A Tight Box is a Happy Box :)

I know what you’re thinking… Ted! Stop it! This is a family show!

Readers of this blog know that this week, I started a series of posts on ISBU insulation.

It’s the hardest part of ISBU construction, to hear people tell it. Who tells it that way?

Um… well… people who are either “idiots”, people who have never done it, or people who are insulation professionals who want an unhealthy chunk of your building money, to send their kids to college or pay for that second honeymoon…

Okay, okay, maybe it’s not that bad…   but from the email I get, you wouldn’t believe the things that are happening out there.

As I wrote the first post, I knew in my gut that I was going to immediately get hammered by readers. And, I was right. By Monday night, I had 27 emails in my Inbox, all asking for “insulation help”.

I’ve found that using reader mail to address ISBU issues has been pretty productive, so I’m going to take one of the letters I got and share it with all of you, so you can see how this works.

Brad’s mission is to build a (2) container ISBU home, using a pair of 40′ High Cube containers as the shell. He’s going to do this in the Houston area of Texas. When you read his letter, you’ll see just how much thought he’s put into this and you can see that he’s intent on achieving his goals.

Let’s see if we can help him.

Here goes:

Brad says;

Hi Ronin,

Thanks for your response about insulation.  Since I’m new to your site I suppose I missed previous comments about the subject. (Editors note: READ the ARCHIVES!)   I appreciate the input and above all your belief that this is not rocket-science and can be done inexpensively.

Just yesterday I was looking into closed-cell foam and rigid board as options and then recieved your email backing up that idea.  I want to insulate the exterior.  Have you seen furring strips attached, then foam sprayed between strips and then siding attached to the furing strips.  My question here is how to attach furring strips to the metal container without penetrating the metal wall.  The interior wall I would like to remain corrugated metal and just paint, as it is.  How difficult is the metal to penetrate with screws and drills suited for the job?

You asked about my particular design so I’ll describe it for you.  (I have a degree in architecture, btw, and practiced residential + hospitality design 25 years.)  The shell is simply 2-40ft high cubes (9’6″high) with the 40 sides of each unit joined side by side to form a rectangle (16×40).  Currently I have two-8′ sliding glass doors joined and centered on the front 40′ wall.  Then within each of the 4 corners (left to right) is kitchen, office, bath/closet/storage and bedroom.  The plan is open with no doors but with 21 LF of interior partion (most of this partition forming closet and closing off bath area).  2 windows, one kitchen + one office.  The 2 doors at the end of each container would be in the bath (shower/toilet) area and bedroom area.  If money held up (did I mention 30-50k max) I would intall sliding glass doors just within clearance inside of the container metal doors.  Allowing what you have already seen done before, the metal doors opened and exposing the sliding glass door for light and air.  Basically the center area of the 2 units joined would be the living/work/open area.  This area is currently 15’8″ x 12’8″ which flows without walls into ajoining spaces excluding the bath/storage area which is entered around the corner partition from the bedroom space.  Confused?  More than you wanted right?  So the plan is 640 sq.ft. with about 950 sq.ft. of exterior wall to insulate.

I want a roof garden to do the insulating on the top of the units.  A feature in Dwell mag had a unit in San Antonio with a beautiful roof garden.  Do you know if 12″+ of soil will insulate the roof?  The Ford motor plant in Detroit uses a green roof for cooling and a variety of sedum grows there.

Sorry for the rambling I just had coffee.

thanks for your help, Ronin.

[snip]

Hi Brad,

First, welcome to the fray.

Second, start hitting the archives. There’s a ton of stuff in there.

Third, you’re on the right track. Regular readers of the blog know that I ALWAYS insulate on the EXTERIOR of the ISBU when given that option. Sure, some people like the industrial look and want a “Mad Max” front yard, but most don’t.

And, that insulation of choice is SPF, every time.

That leaves the trick;

How do you attach the insulation and the siding to an ISBU, to form your finished exterior?

The idea of drilling and then attaching fasteners, hence puncturing the sanctity of that weather resistant Corten Steel shell is crazy!

What is SPF? GLUE.

Your furring strips are made of WOOD, right?

How do you attach wood to metal? You can use fasteners, and make a mess of that waterproof box, or you can use construction adhesive to glue your furring strips into place. Sounds crazy, right?

Here’s what I often do;

I just fab a long steel “L” out of lightweight sheet steel (think gutter or flashing), that runs along the top and bottom of the container. Using light enough steel, you can literally do this using a “brake” made out of dimensional lumber. Seriously.  Just weld it into place, like a bizarre flashing. Top faces down, bottom faces up. Are you seeing it?

Now cut your furring strips to length so that they fit inside that “tray” up against the container corrugation. That added metal lip is just going to help hold everything in place.

Apply glue to the furring strip, and then stick it where it needs to be located. The “siding flashing” will help hold it in place. Once your furring strips are “glued” into position, drill your holes and run a fastener (screw) into each furring strip thru the flashing and into the furring strip.

Congrats! Your furring is now “glued and screwed”… with “ZERO Penetration” to the box.

NOW… insulate using SPF. SPF applied between the furring strips is going to glue the entire thing together in one huge monolithic mass. Think about this. The foam is going to expand to fill the cavity between the furring strips and the corrugated container, in effect gluing everything together. It’s what SPF does! The end result is going to be a vapor barrier, a moisture barrier,  an insect retarder, insulation, and even some structural assistance to help your home deal with racking and shearing.

Apply siding. Predrill, and use SCREWS! If you work fast, that insulation will even help GLUE the siding to the house…

Trust me, once the SPF sets up, that entire wall section isn’t going ANYWHERE. I’ve come back after the fact to add more containers (7 years later) and getting that “siding mass” off the house and out of the way was an ORDEAL. We inspected the removed panels for “insulation or furring strip failure”. Zip. Stuck like Chuck.

