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Once the exterior shell is up, it generally takes two or three months for a contractor to complete the interior finish work. It would take average ownerbuilders longer, especially if they are trying to live in the house at the same time it is being built.

In a side-by-side comparison of a panelized house and a traditional stick-built house, according to the National Association of Home Builders, the panelized house offered an overall 16 percent cost savings, utilized 26 percent less wood fiber and required 63 percent less construction time.

Eric Freeman of Marshall, North Carolina, lives in a panelized home he completed in March 2003. "We framed it in three and a half days, with the roof on with felt paper, and windows and doors installed," he says.

The entire project took about five months from start to finish, and although Freeman is an experienced builder, he says that at times, even he experienced some difficulty keeping up with the pace of the project.

"You've definitely got to be on top of what's going on so you don't miss anything," he says. Nevertheless, Freeman is so pleased with his home and enthusiastic about panelized construction that he says, "This is the only way to build a house."

Making Your Kit Home Green

The best ways to "green" any kit home are to design and orient the home for maximum passive-solar heat gain, and to incorporate large south-facing windows and plenty of thermal mass such as concrete or ceramic tile floors, which store heat. (See "Build a Solar Home," August/September 2002.)

To complete your "green" design, choose environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building materials.

• For wood-frame kit homes, find dealers who use wood from sustainably managed forests.

• Insulate, insulate, insulate! For the best energy efficiency, select the proper R-value for your region, and insulate ceilings, walls and floors well. Weatherstrip and caulk around windows, and seal all cracks and crevices. Many green builders choose cellulose insulation, made from recycled newsprint and boric acid, but other "green" options, such as cotton and wool batts, are now available. (For more information, read "All About Insulation," December/January 2003.)

• Install double- or triple-pane windows with high-performance glass to save energy and cut your heating and cooling costs.

• Use low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and finishes to minimize offgassing and to ensure better indoor air quality.

• Consider natural roofing alternatives, such as slate or tile, or high-tech shingles made with recycled materials. US Century's FIexShake is made primarily from recycled waste tires and carries a 50-year warranty.

• Feed your home's energy needs with power from photovoltaics, wind generators and microhydro systems. Heat it with renewable sources — solar, wood, pellet, corn, biodiesel or geothermal.

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