03-09-2012
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#1 (permalink) |
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Canada Dry
 Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 49,566
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Building a House?
I need input, or at least support!
I did a search and the only thread I could find was from wayyyy back in 2006. http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...hunting-3.html Who has built a house and how was the process? Would you do it again? Building versus buying existing versus renovating? Any tips and what can you tell me to do or not to do? Any input on layout- what do YOU think is the best design? We have almost, (almost!  *nail biting*!) decided to reserve a lot to build...we are leaning toward a two story, maybe around 1750-1800 square feet on two, with a walkout basement. NOTE: It would not be a walkout by our choice, but the lots that we like in our town (and two of the only decent lots in town!) are designated walkout basement lots. They back green space (a wooded marsh with walking paths) and are in a quiet crescent.help
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03-09-2012
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#2 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,617
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Find a good custom contractor who does customs, check his last few projects. I would assume the building season in your area is short, so he is probably booked this year (good sign). You can get some basic plans and he can make basic adjustments what you want. If you see something you like in the area you are looking check out who the contractor is.....Don't do very much yourself.
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03-09-2012
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#3 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southern 'burbs, Minnesota
Posts: 6,822
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Quote:
  No really, I'm a little interested in this thread as well. Bean and I have tossed around the idea for in a few years, so I'll be tracking this thread. Thanks for doing the dirty work for me, Riss! 
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03-09-2012
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#5 (permalink) | |||
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Canada Dry
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 49,566
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Quote:
On the negative side- the home builder who owns the two lots we like the most will not sell the lot- so we have no choice but to go with them. (Not sure if that is how it works in the US- here builders sometimes will buy lots or whole subdivisions from the town or city-so you have to buy from them if they will sell, or build using them.) On the positive side- they are one of the cities top builders!  Sadly this also equates to one of the most expensive- but a lot of things that come standard with them do not with others- granite, triple glazed windowns, high eff furnace, Energy Star rating, etc. Don't worry - we would not be doing ANY of the subcontracting or work ourselves.  The only thing is we will be leaving the walkout basment undeveloped, they will do it to the framing stage and we will finish it down the road. Don used to drywall so he can do that (but NO MUDDING AND TAPING he tells me. )I just cannot believe how expensive it is for a new home.  Quote:
 That is cool! What style do you like? We also considered a raised bungalow with walk-out...but wow...those are even more expensive to build a decent sized one. Quote:
Really, that is SO NICE of you! Thanks, I will! it has been tough finding blueprints, a lot harder than I though. Step 1- we met with the builder's liason woman this week, she seems really nice. There are two of the green space lots left, she will let us know if anyone else expresses interest so we can put the deposit down. Now we have to make up a wish list of things we want- style, approximate square footage, what built-ins, kitchen materials, A/C or not, how many garages, etc. So that is where we are at- we are going to look at a zillion show homes tomorrow. (not as well prepared as we should have been, but this all hinges on those remaining lots -most home on that crescent are all built -which is good for us!)
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03-09-2012
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#6 (permalink) |
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Canada Dry
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 49,566
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and Mogs- you would be surprised I bet....they build year round here!
I think they even can dig basements in the middle of winter...well, this past winter they could have anyway. (I have to check into that, actually. )usually starts are done by early winter and then once the outside walls are up all else is done all winter long, with space heaters. if we built we would be moving in in December about. They would just have to leave the acrylic stucco and the deck until spring....maybe the driveway too. now- when to put our house up for sale
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03-09-2012
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#7 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
 Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,429
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Quote:
Wouldn't you put your current house up for sale immediately upon entering into the contract for the new house? Worst case scenario is that you sell before the new place is ready, but then you could always rent for the short term until it's done. The last thing you'd want is to be saddled with two mortgages, so I'd imagine you'd have to be aggressive about selling the current house. Why wait? |
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03-09-2012
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#8 (permalink) | |
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Canada Dry
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 49,566
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Quote:
Houses sell fairly quickly here right now... but I still tend to agree with that, yes. Much less stress. If it is only a month or two we can live in my aunt's basement and the builder allows you to store stuff in the garage of the new home, too. ore, rent- but with two cats that might be tricky...also most rentals make you sign a contract for a year. When we bought our current house we had a three month posession and we LUCKILY managed to sell our condo and get a posession date on the same exact day....but wow were were pretty stressed in the meantime!  I would like to avoid that!A guy in my carpool has a house he STILL owns in the next province....for a year and a half now he has been carrying two mortgages. Crazy! |
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03-09-2012
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#9 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MD
Posts: 8,030
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This is very exciting! Congrats Maggie and Don! I look forward to all the progress pictures.
