Replies

1. 
   bd342 | Jan 20, 2003 04:27am | #1

   Have the panel company print out the layout sheets and the wall cut sheets.

   Then pay the carpenter to sit down for a few hours and review them. Chances are that he will spot a few things that got missed by the engineer or at the very least familiarize himself with the panels so that when it comes time to tip them up you will have fewer problems

2. 
   BossHog | Jan 20, 2003 04:39am | #2

   What do you want to know? Recommended fabricators, or something like that?

   Are you talking "open panel" construction, where the walls are pre-assembled and the exterior sheathing put on? Or modular construction, where the building comes out to the jobsite in sections?

   Housework is evil, it must be stopped.

1. 
   dbtodd | Jan 22, 2003 06:22am | #3

   open panel for sure,  im looking for some names to start calling to get some prices.  i have a print but it is not to late to make changes to make construction cheapereasier.

1. 
   BossHog | Jan 22, 2003 03:06pm | #4

   There's an industry listing here:

   http://trussnet.com/YellowPages/SearchListings.cfm

   It allows you to search by zip code or state. I don't personally know anyone in that area.

   IMHO, panelized walls are great. But it will only go together well if you spend the time up front to make sure all the details are right. Check every dimension, rough opening, windows and door height, etc. You only get one shot at doing it right the first time.I have a nice body, and its in my trunk.

3. 
   Boxduh | Jan 22, 2003 04:45pm | #5

   We stick framed the house we live in, but its original prototype, and we built an exact copy, was done by a panelizer.  The prototype's site was Minneapolis, and the panelizer was from Wisconsin.  There is a photo sequence of it going together in the book, "The Not So Big House," author Sarah Susanka, published by Taunton.  All floors, walls, everything complete, including exterior windows and doors in the panels.  98% of the roof structure trussed, just requiring some stick work at small corner hips.  It took the architects 32 sheets of drawings to get the house on paper, to give an idea of the challenge it was for the panelizer.  I've got a panelizer two hours south of me now, that does things the same way, complete walls with windows and doors.  A friend of mine is build a 3600 sf spec in my neighborhood right now, and they did it for him, all for $107,000, erected.  As stated in the earlier post here, don't trust the panelizer to get it right.  Make sure their shop and assembly drawings are checked in every detail by you, your archy, and your builder.  And as for your foundation, everyone says they can't build 'em perfect, but they can if they are good and try hard for you, and yours had better be right, the day the panelizer's trucks arrive with the crane right behind.

1. 
   BossHog | Jan 22, 2003 05:34pm | #6

   "...don't trust the panelizer to get it right."

   I certainly didn't mean that. (Although mistakes are certainly possible) I meant that it was important to review the house for problems, and to make sure everything was as you wanted it.

   The prints we get to panelize are generally not very good - Sometimes just a page torn out of a magazine. Even if it's a decent print there are always questions and issues to resolve. And there are ALWAYS changes - Move this door over, change that window, etc.

   There are a lot of details in wall panels. It isn't easy to get 100% of them right. But spend the time on the details up front, and things will likely go extremely well.No, the world isn't about to end. However, if I'm wrong, I'll apologize afterwards.

1. 
   Boxduh | Jan 22, 2003 07:02pm | #7

   I should have used more words about "getting it right."  A panelized house job is a preengineered package, just like a truss package, and when the fabricator's engineers detail out a job, they do their best to get it right given all the available information.  Then they submit their work to you for review and approval, before releasing to the shop for building.  Your job will be as right as it can be when all the parties, you, your architect, and your builder, all roll up your sleeves and get into all the fine details, verifying that it will work the way you want it.