Sarge,
Congradulations, I had to wait until I was 53.
I also looked at the kit style wood home and they were a little cheaper to buy than conventional buildings. About 25%, plus they were very nice looking.
What swung the balance was the cost of shipping, oil was $160 a barrel and wound adding more than the savings. The other factor that I had not even considered was the high maintenance. We refinish our wood windows and doors at least once a year due to the amount of sun and rain we get.
I have a house on the California coast that is sided in cedar shingles and the refinish is about every 4 years and I was using that figure when I opted for the wood. Apparently the sun is far more damaging to wood than salt air.
And, as Brettski points out sweat equity is the biggest discount, that and not meddling with the plan.
