Building Home Questions

[Esther]

I am looking at either building or buying another home.

My first preference is to build.

I am trying to find a realistic price per square foot.

Does anyone know what constitutes moderate to luxurary?

For instance I would want quality countertops, fireplace, brick, wood floors, tile floor, and carpet in the bedrooms.

I am hearing prices from $50.00 - $100.00 psf.

I have never built a home and I am wondering if I can build for close to the same price of buying an older home?

I'm thinking with us getting closer to retirement age a new home would not be something always needing maintence, I hope.

Any comments?

[BringItOn]

I am looking at either building or buying another home.

My first preference is to build.

I am trying to find a realistic price per square foot.

Does anyone know what constitutes moderate to luxurary?

For instance I would want quality countertops, fireplace, brick, wood floors, tile floor, and carpet in the bedrooms.

I am hearing prices from $50.00 - $100.00 psf.

I have never built a home and I am wondering if I can build for close to the same price of buying an older home?

I'm thinking with us getting closer to retirement age a new home would not be something always needing maintence, I hope.

Any comments?
Depends on what part of the country you're in. In our area the range is more like 90.00 & up. Thats S.E. Texas. On the Gulf Coast in Mississippi it is around 500.00 per sq ft

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

In Northern California it is $400 a sq ft.

[Ferd]

Depends on what part of the country you're in. In our area the range is more like 90.00 & up. Thats S.E. Texas. On the Gulf Coast in Mississippi it is around 500.00 per sq ft

Miss is that expensive????? wild!

[Ferd]

Esther, I would do a lot of research on green building.

not because it is good to be green (eeek) but because in the long run, you will save money.

[Esther]

Esther, I would do a lot of research on green building.

not because it is good to be green (eeek) but because in the long run, you will save money.

How would I find that?

[Ferd]

How would I find that?

google is great.

Energy Star is the standard i think


check out this site

http://www.wbap.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.theenergyshow.com/

[Esther]

google is great.

Energy Star is the standard i think


check out this site

http://www.wbap.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.theenergyshow.com/

I meant did you search for "green homes"??

[Esther]

Ferd, great idea.

[CupCake]

I am looking at either building or buying another home.

My first preference is to build.

I am trying to find a realistic price per square foot.

Does anyone know what constitutes moderate to luxurary?

For instance I would want quality countertops, fireplace, brick, wood floors, tile floor, and carpet in the bedrooms.

I am hearing prices from $50.00 - $100.00 psf.

I have never built a home and I am wondering if I can build for close to the same price of buying an older home?

I'm thinking with us getting closer to retirement age a new home would not be something always needing maintence, I hope.

Any comments?

If your going to do the work yourself or buy a fixer's upper you need to ask, do I have the patience and wherewithal and is my marriage strong enough to handle the stress that comes with taken on a project like this. If you can answer yes to these then I'd say go for it.

We built our own place, took four years instead of the two we had projected, this was due to up grading here and there holding out for what we really wanted, like hardwood floors and other custom things , so it threw everything off . In the end we are happy, my thoughts would be to spend your money on what you really want, and realize your dream home may take a lot longer then you had hope. Good luck~

[CupCake]

In Northern California it is $400 a sq ft.

Calif is insane, my sister and her husband just bought a fixer upper in San Francisco for 670,000.00 :telephone

[Esther]

If your going to do the work yourself or buy a fixer's upper you need to ask, do I have the patience and wherewithal and is my marriage strong enough to handle the stress that comes with taken on a project like this. If you can answer yes to these then I'd say go for it.

We built our own place, took four years instead of the two we had projected, this was due to up grading here and there holding out for what we really wanted, like hardwood floors and other custom things , so it threw everything off . In the end we are happy, my thoughts would be to spend your money on what you really want, and realize your dream home may take a lot longer then you had hope. Good luck~


We personally wouldn't be building it. Wish we knew how. I can't even get him to do the simple repairs. He just isn't into that. YET. hehe

I would love to, but in truth my health is not up to it at this time.

We would have to find a builder.

Then you get into finding a contractor or being the contractor.

[Esther]

Calif is insane, my sister and her husband just bought a fixer upper in San Francisco for 670,000.00 :telephone

Totally insane!

How do they afford it???

Way beyound me!

[CupCake]

We personally wouldn't be building it. Wish we knew how. I can't even get him to do the simple repairs. He just isn't into that. YET. hehe

I would love to, but in truth my health is not up to it at this time.

We would have to find a builder.

Then you get into finding a contractor or being the contractor.

Then you are right to have it built, not have to worry about taken on someone headache with an older home.

[CupCake]

Totally insane!

