• jerry dycus
  March 17, 2023, 9:38 am

  While I really like it except for the sleeping loft, $83k is about 2x more than it should be.
  For $83k one can have a 1.6k sq’ house built.
  And I’d be happy to build it for $40k. I’m building a solar powered skid version for just $30k. Another $5k for a trailer.

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  • James D.
    March 17, 2023, 1:44 pm

    Maybe for you, but that isn’t realistic for everywhere, especially, not in Canada!

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    • jerry dycus
      March 17, 2023, 2:05 pm

      Sure it is. Just more insulation, triple pane windows, a wind generator instead of 50% of the solar and maybe a wood stove or CHP.
      I’d go full SIP to keep it light and best insulation, little bridging and that would still be in the $40k budget at a nice profit. No need to be greedy.
      We don’t need that in Florida where winter can be the doors open at 78F and heading to 83F today. ;^)

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      • James D.
        March 17, 2023, 6:10 pm

        Seriously, no, it’s not! You’re confusing not dealing with all the costs that a business would have to deal with as it being that low cost for everyone to do it when no business would ever survive with those margins or even be able to offer the range of options that a custom builder can offer. While also ignoring that costs aren’t the same everywhere and places like Canada it costs more than it does in Florida.

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      • jerry dycus
        March 17, 2023, 8:31 pm

        Since I’m willing to build them at that price says you are wrong. And I’ve recently priced out several versions so know very well what the costs are.
        Most companies have too high overheads and too many workers and not good design means they need to get out of the business as not competent.
        Parts cost for the example is under $20k including the trailer, labor about $6k. They are not that hard. I can close one in with a helper in 1 day, finish in 5 days is a nice profit.

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      • Liz
        March 19, 2023, 7:09 pm

        I’m with you Jerry. So many of these h0mes are being built like a luxury home and the cost to buy does not reflect the worth.

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  • James D.
    March 18, 2023, 3:19 am

    Sorry Jerry but no, you’re not making an equivalent comparison. You’re not running a comparable commercial business and producing the same number of homes or needing to meet strict time tables and dealing with long winters, or providing warranty (this company provides 6 months), or providing certification (NOAH, which isn’t free), etc. While, again, costs are not the same everywhere!

    For example, just the trailer in Canada can run up to $17,000! Even at half price for this small of a unit would still put that well over your $5K estimate. Never mind the windows, which can run into the thousands, among other differences in their costs from yours, like Florida is one of only nine states that don’t charge income tax. While Canadian businesses have to pay up to multiple tiers of taxes, especially on imported goods, among other fees and regulations they have to follow.

    Even in the states, costs can vary quite a bit across the country and not all builders are making equivalent homes. Even DIY builders can easily end up with more costs than you’re estimating, depending on what they actually build and where. Your $5K estimate for the trailer, for most trailer manufacturers, falls mainly in the 10k weight capacity range for these size trailers. 14k and higher go above $5k to over $8k, especially as many are producing custom trailers… Again, others can be dealing with costs that you simply aren’t…

    Besides, unless you’re producing more than two a year that works out to less than minimum wage and that’s with not investing any of it into the business to keep it going or dealing with any other cost considerations. You’d have to do at least 8 just to get to the average salary of a single carpenter, never mind a crew of master crafts persons, architect, structural engineer, designers, etc. that are among reasons why what you consider fair compensation isn’t going to work out that way for everyone…

    So again, maybe that works for you but that isn’t realistic for everywhere or everyone, especially, not in Canada! Nor for all homes no matter the actual details… Like I doubt you’re including ERVs, radiant floor heating, steam showers, exotic hardwoods, heater lighted mirrors, off grid options, etc. in every one of your builds for them to be equivalent to all the high end homes out there…

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    • jerry dycus
      March 18, 2023, 6:21 am

      Yet I and others do it every day. My 10×16′ TH only cost $4k in materials and 5 days to build so not sure why you think labor costs that much, 2 people for a week is just $3k.
      Maybe you get ripped off for trailers but we get much better deals on them. One version of my TH would use the TH as the trailer, bolting axles and hitch onto it making trailer cost much less because mine are glued and screwed, weigh less from great design.
      Mine are actually hurricane proof and can even float in a flood. Can yours do that?
      Though mostly I like putting them on flatbed trailers that can be used instead of rusting away wastefully under a TH.
      Sorry you, Canadians you say are incompetent that can’t compete as your excuses show.
      Just offhand how many THs have you built? I love when armchair ‘experts’ tell people who actually do things without a clue what it takes.
      I’m here to help TH people not get ripped off like you want and do it better. Not con them into overpriced things.

