patrick.net

I can give you some advice there from experience... If you can get the land at a good price, you can build at a cost effective rate. Best part is emotional here, not financial, you get exactly what you want and how you want it.

If you never done this though, hire a professional builder to manage the project otherwise you are risking someone running off with your money and materials.

Your expenses will be materials, management fees (usually 10% of the cost on lower cost projects), labor costs, trash pick up, and insurance. If your project is long you might want to figure out a way to secure materials, as those get stolen at construction sites very often and are not cost effective to insure.

Send me a message if you have some questions, I'll help out as much as I can. Advice is always free.

I would not advice prefabs, prefabs are generally lower quality. They use cheaper materials to build them, and often standard plans (take it or leave it kind of deal).

HeadSet says
Locally procured building materials

Be very aware of guys who "procure local materials", especially if they show up at your construction site.

FortWayne says

I can give you some advice there from experience... If you can get the land at a good price, you can build at a cost effective rate.

How prophetic. And obvious.

FortWayne says

Send me a message if you have some questions, I'll help out as much as I can. Advice is always free.

And that's what it's worth.

Kevin says

We're looking to buy a few acres of land and then spend ~$800k to build the thing (architecture, land prep, construction, etc.)

Does anyone have experience with having a custom home built (particularly modern design; no shingles or crown molding here)? Was it worth it compared to what you could have bought for the same amount of money? How was the financing?

I have some experience, but lets be clear here, buying a house in a development where you get to pick options for you new home is NOT a custom house. A custom house is something you build yourself, you can be your own general contractor (the cheapest method) where you hire all the subcontractors (the framers, the roofers, electricians, etc., or you can hire a general contractor and they are responsible hiring the sub contractors and charge you (much more expensive, but less hassles for the inexperienced).

After buying some property, you need to get some building plans for the house you want to build, this can either be from a firm that sells house plans or hiring an architect for a custom house. If you get plans from a house plan book/website, expect to pay about $1,000 a plan set, usually you need at least 3 sets of plans to build a house. One set is needed for the building department to get the permits you need, a set for the bank, another set is for the building contractor, and usually the electrician and plumber get plans related to what they are installing. If your hiring an architect, expect to buy 10% to 15% the cost you the house your building, so if you spending 500k to build a house you could pay as much as 75k to an architect. The architect will hire an engineer to make sure the house isn't going to fall apart, should be able to provide you with a building list of materials you need and an estimate of a budget, etc.

For financing you need to get a construction loan / Mortgage. This mortgage has a higher rate than a regular loan. The bank usually releases the money to you 1/3 at a time, and inspects to make sure the work was completed before releasing the next 1/3. Since the mortgage is secured by a house and you really don't have a house yet, they are considered more risky for the bank. Once the house is completed, you should be able to convert the mortgage into a standard mortgage with a lower rate.

My father build his own house and was able to use building plans from two different sources and combine them to get what he wanted. So he didn't spent ten of thousand of dollars to hire an architect. Since he was a house builder by trade, I guess the township allowed him to do this without having to hire a structural engineer to make sure the house wouldn't collapse. But it's unlikely a typical inexperienced person would be able to get away with this.

On the plus side of things, you can build a house that really suits what you want. Usually custom houses are much better construction than typical tract development house. The house I live is a custom house, but I didn't build it. The roof joists are 2x8's, where as most tract houses use 2x4's for roof joists (but they are engineered with cross bracing) The advantage with the custom house I have, is the attic space is available to convert into living space and part of it is. I have stairs leading up to my 3rd floor and have a finished room on the one side of the attic and storage on the other side. If it was a tract house, the cross bracing would take up most of the attic space. I've installed a ceiling fans for my sister, who lives in a town house and while the attic was tall enough to make into living space, it was a nightmare of cross bracing.

As Fort Wayne pointed out, houses under construction are often the target of thieves and sometimes vandals. A co-worker of mine build there own house and lived in a trailer on the building site for almost a year while they were building the house. At the very least have decent security camera system installed so you can watch your property when you not around and record any illegal activity.

Kevin, thank you so much for bringing this up.

This is the ultimate web site of custom home development. This guy, of course has unlimated resources, and his web sites are his business.

This site answers all of your questions, and maybe more: http://www.ahousebythepark.com/journal/

TechGromit says

I have some experience, but lets be clear here, buying a house in a development where you get to pick options for you new home is NOT a custom house. A custom house is something you build yourself, you can be your own general contractor (the cheapest method) where you hire all the subcontractors (the framers, the roofers, electricians, etc., or you can hire a general contractor and they are responsible hiring the sub contractors and charge you (much more expensive, but less hassles for the inexperienced).

