Most affordable style of house to build?
Long story short I will be selling my home soon and looking to downsize to something 1500 sq ft approx. I have saved diligently and plan to retire in just a few years and will not have a mortgage on this new home. That being said I want to minimize construction cost (not quality) while also keeping to a minimum future upkeep and monthly utility cost with this design. Basically the simpler the better. I will not be in a neighborhood that restricts design aspects and one of my key goals is to have a roof that is suitable/maximize the use of solar panels. I live in upstate SC where we have little issue with cold weather but can have very long hot and humid summers. I once worked in the commercial construction field and do my own flooring, tile, trim, cabinets but the rest will be done by the builder. At first I was looking at a 1.5 story design but I recently came across this shed roof or slanted roof design plan. I have never seen a house constructed in this fashion in person before though so unsure of many of the details such as venting the roof etc. With the flat roof structure though it looks amazingly simple to construct and looks ideal for solar. I did have an Architect tell me though it is simpler to have triangle trusses built that would give you a flat roof inside and more room for mechanicals and insulation etc and would prevent racking than to have a slanted roof inside. Possibly I could compromise and leave the living room kitchen area in the center vaulted as in the picture. The house would be built on a slab and not sure if this design would be best for mini splits or a heat pump. So in the end, would this style of home be less expensive to build than say a comparable 1.5 story house? Any drawbacks to this style of house? Any input is welcome
Replies
1. Source materials from surplus areas, e.g HFH ReStore, CL, etc.
2. DIY ALL of it
Here's just what you need --
I think the most affordable style to build is a day-light ranch. Simple trusses and framing, easy to insulate well. If you can get a day-light / walk-out basement, you can also have a naturally cool space the home. The shed roof style you show is interesting (our next door neighbors have that style), but not the cheapest. The roof assembly is more complex, and getting good R value up there isn't easy. You likely get all the solar you need mounted on a conventional roof.
There is no such thing, at least not generally. Every area of the country builds differently. Here in south Florida the most common house is CMU construction with a truss roof. It's the least expensive here but might be the most expensive where you live. Builders and developers are always looking for ways to save a buck on construction costs to stay competitive. If shed roofs were less expensive and appealing you'd see them everywhere.
Having one wall higher than the other to support a roof is nothing new and what works very well is to use the space of the higher wall to install windows which is much better than skylights bringing natural light into rooms while have no privacy concerns.
A heat pump with the right climate can greatly reduce heating and cooling costs.
Easiest with the solar to have the roof sloped for maximum solar production. Usually it is going to be close to the latitude of the location but there are California websites that provide a great deal of information and help. Cheaper to design in the solar panels then to add later and they can reduce the cost of a roof and greatly extend its life.
http://csi-epbb.com/
https://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/tools/calculators.php
Going with a local builder means working within their comfort zone. In some areas the use of heat pumps is quite common and in other parts of the country they are seldom found as well as people who know how to configure and install them properly.
Framing with 2x6's and using modern framing methods and creating the right envelope is also important and again the knowledge level of the local builders is going to vary widely.
As you can see there are a fair number of idiots posting on this forum which as even monkeys can type.
“As you can see there are a fair number of idiots posting on this forum which as even monkeys can type.”
And thank goodness there are people that know everything.