What are the main parts of a BIOTEKT house?
BIOTEKT house’s main components are the structural modular panels that form the shell of the house. We manufacture these panels and control the final shape of the house through the initial design where we incorporate your needs and wants.
How affordable is a BIOTEKT house?
Panels for BIOTEKT houses use high-tech materials like those used in the aero-space industry. They provide special qualities to the house and they are exceptionally durable. While they are not cheap to produce, they are affordable – the overall cost of a BIOTEKT house is comparable or even slightly less than the cost of a traditional structure.
How is a BIOTEKT house different compared to a traditional house?
In most places, A BIOTEKT house must meet almost all legal requirements of a traditional house: human residency safety, quality of life, proper local engineering and design to meet local codes, local permitting, quality construction per today’s standards and quality finishing.
Usually a client hires a local professional (architect or engineer- highly recommended) to coordinate all required activities to build a BIOTEKT house. The main aspect is that the local professional must incorporate the BIOTEKT panels into the design / build of the house, like he would when incorporating brick or wood and drywall. Everything else is like a traditional construction. If you think that you can procure the Biotekt panels as a construction material amongst many others (like cement and tiles), you have a better picture of how to build a Biotekt house.
For example, you must order concrete to pour foundations and the slab required to support the house. Or you can order tiles for floor or wall finishing, electrical and plumbing materials and appliances, etc., etc.
In a similar fashion, you must order and use the BIOTEKT panels into the building process.
I am ready - where do I start?
Check our prototypes – there are a variety of shapes and sizes that you can choose from, see which one comes close to your needs. Keep in mind that starting from a prototype you can modify – extend or reduce rooms, move doors or windows, change type of doors or windows, etc. We will work with you and your architect to come up to your desired floor plan and facades. This process is called preliminary design and its purpose is to set the definition of your house and to allow us to fabricate the BIOTEKT panels properly. This cooperative work will end up with a set of Fabrication and Assembly Drawings. This process involves our design department – they will create the drawings that can be used further to create the local design.
What are expected expenses to build a BIOTEKT house?
The expenses to build a BIOTEKT house are like those of a regular house: engineering and design, permitting, labour and materials, construction.
When you budget for your house, we can provide the cost of our panels. We can, at your choice, provide panel connecting bolts and the earthbags specific to our system. Everything else can be sourced locally and estimated accordingly.
Ordering modular panels for a BIOTEKT structure is part of procuring the materials and include:
- the cost for producing the Fabrication and Assembly Drawings – this cost will be FREE if the process of ordering and delivery of the panels is completed.
- the cost to fabricate the panels
Is this a DIY project?
Referring to design, ordering BIOTEKT panels and installing the BIOTEKT panels, it can be.
We suggest hiring local professionals for the overall house design and construction; however, if you have the land and your area architectural control allows it, and if you are a good handyman and are familiar with your local code requirements, you can consider doing it yourself. All other aspects required to design and build a house are normal design / construction activities that can be easily accessed anywhere.
Are permits required for building a BIOTEKT house?
As far as it is inside a community, it must follow the community rules. Remote isolated areas likely do not need permits. Specific municipalities will have specific requirements. We can help with placing your chosen prototype or modified prototype on a site plan of your land plot to start your permit application process. Your site plan must be submitted in a pdf and dwg format.
Structural and Architectural drawings must be produced locally to incorporate local specific material conditions, if required in the permitting process.
How long does it take to order and fabricate the panels for a house?
There are many variables for timing: the work load our factory is facing at the time of ordering, the size of the order, and the time required to fabricate. Once an order is placed, a house can be fabricated usually in 3 to 8 weeks depending on the size of the house. Then it is prepared for shipping to the location indicated by the client.
Do I need to hire and architect or engineer for my project?
While it is not always legally required, we suggest you do because of the uniqueness of the project. It is better to have an enthusiast professional deal with the many specific and challenging activities required to coordinate the building of a BIOTEKT house.
Do I need to hire a contractor to build a BIOTEKT house?
Contractor(s) might be needed to fulfill all or part of the construction activities.
Your local architect or engineer in agreement with yourself will coordinate and determine the course of actions required to complete the house through excavation, foundations, concrete slab, panel installation, utilities – plumbing, electrical, fireplace, windows and doors, interior finishing, exterior berm and soil build-up, etc.
Can I build a Biotekt house off grid?
Yes! The beauty of our building system resides in the perfect integration and adaptability in a natural environment, the more away from a city the better. Self sustainable energy and bio systems can be designed by your specialists to allow an independent living off-grid.
Do you offer a warranty for the house?
We offer 10 year defect free material warranty for BIOTEKT panels when they are handled and installed per Biotekt instructions. The panel warranty may be incorporated in a local builder warranty.
Do you offer discounts for more than one unit?
Each project is different; discounts are generally possible, we need to assess each project individually.
If your BIOTEKT house is the first in a new area, you might qualify for a discount - it is worthwhile asking. However, if you want to build a community of BIOTEKT houses, or you consider becoming an Authorized Agent, this might be a definite reason for discounts.
Contact us for further possibilities.
What is the payment schedule?
There are three steps to order and deliver Biotekt panels:
1. Order Fabrication and Assembly Drawings - To order BIOTEKT panels, you must decide from a defined prototype or modified prototype. We will do the design with you to meet your floor plan and facades requirements. There is a non-refundable cost of about $1.00 per sq ft of your Biotekt house to complete the Fabrication and Assembly Drawings. You can pay this online on this website, if you go for a prototype. Otherwise we'll guide you through the process.
Note that this cost will be considered as payment for panels when the fabrication process is complete so that the design is free.
2. Order the panels as per Fabrication and Assembly Drawings – a 50% of the cost of panels deposit is required.
3. The other 50% of the cost of panels minus the cost of initial design (already paid) is required when fabrication is complete. Payment in full must be received at Biotekt prior to shipping
What is included in the kit?
When we set up the Fabrication and Assembly Drawings, together with the client, at order, we design and fabricate Biotekt panels.
In addition you have the option to order:
- bolts for fastening the panels together
- bags that are used for building the outside soil berms.
All these additional materials are usually available at your location – sometimes the price might be different. It is a matter of choice or convenience – this is your call.
How is shipping handled?
Current shipping terms are EX-WORKS Yumbo, Colombia and in most cases the panels are loaded into containers and trucked to the Port of Buenaventura, on the Pacific coast. There the containers are loaded on a cargo vessel to start the sea part of the journey.
The client is expected to handle the shipping - we highly suggest hiring a shipping professional to handle door to door shipping; there must be decisions regarding a few important aspects:
- the shipping broker company
- choice of type of insurance
- the destination port
- type of inland transportation
- destination unloading details
In most cases we offer to assist with the shipping arrangements for the client, with a power of attorney, especially for the Colombia part.
The Biotekt system is designed for efficient shipping in containers. We can fit up to 2000 sq ft of floor space in 40 ' containers depending on the specific design. Final transportation details will be provided at the time the order for panels is in progress.
