Weehouse Brochure

weeHouse 2008

weeHouse. Or not-so-weeHouse. Architecture in a box! House. Cabin. Addition. Rooftops. Developments. Multi-unit dwellings. weeHouses are study enough to withstand the extremes of desert or tundra, and they may be placed anywhere that is accessible by truck. The weeHouse system is based on modern aesthetics, efficient use of space, and intelligent adaptation of prefab building technology. From small retreats like the original weeHouse to 3-bedroom urban weeHouses or even commercial needs, the weeHouse is adaptable to a wide variety of uses around the country. weeHouses are available as 1-module Singles, 2-module Pairs, or customized for larger projects. By selecting from our unique siding and interiors, each house is tailored to fit your lifestyle. weeHouses are built offsite in a factory, and arrive onsite with everything ( almost! ), including the kitchen sink. You only provide the foundation, seaming of the modules, and utility hook-ups. We even include design in the production price of your weeHouse.

© Alchemy LLC, 2007

www.weehouse.com [email protected]

651 . 647 . 6650

Alchemy: Alchemy Current: weeHouse: 0. Cad Documents: 2008 CAD Documents : 2008 weeHouse Overview 2.0

1X STUDIO 345 SF

SMALL 350 SF

MEDIUM 670 SF

LARGE 800 SF

2X SPLIT PAIR 1000 SF

PAIR 3br 1510 SF

PAIR 2br 1280 SF

X 840 SF

2X TALL 2br 1180 SF

TALL 3br 1370 SF

3X TOWER 2br 1230 SF

TOWER 3br 1390 SF

4X 2X4 2150 SF

4X4 2090 SF © Alchemy LLC, 2008

2008 weeHouses Overview

Pricing at www.weehouse.com

weeHouse STUDIO

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

weeHouse STUDIO 14' x 26' w/ inset doors = 341 sf (6) 8' X 8' Permashield Doors weeHouse 1/2 Kitchen splitwall heat + A/C (8) moment brackets

4X

wood walls option: 200sf

www.weehouse.com

.com

weeHouse SMALL

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

weeHouse SMALL 14' x 26' w/ inset doors = 348 sf (4) 8' X 8' Permashield Doors weeHouse 1/2 Kitchen (3) tall storage cabinets (1) tall bath cabinet 3/4 bath

4X

wood walls option: 250sf

www.weehouse.com

.com

DW

w/d

weeHouse MEDIUM

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

weeHouse MEDIUM 14' x 48' w/ 4' end porch = 672 sf (6) 8' X 8' + (2) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (1) 3'-5" x 3'-5" awning (2) tall storage cabinets weeHouse Full Kitchen (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

4X

Wood Walls Option: 370 Sf

www.weehouse.com

DW

w/d

M

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weeHouse LARGE

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

weeHouse LARGE 14' x 58' w/ 2' end porch = 812 sf (6) 8' X 8' + (2) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (2) 4'x4' operable awning + (4) 4'x2' awnings (4) tall storage cabinets + (2) sets drawers weeHouse Full Kitchen: C (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

4X

wood walls option: 170 sf

www.weehouse.com

(8) moment brackets

w/d

DW

SPLIT PAIR

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

SPLIT weeHouse (2) 14' x 36' w/ 2' + 3' end porches = 1008 sf (4) 8' X 8' + (5) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (3) 4'x4' operable awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen (4) tall storage cabinets (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

4X

fireplace lighting: (15) cans, (10) surface, (1) pendant wood walls option: 350 sf

www.weehouse.com

(1) tall bath cabinet 3/4 bath

w/d

DN

DW

R

.com

PAIR 2br

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

PAIR (2) 14' x 46' w/ 2' + 4' end porches = 1288 sf (2) 8' X 8' + (4) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (1) Entry Door + (3) 3'6" x 3'6" operable awnings (2) 2' x 4' operable awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen (4) tall storage cabinets

4X

(2) sets drawers (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer wood walls option: 450 sf

www.weehouse.com

(7) tall storage cabinets

DN

w/d

PAIR 3br

1X

2X

3X

.com

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

3 Bedroom Pair (1) 14' x 53' + (1) 14' x 56' = 1510 sf (4) 6' x 8'+ (4) 8' x 8' Permashield Doors (4) operable windows (8) tall storage cabinets (4) sets drawers

(2) bathrooms floors may be reversed for adaptation to sloped lots

www.weehouse.com

ROOF DECK

w/d

DN

2ND LEVEL

DW

.com

weeHouse Full Kitchen (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

UP

DN

IST LEVEL

TALL 2br

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

TALL, MEDIUM (2) 14' x 40' w/ (2) 4' end porches = 1176 sf (1) 5' x 12' Rooftop deck w/ railing (3) 8' X 8' + (4) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (3) 3'x4' casement, (1) 3'-6" sq, (1) 4'x4', (8) 2' x 4' awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen w/ storage wall (4) tall storage cabinets

4X

(2) sets drawers (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer wood walls option: 430 sf

www.weehouse.com

weeHouse Full Kitchen: C (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

ROOF DECK w/d

DN

2ND LEVEL

DW

UP

DN

IST LEVEL

r

.com

TALL 3br

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

TALL, LARGE (1) 14' x 56' + (1) 14' x 42' w/ (2) 2' end porches = 1372 sf (1) 10' x 12' Rooftop deck w/ railing (4) 8' X 8' + (4) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (2) 3'x4' casement, (1) 4'x4', (1) 3'-6" sq, (8) 2' x 4' awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen tall storage wall