Would your typical Planning and Zoning Nazi like this? Nope. They’ll have kittens. But, the insulation and siding that you install in this fashion will be a part of that house until the houses demise.

Sounds simple, right? Too simple, maybe?  Build a dummy panel in your garage, and then test it, if you don’t believe me. Try to pull it apart in 24-48 hours after the SPF has set up. You’ll see what I mean.

Now, let’s address that  “Green Roof”:

First, how are you reinforcing your roof, to accommodate that “green roof” dirt load? And better still, what are you going to use as insulation, below it?

The corrugated steel roofing isn’t going to support the weight of a realistic Green Roof. That roof isn’t even “structural” in the traditional sense. It’s simply there to keep water out of the cargo. Any ideas about building “Green Roof Surfaces” has to include a structural support system.

The R-value of dirt always varies greatly depending on its composition, and how high the moisture content is.

We all know that in the construction world,  the term “R value” is used as the reciprocal of thermal conductivity…

A pile of dirt equals “thermal mass”, right?  Big pile, big mass.

But it gets tricky. “Thermal Mass” isn’t the same thing as “heat transfer resistance”. And, for those of us working in the biz, we figured out long ago that R-Value is just heat transfer resistance.

A check of the material tables will show you that (typically) R-value for earth is R0.25 per inch.

That means that the foot of dirt that you’re talking about isn’t going to go very far against the heat of Houston, Texas  Summers. You’re gonna get about R3, tops. And… the “thermal coefficients” aren’t “bankable”, they are affected by several  other factors, and the biggest killer is soil moisture content.

Granted, this can get pretty complicated and we’re not going to cover it here, suffice to say that soils are inherently “heterogeneous and nonlinear.” That’s a couple of three dollar words, huh?

Translation: Get soil really wet, and it’s worth about zilch as “insulation”.

Really want that Green Roof?

Start with SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) to get both your insulation and your roof support. Then top with a waterproof membrane system. Once that is applied, you can go as green as you want, without fear of a roof failure from wet soil due to that Corten Steel’s longterm exposure to moisture.

Third – I’ve sketched out your floorplan, from the notes you’ve left.

If I’m understanding it correctly, have you considered putting the bath and kitchen close enough to each other to save some plumbing costs? Say, back to back?  With the budget that you’re working with, every penny you save is going to count.

What are you doing for a foundation?  NOT an uninsulated slab, right? Readers here know that putting a container onto an uninsulated slab means that you’re just hemorrhaging energy directly into the ground. You’re insulating the bottom of the containers, right?

A tight, super-insulated box is a happy box.

I hope that I’ve given you some ideas, and some things to think about.

“Living in a box” means “thinking OUT of the Box”.

Some of the tasks that you’ll complete will be accomplished differently than in a “traditional” housing situation using conventional materials. But if you keep your wits about you, take your time, and exercise “care and caution”… soon, you’ll be living in a sturdy, affordable Corten Castle of your very own.

My Thanks to Brad, for sharing his project with us.

Keep us posted!

Ronin

Are you building a “Corten Condo” or “Corten Cookery”?

For the last thirty some-odd years, we’ve been turning ISBU Shipping Containers into shelters, homes, and even (gasp!) commercial buildings.

And despite the intended use for the boxes, one material reigns supreme over all others, when considering using Corten Steel as your “cocoon of choice.”

In this exciting episode, we’re going to revisit that most dreaded and seemingly misunderstood of all building materials… Insulation.

While I had planned to take the next few posts and explore the conversion to 20′ High Cubes into “Corten Components – DIY Steel Building Modules” that could essentially be bolted and welded together to form a small home, I’m going to address an issue that is just terrorizing my email inbox this week.

Seriously, I got 32 emails this week alone asking me about “Magic Insulation” (ceramic snake-oil), or requesting information on how to turn an empty steel oven into a “GREEN Get-away“.

Perhaps it’s due to the fact that it’s barely dipped below 100 degrees in the South in the last week…

Perhaps it’s the economy, the horrible state of the housing market, or rampant unemployment…

Perhaps it’s due to the recent political song and dance that leaves many of us wondering “what’s next”…

Perhaps, just maybe, people are really starting to listen to my “rantings” and they’re finally understanding that you really CAN turn a cast-off series of metal boxes into a home, if your head, your back, and your heart are all aligned.

For whatever reason… quite possibly it’s the fact that my book:

“Introduction to Container Homes and Buildings”

… is doing pretty well. In fact, I’m being told that it’s becoming an “industry favorite”. As a result of that book, many families are now taking the plunge, and investing in things like welders, plasma cutters, and leather garments. And I’m not talking about “adult fun” either…

I’m talking about gloves and heavy welding jackets…

Many families are emailing me lately, in a marathon that covers more ground than all the cornfields in Kansas…

Overwhelmingly, the most common question I get asked is;

“But how do you insulate a steel box?”

We all know that living in an uninsulated metal box is akin to living in an oven. That’s a given. In fact, living in ANY uninsulated structure invites living conditions that can become… frankly… unlivable.

Since I started doing this in the 70′s (taking torch to ISBU in the quest for “Solid Steel Shelters”) I’ve watched the insulation industry evolve…
Compared to the way our forefathers did it, insulation has taken great strides forward and there have been many significant changes in the way we approach and even think about  BEI – “building envelope insulation”.

Modern thinking and advanced design using composite materials have waged war with rising component costs, and it’s created an environment where the “building geeks”  (G-d Bless ‘em!) are forced to devise more efficient and effective products and methodologies for us to harness, as we build the homes that will house our families.

Requirements for housing itself have changed, as well. We don’t build houses filled with low ceilingsn and little tiny rooms…

Can you say “McMansions”?

Most of the “typical” homes built today include elaborate ceiling schedules that include various types of ceiling configurations.

