After taking the informative SIP background class from Green Builder College, called “Builders Education with SIPs,” I learned very few projects include SIP floors. I decided months ago, if I was going to try building a SIP structure, it might as well include the entire structure from the ground up, so it would include SIP floors, SIP walls, and a SIP roof.

The floor panels at around 13′ x 4′ in dimension weigh in around 200 lbs each. I can easily slide them around the jobsite on my oversized sill plates or cart them around using a handy Telpro The Troll cart. Were it’s been particularly challenging is placing the panels around the seismic concerns of holdown hardware and shear walls bolts. These foundation anchors go down between 24″ and 40″ into the concrete foundation, and define the structural footprint. I’ve had to lift the panel over the bolts instead of moving them into place like the other panels.

Another problem I’ve had is the panels are designed for dimensional lumber for support, mostly 2 x 10, which actually measure 1-1/2″ x 9-1/4″ in size. A lot of locations require the use of engineered lumber like LVL, which my local vendors do not make! I’ve had to buy larger material and cut off the excess that takes a lot of time and effort. It has been like the old timber frame homes using hand shavers and block planes to reduce the 9-1/2″ engineered material to fit into the floor panel.

I also had no idea how tough some of these engineered woods are, and boring a hole for the anchor bolts took a high torque 1/2″ drill and 17″ long auger bit to get the job done. My 12V tools and standard 1/2″ drill got about 3″ down before binding and stopping. Good thing I have a 500 RPM drill that can handle those agressive augur bits.

I initially tried to attach all connection using common nails and a titanium head hammer, but after 100 nails, I am now using a palm nailer, and what a difference! no more hand fatigue. The titanium hammer is great for a lightweight tool to reduce elbow and forearm injury, but my hand was hurting after nailing. The palm nailer works great so far.

There are many gaps in the storytelling of the dark green micro home addition. As history is revised, it’s also best to start fresh, and today is a good time to start. The foundation waterproofing system from Epro is finally in place, along with the removal of the last concrete form board. The first floor is secure with 4×10 sill plates, and the backfilling has begun. After a few hours of moving earth, I remembered a needed to research an acceptable thermal barrier for my mini-basement, or crawlspace.

Typically crawlspace construction is vented to the outside, separating the living space from the condition space above. I am trying the sealed crawlspace technology, which make the space more a basement, which then requires 1/2″ gypsum board or equivalent to protect the structure from fire. Usually a foundation wall might have an ignition barrier, but I need either gypsum or a portland cement barrier for protection. I considered for a few hours a EIFS but they are too labor intensive for an area that should not see much moisture or weather events. I decided on a stucco parge coating.

I looked up the inventory and pricing at the local home store, and going premixed or component (plastic cement and plaster sand) came out nearly the same price. I headed over to Lowe’s in Pacoima, but they could not find an entire pallet of 80 lbs Quikrete Scratch and Brown Base Coat, so I had to go the Burbank location. The order desk closed at 6:00 PM, and it was already 6:20 PM, so I headed over with my item numbers to customer service. The process took too long, as one of the perquisites of using a Lowe’s Commercial Account is considerable discount in home delivery, which they did not now about. I had to get a manager’s approval. Instead of the usual $79 fee, it drops to $20 an order. If one is a member of NAHB, that delivery price is zero! I did not get home until 7:40 PM, but I did have time to sign up for the Lowe’s affinity card, called myLowes, which will help track my purchases.

Green Building Concepts supplies information exchange on a more resource and energy efficient lifestyle.

Reader Q & A
Question: I am entertaining some major renovations to my home and would like to work with a green architect and builder. How would I find a list of architects and builders that are knowledgeable and willing to build green?

Answer: Congratulations that you are willing to remodel using resource and energy efficient techniques. Green building is at a point where education is king, and you are on your way, by reading various resources on the web, to steer any contractor and architect to think green. In order to find a contractor willing to work with you there are three basic steps you can take:

1. Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA)
   There may be a member of the EEBA in your area to personally guide you through the remodeling process. They have a “Master Builder” certification in resource and energy efficient construction.
2. National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)
   There may be a member of NARI in your area to personally guide you through the remodeling process. They have a “Certified Remodeler” designation and may be aware of green building.
3. Using sites like greenconcepts.com and others can guide you in asking for building products and techniques for green construction. Ask your contractor to look over the various sites to learn what green building means.