4X

(5) tall + (3) short storage cabinets (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer wood walls option: 430 sf

www.weehouse.com

(1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer

DW

w/d

X weeHouse

1X

2X

3X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

X (1) 14' x 33' + 14' x 27' w/ 1' + 3' end porches = 840 sf (2) 10' x 13' Rooftop decks + (1) exterior stair (9) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (1) 4'x4' + (4) 2'x4' operable awnings (4) tall storage cabinets (2) sets drawers

4X

(1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer Twood walls option: 250 sf one-truck DELIVERY possible

www.weehouse.com

(4) tall storage cabinets

DW

UP

w/d

DN

DN

SEE TOWER OPTIONS

SEE TOWER OPTIONS

e

TOWER 2br

1X

2X

.com

3X

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

TOWER, MEDIUM (2) 14' x 36' + (2) 14' x 9' w/ 2' + 3' end porches = 1230 sf (2) 8' X 8' + (4) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (1) 2' x 4' + (3) 3'-5" x 3'-5" + (4) 2' x 4' awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen (6) tall storage cabinets

(2) sets drawers (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer + 1/2 bath walk-in closet wood walls option: 390 sf

www.weehouse.com

SEE TOWER OPTIONS

SEE TOWER OPTIONS

DW

UP DN

DN

w/d

.com

(4) tall storage cabinets

TOWER 3br

1X

2X

3X

TOWER, LARGE (1) 14' x 36' + (1) 14' x 46' + (2) 14' x 9' w/ (2) 2' end porches = 1386 sf (3) 8' X 8' + (4) 6' x 8' Permashield Doors (1) 4'x4' + (4) 2' x 4' + (2) 3' x 3' operable awnings weeHouse Full Kitchen (7) tall storage cabinets

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

(2) sets drawers (1) bathroom w/ washer and dryer + 1/2 bath wood walls option: 390 sf

www.weehouse.com

tall storage wall

WALK-IN CLOSET

STUDY

ENTRY / PANTRY

DN UP

ENTRY + 1/2 BATH

FULL BATH DN UP

LEVEL 2 OPTIONS

LEVEL 1 OPTIONS

TOWER OPTIONS

r

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1X

2X

3X

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

www.weehouse.com

(4) tall storage cabinets (2) sets drawers

W/D

UP

DN

2x4 weeHouse For wider lots

1X

2X 2x4 weeHouse (1) 28' x 40' + (1) 30' x 36' = 2150 sf (2) 10' x 13' Rooftop decks + (1) exterior stair (3) 6' x 8'+ (6) 8' x 8' Permashield Doors (12) operable windows (8) tall storage cabinets (2) sets drawers

3X

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

(2.5) bathrooms walk-in closet floors may be reversed for adaptation to sloped lots

www.weehouse.com

wood walls option: 390 sf

(6) tall storage cabinets

W/D DN

UP

e

4x4 weeHouse For narrower lots

1X

2X

3X

.com

4X © Alchemy LLC, 2008

2x4 weeHouse (1) 28' x 41' + (1) 28' x 42' = 2090 sf (2) 10' x 13' Rooftop decks + (1) exterior stair (3) 6' x 8'+ (6) 8' x 8' Permashield Doors (19) operable windows (14) tall storage cabinets (5) sets drawers

(2.5) bathrooms walk-in closet floors may be reversed for adaptation to sloped lots

www.weehouse.com

page

Options Worksheet

1

The following options allow you to make your weeHouse your own. Our design process is an exchange, so don't feel pressure to fill out everything right now; we are happy to make suggestions that will complement your style. 1

Foundation

Piers

2

Perimeter (Crawl Space or Basement)

Roof

Flush Roof w/ 4" vented overhang

3

Overhanging Roof 36" wide

Siding Type

Container

4

Fixed Awnings, 42" wide

Corncrib

Siding Color

Brown

Blue

Green

Yellow

Orange

Red

Black

Rust (Container Only)

1 5

Mechanical

Infloor Heat

Split Wall Heat + A/C

Forced Air

© Alchemy LLC, 2007

Outline Specifications

www.weehouse.com

page

page

Options Worksheet Continued 6

Bamboo Flooring

Carbonized

7

Natural

Bathroom Tile

White (1x1 Glass)

8

Blue (1x1 Glass)

Buff (12x12 Porcelain)

Grey Green (12x12 Slate)

Black (12x12 Slate)

Kitchen Cabinetry

White

9

2

Oak Paneled

Birch Paneled

Birch Slab

Stainless (Bases Only)

Kitchen Counters

White

Neutral

Grey

Black

Blue

Green

y)

10

Fireplace

None (standard)

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Wood

Gas

© Alchemy LLC, 2007

Outline Specifications

www.weehouse.com

weeHouse Outline Specification STANDARD SPECS: Description Colors / Options Items Configured by Alchemy as shown on drawings Suppliers include Andersen, Bosch, Duravit, IKEA, and Kohler. Full model specifications are available upon request. Roof

EPDM rubber: black EPDM rubber: white

Black only (?) White (or Black)

