DFB - Modular Homes

[Bird]

Chuck, I think you're generally right, with a few exceptions. I still remember many years ago, and after seeing TV commercials for Old Milwaukee, I bought a 6-pack. Took one sip of the first one I opened . . . and *&^% Schlitz! That taught me to read labels. On my first trip to Alaska, I decided to try some Canadian beer (I'd heard that it was stronger than most U.S. beers), so I ordered a case (found that was 12 instead of the 24 I was accustomed to, so I ordered 2 cases) at a tavern on the Alaska Highway. When the bartender asked what brand, I told him I didn't know any of them; to just mix up a case. I think I got 6 brands of beer and 2 or 3 brands of ale . . . and it all tasted alike to me - good!

Bird

 

[Chuck52]

Scruffy & Bird,
Guys I sure didn't mean to come across as some kind of beer snob...one of the few animals more irritating than a wine snob. As I was writing that last evenining I was having an Old Milwaukee Light, which the can says is made by Strohs. I like American style lagers, it's just that most taste so similar I usually buy whatever is cheapest. I do have my principles however, being as how I live in the land of Busch I try to buy just about anyone else's products. The behemouth of St. Louis is the Microsoft of the beer world. Bird, I too like the Canadian beers a bit more than our own, though I swear they taste more like American style than they did when I first had them. My wife claims that if my nose hadn't been rearranged in a high school fight a few years ago....just a few mind you...that that my sense of smell and of taste would be more nearly as perfect as her own. She often makes comments like that when I am brewing beer. Seems I'm the only one in my family that finds the smell of the wort boiling enjoyable.....wort is the barley extract with added hops, etc.

Chuck

 

[DFB]

Modular Homes

<font color=blue>Choice is Old Milwaukee</font color=blue>

THAT AND NATURAL LIGHT TOO!!!

SHF, sounds like we know all the same guys. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I've got catch up with ya on the house specifications. MOST OF the materials used were pretty much as good as you would choose to frame up a stick built home. Floor joists were 2x10 16" o.c., with 2x10 solid bridging, double band joists, center girder consisted of 6 2x10's after being bolted up, the weak spot was the subfloor, only a single layer of 5/8 T&G OSB. glued and nailed (wotta laugh). Exterior walls were 2X6 16" O.C. R16 insulation. No continous vapor barrier though.

Interior walls were supposed to be 2x4 16" o.c. Second floor was framed for live load. Also 2X10's 16" o.c. 5/8 T&G OSB spec'd @ R32 insulation value. Full value not installed as spec'd.

Load bearing center wall turned out to short scraps of 2x3's finger jointed and glued together to achieve a full length 8' stud. Something later described as a manufactured wood product. Try finding that in local lumberyard! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Sorry, no 2x2's upstairs. Rafters consisted of either 2x6 or 2x4 sections depending on the span, 16 o.c. 12/12 pitch. Though it doesn't sound like much sizing meet all load requirements. 5/8 roof sheathing, 7/16 wall sheathing all OSB. Minimum standard requirements. 1/2" sheetrock Overall not a bad spec pkg. The one MSI display home I saw had 24" o.c. rafter spacing.

Gotta say didn't happen to find any beer cans between the walls in the house /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif It's too bad I didn't, it might have explained it all.

DFB

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Modular Homes to beer.......What a trip.......For my 2 pennies,it's Rolling Rock south of the border(Canada) and maybe Lablat in Canada(never had the U.S. stuff,as Rolling Rock was available) and of course Superior in Mexico(warm)!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scruffy]

BakeryService, ya takes your chances here on TBN! You start a thread, and you never know WHERE it will take you!
Interesting though!/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[ronjhall]

Bird
Thanks for the tip on lifetime warranty of Moen faucets. I have a kitchen faucets that just started leaking. Went to Home Depot to get a washer kit. Found out it cost $14.50 for the kit./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Then remembered your comment on how well Moen took care of you. Made the 800 call. They have a kit on its way./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

They're good folks (and make a good product). Glad it helped, Ron.

Bird

 

[banjobj]

Stick built or modular I agree you really need to do your research and homework. It is really sad that quality seems to be the exception rather than the rule!!!!!!

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Re: Modular Homes

DFB

Actually, 2x4 and 2x6 rafters are pretty common. A lot of the older houses only have rough sawn 2x4 rafters and they've stood a long time, since a time when it wasn't common to shovel the roof (course, lack of insulation beyond newspapers probably resulted in NOT having much to shovel).

It sounds like your load bering wall was the main culprit. The 5/8 subfloor is light, but I've seen it before. I'm not sure if using remanufactured studs in the load bearer meets BOCA Code. My experience with the code is actually pretty light. Basically if I see something I don't like, I report and let somebody with an engineering degree figure it out. Remanufactured studs in the loadbearer probably wouldn't be enough to set me off, but the 2x3 size would ring a few bells.

The 2x2 roof framing I've seen is usually in ranch style homes. That decorative little peak over the front door-- well, lets just says I've seen some pretty decorative ones.

SHF

 

[deerackfarms]

DFB:

I almost signed with the same builder in Grafton & I believe
he gave me your story as why he didn't want to have a
legal contract which follow NYS escrow laws & home improvement contract.

Fortunately he told me take my business elsewhere & good luck finding a new builder.
Which was the manufacturer the used?
They only sell Premier( Muncy ) & MSI now.
Was it another company ?

We are one of the ones burned by Wedgewood ( Troy)
who went Chapt 11 Bankruptcy.

I am looking into other manufactueres ( Excel & Avis)
But as you know the hard part is finding a good buidler/GC.
We are near MA & CT & NY border ( Stephentown/New Lebanon.Pittsfiled ) area. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif