Assembly is Required for These Kit Homes

CNBC ^ | December 23, 2011 | Colleen Kane

[decimon]

Despite seemingly endless interest in decorating, landscaping, buying, staging and selling houses, actually building a house is a mysterious process that is mostly left to professionals. But for some homeowners, buying and in some cases assembling, a prefabricated home holds appeal.

A kit home can streamline the process of custom-building a house. While the prices aren’t bargain-basement, kit homes can cost less. Keep in mind that these homes cost more to build than just the sticker price on the kit. Buyers might have to pony up for windows, cabinets, fixtures, contractors, subcontractors and other features and services, in addition to purchasing the land where the house is located. The total cost to build the house, minus cost of land is called the turnkey price.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

I knowed it! It’s the Clinton Lieberry.

[Timber Rattler]

My boss owns a beautiful three-story house that was originally ordered as a kit from Sears Roebuck in the 1930s. Every piece was shipped to the site by train and then built by company approved contractors.

[Viking2002]

Everything else aside (including budgetary limitations), if you can build fronm cedar or cypress, by all means, do so. The resin of both woods have natural insect-repelling properties, and cedar has an aromatic quality that simply invites you in the door. Another aspect is the pre-treatment of the log itself - I'd like to build with standing deadwood, as it helps remove a magnitude of concern over kiln-drying, checking, and settling. OK, I'm prattling, but it ties into the article - if you throw money into something like this without getting into an intimate relationship with the inner working of it, you may do so at your own peril.........

[wastedyears]

Well you didn’t address it to me so I didn’t feel a need to respond in that fashion.

[null and void]

Fair enough. I always have a pun of two on tap...

[2ndDivisionVet]

[Hotmetal]

I like that teardrop camper. I’ve been looking at plans and want to build my own.

[Professional Engineer]

Here’s a great teardrop forum:

http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/

[skinkinthegrass]

!

[TwoSwords]

My family built a 3 bedroom two story log cabin kit in 1980. Lived in a very small metal building while doing so. It was interesting. It was beautiful but in the winter it didn’t keep out the cold. We’d lay down two strips of foam between each log, the logs connected dow-like and we pounded 12 inch twisted nails for connection.
It was some kind of work, just moving the logs, especially the higher you got up. Plus a two-story stone fireplace, where I got to haul the stone up the scaffolding for the mason.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, I plan on the double tongue-in-groove milling and the foam taping, with possibly a thin layer of chinking along the inner and outer joints. As much as I'd love to go with full Swedish cope logs, I think 8" or 10" D-logs are going to be in the final plans, with 12" or 16" lag bolts. Good R-value, and the inner walls will be flat. Early on, I tried to see if one of the log home companies would tackle Swedish cope outer walls and similar width, load bearing rectangular walls, but nobody would bite due to the architectural difficulties involved. The best that they could do is the Swedish cope throughout, with 1" T&G interior walls.

[John S Mosby]

Appreciate what you say, but my point was that early on obama and his pals were cutting deals to favor RVs, all during the foreclosure and bank deals he was making— with the exception of the “no income” loans to people who have no jobs.

That is, the people who lost their good jobs are being driven down to the street (and bums moving into vacant homes-an action taken by the Occupy movement), and many people living in trailers (or their cars) on the road, permanently (in obamavilles— and they are out there- I’ve seen them). Nothing wrong with RVs except if they are
the only means for people to have a place to live, because of insane policies that prevent job creations.

This is but one cog in the Cloward Piven strategy of the obamunistas. I like teardrops too, great for hunt trips.

[John S Mosby]

Hey, man— y’all caint spect me to go down ‘at dere ladder wid a half bottle of chattanooga choo choo on board do yah?

Too funny— deer stand. Like that exscape ladder in back.

[John S Mosby]

Or having to rent scaffolding to re-chink above 40 feet off the ground— or repair holes drilled by woodpeckers and then residence taken up by squirrels in those holes— holes made in the chinking between the square logs, just below the roof peak fascia.

Oh yeah, thaaat’s a lot of fun. Not as fun as shooting the birds and the squirrels (carefully, with a 12 gauge so as not to “remodel” the house). You are so right.

[Ditter]

Hey cute I want one!

[Chode]

aren't they, great hunting/SHTF type things

[Ditter]

I have the perfect place for one of these cute things but I’d have to have room for my 4 dogs. arf arf! ;p

[passionfruit]

I was also surprised at the statues. I was surprised at how short some of those guys were! I have a home near the Nixon Library, but I’ve been in the area since it was just a tiny white house set way back on the lot with a sign up by the road that said Richard Nixon Birthplace.