Looking for something in particular? Try the Search page. Through the internet, Green Building Concepts knows no geographic boundary. If you need assistance in a building project specifying products and techniques from North America to Antarctica, from Africa to Asia to Australia, Green Building Concepts can help.

Green Building Concepts provides quick background guides to many housing systems and energy alternatives.

Today I delivered the completed construction drawings to my window, door, skylights, and sandwich panel contractors, and put down a substantial down payment for delivery of my new climate change house sometime in the future. If anyone wants to help me out, come on over to raise the roof, literally.

Probably the biggest question about remodeling is the cost, which is developing quickly. It certainly depends on the type and quality of construction. I ran this project though a professional bidding package, and got a number. I am doing most of the work, and all of the planning, so I can save resources to apply to more esoteric aspects of the addition. $243,900 using SuperBuild Building Software and products Premier Building Systems structural sandwich panel package, Andersen Windows series 100 window package, Serious Windows 925 swinging patio door package and maybe $19,000 Vacupor vacuum insulated panel package.

When you’re at the computer screen ten hours a day, you sometimes forget about the real world outside. Over the last twenty years this neighborhood has changed. It was earlier this year, someone fired 8 rounds of a 9 mm Lugar outside the house, littering the street with shell casings. That was a really scary night. As the economy has collapsed, families have become extended, and the volume of cars in driveways, in front of houses, and on the street have five fold increased, if not more.

In this environment, the Rosales clan has decided to build an addition. As I’ve been exploring the design over the last 234 days, there’s been a lot of ups and downs, changes, investigation, and game changers. After learning that the City of LA will not allow flexible living quarters, the structure moved from the back of the property to come in contact with the main house. LA requires either 10 feet of continuous roof or 4 feet of common wall to call it an addition in juxtaposition to an accessory building. In an addition, you’re allowed all forms of living quarters except a kitchen. An accessory building cannot have natural gas, hot water, or a sink larger than 1 square feet, to prevent having a granny flats structure.

I had chosen early on to adopt a more robust and user friendly construction technology, in defiance of current common platform building with wood stick construction. I read an interesting article on the history of residential building, and in summary concludes building technology has evolved to incorporate lower quality and inexpensive components, instead of the highest quality old growth wood and timbers of years gone by. Wood engineering is the where the future of construction lies. The addition will not include a single structural tree member, but instead a hybrid of wood fibers or wood strands with resins and adhesives.

Something I explored this week is the combination of engineered wood panels and a lightweight aluminum superstructure. It’s a neat hybrid system using metal where necessary, but the wide open spaces with insulated panels. in fact, a company in Van Nuys, CA has a demonstration unit that I had a chance to walk through and absorb the possibilities. Where my project has stalled is in the ancillary technology to assemble heavy large cumbersome SIP’s, namely renting forklifts, cranes, and heavy material handling equipment that most likely would add $10,000 to the project.

The hybrid metal SIP technology, introduced to the USA with MHS, is still a work in progress, yet to achieve approval in a seismically active area. I thought about building without a permit, but then the City would most likely insist it’s removal, once a complaint from a neighbor came through. I’ve written anyway to the Long Beach CA manufacturer to see how much it would cost and how far they are on their way to ICC acceptance. The SIP structure would most like cost $45,000 installed. the Van Nuys licensee wanted $120,000 or more for their architectural imprimatur.

It s Law Day in the USA, and Golden Week in Japan. It was also the day I made it to the Huntington Library Chinese Garden. Close to 20 million dollars to construct, and ten years in the planning, the site is stunning in it’s collection of water and stone. Unlike other styles of gardens, the plants take a secondary role to the constructed environment. It’s been a long time coming, and I was glad I could take a look.

I’m somewhat surprised that it’s been several weeks since I’ve added some notes to the project file, and I have been very busy researching floor girders. I like knowing all the minutia of a project, and with the internet I can download research reports of ICF construction, concrete admixtures and slump, seismic planning, and architectural design. sometimes I get off track, and sometimes illness prevents me from finished this project.

Last week i was ill for four days from Monday until Thursday starting with a severe migraine style headache, and ending the days with a Norwalk Virus. If you’ve ever had such an illness you would know it, more commonly referred to a a norovirus. Basically you feel deathly ill for around 30 hours, vomiting and exhuming all the fluids in your body every 2 hours throughout the day and night, but then you feel better.

Last Friday and Saturday I was at the Altbuild Expo in Santa Monica. Sunday was the Santa Monica green building house tour. Hopefully not too much longer to go to finish the architectural plans to present to the City of Los Angeles.