How do they afford it???

Way beyound me!

They sold their home in Oceanside, CA for 599.900.00 four months ago. They took a job transfer, her husband with government, not sure what he does his job classified, but he makes big money . She works for LAPD as a police officer.

[tbpew]

I think your numbers are certainly pretty good starting points.
Consider this;
1. the box
2. the site development/permits/fees
3. the land acquisition

If you use a modular home (2-6 boxes) with a stick-built garage or porches, you can easily be in the $50/sf ball-park.

Modular is pretty similiar to stick-built costs with the advantage of the time reduction and reduced weather-related issues.

If your site can accommodate...you can't beat a poured-wall full basement with a walk-out and slab-on-grade for garage and porches ($15-18/sf?). Garage add-ons are always a "phase-able thing but the garage can be very helpful for your utility service entrances and a house central-vac. I think, in general, a poured wall basement is very cost effective against a block foundation. Raise the basement an extra foot (9') and get some natural light options and the future finished spaces will be very affordable (rough in the soil lines for lower level bathroom).

Flag lots can FREAK-YOU out concerning electric, water and sewer development fees as well as the grading and sub-base and surfacing of the long driveway.

Kitchens, bathrooms and custom flooring/finishes are so expensive that you may want to unbundle them from the general contractor who is always looking for a 7-15% mark-ups. If there is any way possible, get the general to establish your shell to get to some kind of U&O and then deal direct with the subs for the pricey finishes (much easier to do with modular installers). Nice "sweat" equity can be realized if a land acquistion can be made that does not require exceptional grading and storm water management measures.

Note: MODULAR DOES NOT have anything to do with double-wide or other type of portable pre-fab homes. A modular is a factory constructed house that is segmented into boxes, normally 2-4. They often have some component of stick-built attachments but they do also include garages although I have not seen many folks include the garage from the modular supplier.

A new site will involve public utility hook-ups (connection fees) that can be pricey. In this area, a water and sewer hook in the street can be in the $3500-7000 EACH, depending on your lot frontage.

Impact fees and permitting....a few calls to your local government and you can learn about these.

Does your site involve a reguired grading plan (not that common in residential construction). Does your site need storm water/runoff containment measures (normally if you are within 1000' of a tributary to a body of water you will).

In my opinion, always go new if possible. The new system commissioning is always preferred over the old system replacement. Site development is purely an overhead cost in the "new".

[Esther]

I think your numbers are certainly pretty good starting points.
Consider this;
1. the box
2. the site development/permits/fees
3. the land acquisition

If you use a modular home (2-6 boxes) with a stick-built garage or porches, you can easily be in the $50/sf ball-park.

Modular is pretty similiar to stick-built costs with the advantage of the time reduction and reduced weather-related issues.

If your site can accommodate...you can't beat a poured-wall full basement with a walk-out and slab-on-grade for garage and porches ($15-18/sf?). Garage add-ons are always a "phase-able thing but the garage can be very helpful for your utility service entrances and a house central-vac. I think, in general, a poured wall basement is very cost effective against a block foundation. Raise the basement an extra foot (9') and get some natural light options and the future finished spaces will be very affordable (rough in the soil lines for lower level bathroom).

Flag lots can FREAK-YOU out concerning electric, water and sewer development fees as well as the grading and sub-base and surfacing of the long driveway.

What do you mean by Flag lots?

Kitchens, bathrooms and custom flooring/finishes are so expensive that you may want to unbundle them from the general contractor who is always looking for a 7-15% mark-ups. If there is any way possible, get the general to establish your shell to get to some kind of U&O and then deal direct with the subs for the pricey finishes (much easier to do with modular installers). Nice "sweat" equity can be realized if a land acquistion can be made that does not require exceptional grading and storm water management measures.

What do you mean by U&O?

Note: MODULAR DOES NOT have anything to do with double-wide or other type of portable pre-fab homes. A modular is a factory constructed house that is segmented into boxes, normally 2-4. They often have some component of stick-built attachments but they do also include garages although I have not seen many folks include the garage from the modular supplier.

Yes, I looked at modular before.

A new site will involve public utility hook-ups (connection fees) that can be pricey. In this area, a water and sewer hook in the street can be in the $3500-7000 EACH, depending on your lot frontage.

Impact fees and permitting....a few calls to your local government and you can learn about these.

What would be impact fees?

Does your site involve a reguired grading plan (not that common in residential construction). Does your site need storm water/runoff containment measures (normally if you are within 1000' of a tributary to a body of water you will).

In my opinion, always go new if possible. The new system commissioning is always preferred over the old system replacement. Site development is purely an overhead cost in the "new".

