Building a HANOK in the US. Lots of questions!
Hey, I just joined the forum. I’ll itroduce myself a little as it’s somewhat relevant. I’ve been studying Korean for about 5 years and lived in Korea for about 3 while studying Korean at Yonsei University. The biggest reason I was always interested in Asian culture was the traditional architecture. I always found it beautiful, mysterious and inspiring. I love visiting castles and temples and going to preserved villages to see old housing. Anyways, next month I am going back to Korea to study traditional architecture and I couldn’t be more excited. The class I’m taking will only teach us how to build the most common type of hanok “tile roof”. I think temples and castles are very similar though so I could probably work in those fields if I wanted someday. The class is only 3 months but we’ll be studying and building and designing for 8-9 hours Monday through Friday. My dream for a long time has been to build one of these houses in the US, probably in Kentucky where I’m from. So I have lots of questions.
First this is exactly what I would like to build,
This is the best hanok I’ve ever seen, it’s not a mansion or anything but the way it was build up onto the raised terraces with the these colors and the trees in the background makes a very striking image I think. It looks powerful to me. This kind of house is shaped like an angular “C” there aren’t any more wings jutting out in the back. I really want to have a large pond so let’s just assume that the dirt for these raised terraces came from digging a huge pond in the back.
So Here’s what I want to do. I think with me, my brother and maybe one other guy possibly flown in from Korea we could do the main structure, minus the foundation. So we would have the whole exterior. Walls, roof, insulation etc. I would have to pay for someone to do the electrics, plumbing, etc. pay for pouring any concrete that needed to be poured including a huge pond. which would have to be concreted and filtered if there’s no spring on the land. If I could get land with a spring then I could probably just have a dirt pond. let’s just assume concrete for now. I think I could do all the flooring and radiant heating, and just get the electrician to once it over before hooking it up. I could do anything that a non-experienced DIY-er could do with a lot of research/reading and little hands on experience. My family own a lot of mountain land and I think I could get the wood for free or very cheap, let’s just assume free for now. I would have to transport it though. I would need to rent or buy scaffolding. I would need to rent or buy all the woodworking tools. Let’s assume the land costs anywhere from $20,000-50,000, The inside would be nice and modern but nothing extremely lavish.
1) Biggest question, can this pass code in Kentucky? Specifically within 30 minutes driving of Bowling Green or Lexington. So it would be rural. probably on a 3-10 acre plot of land. I’ve heard the regulations are loose and earth bag houses have been approved.
2) let’s assume that when I build this I have $220,000 cash to put into it, do you think this is possible in this budget? If not, then what’s a good estimate.
Here’s more pictures so you can better understand this type of construction. These pictures come from other houses so it’s not 100% the same layout or style.
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^those crooked beams where the walls will be are just resting, they don’t attach crooked like that. They’re going onto the roof.
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Here plywood covers the rafters, then a sheet of water proof material, then dirt. The dirt helps with insulation. helps smooth out hte angles in it’s curved roof and holds the tiles in place.
From the first pictures layout I would like to have a bathroom on the left side wing “our left” and a study on the right wing. The two rooms that jut out from the building.
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here's pictures of what I would ideally like to have if the budget allows it, which it may not.
The nicest room would probably be the study. I know built in bookcases are super expensive. The rest of the house would have a similar modern traditional fusion style. Big open windows etc. The pond would ideally would be right up against the house or a porch. like this. I'd like to have the whole back area fenced in with this style of fence, but much taller so that we could have total privacy it wouldn't have to be made of stone, any kind of block or brick could work.
A small outdoor bath in the back beside the pond in a simple structure with a simple flat tiled roof and sliding panels, not insulated. These are all just ideals, but hopefully you can understand my vision better.
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You will have to get a Professional Engineer to sign off on it.
The building codes in the US are set up so you can pretty much just cook-book the code and not have any issues in permiting, or you can have a Design Professional do the calculations and attest to the safety by signing off on the design.
There is no way this meets code, and some of the features like the brick in the roof area may not work. But the overall timber structure is probably fine.
What do you mean by "cook-book" the code? I'm not sure what you mean by the "brick in the roof area" either. You mean theat little wall in one of the pictures that connects one level of the roof to the peak? So if someone signed off on the design then I could build it? I would of course have everything drawn out and calculated in Korea, I would just have to find someone state-side to approve it.
