It's probably a mix of policy and other stuff but I agree policy is worth fixing. Otoh fixing 50 years of flat construction productivity growth using non-policy methods could be viable
If you're ≥z4 one of the most economical building systems is 2x4+ ext foam and the only variation across AHJs is foam thickness. It's plausible to build identical walls for every region of the US
Other rich countries have more prefab because of - not in spite of - their restrictive codes
I guess I don't totally get the zoning argument. I also don't buy the case that regional builders have an innate advantage at fulfilling regional codes, but let's take that at face value. Codes have never more strongly favored prefab in this regard
If you're in Princeton tomorrow come meet me at the sustainable home expo. You can sit in our 90s porno chairs and we'll talk about HVAC
Feel free to shoot me pics if you want feedback!
A lot of it depends on site specifics - eg for people who might convert to a heat pump in the future I might replace the return drop and place a quality filter rack horizontally in that section vs on the side of the furnace cabinet
To my eye the greatest technological advancements in the post WW2 era have largely been deployed on site more often and more effectively
I also believe that inasmuch as some combination of AI and robotics drive future cost reductions, prefab proponents have to show why these specifically accelerate factory vs site production
I think it's plausible that we see greater prefab uptake. But the main factors will be increasingly stringent building codes and decreasing labor quality/higher labor costs. Prefab won't drive substantial cost reductions
Prefab proponents envision a future US in which the great majority of houses are built and this substantially and continuously drives cost down
My disdain for house-flippers is my most NIMBY trait. Although tbf I've worked on dozens and never once seen evidence of even passable baseline competence
I generally find the main worthwhile duct modification with basement systems is to increase the return size and neutralize the pressure difference across the basement to 1st floor stairwell by installing transfer grilles. Helps a lot with floor temp differences
Stuck in traffic!!
Where's the equipment?
Wonder what the prefab factory turnaround would have been
You can follow him here www.instagram.com/akribisleath...
Luke Riemer owns the toolbelt company Akribis and has been part-time, solo framing a large commercial building since ~March 2nd. He currently has the entire roof assembly sitting on fully framed walls. Probably 1-2 days with a crane to button everything up
Drive enclosure losses down and aggressively downsize the system when you replace it. Low capacity systems make crappy duct systems almost good
In houses with forced air HVAC systems it's generally best to leave interior doors open as much as possible. This is because room +/- pressurization of rooms is common, problematic and entirely mitigated by open doors
It's probably treated but mainly because treated decking and framing lumber are super cheap. Central NJ is the epicenter of water failures - eg dryvit really kicked off here. Very committed to learning nothing
Princeton is amazing because $2mil houses won't have deck ledgers and a remodeling contractor will come along and make a little horizontal leg on the bottom of the ledger to help trap water
Probably one of the towns with the largest delta between contractor and resident IQ
You don't hate toolboxes enough
Sometimes I use AI to help write prefab housing jokes
Agreed! I think it's easier if people target specific traits. Eg if you want a house in a cold climate with design day loss <20kbtu/hr you're probably using good windows and exterior insulation which leads people to inswing 3-glazw windows and exterior motorized blinds
Almost every US state (including CA and NJ) provides trade licensing exemptions for people building their own, single family, primary residence. Certifications are simply not a barrier and this is entirely made-up internet cope that people should stop repeating
There are far too many tools advancements to list but we have rebar tie tools, rental telehandlers, press tools for all forms piping to name a few
You can heat and cool your house with a pre-charged minisplit, bypassing the epa 608 exam (which took me 6 hours to obtain). Cordless electric tools make site power unnecessary at early stages of building
Insulated wall panels with pre-attached water resistive barriers are commonplace. The world's best framers and finish carpenters have libraries of video tutorials on yt and ig
Insulated concrete forms mean that you can assemble your foundation in 3lb foam blocks and place concrete directly into them. The foam remains in place and forms a backer for attaching interior and exterior finishes
Building codes aren't much of an obstacle. Structural codes haven't had a significant impact on framing techniques in the 30 years I've been building and most of the high impact revisions to codes are baked into the available materials one buys off the shelf
The main caveat is that it requires extremely careful planning which most newbies are highly averse to, and that planning should take into consideration the unique limitations of the inexperienced