Sliding doors:

6' x 8' + 8' x 8' sliding patio doors

Swinging Doors

32" x 80" full light

Terratone Exterior + Interior Tribeca Stone Handles Terratone Exterior + White Interior Anvers Satin Nickel Handles Exterior Colors: Terratone, White, Sandtone Interior Colors: White White White Satin Stainless Steel 2 hangers per foot of track length

Windows:

Awning Windows, 2x4, 3-5 x 3-5, 4x4, operable

Interior Trim: Interior Doors: Interior Door Hardware: Curtain track

Casing: 7/16" x 2-1/4", Base: 3/8" x 3-1/4", Flat w/ eased edge(s) 2-panel Lever door handles Hospital style aluminum track + custom wood trim

Electrical (locations preselected) Can Lights: 4” par Can Lights: 5" flourescent Surface Mounted Lights: Exterior Vapor Tight (Cage Light) Wall Sconce: Ceiling Fan, 44" Bath fan, 110 CFM low sone (no light) 2" round illuminated Door Bell on "genuine weeHouse" I.D. plate

silver or white trim silver or white trim aluminum trim ring (white glass shade) Wall-mount Stainless white Amber Color

Bath Cabinets:

Linen Cabinets 15"w x 12 or 24" deep

Applad White, Tidaholm Oak.

Bath Fixtures:

Single hole faucet Shower only faucet Shower + bath filler faucet One-Piece Toilet Wall-Mounted Sink, 18x24 Drop-in Sink w/ Base Cabinet Bathtub, built-in 71 x 31-1/2 Bathtub, freestanding 71 x 31-1/2 Base, 36 x 36 corner solid-surface base, 36 x 36 mud bed for tile Glass Enclosure: 3/8" semi frameless door or corner units 36 x 36 Drain grid: cast brass, nickel-plated

Polished Chrome CP - Polished Chrome CP - Polished Chrome White White White White White (w/ paneled sides) White

Bath Shower:

Kitchen

Undermount Kitchen Sink: 1 + 1-1/2 bowl, stainless Steel Drop-in Kitchen Sink: 1 bowl w/ Drainboard, stainless steel Drop-in Kitchen Sink: 1-1/2 bowl w/ Drainboard, stainless steel Kitchen pullout faucet

24" base cab 24" base cab Stainless

Appliances (allow $6500 for appliances)

wall oven, 30” cooktop 30” dishwasher, 24" Hood, chimney style wall: 30” Refrigerator: full size, 18 cu ft, 32"w 24” undercounter combo fridge, freezers 5.5 cu.ft. 24” undercounter fridge only 6.0 cu.ft. 24” undercounter freezer only 5.5 cu.ft. Washer and Dryer: 27” front-load units: stackable or undercounter

electric gas, electric stainless stainless stainless stainless door, black or white cabinet stainless door, black or white cabinet stainless door, black or white cabinet white

Description

Colors / Options

Flat Roof, vented at eves. ADD for Overhanging Eaves, 36" wide. 42" deep roof elements shade door sets for sun + rain protection

Flush eve (4" wide) Steel support brackets at 6' o.c. nominal Steel brackets painted bronze or galvanized

Container : fibercement sheet siding w/ applied battens Paint (stock colors or paint onsite?) Oxidized Latex Paint Finish

Iron (use black-tinted primer + oxidizer) Black, Bronze, Red, Deep Green, Lime Green, Sky Blue 2 coats or one heavy coat over a black primer

ADD for Corn Crib : rough-sawn siding Paint - solid color stain (stock colors or paint onsite?) note: pre-stain all sides prior to applying to wall

requires special weatherwrap: see details Black, Bronze, Red, Deep Green, Lime Green, Sky Blue

Flooring: ADD for Wood Walls: ADD for Wood Ceiling :

Bamboo, vertical grain: Wood to match floors (only limited locations offered) Wood to match floors (only limited locations offered)

natural (light) or carbonized (dark)

Bathroom Tile:

STANDARD 1x1 mosaic (floor, walls, shower) ADD for 12x12 Slate (floor, walls, not in shower) ADD for 12x12 porcelain (floor, walls, not in shower) ADD for 1x1 Glass Mosaic, Irridized (floor, walls, shower)

Arctic White D617, Arch. Grey D109, Garden Spot 141 Black, Grey Hydra LS01, unpolished Oyster White SR76, Acapulco Blue SR73

weeHouse Outline Specification OPTIONS: Items selected by customer Roof ADD for Fixed Roof Awnings Siding:

Kitchen Cabinetry:

White, Stainless (bases only), Birch Paneled, Birch Slab, Oak Paneled

frameless "European" cabs w/ Blum soft-close hdwr

Kitchen Counters:

Solid surface - tops 1-1/2", side cover panels 1/2" (add Synthetic Stone options?)

White, Grey, Black, Other: depends on brand

Mechanicals:

STANDARD: HVAC Insulated galvanized ducts in structure w/ boots

Heat Source by owner

ADD for On-Demand Instant Water Heater

electric gas handled onsite by others (Boiler by owner)

ADD for Infloor Heat ADD for Split wall Heat + A/C

Infloor Heat tubing, transfer plates, manifold only Unit(s) with exterior compressor installed on site

Owner-Supplied Items

Description

Mechanicals

Boilers, Furnaces, A/C compressors to be provided by owner. Necessary ducts and infloor tubing infrastructure will be installed in factory.

