A Winter of Content: a Building Envelope in 8 Days PATH Case Study

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Once the foundation was laid, the crew was able to raise the building envelope in only eight days, before harsher winter weather arrived. Development, design, delivery Vermont Built worked with its panel manufacturer, Barden Homes, to develop and design the home, while making sure it was ready to be delivered to the site as soon as the foundation was set. "Barden does the structural engineering on the house, and the drafting. Once the final prints are signed off, a house can usually be delivered to the site in two to three weeks, about the same amount of time it takes to get the foundation ready. That is about as far ahead as we have to schedule," Truax says. "Erecting a home requires at least a four-man crew, but most of the time we use a six-man crew. To set the panels, it really requires two men on the deck, one man on the truck hitching the chain, and one operating the crane. "However, by using a six-man crew, we can do other things, like completing bridging, installing housewrap, and other odds and ends, while the rest of the panels are being put into place. All of this just speeds up the process even more. "The panels we use are all open, pre-engineered panels with the studs and the sheathing on the exterior walls. There is nothing in the panel. In other words, we do all the plumbing, wiring, insulation and drywall after it is erected. Only the door and window openings are cut out when the panels are delivered." All exterior panels are a minimum of 6-inch walls. Interior partitions are constructed using 2 x 4 studs, with the exception of plumbing walls. "The accommodations for the subcontractors are already structured into the panels," Truax says. "For instance, when we are installing floor joists, if there is a toilet or a tub, special spacing is built into the deck to accommodate the plumbing. We can also provide raceways, if necessary, for plumbing or fireplaces. Other features are included when the pre-engineered panels are constructed, such as 6-inch interior plumbing walls, blocking for kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, and other special requirements. While some panels are still being set, other crew members get to work on other tasks, such as completing bridging and installing housewrap. Once the structure is complete, the entire crew can focus on windows, doors and siding. "Safety on the job site is a prime concern for us. Using pre-engineered panels that are lowered into place by a crane reduces the risk associated with building a section of wall on the deck and raising it into place. The cable is not released from the panel until it is secured into place, as opposed to the risk when a wall section is raised from the deck by workers — with the workers being the only holding system until the wall section is secured. Sawing and nailing is reduced, which leads to additional job safety. Scrap lumber, which can become a hazard, is substantially reduced, which also reduces the cost of disposing of these waste products." After years of working with traditional stick-built framing, Truax became a believer in panelization when he started using pre-engineered panels. He decided there were just too many advantages for him and his clients not to focus solely on this method of construction. Beyond speed of construction, Vermont Built also gains more cost certainty in framing. "We are not caught off guard by changes in lumber prices," Truax says. "We are able to mark the entire price for framing of a house. Sometimes we can lock in a price for up to 60 to 90 days." PREVIOUS  1 | 2 | 3  NEXT RELATED ARTICLES: CDBG Project Launches Builder into ICF Market Insulated Concrete Forms: Building a Competitive Edge