madteaparty Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We have to move for high school (2 years) anyway, and I'm trying to be thoughtful about this instead of making decisions like we always do, jumping first and pondering afterwards. So far no disasters but I'm trying be an adult about it. Anyway, I've identified the school district. Land is available for sale there so it is feasible to build. Most houses we like are either very old stone cottage style (think 200 yrs old) or way more house than we need or want (3000 sq feet +). If we build, we can do exactly what we want. We have no interest in McMansion style cathedral ceiling brick front stuff. But I know nothing about building. Any resources that one may find useful, especially on Eco homes in a cold area? I already know about the "not so big" house plans books. Please tell me all you are up to typing! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Yep. DH did the general contracting, design, plan drawing, and a lot of the building. That was about 10 years ago. Recently, he's being drafting plans for the last couple years but now has gone back to general contracting with designing/drawing up plans on the side. For help figuring out what you want your home to look like, he recommends Houzz. It's free and basically Pinterest for home building. It's a great place to start and gather ideas. http://www.houzz.com/?m_refid=olm_google_154099787_8281644827_kwd-5412652714&pos=1t1&device=c&nw=g&matchtype=b&gclid=CjwKEAiA9uaxBRDYr4_hrtC3tW8SJAD6UU8G2pNclmiVHkzggX5_xes1FcAh43oAsVrg8doyJFwtDRoCs7jw_wcB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 yes we built our own house. facts it takes way way longer than you think It will never be completely finished it does put strain on relationships 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Just out of Legos. :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 yes we built our own house. facts it takes way way longer than you think It will never be completely finished it does put strain on relationships Yep Yep Yep :lol: Unless, you hire it all out and don't try to DIY? Anyone? I wouldn't know. Ha! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Yes. We have built two homes of our own. DH is a very knowledgeable contractor, though. I cannot really imagine trying to be your own General Contractor if you have no knowledge at all. But I'm sure you can find custom builders who will General Contract for you and you can build the house just as you wish (pending what you can afford, of course.) There are house plan books that are smaller homes; not "tiny" but not McMansion, either. I already have several of those tabbed for whenever we build again. You might want to look into GeoThermal loops for heating and/or solar power if you have a good clear southern exposure. There are also wood burning boiler systems if you have a lot of wood available (not the best option for sedantary folks; cutting wood and loading the fire happens a few times a day. I will say this: building a house is stressful with a capital S. Not that it isn't worth it, but still. There are a zillion decisons to be made, time schedules are always tight and unexpected stuff happens constantly. (Like when you walk in to find someone stole the copper wiring off your brand new HVAC system. Or the county denies a permit for some insane reason. Or you find out the water is full of nitrates.) I do find it best to have a good understanding of what you like design-wise long before you put the first shovel in the ground. Look on sites like Houzz so you will know what you want the kitchen to look like, what kind of flooring, fixtures, exterior, windows, etc., etc., etc. When you have the opportunity to choose all these materials and designs yourself, it stings extra badly when they don't live up to your expectations. At least if you buy an existing house, you can blame the former owners for poorly designed features or materials you don't like. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 If you're looking to build more economically, the best thing to do is go two story. Less roof, foundation, and potentially lower heating costs (if you do it right). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Yes. We have built two homes of our own. DH is a very knowledgeable contractor, though. I cannot really imagine trying to be your own General Contractor if you have no knowledge at all. But I'm sure you can find custom builders who will General Contract for you and you can build the house just as you wish (pending what you can afford, of course.) There are house plan books that are smaller homes; not "tiny" but not McMansion, either. I already have several of those tabbed for whenever we build again. You might want to look into GeoThermal loops for heating and/or solar power if you have a good clear southern exposure. There are also wood burning boiler systems if you have a lot of wood available (not the best option for sedantary folks; cutting wood and loading the fire happens a few times a day. I will say this: building a house is stressful with a capital S. Not that it isn't worth it, but still. There are a zillion decisons to be made, time schedules are always tight and unexpected stuff happens constantly. (Like when you walk in to find someone stole the copper wiring off your brand new HVAC system. Or the county denies a permit for some insane reason. Or you find out the water is full of nitrates.) I do find it best to have a good understanding of what you like design-wise long before you put the first shovel