Looking for info on building a house

Discussion in 'Off Grid Living' started by d42, Jun 23, 2013.


  1. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    Set that mobile home back on your lot. When finished with you home just put a roof over the trailer wide enough for two sheds. Then build the center like a barn. Walah, storage rooms, study room, bath, and work shop already wired.
     
    larryinalabama and BTPost like this.
  2. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey


    The spray in foam has a number of advantages not often considered.

    1. A much greater R factor. Polyurethane foam is most commonly used in a liquid spray form that is blown into the attic space or cavity wall where it expands and hardens in seconds. This is about 2.5 x the R factor of Fiberglass.

    2. The Polyurethane foam will seal all minor holes and if you off set your studds you will have a true thermal block.
    3. Bonds to the outer wall and the studds, extra quiet.

    4. You can move in before the wall board is up or you can use lathe and stucco for a quick solid job.

    I have used Polyurethane foam and if you expect to stay you cannot find a better way.

    YMMV
     
  3. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Down side of spray in expanding foam, is it can cause surfaces to bow, if too much is used, and it does not always expand to fill voids. It is good, but make sure of how much it should expand, and how much should be used to achieve a complete fill. There are low expansion, and high expansion types. With some materials, it can require a bit of practice.
     
  4. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    Not sure that foam does not give off noxious fumes as time goes by. Believe I will stick with fiberglass.
     
  5. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Lived in one for years. Key is to be applied by experienced local contractor.
     
  6. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Foam should not be sprayed into "holes", even the caned home owner variety can be misused.
     
    kellory likes this.
  7. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    There are two types of spray foam--expanding and non expanding.
     
  8. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    There are 2 types of Canned Foam for home owners. High ratio expansion and low ratio expansion. Either one can cause bowing in window or door frames if used incorrectly. Using only Canned Home Foam is not an option for use in a full structure insulation job.
     
  9. larryinalabama

    larryinalabama Monkey++

    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2015
  10. TnAndy

    TnAndy Senior Member Founding Member

    You take it a "board foot" is just that.....enough foam to cover 1" thick, 12"x12" ??

    If so, then a 3 1/2" cavity uses 3.5bdft, meaning little less than 1000 sqft of coverage for that kit. Figure 8' high wall, and that would do about 120 linear feet of outside wall....or a single story house 25 x 35' (875sqft).....not a big house....typical house is gonna take couple or more of those kits, assuming JUST the walls.....and JUST 3 1/2 cavities.....

    Also, says foam is R-4 per inch.....so a standard 3 1/2" stud cavity is only R-14 ? Not much better than fiberglass.....I thought foam was a lot better ?
     
  11. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Problem is, the kit has open cell foam. The main reason I will only use a commercial applicator that has a heated system for proper small cells. This gives you a 7 to 8 R factor where fiberglass standards are 3.14.
     
  12. d42

    d42 Monkey

    Thats my concern with foam. Good results, just a lot of cash to get there.
     
  13. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Best I can say is that the pay back last year round. Summer or winter you will have a better place to live and pay out less to the Multinationals Corps. as well as the Gov. It's not what you earn, but what you manage to keep. Also known as no free lunch.
     
  14. d42

    d42 Monkey

    I really like foam insulation. But if the insulation takes up half my budget, I won't be able to finish the house and enjoy the great insulation. I did some rough estimates on what it would take and the amount needed for insulation was a lot. What I've read makes closed cell look like the best option, which is more than open cell.
    Also, I want to build off grid - I won't have to pay anyone, but also makes having an efficient place more important.
     
  15. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    You makes your choices and pays your money. Reap either your rewards or your mistakes.
     
  16. d42

    d42 Monkey

    Do you have foam insulation in your house? How much did it cost? You said you only use the heated commercial applicator - Did you do it yourself or hire it out? How do you get that commercial applicator, are they available to rent? Is it easy for a newbie to do it right?
     
  17. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Do you have foam insulation in your house?>>>>> Yes

    How much did it cost? >>>>>>>>>Built in 1985, cost about $2200.

    You said you only use the heated commercial applicator. >>>>>True

    Did you do it yourself or hire it out?>>>>> Hired out.

    How do you get that commercial applicator, are they available to rent? >>>> I doubt that it is. A warning. The foam does produce some noxious gas while expanding and for 24 hours, after that it is OK. Commercial applicators watch the time they have on the mask filters.

    Is it easy for a newbie to do it right?>>>>>> No. You need nitril gloves, correct filters, full cover alls and goggles.

    FWIW. My first was with 6 inches of spray in foam. This was for a garage and it also served as a "first home"/ storage barn for tractor and supplies. The second was a "pump house" this was with 6 inch polystrene foam board and a out side of 4 inches of steel reinforced concrete, all applied by hand. The third is a home with 6 inches of polystrene foam and 2 inches of concrete exterior For me it all had to do with along term plan. I built as I could afford and lived off site. I built to be tornado resisestant and fire resistant. Good thing I did for the Pump House was just finished by my family an I when a range fire (that was set) came through and burned off some 300 acres and a number of houses.

    Send me an email for the general location of your site in your State. So you can just give it by area then Central, SW etc, or however you feel best.
     
  18. cdnboy66

    cdnboy66 Monkey++

    hey all, havent checked all the replies, but my kid just pointed out to me a good little site called Tumbleweed Tiny Houses
    they are based out of Oregon ( i think) and I cant get the full site at work, but they seem to do micro living on small trailers.

    might be worth checking out, and being that I am currently sleep deprived
    I will throw in Resource Furniture dot com
    though it seems to me I may have mentioned it once already, if so, ill ask your patience as I work out my lack of brain function today
     
  19. Oddmar

    Oddmar Monkey+

    Have you built your house yet? If not i have a very good house design for you...cools itself in the summer, partly heats itself in the winter, built mostly from free recycled materials.
     
  20. enloopious

    enloopious Rocket Surgeon

    Check out this place. You can buy the plans and build it yourself or just get some ideas
    Tumbleweed Tiny House Company - Welcome to our website !

    Then also check out these. They are super cheap if you have the time and man hours to build them.
    Earthship Biotecture - Radically Sustainable Buildings

    I don't know how cold it gets where you are at but you may also want to check out rocket mass heaters.
    rocket stove mass heater

    Also about local zoning and code enforcement, a lot of builders will put up walls so you can't see inside. Most people think this is to keep everyone from seeing what they are doing but in fact it is to keep inspectors from looking inside. This is because they can tell you not to build something but they cant tell you to tear down something that is already completed unless they can find specific faults with it. It is much harder for them to post-actively critique your structure so most of them wont even bother.
     
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