What comes with the Bamboo Living Home Packages (BLHP)?
A: Bamboo Living provides the structural bamboo exterior walls, interior walls, roof & roof support structure, roof eaves and if applicable, porch roof, porch railings, loft stair and loft floor panels.

Do the costs per sq ft that you mention on your website include finish costs?
A: The costs that are posted on the website are for the BLHP’s.  Please see our Bamboo Living brochure for a complete list of what is included in our Bamboo Living Home package. We competitively price our BLHP to allow them to be finished out at comparable cost to conventional construction. The end product however isn’t comparable, the quality & workmanship is unmatched, not to mention the environmental benefits.

Do you have actual costs for everything for the owner/builder?
A: A huge benefit of working with Bamboo Living is that we can provide fixed costs for our standard bamboo home packages as soon as you decide which one you want. We can provide you with a cost estimating worksheet to determine the finish costs with builders. We can provide you with these once you determine which home style and square footage you are interested in.

Are Bamboo Living Homes produced in compliance with building codes in the USA and other countries?
A: Yes. ICC Evaluation Service Report ESR-1636 states that Structural Bamboo Poles produced by Bamboo Living comply with the current International Building Code (IBC) & International Residential Code (IRC).

Can these homes be permitted as dwellings in the USA and other countries?
A: Yes, Bamboo Living Homes are approved for dwelling structure permits in the USA and other countries that require International Code Council – Evaluation Services (ICC-ES) certification.  They can also be designed to meet Dade County Florida’s hurricane standards, some of the strictest in the world. Over 150 Bamboo Living Homes are approved for dwelling structure permits throughout the state of Hawaii & the world. Time required to get permits vary, so it’s never too early to get started.

How do I get drawings for permitting approval?
A: Bamboo Living can provide complete Architecture services for your project. Bamboo Living provides a complete Permit Set of architectural drawings for your building project along with the Bamboo Living Home Package. This Permit Set is prepared for building permit submittal by the home owner or a permit expediter. We charge a set fee for standard permit sets, plus additional fees for customization, site visits & building department special requirements.

Are there any additional building requirements that I need to know about?
A: We can do a full review of applicable local building and zoning code requirements in your region as part of an architectural consultation agreement.

Can I get a home mortgage and homeowners insurance on the Bamboo Living Home Package?
A: Mortgage companies are available to finance your construction project.  Just like any other house, our customers are also eligible for homeowners and fire insurance.

Are the Bamboo Living Home Packages Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) eligible?
A: Yes, the materials in our BLHP meet the qualifications for LEED certification.  In fact, you earn extra points for choosing Bamboo Living, making it easier to earn gold or platinum certification. Each project needs to apply for a LEED certification, so we recommend coordinating the design & production of your home from the earliest project stages to ensure that your home is constructed with the highest quality LEED approved materials.

Where can you ship your Bamboo Living Home Packages?
A: Bamboo Living Home Packages are panelized and packaged into standard sized shipping containers which ship to any container port around the world.

How much does shipping cost?
A: Shipping costs are variable but usually run around 10-15% of the BLHP. This cost can vary depending upon location, time of year, and volume.

How long is it from the time you order the Bamboo Living Home Package to when you receive it?
A: Typically, your BLHP will ship within 3 to 6 months after you place the order. Once Bamboo Living receives the deposit we begin building the house at our production facility. After the BLHP is built, it is disassembled, put in a container and shipped. Shipping generally takes about one month.

Does your company provide a builder to assemble & finish the Bamboo Living Home Package?
A: Bamboo Living can refer an independent Certified Bamboo Living Home Builder for your project.

What is the sequence of home construction?
A: The sequence is: Site work, foundation, BLHP assembly, roofing, window & door installation, plumbing, electric, cabinets, finished floors.  All aspects of the project are designed by Bamboo Living.  All onsite construction is completed by the builder. The BLHP assembly for a 1000sf package normally takes 1-7 days.  The full construction sequence generally takes 3-6 months.

