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How long does it take from order to delivery?
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This will vary for every customer. If you would like to order a home as shown and don't require any revisions, we can have building materials on site in about 4-6 weeks. Keep in mind however that you will need to get a building permit prior to starting and that may add some time to the process. Things like floor plan revisions, changes in window or door placement, etc...., will all add time to the process. It's probably safe to estimate 2-4 months from the time you contact us to the time you actually receive materials.
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What's included in a PeaPod Home package?
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The standard components in our home package include all wall and roof panels made from structural insulated panels (SIPs), all exterior windows and doors, sliding doors in sunspace, foundation insulated concrete forms, proprietary envelope ductwork and fire dampers, all sub-floor materials, all glu-lam logs for inner south energy storage wall and pre-fabricated staircases. As our houses evolve, we will also offer complementary materials such as flooring, siding, renewable energy components and other products that we feel are suited for our homes.
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How much does a PeaPod Home package cost?
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The answer to this question is based on how big a house you want and what, if any, changes you want to make. Standard package prices can be provided by our sales team for our core models. We also offer complete custom houses if our core offerings don't suit your needs. Feel free to call and discuss what you have in mind and we'll see if we can come up with what you are looking for. Keep in mind that any changes to standard models or full customs will incur architectural charges.
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How long does it take to build a PeaPod Home?
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There is no standard answer to that question since the variables in home construction are numerous and include weather issues, sub-contractor scheduling, delivery delays, permitting issues, code compliance, etc...... As you can see, it's very difficult to answer that question. If all goes well however you can have one of our houses up in 3-6 months.
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Can I customize my PeaPod Home?
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It's quite common for our customers to want some level of customization to their home. After all, you are going to have to live with your decision for quite some time so it's important to have your house exactly the way you want it. Levels of customization range from something as modest as re-sizing a closet to more sweeping changes like a larger footprint or moving windows and doors. As always though, keep in mind that while most of these changes won't change your package price, they will change your overall cost due to architectural charges.
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Why is a PeaPod Home considered an ideal platform for zero net energy?
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Since almost 75% of your home's energy is spent on heating and cooling, the more you can minimize that amount, the less renewable energy you will have to install to meet those demands. For instance, if you estimate that your house would require 10-15 KW of PV, you can reduce that cost to around 2.5 - 4 KW's of PV. At today's PV pricing levels of approx. $5,000 per kilowatt, that can add up to as much as $50,000 in savings.
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Once erected, how long does it take to finish a PeaPod Home?
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The package components included in your PeaPod Home can usually be erected in under two weeks. Once the shell is up and windows and doors are installed, you now have a dried in shell. At that point, the rest of the tradespeople can come in and begin things lilke electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, etc.. The amount of time that takes will vary from one job to the next but if all goes well, you should be in your new home with 3 - 6 months once the shell is up.
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Do I have to seek LEED certification?
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Applying for or seeking LEED certification is purely optional and up to each customer to determine. It may be advantageous to do so however. Many LEED rated homes qualify for local, state and federal subsidies based on the level of LEED certification achieved. Also, LEED certified homes frequently have higher resale values than those that are not. In some cities, LEED certified construction is already a requirement. It's always better to be on the leading edge of such movements versus the trailing edge and LEED certification is now the gold standard in rating a home's energy performance, use of green building materials and considerations.
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Does my homesite need a clear view to the southern sky?
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The short answer is yes. For your PeaPod Home to perform its absolute best, you will need unobstructed solar gain from at least 10:00am to 2:00pm on the shortest day of the year which is normally December 21. Normally, as long as the tallest trees to your south are over 150 - 200 ft away, you should be fine. If you are not sure, you can have a local renewable energy expert come to your building site and he can do a solar path finding study for you. Having trees to your east, west and or north are not a problem and can actually help shield your house from cold winter winds and shade your house in the summer.
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Do PeaPod Homes conform to national fire code?
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Yes. In the past, solar envelope homes were generally judged to be a potential fire hazard due to the concern that flames can travel thru the north or south walls and into the attic. PeaPod Homes are the first and still only solar envelope home manufacturer to use fire dampers in critical areas to address that concern. If you are considering a solar envelope home, be sure that the home manufacturer addresses this issue or it will not pass local, state or federal fire codes.
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Is a full basement required for the PeaPod Home to perform as designed?
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If you want to get the full benefits of the heating and cooling capabilities of a PeaPod Home, than you will need a full basement. In order to tap in to that year around earth temp of approx. 55 degrees, you will need to get down below the frost line in your area. That is normally anywhere from 3 - 5 feet, depending on where you lilve in the country. If you are going to dig down that far, you may as well continue a few more feet and enjoy the benefits of additional space that a full basement offers. It adds a considerable amout of square footage to your house, increases its value, adds minimal building costs and insures that your PeaPod Home will perform to its full capabilities.
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Why is a panelized home better than a modular home?
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Panelized homes are not necessarily better than modular homes, just a different way of achieving the same end result. Both are factory built and therefore are able to maintain high levels of quality. The biggest difference is that panelized homes show up on flat bed trucks and can easily be offloaded and placed with a small boom truck versus a modular home that needs to come in on very large trucks and requires the use of extremely large cranes to off load and place on your foundation.
Addtionally, panelized homes are field erected and do not suffer the wear and tear that a modular home is subject to as it travels from factory to site.
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Are PeaPod Homes available anywhere in the US?
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PeaPod Homes can be delivered to anywhere in the contiguous lower 48 United States. Currently our designs are environmentally engineered for sites from latitude 38 north. Additional designs are being generated that will address more southern climes. Please contact us to discuss the particular environment of your location.
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What is the ideal topography for a PeaPod Home?
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The ideal lot is one that you love and also has good southern exposure. After that, it depends largely on what your building requirements are. If you desire a walkout basement, you will need a lot that slopes from north to south. It can also slope to the southeast or southwest as well. We will require a topography survey along with elevations prior to finalizing blueprints for your house.
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Is PeaPod Homes really able to connect us with the help necessary to competently erect the PeaPod Home package?
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PeaPod Homes is constantly looking to increase the number of qualified PeaPod homebuilders around the country. We can provide a crew or supply you with the names of builders who have already built a PeaPod Home in your area.
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