Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 06, 2000 09:56am | #1

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   Chris, is this one of the islands serviced by Casco Bay Lines, or is it private? How's the material and manpower being transported? Where's the help coming from/living? It may be more economical (using Nantucket's model for example) to rent a house and have the crew stay on-island for the week, with days-off spent off-island.
   Prefab or SIPs? Which panels? What style of house?

   Post more info or email.

   -G

2. 
   Chris_Briley | Jan 07, 2000 06:47am | #2

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   Yes, it is an island serviced by Casco Bay lines. I cant get too specific because it is a custom house for a private client and it would be inappropriate to divulge to much info. However, I do appreciate your excitement for our project very much. Your renting idea is good. We've thought about that and would like to do that if a house comes up for rent. The problem is finding a builder with a crew who doesnt mind staying away from their families and the main land and not get paid extra, etc. Since we have not a builder yet, it's hard to know whether plans like that are feasable.

   We are working on a few schemes now (we're earliy in the project) The house could be anywhere from a cottage-like shingle style to a brick veneeer tall house.

   Labor by ferry, materials by barge (most likely)

   Yes, SIPs. Don't know what kind. Someone in our office said they heard of a canadian company who constructs all the pannels for a project. As in you send them the plans - they build and ship the walls or pannels. But unfortunately that person forgot the name of that company.

   I'm mainly looking for ideas regarding its construction that could bring the labor cost down. George, have you any experience with SIPs?

3. 
   Guest_ | Jan 07, 2000 09:23am | #3

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   Chris, no. Timberframers use SIPs regularly, and a source for your search might be: abuildnet.com.

   A name that comes to mind is: Insulspan, but there must be a dozen others.

   As to your labor issue, the situation on Nantucket resulted in "Island" wages. About $8 to $10 over the top pay on the mainland.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 08, 2000 08:27am | #4

   *As to the actual building methods, stick vs prefab, cost-wise it's usually a wash. Stick materials are less expensive than modular, but stick building takes longer, in general, thus more labor.Barging the materials works well. It's also an area where prefab may be an advantage. With prefab, in general, you know you'll get all required materials, you know that they'll go together well. It makes it a bit easier to firm up your materials list. When stick building, it's often neccessary to bring extra materials along so as the cull pile grows larger, you still have adequate materials to keep the crew busy. If the lumber you brought in was decent, then you may have a pile of it left over at the end. Barge it back? "Give" it to the house? Eat the cost?Because of this, if you do stick build, it may be an argument for TJI's, etc, materials that you can "count on" to be warp, wane, and check free.For labor, I'm assuming that you'll boat in your own. If you can rent a house, do it. Otherwise consider a few campers/trailers. Or, augment the house with a trailer. For scheduling labor, you can either run standard hours, or go to four full workdays, with half-days on fri-sat-sun. Bring the crew's family over for the fri-sat-sun for a bit of fun. This works best if you indeed have a crew that are "builders", by that I mean they do a bit of everything. When you get into job-specific subcontractors, things can go downhill and prices can escalate. Take the standard job timeline, now factor in rental housing that you are providing, boat/barge schedules that you are trying to hold together...and subs that don't show up...it can degenerate. Much depends on accomodations available and the make-up of the crew as to how thing work out in the housing department.Materials depend largely on the style of house. Accomodations depend on the makeup of the crew. Since neither of these are nailed down yet, it's tough to formulate a plan. Realize, though, that with remote construction, small problems rapidly become large, expensive problems. Since there are so many unknowns at this stage, I'd recommend you plan on a prefab design, with an experienced crew familiar with the manufacturer's housing brought in to raise it. Within a week you'll have the shell intact and tight to the elements. Big hurdle.Proper planning is paramount. Best of luck.

4. 
   peter_johnson | Jan 08, 2000 12:51pm | #5

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   Whether you stick build or prefab you have to handle the materials several more times than is usual so this deserves the most careful research and planning.
   The means by which tons of materials can be properly and economically handled in the unique circumstances of tidal waters must be investigated at both ends of the over water route.
   If it's all possible to ferry the materials on the usual delivery trucks this should given careful consideration.
   Although the fees will be higher the materials can be delivered without requiring any extra support personnel or equipment and the logistics will be simpler by about four or five times.
   I recently spent some time vacationing in the San Juan Islands of Washington State with a motorcycle and enjoyed a number of rides on the ferries. Every type of construction material is carried on the ferries, transported by it's usual truck type. Even the Redimix trucks drive onto the boat and take their dry mix out to the island jobs, sometimes an hour's ride across the water, before they drive off the boat and start the mixer while heading for the site.
   So unless there is another very dependable means to move materials to your site which can save you some serious money, don't give yourself logistical nightmares. Whether you prefab or stickbuild use the ferries for everything.
   Best Wishes for a great success, Peter

1. 
   Chris_Briley | Jan 13, 2000 08:34am | #6

   *Thank you all for your good advice. I'll continue to check this board for any additional thoughts from you or others.

5. 
   Guest_ | Jan 13, 2000 12:10pm | #7

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   Hmmm, crew that doesnt mind staying away from their wives and families and not getting paid extra huh? And I thought I was a bad man.....

   JonC

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 13, 2000 02:07pm | #9

   *Chris...I would like to volunteer to run your site..( I have to be home for weekends though )..and the only experience George has with SIPS is when it involves Guiness.

6. 
   Chris_Briley | Jan 13, 2000 02:07pm | #8

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   I'm an architect designing a house on an Island in Casco Bay (Portland, Maine)I'm looking for suggestions from profesionals on significantly reducing man-hour costs (the true economic hurdle in Isalnd construction). One thought was to use prefabricated panels that could be shipped and erected. Comments? Other ideas?