2014 pricing on packaged homes

[Luke Duke]

I am right in assuming that not all architects and contractors can design/build a home with these materials? Can two- and three-story homes be built with them? Are arches and curved walls possible?

[Rob Tucker]

All architects and contractors CAN but the questions is WILL they. There are a lot of wood heads out there who don't want to learn anything new. If any unskilled homeowner can successfully use these systems then any competent contractor can... but a lot of people are resistant to changing their methods.

When the Keaau high school went up I tried to show them how they could save half a million dollars. The response was: We make 15% on the job. Saving $500,000 means we lose $75,000 in profits. They weren't interested.

Every product has it's limits but in general I can say that arches and curves can be done. It is understanding a material's limits and designing with them that is key.... which is why we usually do the plans in house. But I welcome any and all contractors and architects.

[Luke Duke]

Thanks for the info. You are the architect, then, with a few contractors who know your system.

[Rob Tucker]

No, I am not an architect. I am a draftsman who has worked with architects and engineers for a number of years. I interface with the client and the architect.

[HI_Someday]

quote:

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Originally posted by Luke Duke

HI Someday, have you got estimates from Castleblock yet? No termites and low fire risk would be worth a few extra bucks per sf. My understanding is that they price to customized designs, not the cookie-cutter designs that are pervasive in Puna.

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Hey Luke,

I've glanced at them but not really looked into them, until this thread and Rob's comments. Just did some quick reading on Rob's website and a few others - there are some very nice Castleblock houses! The cost seems comparable to wood built (although I haven't looked into it other than just glancing at a a few threads).

I'll admit as a current stick/wood built homeowner my knowledge of SIPs is somewhat limited. When I think of SIPs I think about trying to move plumbing, add outlets, or other modifications sometime down the road. These are things I can (fairly) easily do in a wood/stick house but in a SIP? I don't know...

Definately worth further investigation...

Thanks to Rob for Modding this forum and to all the contributors! I can't believe how much I've learned in such a short time, how much I didn't know before I started looking into this and how much more I have to learn!

Mahalo nui loa

[Guest]

Not to rain on anyone, but in coastal Puna, or just about anywhere on the West side, the AIR is the termites for steel structures. I've watched galvanized steel gate chain literally dissolve over a period of years in Ocean View. In Puna close to the coast, a dark night and flashlight will reveal the countless tiny salt particles drifting in the air. Everything made of ferrous metal rusts like crazy in these environments.

jp

[Rob Tucker]

I have galvanized steel in place for over twenty years with no sign of any deterioration. The fact is that everything made by man can be overcome by nature..... but we have the materials, properly applied, to last for generations. It is a choice. At least we have a choice.

[Luke Duke]

Rob, you mention above that you rely on your clients to tell you the total cost per square foot on completed projects. Given your clients' experiences, do you think that it is possible to have a high-end home (high-end finishes) Castleblock home at $200/sf? It would be contractor built; I'm no owner builder.

More specifically, is there any hope for me if I want to build a higher-end 1800sf home with a budget of $360,000? I already have the land.

[Rob Tucker]

My instinct is that you should be fine with that budget. When the term "high end" is used there is no limit. That would be up to you.
You can buy tile at Home Depot or a Pacific Island Flooring or you can import antique Roman tile from Italy like William Randolph Hurst did. No end to it.

[Luke Duke]

Can you supply for a house outside of the Puna area, such as Kamuela? We've begun to rethink location. Kamuela provides tropical paradise access at a lower temperature.