Yes, this is what we're doing. We're most likely hiring an integrated firm, though we're also considering doing design + GC as separate bids.

Darrell In Phoenix says

$500k for a house? Seriously?

Yes, that's what houses cost to build in parts of the country where people actually want to live with finishes that they actually like. That's about $150/sf for a large family home, which is low/mid range here.

Have you ever build a high end home in a part of the country with high labor costs? I haven't found a single builder after talking with 6 different ones who thinks that they can build what I want for under $150/sf (and most think $150/sf would only work if I like linoleum and IKEA cabinets).

David Losh says

Kevin, thank you so much for bringing this up.

This is the ultimate web site of custom home development. This guy, of course has unlimated resources, and his web sites are his business.

This site answers all of your questions, and maybe more: http://www.ahousebythepark.com/journal/

See previous comments on that house. His builder is one of the ones I'm talking with.

Kevin says

See previous comments

My interest in this thread is that it proves that Darrel, War, and Stop Lying have nothing to contribute to a discussion on construction.

You posed a good question, and rather than provide insight, or resources, these people chose to troll.

For my money, this was worth the price of admission.

Yes, I see the comment now, but it is so obscured by nonsense it's hard to see.

David Losh says

My interest in this thread is that it proves that Darrel, War, and Stop Lying have nothing to contribute to a discussion on construction.

I'm 99% sure they're the same person. Probably some guy who does some contracting work for random people on shitty residential houses where nobody wants to live and thinks this makes him an expert.

Kevin says

I'm 99% sure they're the same person. Probably some guy who does some contracting work for random people on shitty residential houses where nobody wants to believe and thinks this makes him an expert.

99%?

Darrell In Phoenix says

Not one of you has substantiate your wild claims of construction costs. Not one.

You're all bullshitting and you got caught.

Says the person who claims a cost of $60 a sq ft.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Substantiate your wild construction costs my realtor friend "bigsby".

Those are your claims "Darrell". You substantiate them.

Darrell In Phoenix says

We're waiting.

For you to post something factual.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Spit it out. Substantiate your $400/sq number "bigsby". lmao

I know reading comprehension is a struggle for you, but it's not my number. And quite obviously people can build homes at $400/sq ft. They can build them for substantially more and substantially less. The point is you seem to be claiming an average of $60 nationwide. I know new build pimps like yourself don't have much of an education, but seriously... lmao

Darrell In Phoenix says

Not one of you has substantiate your wild claims of construction costs

Every one here has provided resources, except for you.

You brought nothing to the table.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Time and time again you were asking to substantiate your bidding,

You mean you were whining when you got caught in a lie.

Darrell In Phoenix says

It's up to you.... "david".

How long will this go on for.

Darrell In Phoenix says

And time and time again you ran.

I've followed up until we get here, at the point of trolling.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Go ahead.

Just trolling for trolling sakes.

You are the one who has made the claim of being a big time contractor, and the best you could come back with is International Building Code.

Darrell In Phoenix says

your claims of being in the construction biz.

Those are your claims. You've made them to everybody here, without a wit.

So is this the game? to see yourself in print?

What a maroon.

Once you block him the thread becomes weird.

I wish I could get my house built for $60/sf. I could pay for the construction in cash and then my only housing expense would be property tax.

As of this afternoon I've now spoken with 8 builders, and the lowest estimate I got was $140/sf, but "things like hard surface counters and tile floors would be more".

Even in a large scale tract house development with zero thought for views and orientation, using the cheapest finishes possible, I find anything lower than $125 to be unlikely. I've certainly never seen a builder willing to build for that.

I would love to see a home that Darrel has built in an expensive town though. If he has some amazing method for building top quality homes for $60/sf the whole world would benefit from it.

upisdown says

Locally procured building materials

Is that in there for amusement or were you really serious?

My whole post was "for amusement." Geeze.

However, not everything on that list is "marketing" or "useless." I made most of that list from what I remember seeing in actual homes I have visited.

http://www.hrsolartour.com/solartour_P2012.html

One guy was putting solar panels on his detached garage, which he intended to be the sole recharge for his Nissan Leaf. Cost about $20k for the solar array, but no more a waste of bucks than someone's $60k Lexus or BMW. Interesting to see how that works out.

Residential solar isn't quite there yet in terms of either environmental or economic benefits. Especially not in seattle.

The large-scale commercial solar farms work.

The Nissan Leaf, on the other hand, is one hell of a deal. You can lease them for $99/mo and they give you a free charger. Electricity around here is very cheap because we have a good dam system.