in the ground. Look on sites like Houzz so you will know what you want the kitchen to look like, what kind of flooring, fixtures, exterior, windows, etc., etc., etc. When you have the opportunity to choose all these materials and designs yourself, it stings extra badly when they don't live up to your expectations. At least if you buy an existing house, you can blame the former owners for poorly designed features or materials you don't like. Thanks. What are the books you have saved for later?We bought an old house 2 years ago and have dealt with the well water issues and so much more just owing to the age of the house. So I know a little about that ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 If you're looking to build more economically, the best thing to do is go two story. Less roof, foundation, and potentially lower heating costs (if you do it right).That's what I'm thinking as I cannot abide one floor homes and we would not need more than two floors ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 That's what I'm thinking as I cannot abide one floor homes and we would not need more than two floors ;) Just make sure to think about aging. Some people like to have an enclosed family room or office downstairs that can eventually be turned into a bedroom when climbing stairs becomes too much or for aging parents. ETA: That's if you prefer to have all the bedrooms upstairs. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Just make sure to think about aging. Some people like to have an enclosed family room or office downstairs that can eventually be turned into a bedroom when climbing stairs becomes too much or for aging parents. ETA: That's if you prefer to have all the bedrooms upstairs. For aging reasons I'd put at least one full bath and the laundry room on the main level, too. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 For aging reasons I'd put at least one full bath and the laundry room on the main level, too.Yes I've thought about this and my DH had juvenile RA when a child; we have this in current house as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We did not build from scratch, but we did take a 100+ year old brick church, gut it, and turn it into our home. It is rewarding and exhausting at the same time. Yes, we did end up with more house than we could have afforded to hire out to be built. No, I would not do it again because our relationships with the kids suffered as they had to entertain themselves endlessly or go to grandma's house while we worked on it .And it will take you much, much longer than you expect. My advice would be to hire it done all the way to raw drive wall, and then if you have the expertise do the finish work. You can save money this way, but have the contractors bear the brunt of getting through the construction, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permit process leaving you with the easier part. Geothermal. If we were ever to start from scratch again, we'd go that route. We have friends with geothermal and their electric bill to heat a 2400 sq ft house goes up $50.00 - $60.00 in the cold Michigan winters instead of paying $1500-$2000 a year to heat it. It paid for itself in five years, and they've had the house 16 years now so it was a very smart move. If the land were such that I got some really good hours of strong sunlight per day, I'd consider a few solar panels tied to a battery bank which is very handy when there are power outages, and lowers one's use on the grid. But that's expensive so you'd have to crunch numbers to see if it is at all affordable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Oh, and yes about aging. I would want one full, handicap accessible bathroom on the main floor and a den that could be converted to bedroom use as well, and especially if I thought this would be my forever home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 We did not build from scratch, but we did take a 100+ year old brick church, gut it, and turn it into our home. It is rewarding and exhausting at the same time. Yes, we did end up with more house than we could have afforded to hire out to be built. No, I would not do it again because our relationships with the kids suffered as they had to entertain themselves endlessly or go to grandma's house while we worked on it .And it will take you much, much longer than you expect. My advice would be to hire it done all the way to raw drive wall, and then if you have the expertise do the finish work. You can save money this way, but have the contractors bear the brunt of getting through the construction, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permit process leaving you with the easier part. Geothermal. If we were ever to start from scratch again, we'd go that route. We have friends with geothermal and their electric bill to heat a 2400 sq ft house goes up $50.00 - $60.00 in the cold Michigan winters instead of paying $1500-$2000 a year to heat it. It paid for itself in five years, and they've had the house 16 years now so it was a very smart move. If the land were such that I got some really good hours of strong sunlight per day, I'd consider a few solar panels tied to a battery bank which is very handy when there are power outages, and lowers one's use on the grid. But that's expensive so you'd have to crunch numbers to see if it is at all affordable. This is the EXACT reason we won't be building again until the kids are much older. I only had a toddler and an infant when we sold the home we built, but I still feel guilty about missing out on so much with them due to building. I could not imaging trying to homeschool and build at the same time. It sounds like a nightmare to me, honestly. Again, we did most of it ourselves. Home Depot was my home away from home; I know every inch of that store. But even if you sub most of it out, there are so many decision to be made. It's mentally exhausting and wearing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 It led to my parents' divorce. A few years ago my dad and his wife were thinking about building on a lot they bought. I said to my step-mother, you do know what happened last time he did this, right? