Buy a Home Kit and Build Your Own House

(Page 2 of 2)

May 4, 2009
By Greg Pahl 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Another trend in some kit home packages, especially in panelized homes, is the increasing use of structural insulated panels (SIP) for walls, floors and roofs. The recent inclusion of SIPs in national and international residential building codes has helped to formalize — and encourage — their use. Log homes now have their own standard in those codes as well.

RELATED CONTENT

Regardless of the type or style of home, or its main components, it’s important to understand the kit price normally only includes the exterior shell of the house. This is one reason why many kit homes appear to be so much less expensive than a conventional home. Consequently, don’t forget to factor in the cost of finishing the home’s interior (wiring, plumbing, insulation, drywall, trim and fixtures), as well as the cost of land, foundation, utilities, water supply and sewage, which can quickly add a lot to the total project cost.

How to Decide

There are so many choices in the kit home sector that making a decision on which one to buy can be a challenge. In the end, it generally comes down to your personal preference for one style of home. It’s important to evaluate the entire package, the company, the instructions and other documentation as well as the professionalism of the people involved. And don’t forget to ask for references so you can speak with people who have actually lived in a home manufactured by the company you are considering doing business with.

Kit homes offer the opportunity for homeowners to participate in the construction of their own home — and to save money at the same time. If you are handy with tools, self-motivated and well-organized, doing all (or most) of the project yourself might make sense. However, Rob Pickett suggests that in most cases, making use of a trained building professional to ensure the work is done properly will be worth it. “Teaming up with a good builder who is trained in the many different aspects of home construction will ensure more satisfaction in the long run,” he says.

For more information, read Kit Homes.

Have you built a home from a kit or house package? Share your experience in the comments section below.
Page: << Previous 1 | 2 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • rcjo 9/24/2009 9:48:13 AM

    I'm with J_R_S!

    So many companies are abusing the "green" label for marketing/profit, that it is fast becoming an empty term; much like the meaning of "organic" over the years.

    New steel is NOT green!

    Wake up Mother Earth News! Your readers are more astute than you give credit. Don't market this garbage to us. Surely there are truly "green" and ethical businesses that will run ads with you. Or perhaps you are charging too much "green" for your ad space for small, sustainable businesses to afford.

  • J_R_S 5/6/2009 2:47:34 PM

    C'mon, people! Steel homes are NOT "environmentally friendly" -- you have to mine the ore out of the ground (strip mining in many cases), using oil-consuming machines, then you have to use incredible amounts of filthy, highly-polluting coal-fired energy to smelt the ore into steel or aluminum ingots, then you have to use more huge amounts of energy to fabricate the steel/aluminum ingots into usable framing members and siding. Nothing about the process is "environmentally friendly".

    While using wood products does temporarily remove some carbon-absorbing trees from the environment, the pine trees can be regrown within 20 years and even from the first year as seedlings they begin removing CO2 from the atmosphere again. Wood is still one of the cleanest, least energy-consuming, most renewable and "environmentally friendly" building materials we have(besides things like adobe).

    Just because a lot of companies are now making big money selling steel and aluminum building materials is no reason to call those materials "green". With standards like this, Mother Earth News is rapidly becoming irrelevant.

    -- JR

  • rades 5/6/2009 8:11:29 AM

    Are complete kit homes available? Are eco kit homes affordable? Are high performance kit homes easy? Can a comprehensive kit house be delivered cheaply?
    Kokoonhomes.com will be advertising in the next issue of Mother Earth News YOU DECIDE if kokoonhomes.com answers these questions. Houses you can build yourself.
    Thanks for feedback, Dave

  • Amy Malejko 5/5/2009 5:33:42 PM

    Steel kit homes are a wonderful way to build fast and economically as well as help the environment. In addition to the house, however, you can also build the foundation in steel. We live in New Orleans and after seeing all the trees that are being cut down now that every house has to be raised, my husband went to the drawing table and invented a steel foundation system.
    It is the first of it's kind and is made of recycled materials and there is no job site waste; no more structural concrete or wood pilings needed. steelchameleon.net

    The foundation, coupled with the steel house will easily get a home owner gold certified for green building!

    Amy

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.