Use the code directly
You can "ccok book", or utilize it as a recipe to build a "standard" stick built house with out a real understanding of what it is you are doing, and you will build a code compliant house, that is safe and somewhat efficient. For example the code gives span tables for various dimension lumber used as floor joists, but doesn't give spans, or attachment requirements for steel beams.
You have the choice of building a deeper floor/ceiling system, or hiring an engineer to design a system that meets the load requirements with a steel beam.
In your case the design you are coming up with, varies quite a bit from the standard structure that the building codes in the US are geared for, and will require the input of a licensed design professional, (engineer or architect), to get a building permit. That design professional will need to familiarize themselves with the design, and then run their own calculations to be sure it complies with the requirements of the code.
your gorgeous house
I think you can build it. Hire an engineer to go over your plans and she can sign off on it as far as structural code requirements. In Houston, an engineer can sign off on a project and the builder is required to follow the design. I would estimate the cost to be upwards of $300 a sq foot with your labor, all those logs have to be peeled and somewhat dry and they are big. It would be a great house to build and a lot of fun. I wish you luck.
john
If I were going to do this I'd find a premium log home builder who could supply the logs, the skills, and the advice necessary to meet code. I'm sure there are a bunch out there who'd love to have something like this in their portfolio, in addition to it just being a fun project.
(Of course, I'd also set aside about a million bucks to cover everything.)
A big part of the appeal for you is obviously the challenge (and fun) of doing as much of the work yourself as possible. If you have the time to devote to it, that will cut down a lot of expense that would otherwise go to timber framers, etc.
It seems you have access to abundant timber, which will further reduce the cost. Can you do it for under $250k? Maybe.
I wonder if you could get a Korean engineer who's fluent in English to work with a Kentucky-licensed engineer as a way of coming up with a design that will be acceptable to your local building department?
You might even negotiate greatly reduced costs from them if you can offer them some media exposure from sources like FHB or JLC or architectural journals if you do a good job of documenting your progress.
I have no doubt that such a project would generate a lot of interest in construction and architectural circles, along with those of the general public who are contemplating their own projects.
Be prepared to meet with a
Be prepared to meet with some obstacles when it comes to getting permits and approval for this in most jurisdictions around the US. Timber frame walls, top-heavy roof, lots of glass in the walls, all of which are part its appeal could make it hard to meet certain code reqirements for wind loads or seismic standards, although Kentucky may not be subjest to much seismic activity. These same features will make it hard to meet current energy code standards for some parts of the country. You wil almost certainly be required to have engineered plans in order to get permits.
Aside from that, it is a very appealing design.
I believe many Korean homes like this have a heated floor system--do you plan anything like that?
We definitely don't have seismic activity but we have tornados so wind load is definitely going considered in the design. I will do a heated floor. Very traditional houses have a wood stove with flues that wind around under the floor and that heats it, but modern houses use radiant heating which is what I would do.
nice....
I love the pics, especially the ones showing the workers plying their trades. What works for them may not work for me but you can still learn.
What is appropriate for one locale may not be practical in an other.
Just sayin'......
interesting project
My father-in-law built a Hanok near Taegu; it's true that it's a very natural building technique, but the materials can be expensive and hard-to-get, and miters don't cut themselves. I believe he spent close to your entire building budget on roof tiles, and not a big roof at that.
I don't know how I would get one of these to meet code. It's similar to a post-and-beam house or a log cabin, and those get permits, but there are problems like energy code to be solved.
I'll bet that's a house that is only affordable to the most wealthy Koreans. In the US you're talking aobut unusual design, unusual engineering, lots of non-standard material. expensive components and construction techniques that are unknown to carpenters here, All in all I see the dollars piling up in a huge stack that will make this an impossible job unless you're mega wealthy and which would take years to build. $200K wouldn't cover the framers bill.
I remember reading about building a hanok in France. The biggest problem was getting permits. This was especially so as a hanok only has wood fitted into each other without any other form of support, and more problematic for the French, the house is secured to the ground only by its own weight (the posts are not inserted into the ground). Apparently, though, studies have shown that the hanok is actually more resilient to seimic activities and hurricanes (typhoons) than most other homes we are familiar with. All this needed to be proven before a permit was secured.
