Replies

1. 
   calvin | Mar 15, 2012 10:18pm | #1

   Mike

   Welcome to Breaktime.

   I reply to this so it gets moved up top.  Not having any experience in conditions such as yours in Vt., that's the best I can do.

   Good luck to you and the wife!

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 15, 2012 10:57pm | #2

   if I were you ( and I am not) I would build it all from ice blocks and DIY the job. I have used them a lot, my own cellar is ICFs and if I build again, the whole place will be. It can easily be a one man  job done, and the comfort level living within is great

3. 
   IdahoDon | Mar 16, 2012 01:09am | #3

   With a limited budget I'd suggest looking at the type of high efficency houses built by habitat.  They typically include a normal foundation with insulated slab on grade - the most bang for the buck.   In your case the rock is a blessing since you won't need footers - saves some concrete and manpower - but forming walls over irregular rock can be time consuming if the guy doing the work hasn't done it before.

   Nothing beats typical stick framing from a cost/benefit perspecitve...same for trusses vs. cathedral ceiling....trusses are the low cost way to go.   Vinyl windows, pergo or generic floor tile, cheap cabinets, 3 piece shower enclosures,

   Sounds pretty basic....and it will be for that price range....but you can do much of the work and save a lot.....

   I'd get as much insulation as possible since that's the only thing you will spend money on that will pay for itself in the long run.  Nothing wrong with r60 or r80 in the attic....thicker than normal walls would allow more insulation....or spend the money on having a layer of foam sprayed in 2x6 stud cavities....again, it's the only thing  you'll spend money on that will pay back the money in the long run with lower heating/cooling bills.

   Use scratch and dent windows and doors to save money there.....they will be odd sizes, but a house can look great with eclectic windows if they are used right. 

   In the long run I doubt there is a siding less expensive than stucco or hardi planks......if you are building to save money in the long run then that's what I would do.

   A cabinet maker we used had a shop that was very well insulated and had large windows for solar heat gain.....in the coldest months in Wyoming it wouldn't drop below the mid 50s inside - without heat!  Passive solar is easy to build into houses and shops in cold climate areas....  If you are primarily in an area predominately concerned with AC, then limit your window sizes on the sunny side and keep a lot of insulation....and a thick floor slab to moderate the temperature swing.

   When building insulation into the floor system, I'd recommend the foam be placed below a thick layer of sand rather than directly under the slab in order to use the thermal mass of the sand to assist the slab in controling temperature swings in the house.  A thicker than normal slab would do the same at a higher price.

   Being your own contractor is great if you find good subs who are willing to work for the lowest dollar, but that depends on your ability to sort out the good from bad, and those who have plenty of work from those who will cut you a deal because they are slow.....if you don't know what you're doing it can be a long frustrating task for sure and many of the cost savings won't be there.  General contractors are normally a valuable part of the equation because they are experienced in these things...having said that most people can probably learn enough about the process to make it worth while.

     

4. 
   DanH | Mar 16, 2012 07:55am | #4

   Note that code generally requires that a crawl be at least 18" high, so that a reasonably svelte male can actually crawl under it.  (Of course, code ignores the fact that most building trades guys aren't nearly that svelte, but there's usually one wiry guy in every crew, if only for this purpose.)

5. 
   Schelling | Mar 17, 2012 09:18pm | #5

   Idaho Don's advice is very good. We build low cost high efficiency habitat homes across the lake in NY. We use icf frost walls with a insulated poured slab as the floor. The floor finish is either carpet or epoxy paint.

   Since you have ledge, you would need to scribe the forms to the ledge. This could be done with icf's or with wood footer forms but you would want someone who is experienced helping you with this. Even experience concrete contractors are slow and expensive with this type of work. If I was going to do this I would lay down a single layer of icf's that was scribed to the ledge, pin this layer to the ledge and fill it part way to stabilize it. After I had completed this stepped footer(?) I would complete the rest of the foundation.

   I know that the main cost of your septic system is the cost of the fill you will need to make a workable system. There is really no way around this unless you have good soils. This is not unique to Vermont but they have been ahead of many other areas in requiring engineered septic systems, at least ten years ahead of us.

   If you are in Addison or Chittenden county, come across the lake and I can show you some of our habitat houses.

1. 
   DanH | Mar 17, 2012 09:31pm | #6

   Yeah, and check, recheck, and check again that everything is level.  Do it before the first course is poured and again afterwards.  (It's easier to correct an "Oops!" the sooner you discover it.)  And check your level!  (A water level is probably the best double-check, but be sure that there are no bubbles in the tubing.)

   Do this even if you hire out the foundation.

   (And check for square too.  The old diagonal measurements check is by far the best way to do this.)

2. 
   IdahoDon | Mar 18, 2012 11:34pm | #7

   I'm glad you chimed in - most people don't realize how progressive habitat is in many areas.  I was on the board of habitat chapter out west and really enjoyed all the resources habitat has online ....it's too bad they aren't made public. 

6. 
   sawzall | Mar 31, 2012 11:53am | #8

   next time, study property first, then buy