Even when constructing our homes built in the “alternative”: homes like strawbales, ISBU, or even cob…

It’s common to see rooms that don’t really lay themselves out for the use of the “traditional” materials like (gasp!) fiberglass batts. Design features placed almost randomly thru the floorplan can really make you scratch your head, when it comes down to closing eveything up and making the space habitable.

I’ve seen 16 foot foyer ceilings in ISBU homes that lead into great rooms that soar up three stories, to create 30 foot ceilings.

I’ve used barrel vaults in bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms.

I’ve even done domes roofs atop staircase towers created by standing an ISBU “on-end”…

…and using it to create massive staircases (that double as “solar and light chimneys”)… linking floors together and drawing sunlight into the “bowels of the home”.

All these spaces need to be insulated.

Additionally, the lighting system in the home demands a real hard look at HOW you’re going to accomplish your insulation requirements.

Let’s face it… we use a lot of “light cans” (recessed lighting) in today’s home to illuminate those spaces we so carefully create. And each hole we cut, to provide light in the darkness, brings evil along with it. Why? Because it violates the sanctity of that “sealed insulation envelope” that we’re trying to create.

Think about it…

The actual process of lighting your home turned the insulation plan into “Swiss Cheese”.

The way they “used to do it”, typically the (gasp!) fiberglass batts were just held 4″ away from the installed light cans (to prevent fire, for one thing), and we used a ton of them to get the desired lighting effects.  As you can see, it’s a labor intensive, expensive, and “ugly” solution.

Is this process worth repeating?

No.

Recessed lighting installed this way just destroys the effectiveness of the building envelope.

So, stay tuned as we examine insulation and how it’s actually used to create a livable environment inside a Corten Steel castle…

A little bit of this… and a little bit of that…

Sorry for the delays in posting this week!

My little boy has a lung infection, and that takes precedence over everything else. Oy.

Here on RR, we’re talking about repurposing ISBUs (shipping containers) and turning them into affordable housing for the masses.

And that brings up a ton of questions. Believe me, I get mail like you wouldn’t believe…

Sure, some of it is of the “You must be crazy!” genre, but some of it is actually good stuff, asking hard questions about how you can use these seemingly small spaces to create affordable, livable, space, that you ‘ll be more than happy with, for decades to come.

As things get harder, as unemployment continues to stalk us like hungry sharks smelling blood, we’re all starting to think about “tomorrow”.

I just read the new Census Report… Okay, It took a few tries, as my blood pressure kept spiking with each page of bad news;

Conservatively, 43.6 million Americans  are living at the poverty level.

That’s up 4 million people from 2008. That’s the largest number of impoverished Americans in the 51 years of recorded Census History.

Over 50 million of us don’t have health care programs or insurance.

(My family is in those ranks as well.) I just read a supplemental report that says the real number is closer to 75 million Americans.

Unemployment is in double digits in most major cities in America.

In my county it’s WELL into double digits… like over 20% and climbing.

And people are starting to get nervous. This has spawned a deep seated desie in many families to “pull back and restructure.

With foreclosures running rampant, and houses sitting on the market for “months and months” that “look and feel like years”… many of us realize that if we want to find a better way to live, we’re not only going to have to do it ourselves, we’re going to have to pay for it ourselves, as well.

As a result of this, lately more than a few of you have asked me how to turn a single shipping container into a small home. And some of you have asked me about building kitchens into these small spaces.

So, I’m going to start featuring products and concepts that play to these small spaces, to give you some ideas and starting points. I’ll call it;

Stuff that contributes to Corten Coolness;

It’s all about design and application.

This kitchen workbench by Bulthaup is a kitchen in a single element, ergonomically designed for access from all sides. Included is a cooking area, a flat sink for preparing and washing food, and a deeper sink integrated into a utility recess. Also, the chopping board and slicer can be moved across the entire sink surface to create a highly functional system.

Note: Source measurements and installation requirements.

See the entire line of innovative products at Bulthaup.com.

Stay tuned.

Who says that you can’t take it with you?

Many of you know that I grew up in Southern California.

In fact, it was all that chrome and glass that made me head for the hills and pick up that first torch to “butcher a box or two”… 

I have to tell you that when I lived there (lo, those many years ago) there was an industrial park on every block, or at least it seemed like it.

I know there were, as I had relatives that made millions of dollars building them and then leasing them out. And every time a lease turned over, I got stuck cleaning them out. I can’t tell you how many weekends I spent being used as slave labor, knocking down office partitions and dismantling old cubicle systems that we eventually threw away.

If we’d only known then, what we know now…

It’s not exactly a secret that ISBUs (shipping containers) can be turned into almost anything that you can image. The list includes spaces like offices, lounges, meeting rooms, employee dining rooms, you name it. Just head for any large scale construction project and you’ll probably find a good example of what I’m talking about.

One of our readers recently reminded me that in Santa Ana, CA (just a stone’s throw from where I grew up) there is a company called Marketing via Postal Group who put a “Corten Twist” on their office requirements, by using ISBUs to create office spaces INSIDE a huge warehouse. I literally grew up “right down the street” from this place. It’s just off the Santa Ana River Trail where I used to train for triathlons…

Say “ta-ta” to renovation costs, haggling over remodeling credits and spending big bucks for stuff that you’re gonna have to leave behind when you move to better digs. They just bought a handful of 20′ ISBU’s and then turned them into the spaces they needed, for a fraction of the costs of a warehouse rework.

Using ISBUs in a warehouse allows you to put space exactly where you need it. And, it gets better. Because each ISBU can be enclosed, you get the opportunity to create a micro-climate in each one, to suit the use. No more employee whining about their office being too hot or too cold. They simply adjust the conditioning to suit THEIR needs via thermostat. And if they aren’t smart enough to work a thermostat, they probably shouldn’t be working for you, anyway. right?

You can see where I’m going with this. You don’t need to heat or cool the entire warehouse. You just condition the ISBU spaces individually. This saves energy, and ultimately, it make your bean-counters very happy.

