SIPs or double stud wall construction
epicsurf
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Im building a house in MT Crested Butte, Co at 9,500ft. Im trying to determine the most cost effective way to build an air tight, super insulated wall for this alpine environment. SIPs or structurally insulated panels are expensive but will save on labor (also expensive) and can be assembled quickly (short building season). Double stud walls, properly constructed, have a thermal break and would likely be the cheaper option. Since I am owner/builder and would likely need to hire my own crews, Im leaning more toward the SIPs. Has anyone ran the numbers on SIPs vs Framed well insulated walls? Thoughts?
Replies
I have assembled Murus SIPS without any trouble.
I built with SIPS because I wanted to, not because I ran the numbers. This was before double stud wall construction came into as much favour as it currently enjoys. I learned a great deal building with SIPS to the Passive House standard and I wanted to give that experience to my relatively young crews. I like the product, enjoyed the process, and the results were excellent. Nevertheless, I have ever since had the same question you do, and I hope that other readers who have “run the numbers” (and the environmental considerations) will comment here.
I priced a 3,000 sq ft stilt house about 30 years ago with SIPS and conventional framing. We had just had a company start producing SIPS locally and they were really pushing the product. The SIPS were double the cost of conventional framing but, big but, the labor cost to the same point was a fraction of stick framing. The SIPS builder estimated 3 days to dry in and of course, the house was insulated at that point. My estimate for stick framing was 3 to 4 weeks for my 6 man crew.
Ultimately they kept putting the job off until I told them I was no longer interested. They did finally build about a year later, conventionally framed.