About 2-Story Home Building Kits

Building your own home with a two-story home building kit has many advantages. First, the cost per square foot can be as little as half that of a conventionally built home. You do not sacrifice quality, and you do not need to compromise on size or style either. There are two-story home building kits for homes from under 1,000 square feet to over 5,000 square feet.

Types

Two-story home building kits come in styles from traditional colonial to classic Cape Cod, as well as log houses, geodesic dome houses and eco-friendly houses. If you do not find one you like, you can have one custom made. Many kits use structural insulated panels, which are complete walls assembled in the factory. Geodesic dome kits use a wood frame and cement. Eco-friendly kits include prefabricated parts as well, but they are made of materials such as locally grown woods, compressed straw panels and aluminum doors and windows.

Features

Structural insulated panels are three layers thick, with two outside panels of "oriented strand board" and a middle panel of expanded polystyrene, a form of insulation that makes the home very energy-efficient. These panels are very fire-resistant. You can choose from a slab foundation, crawl space or basement.
Geodesic dome homes are 10-sided structures. They are made to be safer in earthquakes, storms and hurricanes.
Eco-friendly kits include options such as greenhouses, root cellars and water collection. They can be run by solar, wind or even human-powered energy. The interior walls are finished in natural materials that do not need to be painted.

Considerations

Check what R-factor your insulation should have. The colder the climate, the higher it should be (the higher the R-factor, the thicker the insulation). Manufacturers have various R-factors available.
If you choose to have your home built on a slab or with a basement, you have to consider the extra cost as well as the fact that the slab or basement will have to be completed before your kit arrives.
You will need to have at least two or three friends to help, or consider hiring a local handyman or carpenter. The cost will still be far less than conventional construction.

Warning

Be sure to check your local ordinances and zoning regulations. There may be requirements regarding materials and size. They may require a basement or a slab. You will probably have to have an engineer on-site to do an inspection report. Find out first before you commit to purchasing the kit.

Potential

You have the potential to move into your new home very fast. You can assemble a kit in as little as four days. The plumbing and electric will take more time, but it will still be months sooner than conventional building methods.

Resources

• Colonial Style Kits
• Geodesic Dome Kits
• Eco-Friendly Kits