DIY Network

Steel Prefab: The Beginning From "Assembly Required" episode DASR-204

The steel prefab was inspired by mail order kit homes.

Prefab builder Joss Hudson was inspired by the old mail order kit homes. He wanted to put a new spin on an old favorite. Joss reinvented mail order with his all-steel eco cottage.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Steel Prefab's Beginning

Back when the cottage was just a drawing, he had to find some pioneering clients willing to take the plunge. Washington, DC residents Jeri Berc and Roni Posner had just the spirit he was looking for. They were willing to take the chance and be the "guinea pigs" on Joss's Eco-Cottage idea.

The two women wanted to build a garden studio on their Delaware property, and they wanted it to be environmentally sound. The all-steel eco cottage was a great way to be earth-friendly. When Jeri first heard about the eco cottage, she was intrigued. For Roni, though, putting the words "cottage" and "steel" together seemed unnatural. Before they signed on to be the "case study," they had two words for Joss: "show me."

Joss took Jeri and Roni to see steel construction first hand at a building of residential lofts he had designed (figure A). What they saw was enough to convince them that a steel version of "green" might be the way to go. Before jumping in, the couple met with Joss to talk design. They were a little skeptical about how the steel would work with the custom touches they had in mind. Joss showed Jeri and Roni that prefab didn't have to mean cookie-cutter design. The couple hand picked exterior finishes to create the cottage look they wanted (figure B). They also added eco-friendly options such as a composting toilet and a rainwater harvesting system.

Joss and his first clients knew that prototype would mean working out a few kinks...and ten days of rain didn't help. The entire site for their cottage had to be moved uphill as the foundation was filled with water. It took Joss's team four weeks longer than expected to build Jeri and Roni's eco cottage, but everyone was happy with the result (figure C).

On the weekends, Jeri and Roni enjoy the cottage in its lovely garden setting. The lofted open floor plan gives the women just what they wanted, a place to relax (figure D). The two may not have considered pairing cold steel and cottage charm before, but now they are true believers.

RESOURCES :

Northern Steel International
Website: www.nsteel.com

SCS Construction Management Inc.
Website: www.scs-prostar.com/scs.htm

Galvamet America Corp
Website: www.galvamet.com

Forj Lofts
Website: www.forjlofts.com