And, when you start making the big bucks and head for greener pastures, you just load those ISBU cubicles onto a truck and take them with you. No packing and unpacking. No hassle, no muss, no fuss! Just haul that ISBU to the new site, drop it in it’s new spot, attach the power, “pex” (i.e. water and drains), and Internet connection cables, and voila! You’re up and running again in almost NO time!!

Were you paying attention? Now take this a step further. Warehouse space is usually a LOT cheaper than office space. Why not START out your company with this kind of versatile configuration in mind? Not only can you get really creative and “uber-urban”, you can make huge strides that will affect your bottom line.

My thanks to Rick Johnson for making this post possible! Good lookin’ out, bud!

If you’re in Calgary Alberta and you’re looking for a container or two, you might want to look Rick up!

Ronin

This post is a “crock of poop…”

Between bad weather, a recent family-wide visit by the “puke fairy” and a bunch of chores I am still trying to battle…

And as we work and toil here at “Corten Central”, I’m going to take another opportunity to reach into the mailbag, and answer a question that I get asked all the time.

Recently, I was asked a question about the “nuts and bolts of the land – part” of an ISBU home building project.

James asks:

Hey Alex, I understand that your estimates are based solely upon construction costs…But! If I were to ask you “What sort of price range should I expect for a Septic Tank for a family of up to 4 people”, would you be able to give an educated guess?

Reason being, I turned 23 last month and I became debt free. (Editor’s note: So we know that James is a braggart… ) I’m essentially able to save 75% of every paycheck by staying with my wonderful family (currently that’s saving a total of $2000 a month) and I want to be able to save up to purchase a section of forested land in order to begin my life in a “Corten Castle”

From your e-Book, I was able to find the layout that I would love to start off with and continually add more features to it over time. I’m planning on saving up the $28,000 or so for construction costs, and will be skimming over the real estate ads in my area to find out what the costs are going for now.

Love your e-book by the way. Hoping time will pass by faster until your Master How To Book on Shipping Container Homes is released =)

For some reason, people think I’m the guy to consult about poop. I don’t know why? It’s not like… um…er… never mind. Anyway, I get asked this all the time, so rather than bury the answer in a comment, I’m going to dedicate a a big, stinky, um… er… post to it.

Before the shipping containers (ISBUs) arrive for their conversion into your Corten Castle, you’re going to have to create a “home” for them.

This will involve some site preparation, a foundation, a power pole or power system of some type, and then… water and a septic system.

We’ve already talked about how most ISBU homes are built rurally, due to the lack of building codes and allowances for their construction. This means that you can’t just “tie into existing sewer or power grids” in most cases. So, you’re going to need to allow for that in your budget.

Today, we’ll talk about septic systems;

We all know what a septic system is for, so I’ll skip that part, okay?

Wait, never mind. If I skip this part somebody (probably TED, that $&%^#@!!!) is sure to ask;

“But Ronin, how does it work? Hmmmm?”

Okay, Septic 101:

Septic systems are on-site systems designed to safely dispose of biological sanitary waste.

Let’s dispel the myths, first;

The two most common myths on “septic system function” are;

• The septic tank treats the sewage, and

• The soil filters the remaining particles creating pure water underground.

Nope. On both counts.

The septic tank is merely a box that holds sewage. Inside the box,  solids settle and fall to the bottom. Anything lighter… like grease and other particles from the sewage float to the top.

The septic tank is just a really disgusting “gravy boat” (I recently read that and it stuck in my head, so I thought I’d share it with you) that meters out “liquid sewage” to the drainfield (leach field) while storing the lions share of the heavy solids and indigestible bits, which will have to be pumped out later.

Just like in your stomach, anaerobic bacteria (water breathing little “bugs”) work to reduce the “strength” of the sewage, but not much in the way of actual “treatment” happens in the septic tank.

The separated liquid containing only water and the dissolved sewage solids (called “effluent”) flows out of the septic tank through a pipe into the leach field. Here it spreads out in a series of trenches.

Now is where the real “biology part” happens.  Air breathing, aerobic bacteria lives in the soil (in fact, you’ll find about 30 million organisms – give or take – living in a single teaspoon of soil – Thank you Science Channel). The aerobic bacteria thrive in the area of the trenches and wait patiently for the effluent because it’s their food source. The bacteria consumes all the organic material in the sewage, and according to “Dr. Science…” everything in sewage is organic. Or, at least it’s supposed to be.

See? Organic is GOOD, and GREEN is about to get greener, because all the grass over your leach field will love the “natural” fertilizers that you’re pumping into it’s roots.

Septic systems aren’t really that complicated. It’s essentially a three part system; a big holding tank, a distribution “box” and a series of lines that run out into your yard to form a “leach field”.

Bacteria in the septic tank separates the “gunk” into water, gas, and sludge. Wait, add “scum” to that list, as you’ll see it floating on the top of your tank, if you’re crazy enough to want to go look for it.

Septic tanks are’nt just big empty cavities. They have baffles in them that keep the bad stuff in and let the good stuff out…

Okay, maybe not “good” stuff… just “less bad” stuff…

The baffles will stop scum from getting out and keep the sludge on the bottom of the tank, and out of your lines.
Septic tanks are also vented to allow the gases created by the bacterial action to be “bled off”.

From the septic tank, the “fluids” (the “less bad ” stuff) flows out into a small distribution “box’ where it’s “distributed” to your leach field, thru pipes.

These pipes or “tile lines” are perforated, and they allow that fluid to be absorbed by your soil.

Note that the soil also acts as a filter to catch any small particles of solid matter that end up being carried out of the tank with the fluid.

And that sludge that doesn’t go anywhere? Eventually (in a few years) it’ll need to be removed. Ewww.

All I can say is that this ain’t a DIY job that I want. Call a pumper!

A decent quality septic system should last you about 30 years.

