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My second house, which I am in now, was a mess when I bought it. I bought it for the lot and location and it was a good brick house built in the early 60's or late 50's. They are the best, heavy wood, plaster, copper, etc. I put about 35K into in 3 years and just redid or added everything I wanted. It sucked but I never regretted it. I paid guys to do roofing, gutters, siding, windows, cement etc. I did the plumbing, heating, added 2 mini-splits and all the little fun stuff. Good luck, you are young enough to do it.
I've done it...not quite the same scale as a full-blown house but the technique was the same. I built a woodworking shop behind my house. Subbed out the slab but I did everything else. Worked on it weekends and evenings after work. Took me awhile but the payoff was worth it. A comfy, solid shop that I did my best to build well. I also got the housebuilding dream, one of my own design, built mostly by me. By the time I get to do it I'll probably sub out the heavy stuff and concentrate on finish-out myself. It'll be hard to let someone else do the framing, however, as what passes for framing on so many jobs makes my skin crawl. My wife and I hand-picked the studs for the shop framing. Time consuming, but the walls came out straight and the whole building is only a 1/4" off square, compared to what my neighbor framer says he finds on tract jobs...5" off square at times! I'm also tempted to go with steel framing, albeit at higher cost. My overall goal is not for a large house, but a very comfortable, well-built house that will give me and my wife minimum upkeep headaches through the years. The house I live in now is a cheap tract job and it ALWAYS needs something due more to its construction quality than to wear and tear.
baub, thats funny, only hes better looking than me.
Originally posted by bigbird Watch that closet space very closely,The more closet the more money wife will spend to fill them.I know from experence.52 pairs shoes, 20 bathing suits so many dresses i could dress a womens army. You made my point. Case closed.
home building dow,its a big under taking,but i applause you for it,im adding onto my home,about another 1.200.00 sq.ft,had the foundation poured,in april,doing a lot of the rough work myself ,contractor has been here every other week,subs have been here steady,had a small issue with the framing crew but got it all worked out,(leaving trash and cans at the end of day)on the ground.but all in all.it was a good decision.
home building
It's a nice thing to hear other guys like me. I have a decent background, but not an expert by no means. My bro in law is a custom home builder. Worked a lot as a kid for him. Very good at what he does. Has built a few million dollar homes. The money is very decent. And I truly understand what can be made money wise off a do it yourself. Beleive you me, if you can do it, it's a good thing. But that aint me. I do refrigeration and some hvac for the money and glory. Just a thing I grew up with. I simply grew up thinking I'd one day build a home for my family. I am looking at 2 different conventional stick builts, but my thing has never been anything but a log home. Out of real timber.. I have a library full of books, pics, magazines. I have visited about 30 different builders and dealers all around the country. I have seen about 15 or so go up from start to finish. Picture this. A Green Bay Packer game on a Sunday afternoon, with the firerplace cranking, and looking out that bay window at the lake with a blizzard going on and steak on the indoor grill. Some people like the finer things in life. For me. I just want this and I feel I have arrived in life..
I keep my pantyhose in a drawer.
Originally posted by bigbird Watch that closet space very closely,.I know from experence.52 pairs shoes, 20 bathing suits so many dresses i could dress a womens army. That`s not counting what Mrs. Bigbird has!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Watch that closet space very closely,The more closet the more money wife will spend to fill them.I know from experence.52 pairs shoes, 20 bathing suits so many dresses i could dress a womens army.
I just bought my land, and am going to start next spring. I will do all but the excavating. We do mostly new residential work, so I have carpenters to help me out if I get into trouble. I'm going to use an eco block foundation and Nu-wool insulation. Only building 1500sf ranch. Considered geo-thermal, but decided on using Rheem modulating gas furnace. Now I'm learning how to lay brick, it's boring but not very difficult. I figure the job should come in around 40 per sf, as long as I don't need much labor. Good luck to you.
No basements around here, 99% are on slabs.
Originally posted by Timber 2600 max 1 floor only [/B] Hmmmmmmm, with an unfinished basement right? How could ya give up all that cheap storage/ kids space?
I did it.... 3400 sq. ft. 2 story advice 2600 max 1 floor only get good subs. I have no regrets. Built mine for 150k. Contemplating putting it on the market for 390k.
When I do it I'll sub out lots. Concrete, framing, roofing, drywall, painting, etc. I'll do the fun stuff. Build my own cabinets, countertops, front door, lots of nookey storage and display areas, install and trim including the windows, hvac system, landscaping, etc. Tell us about your "dream" hvac system your are thinking about many DDDDD's. You do subscribe to Fine Homebuilding don't you?
When I do it
Do it I did it, few regrets. I bought the land, cut it off, hired the digging and concrete and pounded well, and went to work. I had a carpenter help me, and I paid him. I hired out the fiberglass and sheetrock, because they installed it cheaper per piece than I could buy it for. I had a licensed plumber do the drains, a guy I worked with. Took three months, and I had a full time job, too. My advice, build a simple style for the first one. Saves time on the learning curve. Don't change the plans part way through. Buy materials WAaayyyy ahead. Have extra money. Noel
Do it
Hey Dow, can't say I've ever built the whole house but have gone the route of a foreclosure fixer upper. End result was quite comfortable and I actually did what I always preach, didn't scimp on the HVAC. Loww energy bills, very happy wife. Good luck!
Keep us posted on your progress, and pics are nice too. I'm hoping eventually to build a house someday too. I don't think I'll do 100% of the work though, most likely hire out the stuff I'd rather not do or can't do (concrete for example). Good luck!
Make sure you're marriage is strong Dow, there's only a few things more stressful than building a house. Just make sure you and your wife are up to it. I've built 4 houses for my family, my wife is still mad about it. It took alot of time away from my family, because I would work on it at night and weekends. Don't build a house that's too big, because you'll have to pay to keep it up for a long time.Good luck
Make sure you're marriage is strong
its fulfilling the american dream, build your own house, when you are done post the pictures, i truthfully envy you its one heck of an undertaking with probably a lot of headaches but what the heck you get that everyday at work so you should be used to it by now. lots of luck
Ever since I can remember I have had this goal to build my own house. Each and every time I get started about this it ends up where the other person tells me how it aint as cheap as I think, with out me ever mentioning savings. The money aint my issue. I just have always wanted to do this. I helped build a few as a punk in my high school years and a few after I got out of the army. Plus pratically all my buddies growing up, their fathers were all trades guys. Brick layers, carpenters, electricians. Out of my buddies who still keep in touch, I am the last one to actually make the plunge. Found my dream lot. Today we had no kids and decided to get up early and go driving. Found a 5 acre parcel in a nice small town 50 miles west from where I am at, (which is already 30 miles outside the war zone of America.) It's a done deal by the end of the week. I figure about two years, I'll be back in my own element once again. Hope I can drum up work there. Anyway, really geeked about this.. We got 5 plans we have been debating between for a long time now. Since about 95'. The largest is 3500 SQFT. Just curious if any of you are nuts like me??
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