Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 25, 1999 06:35am | #1

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   I've been on both ends of this issue - I've worked for truss companies that manufacture wall panels, and I've worked for a GC and helped install wall panels.

   My take on it is this: Of course the up-front costs are higher - Someone else is doing a lot of labor for you.

   The disadvantages are that you have make decisions about window and door rough openings earlier, You may get stuck waiting for them to be produced if the plant is behind, and it just seems to take more planning.

   Advantages are that you need less on-site labor, less skilled labor, The building (generally) gets closed in quicker, you have less scrap to clean up, and I think the quality tends to be better.

   As for the foundation, that generally isn't a problem. I've done it 2 ways. First, you can just have the panels built, and assume the foundation won't be screwed up too bad. You can adjust you sill plates in or out a bit to make your dimensions come out right. This works well, and keeps your project moving if your concrete guy is good. The second way is to wait until your forms are stripped and measure the foundation. That way everything should fit O.K., but you have the foundation sitting there waiting on panels.

   People ask me frequently if stick framing is cheaper, or framing with wall panels. But there's no easy answer. On the last house we built, we tried to estimate how much it would cost to stick frame versus and how many hours it would take to install the wall panels. We came up with just about a wash. (but ended up panelizing)

   You may or may not come out ahead using panels, depending on your labor cost, and how much your panel supplier marks up their panels. Panels tend to be cheaper on government jobs where you have to pay prevailing wages. (But that may vary from state to state) Since panels are built off-site, they are built at more reasonable wage rates. I'd suggest trying to pencil it out for yourself, and maybe try it once to see how you like it.

2. 
   Michael_Leistiko | Jul 25, 1999 10:31am | #2

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   I've used both on many custom homes. Most of these have been from 3500 to 4500 sq ft, basements and crawl spaces. Planning is done ahead of time so changes even minor ones seem to break your flow and slow you down because you really can put the frame together quickly. Most of the panels we use are 8 to 12 feet long maximum. Single wall construction will have the windows installed, double wall construction is minus windows and siding. The first one you do may take a little longer to get the feel for putting them together. When you get used to it you don't really miss driving all the nails yourself. Learning how to move the panels around the site and the order to stand them is also important to how well it goes together. My first time using them we had a very level foundation and square lines that we produced ourselves, the plan had been done and foundation was to the drawing everywhere, this was a two story, 5000 sq ft with basement and we cut 3/16's of an inch off of a top and bottom plate on the last wall we raised, (I was sold on the system after that) some walls are better left framed on site, however tall sections can be done an put in place. The walls are very square and precise we tend to clamp and nail studs. The experience of operators will mean a lot.

3. 
   MEW | Jul 25, 1999 10:31am | #3

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   Does anybody have experience building houses using panels? I heard the upfront costs are more to buy the lumber package, but install time is only a week or so and the house is done much sooner.

   How about the foundation? Does it need to be perfectly level and square or the panels won't install right?

   What are framers charging per square foot for stick framing versus panels on a $165,000, 1600 sf house?

   Any advice would be appreciated.

   Thanks