Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Straw Bale Homes & SIPs

[James Kacki (jimkacki]

Wow! 1240sf for $110,000 !!!  Do you attribute this low cost to the  
'sweat equity' factor you mentioned? -Any other factors?  At that  
price, I'm sure we all want to know much more.
" Both these nbhds are built with a somewhat unique construction  
management process...."
What is an 'nbhds'?  and tell us (in as much detail as you are  
comfortable with), about the ..."unique construction management process"
Thanks -and Congrats
James

On 14-Oct-08, at 9:00 PM, Rod Lambert wrote:

> Sharon,
> Almost the entire 2nd neighborhood of 30 units was built with SIPs  
> here. We also built 2 straw bale homes. The straw bale homes were  
> by far the most expensive. Most builders of straw bale homes say,  
> as I understand it, that you should not build with straw bale to  
> save money. It's certainly my opinion. However they are beautiful  
> homes, loved by their owners, with a minimum of petroleum derived  
> products.
> I am quite happy with the SIP homes although I wouldn't say it is  
> significantly cheaper then frame.
> I continued to spec them in the homes I designed for WhiteHawk  
> ecovillage just south of Ithaca NY. The first residents have just  
> moved in and are very pleased with how they perform.
> Both these nbhds are built with a somewhat unique construction  
> management process (allows for sweat equity and customization  
> although it can also be a "call-me-when-it's-done contractual  
> process) which I feel has worked very well. (The home just moved  
> into at WhiteHawk was a 1240sf home for $110k + 40k common cost.)
> It's a methodology which is somewhat contrarian to the conventional  
> process having its own pluses and minuses but I continue to  
> recommend it.
>
> Rod
> Development manager, design coordinator
> EcoVillage at Ithaca, NY
>
>
> <<<Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:27:56 -0400
> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Straw Bale Homes & SIPs
> To: Cohousing-L Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Message-ID: <B66BF788-8CEE-47B5-8387-C4FC601D4230 [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> I would like to hear from any households or communities that have
> straw bale homes. People talk about them from time to time but I don't
> think we've gotten any reports back.
>
> Are you happy with them? What would you do differently? Were they
> really energy efficient and/or low cost? What are the advantages and
> disadvantages?
>
> Same for SIPs.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing,Washington DC
> > > > > >
>
>
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