Not just Katrina recovery — but any coastal, high-risk, high insurance zone. John Sawyer’s Everhouse is exciting — manufactured housing designed for the coastal risk profile and a delivery pipeline that make sense. The hundreds of millions of your money [aka “Government Assistance”] has failed to produce affordable housing that can be insured at affordable rates. But a New England entrepreneur seems to have innovated a solution - at $68/square foot — about one-half the going rate in New Orleans.
The upshot of the house’s durability and cost is that it’s easy to insure. Just ask Shorty Sneed, a local insurance broker who lined up a deal with Travelers that will cover all Everhouses.
“I have been in this business for 35 years, and we see a lot of big hat but no cattle,” says Mr. Sneed. “But these guys impressed me because they had done their homework.” He says the Everhouse, built “with steel and concrete like a New York skyscraper,” is “far superior” to anything else on the market. According to Mr. Sneed, the annual cost of insuring a $150,000 Everhouse would be $1,355. The going rate for insuring a conventional house of equivalent value would be $3,425.
To put together the Everhouses, Messrs. Sawyer and McKenna are recruiting local residents currently living in FEMA trailers and training them in construction. (Mr. Sawyer struck a deal with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which will be sending 20 trainers down to Mississippi.) The hope is that the new construction workers will buy the houses they help build. Mr. Sawyer will pay them union wages for as long as they work for him. Afterwards, the newly trained workers will have a skill that is in demand.
“The plan is very unusual,” says Kay Kell, Pascagoula’s city manager. “John Sawyer is the first developer who . . . looked at this as a complete process. He wasn’t trying to come down here and sell houses quickly – he was here to solve a problem.”
Caveat — this is a startup — it’s not clear from the article how well-proven are the economics and the delivery system. Also, when looking for background on Environmental Building Systems and Everhouse’s, I discovered that both are rather invisible in Google’s index.
We have owned a lot near the Gulf in Northwest Florida and are looking to build an affordable, durable house. Are you planning to be in Destin, FL anytime soon? Thank you. Patti and Stuart Rosenberg, Brookline, MA
I am a builder. Can I get some more information on the Everhouse? I’m interested in building the homes in the LA area.
I am a builder in Florida. I am interested in more information on the homes.
“I discovered that both are rather invisible in Google’s index.”
A big 10-4 to that good buddy.
I too would like to find more information on this. Cannot find a phone number or website. If you find any info please post it here or lets share emails - mine is mattear@gmail.com
Pass Christian MS has no problem with the concept - but I will see as I find some information.
Was anyone ever able to find any contact info for them? I have been looking and have not been able to
This is Jake Halpern, who wrote the piece in the Wall Street Journal. I emailed to Steve the contact info for John Sawyer — see his comment below.
I am building a home in Annapolis, MD and would like to find out more about the “Everhouse” and the company “Environmental BUilding Systems” and the founders John Sawyer and Harold McKenna. Please email me or send info to 2 E. Lake Dr., Annapolis, MD 21403
To all: many thanks for the comments. Jake Halpern has kindly provided the contact information for Environmental Building Systems as follows
Email: johns [at] environbuildingsystems [dot] com
Phone: 617-648-0566.
Very strange about things that sound too good to believe, they usually are.
Why does something like this not show up in any kind of web search?
Did Mr. Halpern actually meet Mr Sawyer and see a completed Everhouse?
Where have any of these homes been built?
Was the picture in the Wall Street Journal a photo shop produced rendering of what they will look like, or is it of an actual house, and if so, where is it?
Has there been any verification of the $68/ sq ft pricing?
I am very curious. If anyone can enlighten me I would be most interested in knowing the details.
Are these houses built with insulated concrete forms? (ICF’s)
Why is there no website?
If the product is as it seems in the article and uses ICF’s, utilities should also be affordable.
Please forward info regarding website. thank you
Mr. Sawyer returned my call today. I like what he is saying. Seems to be a well though out system of construction. He has been trying to keep it out of the limelight to give time to get the complete system together. First units to be put up at Moss Point, Mississippi.
These are not do it your self kits, but instead, turnkey projects for building affordable and insurable home for people that own the property already. A system of precast concrete walls with special connection system. Various designs will be available. Skilled labor problem will be addressed thru a training program that he is in control of with the cooperation of the Carpenters Union.
I’d say, keep an ear & eye open for Everhouses. I have no way of verifing this information at this point, but do have a tenative plan to work in the area in the Fall of 08, and will make a point of doing so then. I wish Mr. Saywer sucess in this much needed project.
The $68 sqr ft pricing appears way too low and will invariably increase to get a unit up to true “turn key” (all costs loaded, ready to move in) status for a desirable unit.
The ideas regarding jobs and employment and economic development are not new. The perpetual challenge is to have “can do” feet on the local street.
I am a retired person living in Woodmere N.Y. within “evacuation” area of the Atlantic ocean. I own a home at present. I believe there would be much interest by others like me if Mssrs. Sawyer and McKenna have any intention of taking this very viable concept further north.