Premanufactured homes are typically stronger than site-built homes, and built with higher precision. C2 homes are engineered by Bensonwood Homes to exceed structural requirements in the International Residential Code (IRC) and local building codes. In addition, we can provide structural engineering services for special conditions, ensuring that your home will exceed structural requirements in earthquake zones and hurricane / high wind zones.
There are many different ways to build a home today. Following is an overview: “Site built” (or “stick built”) refers to homes built using the conventional method of building a house: all the materials are brought to the site separately, a foundation or basement is placed, and the materials are cut to size and assembled on site. There are four basic types of Factory built homes: Kit homes consist of pre-cut materials delivered to the site, with full construction performed on-site; Panelized (or “flat-pack”) consist of premanufactured wall, roof and floor panels which are delivered to the site, then assembled and finished by local contractors; Modular homes are mostly finished in the factory (including electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems, drywall finishing, painting, etc.) and delivered to the site in completed sections up to 11’h x 16’w x 60’l; Manufactured homes (also referred to as “HUD-Code”) fall under a different, national building code – typically manufactured housing is built on a trailer chassis and is considered portable or temporary in nature.
All C2 homes are individually designed to meet the desires of their owners and to respond to the unique conditions of each site. We believe that everyone benefits from individually designed homes: Homeowners get the home of their dreams; Neighbors are treated to diversity and interest in their neighborhoods; Communities thrive on homes that are designed to reinforce the public character of the street; and Everyone benefits from the reduction in carbon emissions and other environmental benefits that result from “tuning” a home to its natural environment.
The first step in getting into your new home is to contact one of our sales professionals. From there, we can begin the discussion of the type of home you want to construct and the specific features you require. Issues of feasibility, cost, construction time, materials and a number of other questions can be addressed. See Steps to Build for more information.
Since all of the homes are individually designed, final costs will vary based on a home’s complexity and amenities. As a general rule, construction of a 1,500 square foot 3-bedroom ZNEH home in the Mid-Atlantic region, including site utility connections but excluding driveway and landscaping, will cost around $375,000 (site not included).
We’re glad you asked! There are a number of actions that the homeowner needs to take to ensure a smooth process. See Steps to Build for more information.
Our homes aim to be zero net energy or as close to that as possible. This means that ideally the home will produce as much energy as it uses. This can be achieved by using integrated design, building energy modeling, and the best energy efficiency and production techniques on the market from super insulated walls, windows and roofs, to efficient appliances and heating and cooling units. We also take care to select the environmentally preferable materials throughout C2 homes to limit the impact of construction, including highly recycled and locally produced material, certified wood, and non toxic materials.
Through our relationship with Bensonwood Homes, we have the ability to ship throughout the continental United States. However, we prefer to work in the mid-Atlantic region to assure quality control. Shipping costs are included in the price of the home.
Over the course of a year, zero net energy homes (ZNEH) produce as much or more electricity than they consume. ZNEH homes are NOT off-the grid. They depend on a net metering service from the local utility for homeowners to sell back excess energy generated during peak production.
We are not able to assist with financing at this time. However, we are working with lenders who offer energy-efficient mortgages and construction financing to bring these services to you. We will update our site once we have those services in place.
Open Building (OB) is the international movement based on organizing buildings and their technical and decision-making processes according to levels. In the West, Open Building was a partial successor to the Supports movement. “Levels” describe a hierarchical organization system in which building higher order building components take priority over lower orders. In Open Building terms, the Support (structure and skin) constitutes a higher level, while Infill (interior spaces and systems) is a lower, dependent level: should the Support change, the infill is inevitably affected, although the infill can change without forcing change at the higher Support level. Environmental levels include: the urban (tissue) level; Support (base building or building) level; Infill (fit-out) level; and furniture (furnishings) level. Support (Support structure) was a term first coined in John Habraken's book Supports: An Alternative to Mass Housing. (Definition adapted from www.open-building.org.)
For most clients, we provide a “turn-key” home ready to move in. Bensonwood Homes, our manufacturing partner, provides all structural components above the foundation, exterior walls, shear walls, stairs, prefabricated components for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, exterior windows and doors, and finish trim. We partner with local contractors to provide foundations, geothermal systems, solar power and hot water systems, cabinetry, appliances, specialty systems such as central vacuums, and sitework including driveways and landscaping. Depending on site conditions and performance goals, we may substitute alternate components for those typically provided by Bensonwood, such as alternate exterior wall systems or structural components.