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Thanks. What are the books you have saved for later? We bought an old house 2 years ago and have dealt with the well water issues and so much more just owing to the age of the house. So I know a little about that ;) I'll pull them out later when I'm home. Count me among those who want a one-story now. Of a full bath and bedroom on the first floor at the very least. My house is big but it is not set up for use by aging parents. It has already been an issue when my mom had surgery and this is not a situation that promises to get better with time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Both of our homes were in developments where we couldn't just build whatever we wanted, but we could make changes to the builder's plans, pick our finishes, etc. For this home we picked one of 2 plans the developer had for single-level homes in this neighborhood. Most are two-story. While you get more square footage per dollar with two-story, I can tell you that single-level homes are in high demand. There aren't very many where we live (probably because they do cost more to build) but there are sooooo many people who are looking to be on one level. If we ever need to sell our home I know we could do so relatively easily. And even though this home has fewer square feet than our previous tri-level home, it actually feels like more because it is laid out well. Most people I know who have built have hired a builder of custom homes, but I do know of a couple of families who built their own. They did it before kids and it took a long time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. Know what you want when it comes time to decide. Have the research done. Remember there is always a cost overrun. And then there are the unforeseen things...which could be pretty much anything. A lot depends how well you work with your spouse or how much conflict this could potentially cause. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 yes we built our own house. facts it takes way way longer than you think It will never be completely finished it does put strain on relationships Yes, yes and yes. Stress to the max!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 When we built, my husband did 95% of the work himself. If we ever build again I would have him do 5% of the work and hire out everything else. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 consider a minimum surface area for the interior. (e.g. square vs. rectangle with projections). it is a more efficient space to heat. consider windows have lower r-value than walls. spray foam insulation is the warmest. (and costs more.) put in more electrical outlets AND circuits than your local code calls for. (we have in nearly 2x as many outlets as required by code. we've never been sorry - though we have found places we *wished* we'd put more.) also keep in mind - be generous with your budget overages estimate. you never know what unexpected things will crop up. they always cost more, and take longer, than you expect. we've a neighbor who wanted to build last year. then they put it off until last spring. (they even kicked out two sets of tenants- and the house still sat empty for months before they knocked it down.) they finally broke ground the middle of august. they JUST YESTERDAY start stringing the joists on the first floor. (the rains have started. not a good time for exposed contruction.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I think we scared away the OP. :/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Nope,still here. What scares me is the old house I am in now, where we have mysterious plumbing ;) Thanks everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I'll pull them out later when I'm home. Count me among those who want a one-story now. Of a full bath and bedroom on the first floor at the very least. My house is big but it is not set up for use by aging parents. It has already been an issue when my mom had surgery and this is not a situation that promises to get better with time. The magazine I have a lot of tabbed designs in is called "Small Dream Homes," and is published by Designer Dream Homes. These are Don Gardner plans and I love many of his designs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Nope,still here. What scares me is the old house I am in now, where we have mysterious plumbing ;) Thanks everyone. Oh good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I recently finished a remodel/addition project that essentially completely rebuilt and enlarged our home. It is great to be able to choose everything just the way you want it. It is also awful, because inevitably I choose the better quality materials and more craftsmanlike details . . . adding to cost infinitely. I can't imagine EVER doing a major remodel again while living in the home. I can imagine doing a new build, so long as I lived within 20 min for daily visits, had LOTS of time available to manage, and had deep, deep pockets. NEVER EVER would I start a project unless I could spend 50-100% over budget without actually being financially ruined. Likewise, I'd allow at least twice the estimated time. Our particular project cost about twice the estimate that was in place at ground breaking (and that is after excluding the "add ons" I could have skipped) and took four times as long as projected. We had unique circumstances, and we managed to survive and finance the work, so I can't regret our beautiful home . . . but if the costs/time over runs would have ruined us, it would be a different story . