Did I miss something or did the Florida study leave out the 23 year old condensing tank water heater? I couldn't find the most common water heater found in these parts, the powered vented gas water heater.

It was nice to see the infamous tankless water heaters shot down, but not even a mention of a tankless condensing water heater? How is it that the best of the solar technologies were addressed but they use an atmospheric tank water heater and a non-condensing tankless when representing gas?

I know it is often the case that the client chooses floor covering over comfort but a 50 gallon electric for 25% of the energy bill? 


Now that's depressing...

Rosalinda;

45 is impresive, our client was less concerned with energy efficiency and more with style; the home also had  9 pair of double french doors and 4 pair of 24" glass side lights

Congratulations!! Wow,it's such an awesome award!!!