But how BIG a system do I need?

The size of septic tank and the amount of field line your system will require will depend on two factors.

The first of these is called a “percolation test”.

“Perc Tests” are designed to simulate the conditions in a septic system.

Here’s how they work;

You dig a series of holes in your yard about 2 feet deep, measuring 6-12 inches in diameter dug in the area of the proposed septic system. (The depth of the test holes will vary depending on your soil content, but it’s usually not greater than 24 inches.)

Then you fill the holes with water. The idea is to saturate the soil and then after THAT water drains away, you refill the hole to a depth of about 12″ of water.

Now, it’s time for the “test”.

Over the next 30-60 minutes, the rate at which the water drains away is measured. This measurement will provide you with the “minutes per inch” numbers you’ll need to use to design your septic system.

Simply put, if the water in your test hole drops uniformly 1\4 inch every five minutes the rate would be 20 minutes per inch.

Most health codes provides a simple table that determines the size of the system based on the measured perk rate and the number of bedrooms in the home, and you can get this from your local city or county government office.

Suffice to say, the greater the number of bedrooms and the slower the percolation rate, the larger the system required.

While you can do this test yourself, it’s usually preformed by a licensed tester, and by the time they’re done they can usually tell you how big your system will have to be, so that you can “bid it out”.

For more information, you can check here.

In my experience, the average small (ISBU) home will require a 1,000 gallon septic tank  and approx. 300′ of field line.

There are many variables here.

The average septic system includes a septic tank made of concrete or plastic/fiberglass that is connected to your home by a 4″ PVC pipe.

That tank is attached to a network called “field lines.” These field lines run out into your yard and their purpose is to distribute the graywater to someplace other than your bathroom floor!

The field lines are constructed of 4″ perforated PVC pipe laid in a bed of gravel. You dig a trench, you line it with gravel. “Geotex” (geotextile material) helps inhibit root and debris obstruction to your field line pipe. You can also use building paper, and some other stuff, in place of the Geotex. You’re just creating a barrier. Cover this all up with soil and plant grass.

Don’t plant trees anywhere near your leach field. If you do, the roots from those trees will seek out that fertilizer enriched graywater, and you’ll end up with a leach field full of busted pipes.  Trust me on this.

In some cases, you’re not going to be able to locate your drainage field next to your septic tank. Unfortunately, it’s just the way it works sometimes. When this happens, you’re going to have to pump the waste water from the septic tank into the lines.

This costs more. obviously.

Other factors, such as unusual soil conditions or restricted space, can cause additional modifications to the system which can result in much higher costs.

I can already hear James howling into the wind:

“But Ronin, for cryin’ out loud! ALL I ASKED IS WHAT IT COSTS!”

Okay, okay…  ya whiner… A basic 1,000 gallon septic system can range from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on where you live and what materials cost.

If you live someplace expensive, or if you have really crappy soil (no pun intended) it can cost more. I just had a family tell me that the best quote they could get in their area was almost $5,000.00, and they were even doing some of the work themselves.

Let me stress that getting multiple bids is important. You’ll often find that “contractor pricing” is all over the map.

And check references!

Want to know more about septic systems?

Look here

Stay tuned.

Image credits:  Schematics – www.coolray.com, Trench Diagram – Daniel Friedman

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* “You can’t believe Ronin when he says that you can build a home yourself. I heard that his family is on welfare.”

FYI: It’s actually been said. While the first part of the statement is true (in fact I say it all the time), the second is complete and total BS, perpetrated by those with another agenda entirely.

So, campers… You get one free strike. But redundant attacks will get your comments removed and then you’ll get banned. Basically, be considerate and try not to be a jerk.

That’s the author’s job. Isn’t there already enough unemployment?

The Bells will toll…

The Bells will toll and we’ll remember our tears, as we relive them.

Today marks the 9th anniversary of 9/11.

I’m not going to post pictures. We all remember what it looked like.

I’m not going to rage against the machine. It would dishonor the memories of those we loved whom are now lost to us.

So, I offer only this;

They will read the names… and we will remember. Many of us will never, can never forget.

Many will use this hallowed time to plot and scheme, to rant and rage,  and to spread “hate for hate’s sake”.

I don’t have to remind you that many among us have buried brothers, fathers, sons, mothers, sisters, and daughters. Many of us lost family and friends alike. Many of us will forever carry those scars.

While we sit quietly… reflecting on and respecting the memories of those who have fallen at the “hands of another”, let us not fall victim to further hate staged as part of achieving some “agenda”…

This isn’t about “politics”, or “religion”, or “human rights”. It’s about remembering those we lost. It’s about remembering those we loved who became victims to something terrible, something tragic…

Instead of thinking about a “misplaced mosque” or a nut/zealot Church leader(?) who threatened to burn Qurans to “teach the Muslims a lesson” (the lesson apparently being one of “hatred” and an act that hardly sounds “Christian” no matter how you wrap it)…

Let us focus on the love and the lives of the ones we miss. Let us reach out to those who still grieve. Some wounds are long to heal. Let us all find something honorable in all of this, despite the fact that we may be bathed in tears.

Robert, Chris, Emily, and Rikki… we think about you almost daily.

It there is any joy to be found in this, it’s in knowing that you’re all in a better place.

G-d bless you all.

St Louis ain’t just for BBQ anymore!

Live near St. Louis?

This just in…

For a while now I’ve been asking (quite loudly) why it seems to be impossible for “the little guy” to be able to raise his/her family in affordable, energy efficient housing. After all, apparently Taxpayer money is being thrown willy-nilly at everything that moves, so why not throw some at (gasp!) actually housing families?

If we can pay the Federal bills (whether we want to or not) to “create” jobs at $200k per job, or bask in the “lives touched” phenomenon that seems to be the latest spin… why can’t they throw some of that money into housing for the families that built this country?