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      • Maria Kentala
        March 18, 2023, 6:49 am

        well said Jerry

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      • James D.
        March 18, 2023, 2:17 pm

        Sorry but you’re not helping anyone by not being realistic and ignoring that costs are not the same for everything. I already pointed out the costs are literally not the same everywhere and yet you still argue that everyone can just do it for the same price when that’s clearly a lie!

        Never mind, I seriously doubt you’re paying your helper a proper wage, with healthcare, and other benefits or covering every job with insurance coverage as many companies are required by law to provide before they can even take a job. Nor are you providing the services of an architect, structural engineer, master crafts person, etc. for the actual value of services you’re providing.

        So what you’re producing is not equivalent to everything for what you’re comparing for costs! Seriously, stop with the assumptions. I’m not Canadian, I’m just pointing out the actual cost differences that people are dealing with in other places! Canada was just an obvious example because they deal with a lot more costs than you do, which can easily be looked up, and they can’t just work around them like you either!

        Seriously, do you honestly think you’re the only honest builder in the whole world? Are you installing ERVs in every build like this company is doing? Are you using high efficiency windows with double digit R-Values/equivalent U-Values? Do your homes meet any official standards? Are you providing certifications? Are you making everything but the appliances yourself instead of using mostly off the shelf products? If no to any or all of them puts the lie to what you’re trying to argue!

        Yeah, it’s possible to do it for as low as you’re doing in some places but not everywhere or everyone who can just not deal with any other costs for what they are going to be producing. Biggest problem being you’re not producing an equivalent home to what everyone else is doing. So you’re also confusing making a cheaper product with it being equivalent cost to everything else.

        So no, you’re the one trying to con people Jerry!

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      • James D.
        March 18, 2023, 2:57 pm

        Btw, it’s great your homes can be considered hurricane proof, though lets be honest that’s like saying a bullet proof vest is actually bullet proof no matter the caliber weapon used, and can even float in a flood, which likely doesn’t include examples like a tsunami, but exaggerations aside I’m sure you think you’re making very good homes and to extent that’s probably true but you’re also not doing everything that everyone else is doing with their homes and including everything that others are putting into them.

        You’re also not the only one producing homes resistant to hurricanes, that’s actually a lot of tiny homes and some can even be flipped and tumbled without taking serious damage, or can float during a flood, lots fewer but there’s still out there, but as I already listed examples, there’s plenty of other things you’re not doing as well and that effects costs and the value of the product being produced. Like in Florida you usually don’t have to worry about sub zero temperatures or other climate extremes that don’t effect Florida, or all the other things that are effecting the price of homes that effect quality of life in them, lifestyles supported, sustainability, whether the homes are entirely healthy or still toxic to live in, whether they’ll last decades or centuries, etc.

        So, as much as you might like to think those other details don’t matter, they do and most people have to deal with them, which means they can’t all just do it for the same price you’re doing it. Just because some can doesn’t help those that can’t!

        Seriously, if your argument was true then you’d be running all those businesses you think are just conning people out of business! People wouldn’t be paying more if you were actually providing an equivalent product for less than the competition unless they weren’t equivalent and you weren’t providing everything those others are providing.

        So let’s be real, you can provide a niche that helps the market but it’s not something that can really be expanded to replace the existing market or be replicated exactly everywhere. People and places it fits should definitely go to people like you but it should also be understood there will be people and places it won’t fit and they will have to go elsewhere for their options. Just keep in mind, they’re not being conned when they’re actually dealing with different costs than you’re dealing with…

        Just the reality of the business model alone should tell you that as it becomes very different from a business that is producing hundreds of homes versus a builder doing just one or two a year. Among other differences you are clearly not accounting for and are basically slandering businesses for just having different costs and sustainability thresholds than you…

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