Colors / Options

Fireplaces:

wood, w/ chimney gas, w/ wall outlet

mill finish (steel)

COOKTOP

24" refrigerator

A

CT4D36

Standard 1/2 Kitchen (for weeHouse SMALL models)

pullout hood cabinet depth refrigerator

COOKTOP

WALL B4D30 OVEN

B

24" DW

Standard Full Kitchen

cabinet depth refrigerator

24" DW

C

COOKTOP

WALL OVEN

Standard Kitchen (for weeHouse LARGE models) © Alchemy LLC, 2007

Standard Kitchen Layouts Fitted with IKEA Kitchens and stainless steel appliances from Bosch, Fisher Paykel, and Summit

www.weehouse.com

COOKTOP

WALL OVEN

D

24" REF

24" freezer

Optional 1/2 Kitchen

chimney hood

COOKTOP

WALL OVEN

E

24" DW

trash pullout

24" refrigerator

MICROWAVE

24" freezer

Optional Full Kitchen

.com

© Alchemy LLC, 2007

Optional Kitchen Layouts Fitted with IKEA Kitchens and stainless steel appliances from Bosch, Fisher Paykel, and Summit

www.weehouse.com

$0.00

0.00

Contact Info. Name Site Address Item Detail Qualification Land Reports Site Survey Soils Report Geotechnical, percolation, septic, etc. Other Design and Permitting Architectural Services Contract Deposit ($1000, nonrefundable, applied to final balance) Design Site Visit (optional, but recommended) 1-2 Production Factory Visit Delivery Day Site Visit Structure Fees standard weeHouse customized weeHouse Additional Design Services; decks, garages... Additional Option(s) Fees Engineering Fees (if not included in factory price) Local Permits and Fees Building permit Water and/or Sewer/Septic Permit Variance Process Environental Impact Fees Other Permits (detail in notes) Site-Specific Construction Site Preparation Clearing/Demolition Excavation/Backfill, Grading Other (detail in notes) Foundation Footings, Drainage Stem Wall/Caissons/Piers Retaining Walls Waterproofing Basement Garage/Carport Slab Other (detail in notes) Utilities Extend Utilities from Street to Site Well/Septic/Sewer Gas Electrical Hookups HVAC Button Up Gutters and Downspouts Hook Up Mechanical System Exterior Siding Finishing Interior Finish Work, drywall and flooring at seams and access panels Interior and Exterior Painting Hand Rails and Stairs Additional Exterior Unit Construction Garage/Carport Decks Pools Overhangs Fences Other (detail in notes) Landscaping Driveway Walkways, Gardens, Lawns, Fencng, terrace Other (detail in notes) Other General Contractor Project Management Solar Electric Solar Hot Water Green Roof Grey water recovery / irrigation system Other (detail in notes) Delivery Modular Building(s) Transportation- Freight and Damage Deposit Installation/Set Crane Other (detail in notes) Other Financing Closing Costs Furnishings Appliances Specialty Lighting Fixtures Taxes and Fees (for state/province in which weeHouse is placed) Additional Insurance(s) Local Consultants Expediter Other (detail in notes) Total

City, State, ZIP Budget Actual

Notes

Responsibility Owner Owner Owner Owner

Owner Alchemy Owner Alchemy Alchemy Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner

Owner Owner

GC GC GC GC GC GC

/ / / / / /

Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner

GC / Owner GC / Owner GC / Owner GC / Owner

GC GC GC GC GC GC

/ / / / / /

Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner

GC GC GC GC

/ / / /

Owner Owner Owner Owner

GC / Owner GC / Owner GC / Owner

Owner Owner Owner Owner Owner

Owner Owner Owner

Owner Alchemy Owner

Owner $0

$0

Alchemy, LLC

856 RAYMOND AVE. ST. PAUL, MN 55114 • (651) 647 6650

PROCESS OUTLINE Alchemy delivers design in the following ways.

1) Standard weeHouses (and not-so-weeHouses) are pre-designed with options to accommodate many needs and sites. Delivery runs nominally 6-9 months from signed contract, design fees are minimal, and costs based on the project’s location are given up front. 2) Custom weeHouses are possible based on adaptations of our standard weeHouses and basic details to create more customized solutions for a wider variety of needs. Timelines run nominally 9 or more months from signed contract. Upfront design fees are based on the size of the project, and costs are quoted within a reasonable range. 3) Custom Architecture is, well, custom. We are open to a wide realm of project types and creative production methods. Longer timelines and more uncertain costs are typical. Site Visits are not required, but can be valuable in optimizing the siting and layout of your project. We bill for such visits on a day rate of $1000 plus expenses.

STANDARD weeHOUSES

Our standard line of weeHouses is intended to provide flexibility and high-quality design with reduced time and costs compared with custom architecture. Design costs are included in the cost of the weeHouse. Opening Deposit ($1000) We make sure that the weeHouse you have configured will work with your site and your needs. We provide floor plans, elevations, and outline specifications for preliminary zoning or financial approval. A quote with an estimated timeline for the process of permitting through delivery will be given according the project’s location and factory capacity. In some cases, Additional Services will be required for engineering and structural upgrades for projects in high wind, snow, and seismic areas, or for special submission requirements from local building authorities. Production Deposits (25% of house price) A deposit of $5000 (plus any applicable Additional Services) allows us to proceed with Permit Documents for your house. A Production Deposit for 25% of your house price less $5000 is due at the commencement of the factory fabrication process. Depending on location, the balance is paid by installments during fabrication or at delivery.