Okay, it’s not ISBU. Hey, it’s not even “alternative housing.” But, if you’re looking for a rental, it might be a real good idea.

Media Advisory

September 14, 2010, 11AM

Contact:

Diana Weis or Lisa Kortkamp, Capstone Development.
Bryan Zises, Zises Communications, 773-225-3787

Nation’s First Net-Zero Energy Affordable Community to Break Ground in Suburban St. Louis Cornfield

32 three-bedroom homes to lease for $590/month
Solar panels, wind turbines to cut utility bill to $0; LEED Platinum eligible design

JERSEYVILLE, IL – The long-awaited promise of affordable, net-zero, green living will finally become reality in a St. Louis suburban cornfield in southern Illinois, where 32 single-family homes will be rented for $590 per month. Solar panels, wind turbines and other technology will reduce the utility bills to $0. The homes are expected to be LEED Platinum certified at completion.

Groundbreaking Event for Lexington Farms Subdivision

Where:	Fairgrounds & Cemetery Aves., Jerseyville
When:	September 14th, 11:00 AM

“Cutting edge green renewable technology has been a cost-prohibitive, inner-city luxury that few could afford. Until today,” said Bill Luchini, President of Capstone Development Group. “This development will be rented to rural families that earn less than $41,000 per year. And they won’t have a gas bill. They won’t have a heating bill. When they get their electric bill, it is more likely to be credit instead of a cost. Green technology will truly make a more affordable and more sustainable life for everyone in the community.”

Financing for the development includes Federal Tax Credit Equity from the National Equity Fund. Financing from the Illinois Housing Development Authority ensures that the development will remain affordable for working families the long-term. Additional financing was provided by Sterling Bank.

The 32 single-family homes will each have three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and an attached two-car garage. A separate building will house a clubhouse/resource center, community room with kitchenette and bathroom, conference room, computer lab, property manager’s office and a storage room. The site will be landscaped with native plants to reduce water usage and will include a state-of-the-art playground.

When complete, it will also be the first LEED Platinum Certified affordable community of its kind in the nation.

Building Highlights

The homes will be approximately 1,230 square feet, and will feature central air conditioning, heat, hot water and other appliances that all run on electric energy, powered by roof-mounted solar panels on all homes, as well as wind turbines throughout the subdivision. Even the streetlights will be powered by wind and solar.

Modern building techniques will reduce construction waste to nearly zero. The design will incorporate highly energy efficient materials, long-term durability and maintenance, and an interior clean air environment.

• Sustainable landscape practices include efficient irrigation systems
• Water efficient faucets, showerheads and WaterSense toilets
• Bathroom and kitchen exhaust vented to the outdoors removing sources of pollutants
• Energy-efficient design, ENERGY STAR appliances, exceeding ENERGY STAR for New Homes requirements
• Wall insulation at R-21 and R-49 insulation in the attic
• Well sealed and air-tight construction reducing drafts
• Low VOC paints
• Energy efficient florescent light fixtures
• Argon gas U35-rated low-e windows
• Extensive use of recycled materials

Construction will begin in September 2010. The first homes will be complete and ready to lease starting in late 2010. The need for affordable family living is particularly acute in rural Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. According to a recent market study, the median family income in Jerseyville is 36% lower than the rest of Illinois and one-third of all families in Jerseyville earn less than $25,000 per year.

About Capstone Development Group and Blackhawk Apartments

Capstone Development Group has developed more than 350 rental housing communities in 16 states, with more than 14,000 units and over $1.5 billion of development. Capstone is proud to be the developer of the nation’s first 100% renewable, green, affordable community.

Blackhawk Apartments, Inc. is a not for profit developer of quality, affordable housing in under-served communities.

If you live near this site, go check it out!

“On The Road Again”… to ISBU Housing Success.

A good friend just sent me an email, accompanied by many photos…

No, it’s not an online dating calamity.

He and his wife strapped themselves into their RV with their three kids, and headed out to “points unknown”, simply in search of “a place to go”… and they weren’t in any real hurry about it.

They drove from Savannah GA, all the way to British Columbia (certainly not in search of decent, frosty, cold beverages… I mean, have you ever tasted Canadian beer? Bleeeah! )

… and then they traveled down the length of Hwy 101 along the West Coast of America, taking in as much of the Pacific Ocean as they possibly could.

Sounds exhilarating huh?

I mean, who doesn’t want to be trapped inside a huge rolling fiberglass monstrosity with three screaming (and mostly bored) kids, while your wife points out each turn-off you missed?

Well, evidently these guys know something that the rest of us don’t, because they had a terrific time. Even the kids took a turn at the computer, to tell ‘ole Uncle Ronin what a great time they had.

Okay, so the highlight of the trip for the six year old son was the recently washed up dolphin on the craggy beach in Northern California, complete with hundreds of crabs processing it.

The point is that they took some quality time with their family, and turned it into a “fact-finding mission” as they started their trek towards finding the perfect spot to drop a few ISBUs and build a nice, remote, sustainable home.

Along the way, they tell me that they literally saw thousands of “for sale” signs posted on acreage, and a LOT of  “incomplete housing” that was seemingly abandoned mid-build, slowly being reclaimed by weeds, debris, and graffiti artists.

As they traveled over 10,000 miles of highway, byway, and scenic road, they were constantly reminded that the country is having a rough go of it. From The Newport Pier, to Route 66, and then all the way to Florida… they were treated to row after row of boarded up buildings, abandoned and foreclosed homes, and properties whose fences hadn’t been mended in recent history.

They said it was like watching an old friend die, after a while.

As they traveled, they asked questions. They found many properties that could be had for “the outstanding tax liabilities.”

They actually found “$1000 dollar houses”.

Sure, they’d need work, but the grim part was that even at a thousand bucks, they were in advanced states of disrepair and usually places where you’d need to bring a job with you.

