Homeowner FAQs #4

Q: If I have a completed house or building design for construction with conventional framing, can SIPs simply replace stick framed walls?

A: Yes, SIPs can usually be substituted for stick framing as long as the SIPs structural values meet or exceed the values of the stick framed walls, roofs, and floors. An engineer familiar with SIPs should review the plan and indicate the substitutions (component engineering).

We usually recommend having the engineer redesign your project for SIPs because SIP values vary from those of stick framed walls. Simply substituting panels may save you an extra engineering fee, but often costs more in materials from over-designing some parts. If you would like to convert your home from stick framing to SIPs, please contact us and we can look at your project. We can have an engineer look at it to see if you probably would or would not save money from an engineering redesign for SIPs.

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