Category Description: Panelized homes are factory-built homes in which panels — whole walls with windows, doors, wiring, and outside siding — are transported to the site and assembled. Panels are made from insulating foam sandwiched between two layers of structural material. The panels are lightweight and might already be filled with insulation when they arrive on the site. The homes must meet the state or local building codes of where they are sited.
Advantages:
Panelized homes are built by skilled carpenters, plumbers, and electricians in an ideal work environment, enhanced by state-of-the-art equipment. This results in a speedier building process, higher precision, customization and design flexibility, and reduction of building materials to be exposed to the elements. Walls can be erected quickly, usually within hours, compared with about two weeks for traditional stick framing. The combination of these factors results in faster on-site completion than stick-built method.
Another advantage in using any of the degrees of panelization, is that builders have all the components for a new home delivered to the site on truckloads, which eliminates having to order long list of materials, store and keep inventory of numerous deliveries from number of suppliers. The time required for ordering, storing and securing the materials is greatly reduced. Cleanup time and waste-hauling is also substantially reduced. Additionally, the quality and suitability of materials and design of the home is assured in easily controlled environment at the factory before work on the home has begun.
The panelized construction method helps builders to avoid the scenarios, where they are forced by fast-paced schedules to accept and use inferior materials or workmanship. Those that have made the switch report that this method reduces a builder's liability, overhead and the amount paid to workers' compensation insurance.
Disadvantages:
This method is about 10 percent more expensive than stick building. The builder needs to be well versed in the process to assure that panels fit together precisely.
Suitability:
Panelized houses are suitable to virtually any environment (rural, suburban, and urban) and any climate. The zoning codes do not restrict homes built by panelized building techniques to selected areas as it is many times the case in respect of manufactured buildings. This energy-efficient, long-lasting solution is frequently used for walls and roofs used in timberframed houses. SIP panels allow for little or no air movement through them, creating a very tight house. The walls are about 6 inches thick and the roof panels about 10, creating desired insulating value for the house.
Degrees of Completion
(Excerpt from Building Systems Magazine)
Open vs. Closed Panels
One difference among manufacturers of panelized structures is the matter of "open" versus "closed" panels. In the far more prevalent open wall system the exterior sheathing is applied in the factory to the stud wall, leaving a totally open interior wall partition for inspection by local code officials. Insulation, wiring, plumbing and drywall all are added at the job site. A panelized system using open wall is only slightly more complete than pre-cut systems.
In the closed wall system, the entire wall is made and it includes the electrical and plumbing installed, with inspections being performed at the factory by code officials or third-party agents. Since the insulation is installed in a controlled environment and is measured to fit precisely, the house is likely to be more airtight than a conventionally built home—an energy-efficiency plus. In the field the panels need only be erected and the inter-panel connections completed. Thus, field work is accomplished much faster in a closed wall system.
Types of Panels:
(Excerpt from Structural Insulated Panel Association)
SIP Panel
SIP is an acronym for Structural Insulated Panel. Joining high performance rigid foam insulation to oriented strand board, (OSB), produces these engineered wood building components. The result is a building product that is predictable, resource efficient and cost effective. SIPs are used as floors, walls and roofs on all types of buildings across North America and shipped around the world for use on the widest variety of buildings imaginable.
R-control SIP Panel
R-Control SIPs Panels are a strong structural system consisting of Perform Guard Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation laminated to oriented strand board (OSB). R-Control SIPs are used for walls, roofs,and floors. They resist loads caused by wind, snow, and seismic activity. R-Control panels are usually available in sizes from 4'x8' to 8'x24'. These panels outperform insulation value of traditionally framed 2x4 and 2x6 walls and can be treated to resist termites.FRP Fiberglass reinforced panels are lightweight, structurally strong and offers superior corrosion, fire resistant properties. FRP will not rust, rot, corrode, stain, dent, peel, or splinter in the toughest conditions; will not support mold, mildew or other bacterial growth; cannot be permeated by cooking fumes or grease; cleans easily with common household detergents.
Process:
Typically a panel home will include a pre-built floor, ceiling, and roof as well as interior walls; exterior doors and windows (sometimes pre-hung); roof trusses, sheathing and shingles; roof flashing and gutters; stairs and railings; kitchen and bathroom cabinets; interior trim and doors; flooring and carpeting; as well as all hardware (bolts, nails, screws, plates) needed for construction.
System-Built
What is a system-built home? It is a method of building which uses a combination of building systems: component, panelized and stick. During this process the panels or whole sections of homes are built under quality controlled conditions at a factory and then assembled at the home site. System-built houses are not, strictly speaking, modular or panel homes, rather they are conventional homes built with systems technology. System-built homes, like site-built structures, are built to meet or exceed the state, regional or local building codes, just like a stick-built home.
There's many reasons system-built is better than stick-built:
- assured quality and shorter construction period
- high level of flexibility to customize living space to customer needs and wants
- lower cost than that of conventional stick-built homes
- fast on-site setting and finishing
Publications:
Automated Builder Magazine
Building With Structural Insulated Panels
Panelized News - Building Systems Magazine
SIP News - Building Systems Magazine
Associations:
Structural Insulated Panel Association
Related Websites:
SIP Components - Building Systems Magazine
Building Code List - Modular Building Institute
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