I'm running conduit from the utility room to the attac of my place in preparation for the moment at which solar makes sense in Oregon. I'm excited about some of the thin film products that are designed to install on raised seamed metal roofing.

For now it makes more sense to spend my money on insulation and a really effient hydronic radiant heating system.

I'm intrigued by grey water reuse, I'm set up to divert my kitchen drains and washing machine for reuse, but that won't happen until I figure out the landscaping which is way down the road.

In general I'm punting allot in the whole process. Running an extra circuit here and there, installing an additional tee or valve for future use, putting up a ceramic bare bulb fixture until I can figure out what overpriced minimalist eurotrash thing looks best.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Once again you have an opportunity to substantiate your claim of estimating, bidding and contracting work.

Go ahead.

Well obviously if you using better building material, such as good marble tile instead of linoleum and real plywood instead of pressed wood are going to push the cost of construction higher per sq. ft. It's more than labor that pushes construction costs up.

Since you obviously add nothing positive to this thread, I consider your input worthless and worthy of the 3rd person I ignore on this site.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Would you like to revist those posts my realtor friend?

Yeah, do something, do anything, make some small contribution in any post thread anywhere.

Darrell In Phoenix says

So why did you delete your posts?

The posts are there for everyone to see, obviously, because you were able to cut, and paste.

Darrell In Phoenix says

You went out on a limb and made farfetched statements like you realtors always do and you got caught.

Let me correct this for you, because I am a Real Estate agent. I am not a Realtor. I don't pay the dues, and have had several run ins with the Board of Realtors.

My main concerns are erosion, water quality, wetlands, and building code. There should be much more transparency in the lobby efforts of these groups.

Darrell In Phoenix says

YOU misrepresented the truth to the public once again.

Prove my statement is inaccurate. I'm very comfortable with the assertion.

You're the only one here having difficulting substantiating claims.

Darrell In Phoenix says

You stated you were in the construction biz

That has been your claim all along.

Darrell In Phoenix says

No. You deleted the posts. You got caught lying and pretending.

Darrell In Phoenix says

Sure you are. You're FOS just like them.

You found a produced a quote, I guess from your secret files where you keep your data that you refuse to share.

BTW you should learn the difference between Real Estate agent, and Realtor if you want to comment on the subject.

Darrell In Phoenix says

This is your bid estimate?

I know this is foriegn for you, it's data.

You made claims about my assertions, without data to support your claims, so I thought I'd provide you with some.

You keep forgetting you are the big time contractor who has never provided any data about your ability to build for less than $120 per square foot.

You should probably stop responding to him. Just ignore him.

The fact of the matter is that every reputable builder I've contacted has given me a range of $150-250 to build the house that I want. No, I haven't been soliciting formal bids yet, because I still don't have a design.

If Darrel is able to build the same quality home for "a fraction" of the $150, he should really set up shop in Seattle because I can just about guarantee that he'd have a never ending stream of clients.

More likely than not, he's the kind of person who would claim some low number and then "forget" to include things like labor costs, floor coverings, windows, or a kitchen.

Darrell In Phoenix says

We have plenty of business.... in WA state too.

Is we the multiple personalities you troll with here on Patrick.net?

Darrell In Phoenix says

They're your "assertions" that YOU deleted.

You're so nutty!

Darrell In Phoenix says

So why did you delete your posts?

So, you claimed I deleted my post, but you were able to find it, and repost it. I don't think I can do any better with that.

You also posted the part about the price per square foot sales price of the era we purchased our home. You fixated on that, for some reason of your own, then tried to tie it to construction costs.

It's a troll trick to direct the discussion.

Kevin says

Just ignore him.

You can not ignore the troll.

He's cornered, battered, bruised, and beaten.

He has not been able to produce anything.

Now you can for sure ignore him. You beat the stuffing out of him, or her.

Darrell In Phoenix says

So why did you delete your posts? You went out on a limb and made farfetched statements like you realtors always do and you got caught.
YOU misrepresented the truth to the public once again.

You're so nutty, is this from the secret Darrel in Phoenix bat cave?

You already posted it.

YDavid Losh says

Kevin says

Just ignore him.

You can not ignore the troll.

He's cornered, battered, bruised, and beaten.

He has not been able to produce anything.

Now you can for sure ignore him. You beat the stuffing out of him, or her.

You guys won't win with him. He's one of a bunch of losers on here that have made this site a pain to even deal with anymore. Sad people that hate their lives and themselves, and they lash out in a public and anonymous forum because it makes them feel good to be an ass.

Successful contractor? That trolls on the internet being an asshole to everyone he talks to? Haha, what a dope.

Don't hate us because you hate yourself Darrell. Loser.