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I am planning to build a home in western North Carolina. The labor market there is very tight. Most labor commutes 30 to 45 minutes, productivity is poor and labor rates are high.
I am an owner / builder (second time) and will act as the general contractor. I am trying to move as much labor off the site and into a shop as possible. Towards that end, I am considering a “framing package”. The packages I have seen included all framing with the walls sections and roof trusses fabricated in a shop and trucked to site for erection. Any other prefabrication that could be done in the shop, was.
Have you had any experience with these packages? How does the cost compare to stick building, – – Quality??? Problems, benefits, additional work you had to do to “finish the framing”? Schedule.
If you happen to be in western NC area who was your supplier? I’m building in Cashiers. The area would likely be served by Ashville, NC; Greenville, SC; Spartenburg, SC; Or north Georgia.
Thanks for your help.
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I did 45 of these in the last 2 years for HUD(read uncle sam) They are panelized at a truss manufacturer, and dropped at the site. We frame decks, walls are stood up(13'max) build second decks and hoist walls and trusses up. At first they were slower, but after 3 or 4 they flew. We did about 8 different designs, so we got really good at seeing problems and correcting before they got to out of hand.
Quality I would say was really good, panels are square and well nailed. Lumber was good. If your deck gets off though, you have to cut panels to fit, and they are not forgiving if the foundation gets out of square.
We are in the process of bidding some 3500-4500 s./ft houses done this way. I'm at around $4.00/ft to frame them panelized. They supply the crane and set second walls up on the second deck(first on first deck also). I supply crane for trusses. I back charge on racked panels and things that don't fit due to panelization screw up.
As a builder I like them somewhat. Would I use them on my own home? Nope. ...... Keith C
*I'm with Kieth on that one. Thay are great for tract homes or townhomes. In Chicago, we have to use steel stud walls on the exterior for fire rating, and they are the cheapest way to go. They are really good if you have a square floor plan. Would I use them on my house? Nope. I am a carpenter by trade and at heart, I couldn't let my own house go into someone elses hands.
*Bill - I've been in the truss and wall panel business basically for 15 years. I've also answered this question more than once on this board, and don't care to type it all in again. (Maybe this subject could be in the FAQ section, if it ever gets set up ?)You might try searching the archives on "panelized" or "pre-fabricated" and see what turn up.Also - if you'd care to email me and tell me who you might be dealing with, I'll ask around and see what I can find out about their reputation.
*.....my first carpentry boss was a National Homes dealer... we must have built about 10 a year.. in a town with 3000 people... all the panels would skid off a 40' box trailer in those days .. right onto the deck we had framed... we'd stand the walls up ,, tie 'em and set the trusses by hand (mostly raised ranches).. by the third day he had his roof payment..no crane...usually a crew of him, three carps, and a few kids like me, then the siding would go on and the rest of the interior was conventional...that was the late '60s, and they have really got som nice product nowthose houses are still there , all over town, been remodeled, resided, reroofed, most have new windows now...oh , yeh.. they all had fake steel chimneys with a brick pattern on them....
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Ron, Thanks for your reply. I had done a small search for this but i must have not hit the right subject. I will try again.
At this time, I don't know who I will be dealing with. I may bug you later when I know more. Are you located in this area?
Thanks Again.
Bill
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Bill:
Don't know anything about "framing packages" as you call 'em, but as far as Keith's $4 a foot, we get reasonably good framing crews for fully custom stick build homes for less $ than that here in Raleigh NC.
*Bill - I'm in Illinois - not close enough to sell you anything. (Guess that could be good or bad, depending on your opinion of me) But I do have a lot of contacts in the industry, including one or 2 in that area. I'll try to check out whomever you do business with if you like, but would prefer to do so via email. If you can't come up with anything in the archives, post back and I'll re-post my infinitessimal wisdom on wall panels.............(-:
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Thanks on, I did find the archives on this subject. I owe you one! Will you em-ail me the info on the suppliers in that area? At this time, I'm just starting my homework (no pun intended) on planning the construction so anything is a help. My em-ail; [email protected].
Bill
*As a framer, I would suggest a stick built house, I put together one panel house and don't like them, gaps between panels, many panels to make a wall, things are'nt tied together as well as a stick built house, etc.
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I am planning to build a home in western North Carolina. The labor market there is very tight. Most labor commutes 30 to 45 minutes, productivity is poor and labor rates are high.
I am an owner / builder (second time) and will act as the general contractor. I am trying to move as much labor off the site and into a shop as possible. Towards that end, I am considering a "framing package". The packages I have seen included all framing with the walls sections and roof trusses fabricated in a shop and trucked to site for erection. Any other prefabrication that could be done in the shop, was.
Have you had any experience with these packages? How does the cost compare to stick building, - - Quality??? Problems, benefits, additional work you had to do to "finish the framing"? Schedule.
If you happen to be in western NC area who was your supplier? I'm building in Cashiers. The area would likely be served by Ashville, NC; Greenville, SC; Spartenburg, SC; Or north Georgia.
Thanks for your help.
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Bill -
I'd like to take exception to your statement that panelized houses "are'nt tied together as well as a stick built house".
When you build a 30' wall, do you use 30' lumber ? Or do you splice pieces together ?
Panelized walls typically have the 2nd top plate held back 4' or so on adjioning panels so the 2nd top plate can tie the 2 panels together.
If you had gaps between panels, your supplier had a quality control problem, or your foundation wasn't level.