As for the tiles, have you considered Mexican roof tiles? It's a little different, but if that's the difference between being able to afford the home and not, it might be something to consider. In the end, it's your call :)
Anyway, good luck with the home. Living in a hanok in the US has always been a fascination for me as well.
If you were a client of mine i'd suggest a few things. First, there has to be somewhat of a reality check as to the good and bad aspects of this building type. It's poorly insulated, much like a log home, but with a huge amount of glass. Even if you could afford to build it on the small budget you mentioned can you then afford to live in it? I've personally known people who build magnificent log homes only to live like homeless people all winter because they couldn't afford to keep the heat turned up above 60 degrees.
Second, do you really need an authentic korean design built like they do over there, or do you just want it visually to look and make you feel like one? My guess is it's 3x more doable if it's finished to appear like an authentic Korean hanok, but under the skin it's a more modern framework. A good timberframer can help walk you through both the construction and limitations of the traditional style. Some places may need to be fudged to look authentic, but still match accepted common wood beam construction standards. Many timberframers are quirky by nature and I have known a few over the years that would love to help with your project, and live in a beat up old vw bus to do it if that's what it took.
There is no easy way around your electrical needs - you can't use products used in korea - it just wouldn't fly. You need a smart adventurous electrican and I'd suggest one that does nicer remodels and log homes since they are used to retrofitting into odd situations especially with large wood beams. Wiring can't be added after the fact, it has to be designed into the home and wire chases and whatnot will have to be installed as it's built. There is no way to do this well after the fact - get a good electrical guy on board up front.
As for the heating - that's a simple task of a heat calc for the exterior walls and roof - nothing special about beam construction with lots of windows.
There is nothing preventing a roofline and interior that appears to be authentic, but has a layer of foam and more conventional construction.
Once you have enough money to find and hire someone to help guide you through what will and wont work, you may get a little sticker shock at what $250k in materials and professional services will build. 1,500 sqft? Bare bones basic 2k sqft?
It will be like owning a hotrod - fun to put together, super cool to everyone who looks at it, something to be proud of, a true labor of love, but only if that's your thing and you're willing to accept what a hotrod will actually do and not do well.
Hanok Style
Idahoman, great comment and insight. I'm in Oregon, moving to SW Washington and I'm looking for someone who can do something exactly as you've mentioned. In my case, I want a small outbuilding in hanok style but more cosmetic than authentic. This would not be the main house. I just want to talk it through with a builder to see if it's even in the realm of possibility. I'm guessing from your handle that you're in the neighborhood of the PNW. Any leads in this area? Theadanie, I wish you luck. I'm a Yu but my mother was a Yi, yes, THE Yi family. She grew up in Bukchon. Hers was a branch descended from Yi Jae, older brother of Sejong. Having something like a hanok bldg in my life matters to me, as you might guess. If you succeed let me know ([email protected])!
theadamie,
I live in Lexington, KY and I am a structural designer,
As a Korean descendant, I am planning what you've described.
would you be able to share some info with me?
If you do, I would really appreciate.
Thank you.
I am interested in building a traditional hanok, but in Maine. Would love to see what others are doing or have done. i understand that the wood used is Korean red pine which is similar to our Ponderosa pine. The red clay is plentiful here as well and a granite foundation is not difficult to come by, especially in Maine (lots of big boulders). The biggest problem I see, other than cost is the skill required to successfully complete it.
Have you gotten far with the planning on this?
Any luck with the planning or updates on your progress on this? I am currently having someone that is an architect draw up plans that are going to be modified to fit codes in the U.S.
Do you know what the exteriors are for the modern hanoks that are being built in Korea? Eunpyeong Hanok Village has a lot of the newer ones, and the architect is asking me for the materials list, and I wasn't sure what the exterior is. I know it isn't stucco..
I think stucco is still most popular one for modern hanok. but I saw some people used split face. it well matches with wood.
My wife and I are looking to build a hanok - mixed with modern design - in the PNW too. Did you get any leads or make any progress? We're just getting started so would love any tips or contacts
I have not, mostly i have just found possible suppliers for materials, etc. My nephew is an architect and he did a preliminary plan for me to take a local architect here. It's unfortunate, i feel as though i see plenty of coffee contemporary Japanese inspired homes but none for Korean. I do have a google spreadsheet that i can share with you if you're interested.