CUSTOM weeHOUSES

Custom weeHouses are a hybrid between custom architecture and our standard weeHouses. They will typically cost more and take longer than our standard weeHouses, but will typically cost 10-20% less than a comparable site-built custom project. Design costs, payable up front as deposits, are billed hourly at our standard rates, but are included in the quoted price of your custom weeHouse. Opening Deposit ($1000) We work with you to program your weeHouse, lay out design opportunities, and identify issues that prepare your project for the next phase of Schematic Design. We identify what items are to be customized within our system to specifically meet your needs and establish preliminary budgets for design and production. Design (deposits start at $2500) We work with you to create a Schematic Design based on your program. We provide floor plans, elevations, and outline specifications for updated pricing, preliminary zoning or financial approval prior to proceeding with your project. Permit Documents (deposits start at $5000) Upon approval of the Schematic Design, we begin creating the Permit Documents, and invoice you for the Permit Documents phase. We produce Permit Documents for fabrication, local approvals and financing, and provide final pricing for your custom weeHouse. In some cases, Additional Services will be required for engineering and structural upgrades for projects in high wind, snow, and seismic areas, or for special submission requirements from local building authorities. Production Deposit (25% of house price) Upon approval of the Preliminary Design, deposits totaling 25% of your house price for CAD drawings and factory fabrication costs will commence the fabrication process. Depending on location, the balance is paid by installments during fabrication or at delivery.

DEVELOPMENTS The weeHouse’s modular design and prefabrication is especially beneficial when houses are produced in quantity, and we can pass those savings on to you. In the case of developments of 10 or more houses, we can even deliver to a wider territory. Please contact us for more details on process and pricing.

CUSTOM ARCHITECTURE Alchemy’s fees for custom architecture on a more traditional project path run nominally 15% of the project budget for full services, and lesser amounts for partial services. Fees are billed in phases on an hourly or pre-bid basis according to the needs of the project. We work in residential and commercial realms using both prefab and site-build processes.