We put my MIL's house up for sale late last month and it sold in 2 weeks! We were shocked, but happy since it was causing Steve mega stress We go to settlement on the 23rd.
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03-09-2012
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#12 (permalink) | |
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Canada Dry
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 49,566
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getting it the way we want is a big part of building for us, yes, Taps, or we would totally buy existing, it's way easier, and all the sweat equity is there ( I am NOT looking forward to building another deck
 ...although I enjoy the landscaping work). We have been looking at any houses that come up for sale in our town of 6000 for 3 years now and they never have my dream kitchen!linda, I imagine builder choice is crucial....we do have that on our side at least...I have never heard a negative thing about Ehrenburg. Can I ask- is there anything you don't like about your walkout...did you finish it when the house was built or do it later? Do you have a deck on your main floor and if so, does it block a lot of sun...this lot will face east so morning sun only.(I mean the backyard faces eas...like our house now.) Quote:
Thanks, but we have not decided 100% yet....I will be very disappointed now if it does not happen...everyone should build at least once, right? One of my whines was that I think all of our close friends but us have built at least one house!  That is what concerns me, if we put it on the market right away and it sells right away, we could spend 5 or 6 months renting....that would suck, not building equity for so long, but the relief might be worth it. dream kitchen....well, almost. 
Last edited by Rissask; 03-09-2012 at 06:26 PM.. |
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03-09-2012
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#13 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 13,089
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I think if you worked with contractors (a lot) in the past, have got to play with zoning commissions, govt plan checkers, building inspectors, school zones, fire department zones, water district zones, etc. Dealt with bank loans for building a new home. You might consider it. Otherwise the frustration with all the possible problems and resolutions for those problems could cause you a lot of heartache.
You will have to be able to roll with the punches, be ready for every govt agency (and govt agencies you didn't know exist) slow down the timeline as well as want money, make decisions quickly (decisions that will have to be made on the spot when something doesn't go as planned in the middle of the project), be able to leave work on a moments notice to deal with something immediately (otherwise the contractors will leave and go work on something else), miss a lot of work, postpone vacations; then if all of this is expected as well as more and you can deal with them then yes you can probably do it without destroying friendships and marriage. Oh yeah. Changes. Contractors make their money with changes to the original agreement. Any change will cost a major amount of money. Put a lot of money aside for that, probably 5 to 10% of the total cost of the overall agreed cost of the project. Sorry, more. You will not know the total cost to begin the project until you have the Permit from the local government to build the home. Why? Sewer hookup charges, water hookup charges, electric hookup charges, . . . Plan not passing plan check having to go back to the architect who will charge you for the changes and then resubmit to the plan checkers, which will also change the cost of the construction because the change of the plans. Last edited by MikeW; 03-09-2012 at 10:15 PM.. |
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03-09-2012
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#14 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 13,089
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Example of having to deal with something on the fly.
We had 600 sq ft added on about 7 years ago. The building inspector was called in for a framing inspection and failed it. The framer had used 2x4 on the base of the exterior wall frames, but the plans (in a foot note) had called for 3x4 base. No reason for the 3x4, but the engineers typically designed for 2 stories and ours was a 1 story. Possible fixes, tear it all down and start over. Possibly add 2x4 blocks between the studs (needs to be engineered and approved). What I did, called the engineeers who did our plans, they wrote a letter that stated 3x4 were over engineerred and they ammended the plans stating 2x4 were acceptable. I took the note myself to plan check, had it approved and I myself called for a new inspection. Inspector who showed up the next and signed off on the framing. Lost 2 days of construction. A general contractor would not move that quickly, they have other jobs going on at the same time. |
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03-10-2012
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#15 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MD
Posts: 8,030
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Quote:
Long story short... We were supposed to buy my MIL's house, put an addition on which would encompass a new kitchen and family room combo. Well the plans fell through, mainly due to time constraints with his mom needing funds for her assisted living, and other factors. Anyway, the picture of your dream kitchen is almost an exact replica of "my dream kitchen", the one I was going to put in my MIL's house! White shaker cabs on the perimeter, espresso island with sink, range with the same time of range hood! I worked on the plans for months.... needless to say when we finally decided not to buy I really had to detach myself emotionally from her house and the plans I had work on  So you're killing me here!!
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