Yeah, I think we'll have to pause our dream for a few years - there is a shortage on Lumber and our costs won't line up anytime soon with Seattle being so expensive these days :/
At least we all know there are others out there. Hopefully, the market will realize there's a desire behind it and seize on it.
https://www.academia.edu/21087899/Application_of_Design_Method_New_Contemporary_Hanok_Korean_Traditional_Housing_For_The_American_Market
Thanks, I actually have reviewed this document before and tried to reached out to Benjamin Park Townsend via LinkedIn, but never heard a response back. I'll have to see if I can find another avenue for reaching out to him.
We are actually in the process of building our "hanok inspired" home in Connecticut:
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/278798682_10102559600372185_1111498945907830618_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=hLb-M75WYHgAX98GnJ4&tn=0GyvL9Gh6r0-zdIE&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AT_o5HbgvXwS3Vma1VX9a4x5sc2gploB83K-dDR3VVrw4A&oe=632D3080
Current as of Sep 2022
Congratulations!!! And thanks for reaching out to me. Would you be interested in corresponding via email at all? I'd love to engage with you and learn about the process as you build the home.
If so please feel free to email me at [email protected].
I’m also planning out a hanok currently. Would you mind emailing me to talk about it? I’m having a little bit of a hard time finding useful information, especially about material suppliers. Thank you!
Email: [email protected]
I wish you luck with your build!
Check out my posts. It took me months to find this. It should answer all your questions.
You might want to check this out. Looks like it’s a program that is free and allows you to easily build a Hanok just enter the dimensions and the program will supply timber size and joinery.
http://hanokkorea.auric.kr:8088/main/rnd/bim/browser.do?mid=3011
Hi, I’m glad I found this post because I’m about to do the exact same thing. I’m only making a Hanok style shed but I want it to be accurate to the design. I run into no problems because it will only be 8’x15’ making it 120 square feet. I won’t need a permit and I am aware that this will cost me a pretty penny but I love the architecture and I like personal projects. Here is something you might find helpful. I know a Hanok house is timber frame and uses joinery instead of nails. I know nothing about joinery and there is nowhere in California that teaches Traditional Korean House Joinery. I made a Google search in Korean to see if I can find out measurements of the timber and what joinery to use. Figuring out how to frame the house isn’t hard but the joinery is. I found a website that shows the dismantlement of a shrine for restoration and it’s in good detail. It shows pictures, hand drawings and measurements of every single joinery used and you can see where each piece goes. The double eave roof is possible making it the way we build houses here in the US but it’s not practical. It can be best made using timber framing construction. If anyone is interested in that Korean website I’ll post it unless it’s just me that would find that helpful.
Attached is an image of the Hanok style I’m about to build.. I’m first designing it in 3D and then I’ll have a structural engineer look at it to see if he can suggest a better method and most importantly to sign off of the material size I’m using.
Thanks for your recent posts. I’ll have to look into the links you sent. If you end up pursuing your project you’ll have to let me know how it turns and out and post pictures
Check out my recent 2 posts. Dozens of Hanok Blueprints but they’re in Korean and a program that helps you make a Hanok just enter house size and it will tell you the timber size and joinery.
Look what I just found. This is the holy grail for anyone wanting to build a Hanok and want to be as accurate as possible. These are Korean Blueprints for several Hanok homes and it shows the size of timber used (in millimeters).
http://hanokkorea.auric.kr:8088/main/rnd/thanok/list.do
The web address above is exactly like I posted it, do not add a www or http or it will not work. Download them all fast..!
You’re welcome…!
Things just got better. I don’t understand Korean but it looks like they have a program that allows you to build a Hanok. Here’s the link. I get better results when I search in Korean but I don’t understand Korean. Here is the link guys. Remember that there is no www just copy and paste the link as is.
http://hanokkorea.auric.kr:8088/main/rnd/bim/browser.do?mid=3011
I ran into an architect who lives in Korea who said he can build a Hanok and cut all the joinery and assemble the house first to make sure it all fits well and then disassemble it and ship it to the US. If anyone is interested I can get his contact information.
Yeah I was going through all the Hanok house plans and they have every single type and style you can imagine, even mansions. I downloaded several of them already. Here is an example. They are FREE.