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We looked at building but then found a great home that fit our budget. I agree with thinking about handicapped accessibility for the future---for you, your parents, guests, etc. Even something like a broken leg can really make you appreciate thinking ahead. Keep the lines simple---easier to build, side, finish, etc. If you live in a cold climate, keep the roof lines simple as well to help avoid ice dams in the valleys. Think of the flow of the house plans you are looking at----think of gathering and doing the laundry, bringing in groceries, cooking a holiday meal, etc. Put furniture in the rooms (on paper or computer) to help visualize if it will fit, walk ways, window placements, etc. This goes for when you do heating and cooling too as sometimes windows and heat vents are placed so weird that it is hard to figure out where to put the bed, dresser, etc. Think of closet space, where to put the vacuum, etc ALWAYS more outlets in more places than you think you will ever need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We considered building because we loved the land where our house is. After considering all our options we ended up purchasing a modular home and making some modifications. Our children were tiny and I did not want to take that much time from them. We have been in our home for 7 years and are still very happy with our choice. One thing that we did consider is that this will probably be our last home so we made design choices that makes it easier for us to stay here as we age or to care for an aging parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Thanks everyone. Any favorite books/blogs/resources? I have a year to decide and gather info. Quill thanks so much for that resource. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 That's what I'm thinking as I cannot abide one floor homes and we would not need more than two floors ;) That's funny. We absolutely refuse to ever buy or live in a two story house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Thanks everyone. Any favorite books/blogs/resources? I have a year to decide and gather info. Quill thanks so much for that resource. I may have missed this info, but are you actually doing all the work or hiring a builder or acting as general contractor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Price out the likely building costs per sq ft. Then add a cushion to the estimate. Avoid a plan that calls for bedrooms over the garage. Why oh why do builders (architects?) do this in areas that have winter... and then waste the entire warm air space over the family room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 I may have missed this info, but are you actually doing all the work or hiring a builder or acting as general contractor?At most DH acts as general contractor. Under no scenarios do we do all the work ourselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 We've built as well. I learned that every little thing is an upgrade it seemed like. Ugh. And it always takes longer than they say. And I went out to the site every few days to check on things. I'm glad I did because they framed out the fireplace wrong twice. So glad I caught it before they added the tiles and mantle around it. Our house was fairly simple and basic but everything ended up costing more than we originally estimated. It was stressful. But in the end I loved our house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Think hard about insulation. This is your chance to have a house where it's easy and cheap to maintain comfort. If you are building from scratch, extra insulation is easy to fit and is there for the life of the house. This is the company I used to work for: walls are full of high-insulation foam; it was wind and watertight within a day: http://www.scotframe.co.uk/TradeandCommercial/TradeVideos/trade-video-pittenweem.aspx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Well, if he's acting as general contractor I would offer this advice.. Ask around for the best contractors. NEVER hire a friend's family member, even if they say he's the best. NEVER!!! Because he's probably not. And he'll probably end up taking 15 times longer than he should. And he may end up being a drug addict who does a crappy job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 ^^ Yep. Don't hire friends or friends of friends. Best business advice ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I agree that it will take longer than proposed. However, it did not strain my marriage. Don't build a house while pg especially if you plan on giving birth in the house. How ever big the laundry room is.....make it bigger How ever big the closets are....make them bigger Pocket doors are much nicer than they used to be so don't avoid them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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