[Strawbale] Strawbale regrets?...

[John Swearingen]

Yes, I agree, Andrew...we're always having to tell people that SB is not the
magic bullet that will give them the home that perhaps they can't
afford....but at the same time, for owner-builders, SB is very friendly, and
can give just the inspiration they might need to succeed.

John


John Swearingen
 SKILLFUL MEANS
design and construction
www.skillful-means.com


-----Original Message-----
From: strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Morrison
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:33 AM
To: 'SB List'
Subject: Re: [Strawbale] Strawbale regrets?...


I agree with most of this except the statement that it is less expensive to
build with bales.  Perhaps it would be as far as the wall assembly itself is
concerned; however, the introduction of bales makes electrical, plumbing,
HVAC, and siding more expensive trades.  Plaster is far more expensive than
lap siding unless you do all the work yourself.  As a professional builder,
I find it frustrating to hear people say how cheap straw bale homes are to
build.  In my experience, the opposite is true and people need to know this
if they plan on hiring a professional to build their home.  Yes, they will
save money in the long run, but the house will cost more to build...right
now.

Andrew

Andrew Morrison, General Contractor
A.C. Morrison Construction, LLC
Specializing in Straw Bale Construction 
Andrew at StrawBale.com 
(541) 899-1818             
 www.StrawBale.com A World Leader in Straw Bale Education

Want answers to straw bale questions? Check out our "Straw Bale House" Blog 
The Straw Bale House Blog

-----Original Message-----
From: strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of yevrah
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 7:44 PM
To: SB List; SB-r-us at yahoogroups.com; Mark Frazier
Subject: Re: [Strawbale] Strawbale regrets?...

There isn't enough information to assess why the friend said he'd use double
walls instead of SB. In some situations SB is not the best choice. But we
don't know what his situation was. IRT "If it were better, then we'd see
that  being done".  Double walls with blanket insulation is a very common
method.  It is preferable to single wall because it allows for much more
insulation and has fewer thermal bridges. It is part of the R2000
methodology of energy efficient home construction in Canada; BUT the
construction crews must be trained and conscientious in creating a
continuous air and vapour barrier, which is labour intensive. All those
materials can be bought at Home Depot; whereas we cannot, yet, buy
strawbales at HD. In general, SB construction should achieve the same levels
[or better] of energy efficiency at a lower cost, using less trained people,
using less costly materials, using more environmentally friendly materials,
and require less maintenance over its' life span. Harvey in Canada
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Frazier" <fritter63 at charter.net>
To: "SB List" <strawbale at listserv.repp.org>; <SB-r-us at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 1:28 PM
Subject: [Strawbale] Strawbale regrets?...


> Was in Home Depot this morning doing a quick check on materials costs 
> to make sure the budget is still valid. We're submitting plans for 
> permit next week!
>
> I mentioned to the door and window guy that we were building with SB, 
> and his comment was:
>
> "I have a friend that's finishing an SB house. He said if he had it to 
> do over again, he'd just frame up double walls and insulate it 
> normally".
>
> I don't see how that could give you the same quality wall as SB would, 
> and I'd imagine the cost would be mucho more. If it were better, then 
> we'd see that being done instead of
> SB walls, right?
>
> Comments?
>
> _______________________________________________
> Strawbale mailing list
> Strawbale at listserv.repp.org 
> http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/strawbale_listserv.repp.org


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