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nissag
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:03pm | IP Logged
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We're seriously looking into building a home. Right now, it looks like our best option would be a panelized home or a modular. We've heard and read that they are less expensive than stick-built houses, but of course, we have nothing to compare. Our current house was about 30 years old when we bought it.
I'd love to hear what you all think.
Blessings,
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Nissa
Deacon's wife, mother of eleven, farmer, teacher, creator, cook.
At Home With the Gadbois Family
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:26pm | IP Logged
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you might want to look into "off-gassing" issues.. Stick-built is not better built unfortunately, I've heard of lots of issues with lower quality materials and workmanship in stick-built homes. And I understand that the modular homes have gotten a lot better.
One other option you might consider is the log homes that come in "kits".
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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nissag
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:39pm | IP Logged
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We're looking at kits, too. I think we'd have to have a contractor either way because neither of us has the temperament for building ourselves. But I would suspect that it would be less expensive to have a builder button up a modular or kit than it would be to build on site - so much is wasted.
We're also hoping to incorporate some energy efficient features like geo-thermal and passive solar.
I spoke with a designer today, their family creates panelized homes from custom designs. What we're looking for isn't very complex design-wise, just large. We probably could get a kit or two and put them together, much like what the Duggar family did, though perhaps slightly smaller. 
Blessings,
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Nissa
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:40pm | IP Logged
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Our previous house (a cape cod) was modular. It was fine; the only way you could tell that it was modular was that the wall between the kitchen and the living room was twice the normal thickness.
The only caution I have is --- be cautious about the people who do the non-factory finishes. We had the upstairs finished by a builder (who arranged for the modular home and its basement. The basement was fine. The upstairs bathroom was not. They definitely skimped and used inappropriate materials. They also lowballed every single estimate. Every single one. They also assured us that we would not need a sump pump, and then voila! a month before settlement we had to scrape up the money for the sump pump in cash. I cannot recommend that company.
However, the place that built our home --- I can recommend them. I"m just not sure who it was.
In Christ,
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Deborah
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:46pm | IP Logged
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Then definately consider the log homes.. the logs themselves are high insulating.. and I don't know how cold it gets where you are building.. but I'm thinking some of the modular the base amount of insulation isn't good for real cold areas.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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nissag
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| Posted: Feb 15 2010 at 7:58pm | IP Logged
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We're planning to build in Kentucky at this point. I spoke with a designer today whose family does super-insulated, passive solar homes. They'll custom design to our specs, come out and do a site review (for orientation), and send the pieces for a contractor to put together. I'm hoping after Brian gets home that we can get them to work up an estimate. Many of the kit homes are well within our budget, even figuring in all of the necessary finish work.
Blessings,
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Nissa
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oh that sounds nice.. we've been so blessed by the extra insulation a previous owner added to our house.. it's moved way up on my priority list. Somehow, living without it you were ok not getting great insulation.. but having had it.. oh it's so so very nice. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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nissag
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| Posted: Feb 16 2010 at 4:02pm | IP Logged
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It's very exciting looking at kits, and plans, and places that can make up panels to our design...
The price estimates we've seen are all over the place - from very affordable to really obscene.
After I mentioned our lack of proper temperament, I remembered that Brian actually worked for a builder as a young man. I bet he could do it if he felt he had the time. So really, I suppose, it's MY temperament that is the problem. 
Blessings,
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Nissa
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Building a Home