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Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. preWee Can you send me printed information? No. (Sorry!) We appreciate trees so much that we like to save them—a lot. We post relevant information on our Web site for easy reference, easy updating, and easy-on-the-environment reasons. You are welcome to print out pages of our Web site for your reference or to share with friends. Our on-line gallery has the most up-to-date photographs of our projects. Is the weeHouse “green”? The weeHouse was inspired by sustainable design principles such as building small and efficiently. We hope to offset the suburban trend towards overbuilding by instilling value in modern yet efficient living. By producing weeHouses in carefully chosen, environmentally concerned factories, we are able to greatly reduce construction waste compared to conventional construction procedures. As production of weeHouses increases, we hope to be able to include more low-VOC and green-certified materials into the process. Our architects can customize your weeHouse with even greener materials and systems using active solar, geothermal, green roofs and other solutions as applicable. What is a not-so-weeHouse? (To wee, or not-to-wee?) We call designs that use 3 or more modules (excluding our ‘towers’) not-so-weeHouses. We offer standardized plans for not-so-weeHouses that address lifestyle needs that go beyond our standard line of 1- and 2-module houses. What’s the difference between a weeHouse project and a custom project from Alchemy? WeeHouse is actually a trademarked name for a contemporary, prefabricated structure originally designed by Geoffrey Warner, principal of Alchemy LLC. The standard weeHouse has evolved into a line of structures used as homes, offices, penthouses, and studios. From the iconic Arado weeHouse (now called weeHouse “studio”) to four+ module dwellings, a weeHouse project has many shapes and elements (including being not-so-wee), but all of them are prefabricated and then “set” on site … basically ready to move-in! Can I see a “wee”? Occasionally, built weeHouse projects are available for public viewing via home tours, exhibitions (Dwell Conference 2007), special events (did you know a weeHouse was in Times Square?), or in an appointment with a client’s approval. At this time, there are no weeHouses ‘on parade’ but stay in touch with us via weeMail. For obvious reasons, we try to keep our clients’ privacy intact as much as possible. Can I take a tour of “your” factory? Alchemy is an architecture firm, and as such, does the design work of the weeHouse. We work with independent factories that produce modular homes in addition to the weeHouse. Respecting their business environment, safety guidelines, and timelines, we do not organize tours or visits during production. Occasionally, during production, factories are open to the weeHouse owner.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. Permits? Yes, you need them! The weeHouse is permitted similar to a site-built home. You will need to acquire local zoning permits; we take care of the state-mandated permitting. You won’t run into any issues as long as you follow the zoning requirements for your city/neighborhood/county. Most cities post permit information on their city/county web sites. Is the weeHouse built to comply with my local building code? Yes. weeHouses are designed and inspected to comply with the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC). Prior to fabrication, we provide you with a full set of weeHouse documentation drawings for your local building inspections process. Local inspections are needed for granting permits and the inspections are done per local municipality requests. Most of these inspections happen at the factory so you should only have to pay reduced building permit costs to cover site-specific work: foundation and basement walls, drainage, heating, plumbing, electrical hookup, and certificate of occupancy. Land How do I know if my site is right? Some things to consider include: • the costs of your site to be cleared and/or prepared for the weeHouse move-in • the foundation—you have options & we’re happy to work with you to make suggestions • electrical, water, and sewer hookups (weeHouses come ready to hook-in) • road access (no tight twists and turns!), and an open area large enough for the crane to ‘be’ while it’s lifting your ‘wee’ Realtors may be able to help you address general site restrictions in your area. Please be sure to ask! Actually, we recommend you ask a lot of questions and that you get recommendations from “locals” to find contractors that can help. If you’re unfamiliar with construction, we strongly recommend working with a reliable general contractor, even if your up-front costs seem slightly higher. We believe that in the long run, a great contractor saves money. Does Alchemy need to make site visits? While photographs, surveys, and sketches are useful to describe the site, a site visit allows us to interact directly with you and the land. We do a rough survey of the site and flag for the house if possible, thus being able to address some of the more subtle parts of the building(s) in the landscape. We do bill for site visits using day (or half-day) rates, plus expenses. We think it’s a good investment on the larger scope of your project. Location, location, location ... Continental United States and Canada: Please see our Delivery Map for our current capabilities. We are working on establishing delivery to every state, and we’ll update you via weeMail on these changes. Alaska and Hawaii: Yes! We can ship a weeHouse, but as you can imagine, there are additional shipping fees (literally … shipping on the ship fees). Plan on an extra $8 to $10K for the ocean leg of the journey.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. Location, location, location ... (cont’d) Europe ... and other parts of the not-so-weeWorld: Mon dieu! We do not have a way to ship across the “pond” at this time. weeHouses are too big for standard shipping containers and would require a specialty shipping arrangement—most likely at a very high cost. Can I put a weeHouse on my roof, or on piers, or on the Mississippi River? Yes … we would love to use a barge-foundation and the opportunity to float-a-wee! We’ve completed our first rooftop weeHouse, a commercial unit for a business in Minneapolis. The Arado weeHouse was built on stilts—not the kind you used when you were a kid—but on concrete piers and steel beams. Can I invest in Alchemy, or buy stock in weeHouses? Alchemy LLC is a privately owned company (see employee profiles for more information about each of us). We are not franchised, nor traded on the stock exchange. The best way to invest is to initiate weeHouse developments. Prefabrication is especially cost effective when like-houses are produced in quantity. We pass this savings benefit on to you. When we design developments of 10 or more weeHouses, we can even deliver to areas not included in our standard weeHouse delivery map. Please contact us for more details. Financing How do I finance my weeHouse? Modular financing has many advantages because it reduces short-term high-rate construction lending, as you do not pay for the bulk of the house until it is delivered from the factory. Our clients have used M&T Bank-Mortgage Division (yourmodularhomecenter.com) with positive results. Clients have also worked with • Indymac (indymacbank.com) • Land Home (land-home.net/modular_program_details.html) Other prefab mortgage options may be found from these institutions: • Countrywide Home Loans (countrywide.com) We also encourage you to ask your local lender about systems-built or factory-built modular financing. There are numerous Web sites addressing prefab homes. One site in particular that has detailed information on financing is Prefabs.com (prefabs.com/prefab_financing.htm). Build What comes standard in a standard weeHouse? Each standard weeHouse comes ready-made: just add water (and a few other 21st Century realities like electricity). weeHouse standard floors are 1x4 tongue and groove bamboo (light or dark finish available); all interior walls are white gypsum board. We have integrated a curtain track into the perimeter ceiling as a standard feature that allows for privacy curtains or wall texture panels. Standard weeHouse bathrooms have tile floors and showers. See the weeHouse options sheet for details.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. What comes standard in a standard weeHouse? (cont’d) Each weeHouse also includes floor-to-ceiling glass doors, Container Siding (cement fiberboard with vertical battens), EPDM cold roof, tongue and groove bamboo flooring, primed gypsum board ceilings and walls, electrical and plumbing systems, fixtures, bathroom tile, cabinets, and the kitchen sink. Do you include appliances? Which ones? Yes! With the standard weeHouses, we do include high-quality modern appliances in the cost. However, we can also design and spec for these recommended appliances (refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, etc.), but have you to purchase them locally. See the weeHouse options sheet for details. If appliances are not included in the pricing of your weeHouse, we note that clearly on your contract. The price adjusts accordingly. You actually include design in the base price of a weeHouse? Yes! Included in the price of your weeHouse is a permit set of drawings for standard weeHouses and standard not-so-weeHouses that illustrates the foundation plan, floor plans, elevations, and typical construction details. What if I want to change-a-wee? The weeHouse is engineered to provide the coolest design and fabulous flexibility at the most accessible prices using materials that optimize the benefits of the structure and the build process. Sometimes the standard weeHouse isn’t exactly what you’d like to live in. That’s not a problem, but it does mean that for some details, we have to go ‘back to the drawing board’ … literally! We schedule customizing weeHouses on a case-by-case basis, and hope that, in general, our standard designs suit your needs. Custom projects do take longer, and can add significant changes to your costs. When you customize a standard weeHouse (there are some limitations to factory-built homes, but we are always happy to work with you to design in elements that you believe to be ‘must-haves’), Alchemy offers our design services at a reasonable hourly rate. These design services may be used for changes to the kitchens, baths, porches, accessibility modifications, or material changes. Can I install my own cabinets or other small fixtures? Yes, but we don’t necessarily recommend it. It is possible to purchase a standard weeHouse as a finished ‘shell’ without the built-in cabinets or other small fixtures. The final price really won’t change much, if at all. Because the factory works so efficiently, it’s always been (to-date) more cost-effective to have the weeHouse delivered with as many details and finishes in place as possible. For permitting reasons, we need to finish interior and exterior walls and have the plumbing and electrical in place.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. Is weeHouse construction as strong as a site-built structure? How long will a weeHouse ‘be’? We’ve designed the weeHouse to meet IBC (International Building Code) and IRC (International Residential Code) standards. The weeHouse is actually stronger than a site-built structure in many cases. To withstand the stresses of being moved, we reinforce all corners of the frame, doors, and windows, and glue and screw the subfloor and sheetrock to the frame. weeHouses are fully insulated with 2x6 walls and 12" floor trusses for the floors and ceilings. Nominal R values are: Walls R19, Floor R35, Ceiling R44. Vented roofs assist in tempering the house in extreme heat or cold. Your weeHouse will last as long as any other quality-built structure … especially since we assume you’ll treat your ‘wee’ with care! Is the roof really flat? While it may appear flat, the hipped roof of the weeHouse contains a 1/4” per foot slope. It is a cold roof, (ventilated underside) covered in EPDM. (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer sheet provides very good resistance to weathering, ozone, and UV exposure and is highly recommended for applications there is excessive exposure to the environment.) We’ve got you covered. What do I see at the end of some weeHouses … a porch or deck? A unique aspect of the weeHouse system is a porch that we call the tube porch. These porches may be 3' to 10' long and are placed on the exterior walls that have full glass access. They may be added to the module at one or both ends, but the finished module must be shorter than 62'. The porches are finished similar to the exterior finish. Cedar or ipe decking is standard. Can my weeHouse be wider than 14'? Our standard widths are 14' to deal withroadway requirements. Custom weeHouses can be made up to 16' wide, but for wider houses, we often recommend adding a module to the side and opening up a wall between them. Can radiant floor heating be installed in your modules? How about air conditioning? Depending on your climate, you have the option of adding in-floor hydronic heat, wood or gas stoves, forced air, and split wall air conditioning with remote compressors. When choosing in-floor heat the same boiler will also supply your domestic hot water needs. We offer a small, powerful, and efficient on-demand gas water heater that can be hidden within the back of a cabinet. What are the exterior options? The standard weeHouse exterior siding is Alchemy designed Container Siding, made of highly durable cement fiberboard panels (sometimes referred to as Hardie Panels) with vertical battens. This exterior may be painted any color however we do have some standard recommendations. An oxidized paint finish in steel is available as a modest upgrade. We also offer Alchemy-designed Corncrib Siding, a horizontal rough-sawn pine rain screen siding finished with solid or semi-transparent stain as an upgrade. If you are considering separate modules, each module can have different colors or materials.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. Where do I put my vehicle(s) while I’m livin’ in the weeHouse? Anywhere you’d like! (Kidding, kidding.) We can design a garage to go with your house. It would be site-built or panelized depending on what works best for the project. Garages are considered as an additional service, therefore billed and scheduled separately. Our clients have also integrated garage(s) into their foundation plans. Carports and creative outdoor shelters have also been designed. What if I’m interested in building a whole-lotta-wee’s? If you’re considering a weeHouse development, we’d be happy to talk with you. Prefabrication is especially cost effective when weeHouses are produced in quantity. We pass this savings benefit on to you. When we design developments of 10 or more weeHouses, we can even deliver to areas not included in our standard weeHouse delivery map. Please contact us for more details. How much will my project cost from land ownership to delivery? weeHouse pricing varies by geographic region and by chosen options. West coast standard weeHouse pricing ranges from $79,000 to $245,000. We’ve estimated weeHouse pricing using ranges at this time. You may see lower price references on blogs and Web sites. Please call us if you have questions on why our prices are different (usually, the information is simply outdated). Delivery Geographically, where can you deliver the weeHouses? See our delivery map. How much does it cost to deliver a weeHouse? One truckload is approximately 62' of module, so combinations of modules that add up to 62' and less will save on shipping expenses. Transportation from the factory runs approx. $5-7 per truck/per mile (see delivery map for current factory locations). We charge you exact transportation fees. Please realize that prices may vary due to the fluctuations in fuel prices and highway surcharges. How much road space do I need to get a truck and crane through? You need an 18' wide path for the loaded truck. Since the weeHouse sits on either a full foundation or piers, if you can get a concrete truck to your site, chances are you can get a weeHouse on a semi thru there, too. If the semi ‘fits’, most likely the crane can get on site as well. The size of the crane you will need depends on the size of the modules and the distance from the crane to the foundation. Not that we’ve actually weighed-a-wee, but adding up materials, we know that modules weigh roughly 600 pounds per lineal foot. The ground must be firm enough to support the weight of the loaded crane (thus a few of those snowing installation and set photos on our site!) and there must be adequate area for the crane’s stabilizations arms.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. What will a crane and setting cost? How do I find one? Crane costs will vary, but are generally billed hourly on a round-trip basis from the crane company to your site. We suggest you budget between $500-$2500 for approximately 4-8 hours of crane time including the trip charge. Look under “crane service” or “boom trucks” to find services. A set crew from the factory will facilitate the bolting of the weeHouse to its foundation. How long does fabrication take? Standard weeHouses (and not-so-weeHouses) are pre-designed with options to accommodate many needs and sites. Delivery runs nominally 6-9 months from signed contract, design fees are minimal, and costs based on the project’s location are given up front. Custom weeHouses are possible based on adaptations of our standard weeHouses and basic details to create more customized solutions for a wider variety of needs. Timelines run nominally 9 or more months from signed contract. Upfront design fees are based on the size of the project, and costs are quoted within a reasonable range. Custom Architecture is, well, custom. We are open to a wide realm of project types and creative production methods. Longer timelines and more uncertain costs are typical. a weeBit more information … How do I keep informed? Please sign-up for weeMail to keep updated on news, changes, and innovations from Alchemy. We don’t share/sell information we collect. We promise to only send out interesting updates and timely information. Custom weeHouses are a hybrid between custom architecture and mass prefabrication. They typically cost more and take longer than our standard weeHouses, however, they also cost approximately 1020% less than a comparable custom site-built house. A custom or site-built project can actually follow the same design as a weeHouse, or it can take on its own elegant style. We use a different pricing structure for custom projects, and we are not able to estimate those costs until we’ve had a significant conversation with you about the scope of the project. Please email us with details, or call us during regular business hours when you have specifics ready. How can I learn more about prefabs? We love google.com (!) mostly because google is such a cool word, but also because it’s paperless, too. Google.com lets you find the latest blog entries, Web sites, articles, and even international news about prefabs and architecture in general. Web sites we appreciate include: prefabs.com, fabprefab.com, livemodern.com, inhabitat.com, greenjunkie.com.