Are your houses wired and plumbed?
A: Bamboo Living Homes are ready to be wired and plumbed by licensed electricians and plumbers.

Are your buildings a feasible option for cold weather?
A: Yes they are. Bamboo Living can produce single wall panels (common in tropical regions) or cavity wall panels (insulation-ready panels) recommended for regions with more severe climates.

Does the house come with insulation?  What is the R-Value?
A: Bamboo Living Homes are insulation-ready. Our cavity wall panels are designed to allow the walls to have an R-Value that meets the minimum code requirements for your region.

Are your wall systems SIPs (Structural Insulated Panel‘s)?
A: We currently produce two types of wall systems, single wall systems, for milder warm climates, and cavity wall systems that are insulation-ready, for more severe climates. The cavity wall system is designed so that insulation can be site installed.

How is the roof constructed?
A: Bamboo Living Home roofs incorporate trusses and multiple roof panels.  Each roof panel has a bamboo frame, interior finished surface and exterior grade plywood.

Which type of roofing do you offer?
A: Bamboo Living Homes, once assembled, are ready for a roofing crew to install any type of roofing. The roofing materials & labor must be purchased and installed locally.

How long do your bamboo houses last?
A: A Bamboo Living Home has a lifespan as long as or longer than any conventional wood framed building if it is properly installed & maintained.  In Japan, bamboo structures have a history of lasting 200 years.

Is there any kind of warranty on the Bamboo Living Home Package?
A: Yes, all BLHP’s are backed by our company warranty, if it is assembled by a Certified Bamboo Living Home Assembly Technician.

How durable and resistant are the houses to hurricanes and earthquakes?
A: Bamboo Living Homes are designed by licensed architects and engineered by licensed structural engineers to meet local building code requirements for each specific building site. Our designs use the inherent strength of the bamboo and its connections to fulfill building code requirements even in earthquake and hurricane zones. In fact, our homes in the Cook Islands withstood 174 mph winds. They also can be designed to meet Dade County, Florida’s hurricane standards, some of the strictest in the world.

What kind of maintenance is required for the homes?
A: The maintenance will be comparable to a conventional structure.  On the homemodels that use split bamboo exterior siding, the same maintenance as any natural wood siding is required. The siding can also be painted or an alternate siding such as stucco or lap siding can be site installed. The house exterior can also be covered with any siding material used in wood frame construction such as board and batten or stucco.

Are bamboo finishes and treatments safe and environmentally friendly?
A: Bamboo Living has conducted extensive research over the past decade on the most effective and environmental friendly bamboo treatments and finishes to inhibit mold, fungi, termites, beetles, sun, rain and weathering, so Bamboo Living Homes remain healthy, strong and beautiful for years to come.

Are the homes susceptible to insects or mold?
A: Bamboo Living Homes are completely sealed from insect and moisture infiltration. Special attention is given at the factory to seal all joints between panels with rubber seals. After buildings are erected, secondary seals and finish details provide extra protection. BLHP’s are backed by our warranty.

Do termites eat your bamboo buildings?
A: The species of bamboo we use in our Bamboo Living Homes is naturally resistant to termites, “termite proof”.  Tests have shown that even if our bamboo was the only food source they had available, the termites would perish because it will not sustain them.

What else do you offer?
A: Bamboo Living also offers other house products including bamboo doors and bamboo flooring.

Where can we get bamboo from for our building project?
A: Bamboo Living is the first and only source for International Code Council (ICC) approved construction grade bamboo. We specialize in designing & producing pre-fabricated bamboo home packages. The Bamboo Living Farms and production facility are located in Vietnam.

What is the carbon footprint for the Bamboo Living Home Package including shipping?
A: We have done some preliminary carbon footprint calculations and have found that the shipping is a minor factor in the equations compared to conventional construction. A study done at Einhoven University in the Netherlands showed that bamboo even with shipping between hemispheres was by far the most environmental choice, compared to sustainably grown wood, steel or concrete.