Money money money... money!

Sigh... when I started this post I had no idea I'd be running into Liza Minnelli.

And when I started this project I had no idea I would be where I am with SIPs, the solar choices I made... and the budget I have to get there and achieve my goal of gorgeous, affordable, off grid modern design.

This dream began with the realization that dragging a shipping container out to our land was not practical. Though recyclable, we would have spent 7k at the end of the day for a... metal box. Not an investment. Not insulated. Not passive solar. Not... ok you get it.

So then we explored metal buildings... and couldn't resolve the insulation issue.

Then we discovered SIPs, kidnapped some award-winning architects (in my real life I'm a bandit), and committed to investing in a home to enjoy for generations. (That's sideways speak for: Pony up, Copeland, at the end of the day it's a lot of money.)

So, without further ado, I dispatch my estimated and actual costs (which will be oft revised as estimated costs turn into actual figures):
(I'll put estimated figures in blue, real figures in green so you can see what is what. I also remind all readers that prices vary in everything, this is just what it costs to build a casa ti in central Virginia in winter/spring 2009!)

1. casa ti kit house: $22,537.91 for a 1,200 s.f. kickin' modern house kit.
   
2. shipping: $1450 per truck to get from northern to central Virginia
   
3. engineered drawings (gears kit documents for local zoning): $1,910.00
4. poured concrete foundation: $4,886.70
   
5. concrete finisher (prevents cracking, contractor swears by it) $910.00
6. sand $230
   
7. foam that goes under foundation: $1034.68
   
8. Mike's plumbing and Heating: (they laid the radiant tubes, plumbing in foundation) $3,450.00
9. sheet rock: $4,000 --> We have eliminated drywall.
   Waiting for estimate of alternate approach.
   
   Wellz, folks... this will be a combination of the contractor building interior walls with plywood, *while* lining the interior of the SIPs with... VMI's BASKETBALL COURT! 'Cause you know I'm all about reuse, and history. *That* cost (oh, by the way, did I mention I acquired that historic solid maple flooring for about $1 per sq. ft?) will also be offset by the fact that I'm going to auction off the VMI logo on ebay... which might just end up paying for it all. (YES, I will be donating percentages and anything over purchase cost to VMI's Basketball team! Yay!)
   
   So this cost is going to take awhile to get final costs. You could also do a SIPs stew to save money on the interior: http://www.greenmodernkits.com/2008/03/sips-tips-i-think-ill-call-this-one.html
10. EXTERIOR lumber and framing lumber for the load bearing INTERIOR wall $4,294.40
    
11. Interior walls: $2,200
    
12. Phase 1 LABOR for putting house kit together / exterior framing / interior load wall framing (i.e. Phase 1 of getting the house kit weatherproof. Phase 2 is labor for putting on cladding, Phase 3 is finishing the interior) $4,484
    
13. Phase 2 LABOR for installing cladding: $9,610
    
14. wiring: $5,700 (I think this estimate was wrapped into an earlier general labor estimate... will check with contractor this week.)
    
15. windows: $8,071
    Original quote: $9,051.39: I waited until they had a 20% off sale to place my order, made some adjustments to the door, and hence my costs were: $7,689 + $59 delivery charge + $368ish tax: see the post "Get Yer Windows" for details on how to save money and bring the price down!
    
16. plumbing: $4,500 (Actually I think this was Mike's Plumbing costs, above- so this might not be relevant?)
17. Roofing: Roofing labor to install membrane, etc. : $2,118
    
18. Lowe's (I have no idea, but it's on the contractor's cost sheet so there ya go!) $196.35
19. Equipment rental for a light trailer $87.12
    
20. contractor: $6,021.66 for phase 1-2, plus 10% on SIPs, siding, windows/doors = 3,880 -->$9,901.66 (as of February 14th, 2009, now we have to finish interior. Estimate to do interior walls is $1,200 but that does not include systems installation.).
21. well / rainwater collection: still working on it, looking to be around $8,000
    
22. solar / solar heat / batteries, etc. / radiant heat (I will go into this in depth later): $10,000
    Ok, these costs are starting to come in:
    PEX tubing for radiant heat: $670.50
23. roof / membrane / one green roof / cladding decisions: We're using Galvalume, we are not adding the green roof (although you certainly can on the north side of the casa ti, that was in David Day's original idea) because we are using that for rainwater collection.
    
    Supa-Cool Siding/Roof Mod Package! $8,776.11
    Shipping for super cool siding package: $268

Now here are some costs that are not really directly related to the house kit / building a house but I wanted to include:

1. Excavation and seeding: Anonymous below asked about site costs: Good point, totally did not include that. Fortunately, when we bought our land it was... exactly as it is, except for excavation of the site- so we did not have to cut down a single tree, yet have a super south view! We situated our house at the end of the pre-existing field. Costs for excavation *and* seeding: $1,200.
2. Perc Test (soil consulting) $600
3. Board of Health Permit $190
4. Building Permit $82.07
5. Contractor going up to the factory to be trained on SIP: $194.39
6. Driver tip for SIP delivery because we're nice and in a rural area and they went above and beyond their call of duty $80
   

Now, when you're adding up these figures, remember some items are systems for an off grid house- so if you're connected to utilities, this will be less for you.

Again, realize these don't pertain to your local costs of your material and labor.

Well, we will see what more of the actual costs are later this month...
Keep yer eyes peeled!