After a while, rather than using Triple A (AAA) Highway maps, they just started using Google, by clicking on the “available real estate” tab, to aid them in aiming the RV.

The listings, which seemed to go on forever, amazed them, and constantly took them down the roads less traveled, to places that you’d never see, by asking an MLS Realtor for some insight.

So, here’s a thought for the day;

Go to Google Maps.

Click on the Real Estate tab, and then establish a 50-60 mile route, in a direction that you don’t usually drive.  Turn on your GPS and start entering coordinates. Look for properties on old county roads and located off the beaten track.

And then just spend a Saturday in the car, driving around.

You might just find “that perfect place”, a place that you didn’t even know existed… close enough to you to allow you to pursue your dream of building your own ISBU home.

Addendum: September 8th, 2010:

Ronin  Wishes All Our Jewish Readers L’shanah Tovah

Rosh Hashanah starts Wednesday evening, September 8, 2010,and continue through Friday night, September 10, 2010.

This is a time of introspection and spiritual stock-taking, when Jews are called upon to examine their past actions and relationships, both with our fellow man and with G-d, with a view to their future improvement.

In a broader sense, Rosh Hashanah marks the anniversary of the creation of mankind. It comprises the first two days of the period known as the Ten Days of Repentance, during which G-d sits in judgment on the entire world and inscribes the fate of all life.

In Hebrew, the word Rosh means “head”. Just as the head sends signals to the rest of the body, Rosh Hashanah sets the tone for the rest of the year.

During this time of introspection, hope and renewal, I wish you and your families a year filled with happiness, good health, peace, and prosperity.

The Story of the Magic Insulation and the Steel Boxes

Addendum: Sept 3, 2010:

A 7.4 magnitude Earthquake struck just miles west of Christchurch, NZ  at just after 4:35am this morning.

Many who read this blog know that we have many, many friends, in New Zealand.

Please know that our hearts and prayers are with you, as you begin to recover from the earthquake.

If there is anything that we can do to assist you, know that you have but to ask.

Ronin.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program:

It must be that time of year again…

I don’t know if it’s something in the water, or a lack of oxygen at some elevations, or what but…

I’m getting asked “that” question again;

“Ronin, why can’t I just use that Ceramic Paint?”

At the risk of repeating myself over and over again…

In the beginning, there was Corten Steel.

He (or “She” – Hey, I’m “kinda” open-minded) who wielded that cosmic plasma cutter made clear that they were building a box so tough, that not even lesser gawds could harm it.

And then, them that was created in their image were walking up a road one day, saw one sitting out in the open, and said;

“Why looky there, Martha! It’s our next house! Go fetch the mules!”

And then, with a thunderclap that sounded exactly like the pop a torch makes when you put the igniter to it… ISBU Housing was born.

It didn’t take long for old Jed and Martha to figure out something was amiss. As the sun came up to warm the earth, that box started them to sweatin like a kid dancing for a happy meal.

(I know, because I was ONE of those kids, once.)

And then, like a bumblebee hitting the windshield it struck them.

Whilst they were each sitting in their galvanized watering troughs, trying to stay cool and not die from the heat… (Don’t you laugh! I have one in my front yard, as I type this!) they mumbled to each other;

“Lambikins… we gotta make us some changes around here.”

And the need for insulation was born.

We’re seeing ISBU homes depicted everywhere, nowadays. It’s not just the subject of the Sci-Fi Channel, it’s a topic that is raging on green cable networks globally.

We’re told that they are piled to the sky, blocking out the sun. Mountains of glorious non-corrosive metal shaped like Lego’s.

Big Steel Boxes that are cheap, strong, and “Tonka tough”.

And some of us WANT them with a passion that we usually only save for our wives and significant others. I’m talking “deadly sins” kinda Lust here…

And the biggest single limitation to using a steel box as a home, is that it resembles the steel box you already have in your kitchen. If you apply heat to either of them, they become ovens.

One of the problems to overcome when dealing with steel ISBU (Intermodal Steel Building Unit) shipping containers is insulation (or the lack theroef). You’re talking about a small-ish (308 square foot – approx) rectangular box that was designed to haul produced goods, and not designed to provide shelter to your tribe.

Opponents of ISBU construction will tell you that the inside dimensions aren’t very big, and if you furr/fir (take your pick) it out so that you can insulate them, you’ve just made a small box even smaller.

However… if you’re a smart person (and you really think it through) you figure out that the insulation actually goes on the OUTSIDE of the box. This has it’s drawbacks too, because now you can’t do that “Max Max – Armageddon Housing” thing that we’re all so fond of.

C’mon – the fact that you know all that exposed corrugated goodness would give your neighbor an aneurysm is a part of the joy, isn’t it?

No? Um… It must be just me, then… Sorry…

Enter – Ceramic Insulation.

I get asked about these %&$%#@!! “miracle coatings” at least twenty times a week.

Seriously. I’ve actually started threatening people with “blog exile” if they continue to bring the topic up, that’s how often I get asked this…

Ceramic insulation is a spray or paint-on coating system that manufacturers claim was “developed by NASA” to address “all three modes of heat transfer- Radiated, convected and conducted.”

And therein lies the biggest problem. Everything I ever learned as a trained architect, or witnessed in 30 plus years tells me that there is no free lunch, and that these claims are impossible to achieve.

Manufacturers like SPI Coatings (the manufacturer of SuperTherm, the most highly touted Ceramic Insulative Coating concoction) will tell you that their product “consists of a specially tuned compound of 4-different ceramics thermo-dynamically tuned to cover the IR, UV, & Visible Light Spectrum, the Thermal Spectrum from -40°-F to 450°-F; as well as 68% of the Sound Spectrum! SUPERTHERM ® is a Thermal Barrier NOT a Thermal Absorbent! It stops the thermal vibration continuance by its ultra low density.”

