SkullMesaRanch

Hey Gene, Right now at Lowe's the price of a 8' 2X6 is three times the cost of the comparable 2X4. As someone getting ready to build a small house and barn I really would like to use 2X4 construction if it saves money. One of the 1st things people ask when you say you're building a house is "Are you using 2X6 construction?" I don't understand how this became a status symbol. Most of heat goes out the roof not the walls and insulation is so good now that the extra 2" of insulation isn't buying that much. If I use 2x4 construction on my exterior walls I feel like I can't tell anyone except the framing contractor. Even then I'll call first to make sure they'll do it. The labor cost should be less with 2X6 exterior wall construction, but I don't know if it would swamp out savings in 2x4 material costs.

Thanks, Guys. I'll put them in the same file to start since they're both small structures, house 1500 sq ft living+attached garage, covered front and back porch. Garage/Barn is 650 sqft, insulated and climate controlled. House is incredible simple with simple gable roof (barn too). It sounds like it's a function of the file size and computer power. Barn will be placed so that it blocks the view of the ugly house on the adjacent lot (zoned 5 acre parcels). It's a highly mountainous area of which I have the only lot with a good building area (only 7-14% grade at building site). I want to make the terrain flat under the two structures and 5% grade everywhere else on the site area (approx 1 acre). So placing both house and garage is helpful for the site plan and terrain views. I don't care about interior details too much. My main goal is to get a complete set of construction documents to be submitted for permit.

I haven't started my project but would like to know if I can have the house model and detached garage in the same project. Is this the best way or should they be in separate projects and then combined in the condocs? The house and detached garage have similar structure; same walls, roof type, height, foundation. I can't seem to find an example on the site that gives this information.