Alchemy Architects is pleased to provide this FAQ document to help you plan your weeHouse. Please note that information is updated on our Web site, weeHouse.com, often. All information is subject to change. We appreciate your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse®. How can I learn more about prefabs? (cont’d) The blogs that have mentioned Alchemy and/or the weeHouse include: mavenhaven, boxeswithknobs, PrairieMod, WalkerArtCenter, prefabcosm. Articles that highlight our work are listed in the PRESS area of our Web site, but here are a few links to some favorites: NYTimes, Before Buying a Prefab by Amy Gunderson MN Public Radio, The weeHouse comes to Linden Hills by Roseanne Pereira Marketwatch.com, Right Chemistry-Prefab weeHouse combines utility, modern esthetic by Rachel Koning Beals Please visit your library to peruse these books that we’ve found extremely helpful including: The Modular Home by Andrew Gianino Prefabulous by Sheri Koones, foreword by Sarah Susanka Do you have a budding architect in your family who’d like to read some cool books on architecture? Here are Alchemy staff favorites! Roberto the Insect Architect by Nina Laden Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton The House in the Mail by Rosemary Wells Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse by George Mendoza Who writes all this who?-what.-wee! information? The Alchemy Staff has moments where taking a break from the drawing table is much appreciated. Usually we eat, or we bar-be-que and then eat. But sometimes we talk, too, and all kinds of freeassociation starts happening. That’s when we think of clever t-shirt sayings, too, including: To weeHouse or not-too-weeHouse? weeCasa es suCasa wee-the-people! We also employ a non-architect (although she does have an M.S. in Design) who’s the Chief Propagandist. Email [email protected] with any issues you have about this site (including grammar and copy errors as we wanna’ look good and be well read)! We sincerely thank you for your interest in Alchemy Architects and the weeHouse. We look forward to working with you!