People at SPI will tell you that R-Values, the standard measure of insulation are just fairy tale numbers that don’t mean anything. Hmmm… that runs contrary to everything that I’ve even been taught, and essentially tosses an entire principal of building and construction in the trash can.

We’ve all seen the Youtube footage of Dave Cross (a builder who is now the head of SG Blocks.com and a guy that I consider an ” ISBU friend” of mine) handing Bob Vila a piece of Supertherm treated metal after he’d hit it with a blowtorch. Bob holds it with his bare fingers, amazed. Proves that Supertherm works. right?

Wrong. It proves that SPI came up with a good “flim-flam” demonstration to help sell their snake oil a gallon at a time. I think that it even fooled Dave for a while. I used to kid him about it when I talked to him… Just to rub it in…

Okay, so I’m like that…

Peter DeMaria, another architect (whom I respect a great deal, but disagree with about this topic), built what has become the most photographed home in the history of ISBU housing, his Redondo Beach, CA house. This 3200 square foot home uses Supertherm as insulation. He’s sure it works, or he wouldn’t have used it. However, that house is in Southern California. not Southern Montana. Los Angeles stays above 60 degrees most of the year, day or night. Move that house to someplace where there is “harsher weather” and I’m betting everything I have or will ever own, that you’re gonna need to re-insulate, pronto.

Surely, SPI has proven that this stuff works, to the guys that make it possible for the rest of us to use it, right?

Um… after they tested it, the EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency) said;

“The EPA does not recommend paints and coatings be used in place of traditional bulk insulation. We haven’t seen any independent studies which can verify their insulating qualities.”

Okay…

I’m a big fan of Alex Wilson.

Who’s that, you ask?

For more than 30 years, Alex Wilson has been the most trusted voice on energy efficiency and environmentally responsible design and construction. He founded BuildingGreen in 1985 and launched Environmental Building News (EBN) in 1992 as the first North American publication focused on green building. He built the reputation, resources, and staff that today makes BuildingGreen, the leading information company on green building, publishing not only EBN, but also the GreenSpec Directory, BuildingGreen.com, and LEEDuser, as well as providing consulting for a variety of companies for whom sustainable design is a core value.

HE has an opinion about “SuperTherm”, too;

“To say that there is a lot of hype about insulating paints and radiant barrier coatings is an understatement.

The Internet is rife with claims of paints that dramatically reduce heat transfer—usually based on some technological magic spun off from NASA. While these products may have some relevance in the extreme conditions of outer space, manufacturers of paints containing “ceramic beads” or “sodium borosilicate microspheres” are making claims that defy the laws of physics—and independent test results—when they claim they can save significant energy in buildings.”

Okay, so basically what he says is that to achieve their claims, SuperTherm would have to defy the laws of physics. And he makes it clear that independent test results don’t back up manufacturer claims, either. GULP!

As a trained architect with another degree in “test tubes and other junk that will kill you if you look at it twice without smiling…” I really make it a point to avoid using products that make outrageous claims that contradict science, cost outrageous amounts of money (I’m told that it’s up to $700 a gallon), are only hawked by people PAID to hawk them, products that supposedly negate everything that we were ever taught about construction (or physics) without being able to PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt WHY in our right minds, we should actually do that….

Okay, okay… you get it. I’ve tried it. I’ve tested it (albeit in what some have deemed a rather “unscientific way”). I’ve used white paint too. Similar results, when it comes to insulating an ISBU. Neither one really works in the conditions that they were exposed to, but both do “similarly” well. Hmmmmmm…. again.

Look, I WANT this to work. Honest. If it did, it’d be a huge boon to ISBU builders.

Insulation is one of the HARDEST parts of getting ISBU homes built.

If I could find some miracle coating that could be applied in a business card thickness, that would take the place of inches or even a foot of insulation, don’t you think I’d be doing it? I’ve been working on these boxes since 1977. TONS of them.

It would revolutionize home building. You wouldn’t just use it on ISBU homes, you’d use it on all those old homes in America that can’t be insulated any other way, but by “repainting them.” You’d even apply it to cars and aircraft to take the place of insulation!

Why aren’t they doing that?

Um… because it doesn’t replace the need for insulation. That’s why.

Until someone can prove to me that ceramic coatings will work in every zip code in the US of A and take the place of insulation (with a set of tests recognized by the industry, tests that I can duplicate MYSELF), I won’t use the product, and if I’m working with you on YOUR home or building, I won’t let YOU, either.

I have too much love for my family, and even yours (which is saying something because I don’t even KNOW most of you, yet…) to put them at risk, based on snake oil spec sheets that are bandied about by “pie in the sky” internet websites.

And if you want to have a good laugh, take a look at some of the Ceramic Coating websites. Can you say; “Shoddy?”

Incidentally, myself and several other architects, engineers, and even builders have invited SPI and several other manufactures to rebut our claims on our websites, in an unedited fashion, so they can prove we’re wrong.

WE want them (at least I do) to be right. We just can’t figure out how it could be possible. and the scientists that we’re consulting can’t prove it, either.

My site, for example is one of the biggest “content based” blogs on ISBU construction on the Internet. I’ve gotten almost 300,000 views thru wordpress servers (where my blog “lives”) alone, this year, and about triple that in syndication.

And I’m talking about a “niche topic.” Let’s face it, how many people Google “DIY ISBU Homes”?

It’s been almost two years. No takers. And we’ve asked repeatedly. In fact, they no longer even respond to our email.

Now take all this a step further. If I can use pre-made steel boxes to frame my home, I can put them together to make large spaces, and even cut my labor costs, if I use a good design to start with.

And we won’t talk about repurposing, recycling or even resurrecting old unwanted materials to make it work cost effectively… will we?

Wait, I just did. Oops.

While I’m preparing for a revolution, it has nothing to do with insulation. Except to insulate my family from it.

Ronin

PS. I get asked this question so often that I’m going to run this post for the last time, and then I’m going to make it a permanent “page.”