Who has built with SIP's

[Harv]

I'm trying to get a handle on a new garage project at our new house. My plan is to use SIP construction with a heated slab. I'm hoping for 22X50 garage.

Anyone here built a garage with SIP's?

John

 

[bluesman2a]

Harv,

You have hit on one of my BIGGEST pet peeves. Like you, I started looking at building my garage using new/green/better options. Unfortunately I could NOT find local contractors to do the work, nor could I find any manufacturer that would send out a crew.

I find it VERY frustrating that we have access to BETTER building technology, that by rights SHOULD be cheaper, but nobody uses it, contractors don't want to learn it, or it is so far overpriced that the average human can't afford it.

I also looked at ICF construction as well, but had the same issues. I hope your experience is better than mine was!!!

 

[Northstar9126]

Not a garage but I built a house using SIP wall panels for one of my sisters.

 

[FunfDreisig]

...I find it VERY frustrating that we have access to BETTER building technology, that by rights SHOULD be cheaper, but nobody uses it, contractors don't want to learn it, or it is so far overpriced that the average human can't afford it.....

I've seriously looked at SIPs twice now -- the cabin we now live in and the 3 bay garage I'm currently building. I was very disappointed in how large a project it took to make this style construction viable. Given my penchant for large openings with sliding doors the total simple "wall" area in both structures is not large enough to warrant the delays in getting the SIPs built and delivered.

Funf Dreisig

 

[d110pickup]

I considered using SIP technology on the shop I'm building. It's post & beam construction which should work very well with SIP construction. It was going to be a very, very expensive project and there is no local knowledge of the technique. I'm in a large suburban area (Atlanta) and I was surprised by that.
Mike

 

[rsanter]

we have a warehouse on site that was built with SIPs
it is a steel frame construction with SIP panels for the walls and roof.
over the walls is stucco and over the roof is standing seam tin roof
really nice for keeping the heat out and did not seem to cause any problems with getting someone to put it up

bob

 

[kuhner]

I helped put the walls up on a friends garage built with SIP. The long walls were 40ft didvided into halves, and were 10 ft tall. We placed them as we unloaded them off the truck with about 10 men. The company staged them how we wanted on the trailer, less handling.


greg

 

[mikegt4]

About 15 years ago I built my house using SIPS panels. A friend and I put up the 2 story house by ourselves. Very easy to use and makes for a fast build. I did have some trouble with my local building dept. because that type of construction was new at the time (they also didn't like my computer generated plans that I drew with ACAD!). Another person saw us putting the walls up and got interested in SIPS which he later used for his new house. He purchased them from a company south of Zanesville, Ohio. They sent a crew out and had the 2 story up and under roof in 2 days. A garage would be easy to put up but with an open span you will have to use the panels for the walls only. They do make for a solid, strong structure. My house is like a bank vault, strong and quiet.

http://www.sips.org/
http://www.r-control.com/

 

[kool55]

Harv,Ijust completed my house using sip panels. I think its the way to go. Walls are 6'' roof is 12''. super strong and insulated.5300 sq.ft. Requires a crane and a crew familliar with sip panels. Just be sure to figure in electrical and hvac ahead of time. Since panels are solid it is hard to do afterwards. My interior walls are sip also

 

[randydupree]

i used sip panels for the inside walls in my warehouse.
easy to use.
Randy

 

[Harv]

Thanks for all the replies.
I have contacted Enercept and EPD. Both have yet to return an e-mail. Maybe they are so busy they don't want to mess around with a 1100 sqft garage
I'm gonna start calling them on a regular basis. My contractor just wants to build it with 2X4s.

John

 

[PAToyota]

Interestingly, we just talked with these folks Brindlewood Builders yesterday about the possibility of partnering on some projects.

We've been wanting to find a contractor to work with on residential and smaller projects that understands the concepts of energy efficient design and craftsmanship and just happened to run into these folks at a seminar.

 

[bluesman2a]

My contractor just wants to build it with 2X4s.

Have him quote you a price with 2X6's... If you go conventional stick-built, it'll allow you to get in some extra R value for insulation, plus it's just stonger in general.

 

[blkhonda1991]

Thanks for all the replies.
I have contacted Enercept and EPD. Both have yet to return an e-mail. Maybe they are so busy they don't want to mess around with a 1100 sqft garage
I'm gonna start calling them on a regular basis. My contractor just wants to build it with 2X4s.

John

who cares what your contractor wants...tell him what you want its your garage in the end, do it right the first time

 

[dps]

I think SIP's are a great way to go, and so do an ever-increasing number of builders. But the builders or contractors that haven't made the jump (huge leap, to them) won't be interested because they don't yet know how to make money with it, so they stick with what they know. Same for guys that work in steel sticks instead of wood sticks. Here in Denver we are just out of range of adobe and so it would be very difficult to use it. A little south and west and now there's plenty of experienced contractors.

 

[PAToyota]

plus it's just stonger in general.

I'd beg to differ, but that is a whole different conversation.

 

[varunner]

I'm finishing up a 32 x 44 garage with SIPs. The panels are 4 x 10 x 4.5". I installed these by myself without a crane. It's not a big deal. If you're not going to do this on your own, keep looking until you find someone who has installed them before, or is willing to try. The material cost is about twice the cost of a 2 x 4 wall, but there is significant savings in labor.