ALCHEMY LLC

Alchemy Architects 856 Raymond Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114 651-647-6650 www.weehouse.com

Alchemy Architects’ mission is to make stimulating, engaging, and efficient design accessible and affordable for a wide audience. Our distinctive hands-on approach to architecture and design combines a playful design process, collaborative relationships with clients, and partnerships with builders and fabricators to create a harmonious blend of site, building, and community. With sustainable practices as a mainstay of our daily work, Alchemy utilizes recycling and reuse along with building strategies that reduce waste. Our multidisciplinary team draws inspiration from art, literature, history, and leading creative thinkers to create alternative and atypical project solutions. Alchemy’s innovation on the weeHouse prefab system and “tightwad panache” renovations has gained recognition on an international scale. EXHIBITIONS HOME House Project: The Future of Affordable Housing Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis

January 28 - April 30, 2006

Some Assembly Required: Contemporary Prefabricated Houses Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Vancouver Art Gallery,Vancouver, BC Yale School of Architecture, New Haven Museum of Contemporary Art at the Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles Virgina Center for Architecture Tour: December 2006-September 2007 SELECT PRESS New York Times, Think Small, February 16, 2007 CBS Marketwatch, Defying trend, some homeowners make more of less square footage., 2007 MSN, Prefab Homes get Fabulous, 2007 TIME, Shrinking Down the House, August 21, 2006 Sundance Channel, Big Ideas for a Small Planet, April 2007 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Fabulous Prefabs, July 2006 WIRED, Some Assembly Required, January 2006 DWELL, Renovation 101, January 2006

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