good idea AR. With the hurricanes and shit down here now you have to build according to inspection. So im sure some inspector will have his 2 cents built into the house.
Building a House
- Thread starter ageecee
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good idea AR. With the hurricanes and shit down here now you have to build according to inspection. So im sure some inspector will have his 2 cents built into the house.
building your own house can be the most rewarding experience you can have with your own time and money, but you have to have a stomach for it and aptitude.. it's not something anyone can do or should do just because they have the money.
if you have little experience in construction or no friends or family to guide you, best to probably not do it, without a little more research.
good luck
if you have little experience in construction or no friends or family to guide you, best to probably not do it, without a little more research.
good luck
building your own house can be the most rewarding experience you can have with your own time and money, but you have to have a stomach for it and aptitude.. it's not something anyone can do or should do just because they have the money.
if you have little experience in construction or no friends or family to guide you, best to probably not do it, without a little more research.
good luck
Im as green as a four leaf clover when it comes to building. But i think i have friends and family to help me thru. Sister just built a 5,000 sq ft home and have a frieind who just built a 2600 sq ft home. Also another friend is building a house in a year or 2 and he knows alot about building so i think i have some help. But please give me as much input as you can..
you sound genuinely excited about the prospect of building. give it a whirl..
it's a long interesting process that some people have a knack for.. hopefully you have a great experiene:00hour
you sound genuinely excited about the prospect of building. give it a whirl..
hopefully you have a great experiene:00hour
Both excited but want to do it right. Want as much info as i can get before i go find a builder and start this process.
AG,
Was out for the game, then checked some emails before off to bed and saw this. Sorry but I will have to get to you tomorrow hopefully. :0corn
Franky
Was out for the game, then checked some emails before off to bed and saw this. Sorry but I will have to get to you tomorrow hopefully. :0corn
Franky
- Feb 12, 2000
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Most of the time you hear some pretty negative responses from people who go through a building process. I always wondered if there was a checklist or workbook to go through PRIOR to signing a contract to help protect the buyer against a builder's whims.
Sounds like a project for Jack!! :00hour
get with me tomorrow or whenever its convenient for you. I need to pick your brain.
A checklist would be so helpful but what do i know?
Franky or Jack how about a checklist?
start writing everything down. EVERYTHING that goes into a house. like i said, all the way down to the hardware you want on your cabinets. you can get knobs for 10 cents or 10 dollars. what knobs do you think the builder will install if it's not in writing?
your windows are very important too.
i feel sorry for the folks that built the 2 houses across the street from me. i would take a walk thru during the buliding process, after hours. the windows they put in there will have to be replaced within 3 years they're so shitty. cheap, low quality, flimsy vinyl windows that probably cost the builder 80 bucks a piece. :nono:
just walk thru your house and write everything down.
another thing, imo, is make sure they SCREW in your dry wall instead of nailing it in. my first builder screwed it in and i assumed that was the norm :nono: 2nd house got it nailed in.
make them hand paint instead of spraying too. it makes a difference.
if you get hardwood floors, be specific what you want or you'll get that cheap shit that is about 1/8 thick. you want REAL boards down there not some fake crap. big difference.
OH, and all the builders are "nice guys" in the beginning. they are your friend, you'll see.
by the time your house is finished you will HATE each other :mj07:
unless you happen to get a good one. my first builder was decent but he took advantage of some things i listed above. my fault for not being prepared or having the knowledge.
the 2nd guy was horrible.
i'm sure there are good ones out there but ALL of them are going to be saving THEMSELVES money throughout the project rather than saving YOU money.
you will definitely get a bill for over charges at the end. you definitely won't be getting a rebate :mj07:
by the time your house is finished you will HATE each other :mj07:
unless you happen to get a good one. my first builder was decent but he took advantage of some things i listed above. my fault for not being prepared or having the knowledge.
the 2nd guy was horrible.
i'm sure there are good ones out there but ALL of them are going to be saving THEMSELVES money throughout the project rather than saving YOU money.
you will definitely get a bill for over charges at the end. you definitely won't be getting a rebate :mj07:
- Feb 12, 2000
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This is what I think sucks about the process. If you have to have knowledge, then what ****ing good is having a builder. It's about 90% of the time where I hear someone say that building a house was a bad experience. This refers to some form of custom built, so you can have your house.
i was in the home improvement business for a few years in the 80's and had a good bit of building experience but no way i could have put together the subcontractors to build from the ground up, a whole house. it might be difficult to get financing for a project like that as well unless you're in the business.
it's good to build because you get what you want. i find it very difficult to find the house i want from used homes.
just be detailed in what you want and get prices from different builders and get references (although the ONLY references you will get are the good ones). i didn't do those steps and wish i had.
it's good to build because you get what you want. i find it very difficult to find the house i want from used homes.
just be detailed in what you want and get prices from different builders and get references (although the ONLY references you will get are the good ones). i didn't do those steps and wish i had.
AG....
One way you could rectify alot of problems is to have a certified Architect do your plans with full schedules and details attached. This will more than likely keep the crooked contractors away, and doubled with an inspector should do the trick. :SIB
Remember that this will add a minimum of 5K, up to 20K to the cost of the house:scared. But you can pretty much rest assured you will get what you paid for. Maybe the Judge might have some ideas on who to contact for designing and drafting your plans in your area.
I'm here for any other specific questions you might have
Franky
One way you could rectify alot of problems is to have a certified Architect do your plans with full schedules and details attached. This will more than likely keep the crooked contractors away, and doubled with an inspector should do the trick. :SIB
Remember that this will add a minimum of 5K, up to 20K to the cost of the house:scared. But you can pretty much rest assured you will get what you paid for. Maybe the Judge might have some ideas on who to contact for designing and drafting your plans in your area.
I'm here for any other specific questions you might have
Franky
AG....
One way you could rectify alot of problems is to have a certified Architect do your plans with full schedules and details attached. This will more than likely keep the crooked contractors away, and doubled with an inspector should do the trick. :SIB
Remember that this will add a minimum of 5K, up to 20K to the cost of the house:scared. But you can pretty much rest assured you will get what you paid for. Maybe the Judge might have some ideas on who to contact for designing and drafting your plans in your area.
I'm here for any other specific questions you might have
Franky
Ok but how will a Architect keep crooked contractors away?
A good architect will actually go out to the site and check to make sure that the home is being built to the plans and specs that he has specified. If it is not, then many times they can be on the hook, but it all depends on the contract and the scope of what you are hiring the architect to do.....
The crooked contractors:bigun: will shy away from those plans when they see them, as there will be no where to cut costs.
Where I come from, 95% of us contractors are honest to a fault. The other 5% make up for all the horror stories about building.....:0corn
The crooked contractors:bigun: will shy away from those plans when they see them, as there will be no where to cut costs.
Where I come from, 95% of us contractors are honest to a fault. The other 5% make up for all the horror stories about building.....:0corn
As far as water heaters are concerned, if you are thinking a 75 gallon heater, I would go with 2-40 gallon heaters tied together. If you go with gravity vent heaters, 2-40's are cheaper than 1-75 gallon heater. Same might be true for power vent heaters.
Ok it make sense now.. I just might hire you Franky to build my house.
What is an average house as far as square footage goes for a family of 4? 2 adults and 2 girls ages 11 and 8.
AG,
Certainly at a minimum, you would want 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, which would be in the 1800-2600sq.ft. range. But as you add another bedroom, another bath, maybe screened porch, or outdoor area you would be in the 4000 range.....
