Affordable Houses

[PolicySpy]

Now there are two ways to have an affordable house.

The first way to have an affordable house is to buy a house in an older nei ghborhood and fix it up while living in it. Then look for other people to s upport the same neighborhood and make a safe area.

The second way to have an affordable house is to build the house yourself. Also, it might be possible to hire sub-contractors for the same cost as bui lders do.

Now since the house is being built by the owner, then there is a choice of how to build the house. And while a steel frame house would be a good choic e for an earthquake area, lumber is just many times more affordable. So bui ld the house with lumber but use steel lumber connectors and make a strong house otherwise. But the popular steel lumber connectors are only galvanize d steel and not stainless steel. So buy stainless steel flats in 10' foot l engths, in 0.1 thickness, and 1 1/2" to 2" wide. Then cut the stainless ste el into short lengths, bend them 90 degreess in a vise, drill holes in them , and use them for lumber connections. Also, use stainless steel wood screw s.

With the house framed then sheath the outer walls and this makes a house ra ted for high wind. Now here, OSB board is said not to have any more formald ehyde in it than plywood. However, plywood will hold a nail better and will stand up to a temporary water leak better. So use plywood ? Well, no. Ther e might be off-brand plywood with more formaldehyde in it than name-brand p lywood and there are some items in the news about new home owners dying wit hout explanation. So sheath the walls with 1" x 6" boards (or less) and the se actually measure 3/4" x 5 1/2". And since boards are more prone to warpi ng than plywood then use stainless steel wood screws for attachment. Then s heath the roof of the house with 1" x 6" boards also. But for the flooring just use name-brand plywood.

For the roof covering, consider standing seam metal roofing in stainless st eel. Well, stainless steel doesn't rust like steel, doesn't corrode like al uminum, doesn't age like plastic or paint, and doesn't deteriorate like asp halt shingles. And there are some do-it-yourself stainless steel roofing sy stems going around.

[PolicySpy]

The stainless steel lumber connectors could be 0.07" to 0.10" thickness.

Then each connector leg could be held with two #8 stainless steel wood screws.

[clare]

neighborhood and fix it up while living in it. Then look for other people to support the same neighborhood and make a safe area.

Also, it might be possible to hire sub-contractors for the same cost as builders do.

to build the house. And while a steel frame house would be a good choice for an earthquake area, lumber is just many times more affordable. So build the house with lumber but use steel lumber connectors and make a strong house otherwise. But the popular steel lumber connectors are only galvanized steel and not stainless steel. So buy stainless steel flats in 10' foot lengths, in 0.1 thickness, and 1 1/2" to 2" wide. Then cut the stainless steel into short lengths, bend them 90 degreess in a vise, drill holes in them, and use them for lumber connections. Also, use stainless steel wood screws.

for high wind. Now here, OSB board is said not to have any more formaldehyde in it than plywood. However, plywood will hold a nail better and will stand up to a temporary water leak better. So use plywood ? Well, no. There might be off-brand plywood with more formaldehyde in it than name-brand plywood and there are some items in the news about new home owners dying without explanation. So sheath the walls with 1" x 6" boards (or less) and these actually measure 3/4" x 5 1/2". And since boards are more prone to warping than plywood then use stainless steel wood screws for attachment. Then sheath the roof of the house with 1" x 6" boards also. But for the flooring just use name-brand plywood.

Well, stainless steel doesn't rust like steel, doesn't corrode like aluminum, doesn't age like plastic or paint, and doesn't deteriorate like asphalt shingles. And there are some do-it-yourself stainless steel roofing systems going around. Stainless steel and affordable hosing in the same sentance - immagine that!!!! Ans 1X5 board sheathing is more expensive than either plywood or OSB. Not to mention you may have issues with code, since plywood is stronger than 1X6 dimensional softwood.

[PolicySpy]

eighborhood and fix it up while living in it. Then look for other people to support the same neighborhood and make a safe area.

. Also, it might be possible to hire sub-contractors for the same cost as b uilders do.

f how to build the house. And while a steel frame house would be a good cho ice for an earthquake area, lumber is just many times more affordable. So b uild the house with lumber but use steel lumber connectors and make a stron g house otherwise. But the popular steel lumber connectors are only galvani zed steel and not stainless steel. So buy stainless steel flats in 10' foot lengths, in 0.1 thickness, and 1 1/2" to 2" wide. Then cut the stainless s teel into short lengths, bend them 90 degreess in a vise, drill holes in th em, and use them for lumber connections. Also, use stainless steel wood scr ews.

rated for high wind. Now here, OSB board is said not to have any more forma ldehyde in it than plywood. However, plywood will hold a nail better and wi ll stand up to a temporary water leak better. So use plywood ? Well, no. Th ere might be off-brand plywood with more formaldehyde in it than name-brand plywood and there are some items in the news about new home owners dying w ithout explanation. So sheath the walls with 1" x 6" boards (or less) and t hese actually measure 3/4" x 5 1/2". And since boards are more prone to war ping than plywood then use stainless steel wood screws for attachment. Then sheath the roof of the house with 1" x 6" boards also. But for the floorin g just use name-brand plywood.

steel. Well, stainless steel doesn't rust like steel, doesn't corrode like aluminum, doesn't age like plastic or paint, and doesn't deteriorate like a sphalt shingles. And there are some do-it-yourself stainless steel roofing systems going around.

After doing a little more research and looking at a house built in

1960, it's really no problem for the flooring across the joists to be 1" x 6" boards also. But then linoleum or hardwood planks go on the 1" x 6" sub flooring.

Avoid plywood to avoid formaldehyde emissions.

Avoid standard nails and even galvanized nails because 50 year old nails are rusty in the basement overhead and rusty in the attic. Use stainless steel roofing nails or stainless steel wood screws.

[PolicySpy]

PolicySpy writes:

I did build the house out of affordable lumber instead of steel frame. (Steel frame is popular for custom houses in earthquake zones.)

I just use stainless steel lumber connectors home-made from flat stock bought from a steel distributor. The 90 degree lumber connector is just much better than angling a nail for a stud connection.

But plywood is often allowed at less than 3/4" thickness and eveb less than 5/8". There will be no problem using 1" x 6" boards instead. I would attach them with #8 stainless steel wood screws and be very tight.