Quote:
Originally Posted by SIKSUKR
We made sips for 8 years right here in my EPS plant.The sips you refer to are curtain wall sips made for post and beam construction.They can also be structural with osb on both sides sandwiched with eps in the middle.No P&B or framing.You would be amazed at the horizontal loads that can be carried with these.All our panels were made with wire chases cut into the foam.Still a challenge to wire if you need to chase through a different route.These houses are extremely air tight as there are no thermal breaks every 16 inches like traditional framed houses.On a lot of P&B jobs,one advantage was that the interior walls ARE finished.Drywall is part of the interior panel and we made some for the roofs that had T&G wood so after being placed they were done.
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The structural SIPS are what I was recommending. They come pre-cut and ready to assemble with door and window openings already present. They would be light and easy to transport and assembly would go remarkably quickly.
If one was careful and clever in the design process, one could dramatically simplify and reduce costs for construction. Examples: Choose roof dimensions that allow you to use full-width standing seam roof panels. Ripping the last panel and bending the edge of it 90 degrees is a pain, and if symmetry is important to you, you'd need to do it on both gable ends of the house. The length of said panels is irrelevant as they can be ordered any length you choose up to 40 feet, if memory serves... Design the house such that all or at least the vast majority of the plumbing is located in one interior wall. Design the wall with opening panels so that plumbing repairs or changes can be done with ease. Choose house/room dimensions that take advantage of standard lumber lengths. Why make a house that forces you to waste 18" of every joist? That said, engineered joists would be a great choice (nice and light so easy to transport) and you can get those in any length you choose... Use engineered lumber (LVL/LSL) studs on any wall that is going to have cabinetry and be extra careful to install said joists plumb. Scribing cabinets is time consuming and tedious. The slight cost disadvantage of the perfectly straight studs will easily pay for itself when hanging cabinets.