panelcobcepts cottage assembly

[fintry]

Hi,

l'm from Montreal, Qc, Canada, but  have plans to move back to the country.  I acquired a piece of remote land in the backwoods of the beautiful Okanagan Valley, BC.

I want to build an environment aware small year-round retirement cabin. lt is not that l'm an  environment enthusiast, but l simply look for the best cost effective energy efficient solution.

I  have been looking at sip cabin kits for quick assembly. There are quite few of them on the market. I had a closer look at the Knotty Pine from Panelconcepts in Michigan, but l have not been able to find information or owner's comments for technical skills required to assembly this beauty. I found this site while doing google search for information  for Panelconcepts cottage

[Jeff]

Well I think I can help you right out on that one. I happen to know the owner John. We have worked together at several Michigan Forest Resource Alliance booths.  Every year for several years we gave a panel concepts cabin away that John would sell us at cost.

What exactly do you need to know other then once you have your site prepared, that three guys can put the smaller cabins up in a day.  They used to put the donated cabin up on location at the outdoor shows and we would sit on the porch and sell the raffle tickets. I even sold tickets on here one year.

[Don_Papenburg]

If you have any hills think about earth shelterd or under ground  for some real energy savings    Do an internet  search for PAHS (pasive anual heat storrage) .

[srjones]

Their website looks like it's got some pretty good packages for some pretty competitive prices.  I'd only worry about shipping and currency conversion. 

If you're into designing and building things for yourself, you might consider contacting a SIP manufacturer that would fabricate panels to your specifications.   There's a major one in BC.   The drawback would be that you will need to figure out all the 'rest' of the building (roof, interior, sideing, etc.)  I could see how it would be really nice to have whole package just ready to put together.

Sounds like a fun project!

-Steve

[JimBuis]

Environmental awareness?  What about strawbale construction? :P

[Jeff]

I'm thinking he means that he wants the cabin in the midst of somewhere that will encourage environmental awareness.

[Jeff]

According to the panel concepts website:

In most cases* all that is needed from your toolbox to construct a Panel Concepts Building in ONE day is a:

L evel
H ammer
S crew Gun
L adder
C halk Line
   

There's no sawing or drilling required for construction. The complete building is assembled in panels with high-grade, coated screws.

http://www.panelconcepts.com/

That is accurate as I have been in on putting a portion of one together.

[Paul_H]

Fintry,
where in the Okanagan will you be located? My brother lives in Armstrong in the North Okanagan.If I wasn't living here in Pemberton,the Armstrong/Enderby area would be my first choice but the whole Valley is pretty nice.

Aint that right Roy  ;)

[fintry]

Paul_H,

   The location is called Fintry. It is a little way behind the new Fintry Provincial Park. lt is halfway between Vernon and Kelowna on the west side of the lake. I know Armstrong very well. I lived and worked with several guys from Armstrong when l was living in Calgary in the 70s.  We traveled to the Okanagan almost every weekends from may till September. One of them lived with me in Montreal one year to learn the other official of our country.

[Paul_H]

I feel like that's my backyard  8)

My wife is from SW Calgary and we head out there to see her folks 2-3 times a year and in the Summer,we hang around the North Okanagan.

If I can help in any way,just send me an IM.

[fintry]

Environmental awareness?  What about strawbale construction? :P

l had a look at strawbale or cob construction, but my wife ruled them out already. Something like having to live the city to relocate 3000 mile away in the country  without having the city commodities and nightlife, and having to communicate in a second language makes my wife a little uneasy already.

[fintry]

I feel like that's my backyard  8)

My wife is from SW Calgary and we head out there to see her folks 2-3 times a year and in the Summer,we hang around the North Okanagan.

If I can help in any way,just send me an IM.

Paul_H

I keep your offer in my file.  I'm anxious to get things going, but l have no  time limit to build. The lots in the area are sold, (buy the land now and build later) but no body has built anything yet.

I still have some searching to do for permit requirements for water and waste systems and estimate  the saving if l do the job myself.

I look forward to go out to the Okanagan for the permit requirements next fall. I also plan  to clear the building site and to do the landscaping. I also want to determine the best location and orientation of the cabin  and type of solar heating would work best. I will also determine the placement of the windows and where l would site at certain time of the day.  I should be able to do this with the SunKit from http://www.countryplans.com/ 

I have reduced  my choice to 3 BC pre-fab cabin kit manufacturers.

http://www.wintonglobal.com, from Prince George has a distributor in Vernon
http:///?%20ww.cabin.ca are located in Langley
http://www.wildernesscabin.com/. Are located in Kelowna.

http://www.panelconcepts.com I think that the panelconcepts cabin system is very attractive for a case like mine. The inside and the outside of the panel have a beautiful wood  look. I have not found other SIP manufacturer with offering such features.

look foward to see each other some day?

[Tom]

Hey Paul!   Wear the Fox Hat.    ;D

[Jeff]

heck, maybe you can hire Paul to prefab one for you. He has all the tools to build dovetail joint cabins.

Just an idea Paul.

I'll go search for the play house thread.