I found 2 acres that is near a bayou. I am trying to find out if it floods in that area.

[tbpew]

I found 2 acres that is near a bayou. I am trying to find out if it floods in that area.

A flag lot is any lot that does have any direct frontage along the public right-of-way (public road). Cross-over agreements have to be "deeded" to create right-of-ways that enable lots behind the lots in front to cross-over the front lot(s). (If you think of a flag on a flag pole, the flag is your lot and the flag pole is the cross-over/right-of-way.

U&O (may have slight local governments twist)
Use and Occupancy; this is your right to inhabit what you are building. It is generally upon the completion of all inspections (Finals). The building and/or fire marshall is normally the last inspection that looks for all the trades (elec, HVAC, plumbing, insulation) to have final inspection and then a U&O is granted. If you are unbundling your job, this can be tricky since Mr. General contractor is kind of KING until the U&O is issued (make sure you consider arbitration clauses). See if payment to the subs can be made direct and just treated as a payment/draw to your General contract. A sub can put a mechanics lean on your property even if the dispute is NOT between you and him. Getting a U&O will be an important strategy if you are trying to get your very pricey finishes to be "bought direct" rather through MR. General contractor's mark-up machine.

Modular has a lot of upside and should be seriously reviewed in your mix of options and approaches. Normally the modular installer will need to be the general contractor during the foundation/basement phase.

Impact fees are just the new way local governments tax you to build. It is an unbundled permit fee supposedly to support the cost of the "impact" of your development on the local roads and schools. If you are in a rural county, maybe this latest form of construction extortion has not found its way to your building site BUT ASK! Impact fees can be crazy money...$5- 15K...bizarre, criminal, government doing what it does best. If they do not exist --great (ask if there is any pending legislation), if they do exist, get the skinny before you purchase the land.

Flood plain data is always available and may impact the way your HVAC and other mechanical system equipment can be set. If you have surface run-off within a 1000' of a body of water, you want to find out if there are any special construction requirements based on the physical proximity (this is often called --critical area. If so, you almost asssuredly will need a grading plan (archetectural drawings for the landscape) and you will certainly be learning all about sediment and storm-water containment. If you have not purchased the land as of yet, be mindful of any reforestation or natural surface water filtering that may be required for site development.

If this will involve a well and septic system you may need to connect with a civil engineering service to get the skinny on well depths, water quality, water conditioning, and infiltration (percolation) for the drain fields/dry wells. Septic companies and well drilling companys know a lot of this stuff but you may get a lot of run around because they will be hesitant to say anything too specific. If any neighbor has developed recently....get to KNOW THEM!

[Esther]

You sound very informed and I really appreciate all the info. :)

[COOPER]

I am looking at either building or buying another home.

My first preference is to build.

I am trying to find a realistic price per square foot.

Does anyone know what constitutes moderate to luxurary?

For instance I would want quality countertops, fireplace, brick, wood floors, tile floor, and carpet in the bedrooms.

I am hearing prices from $50.00 - $100.00 psf.

I have never built a home and I am wondering if I can build for close to the same price of buying an older home?

I'm thinking with us getting closer to retirement age a new home would not be something always needing maintence, I hope.

Any comments?


The extras are the kicker and costly.

[Ferd]

one word of caution on the basement, Esther lives in South Texas, if you think of going that direction, be sure to check feasability. water table may be too high.

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

I found 2 acres that is near a bayou. I am trying to find out if it floods in that area.

you can view this yourself.

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtm

[True Believer]

All I can say is watch the builders. We had room added and told the guy what we wanted, even had him right it down. But we had to keep telling him to take it apart and do it over.

Here in Georgia, they like to skip when they build houses. We are having some built behind us and my husband went to see how they were being built. For the roof they were using the thinnest plywood. We have seen homes that are about 5 years old and if you look at the roof you can see where the rafters are, they are beginning to sag.

Here's a question--In your parts of the country when they build a house--do they put plywood all the way around it? They don't here. They don't even use plywood. They use pressboard and only at the corners and by windows and doors.

[Esther]

one word of caution on the basement, Esther lives in South Texas, if you think of going that direction, be sure to check feasability. water table may be too high.

Your right. I would love to have a basement for all the tornadoes that come through this area, but it isn't very feasable here.

[Esther]

All I can say is watch the builders. We had room added and told the guy what we wanted, even had him right it down. But we had to keep telling him to take it apart and do it over.

Here in Georgia, they like to skip when they build houses. We are having some built behind us and my husband went to see how they were being built. For the roof they were using the thinnest plywood. We have seen homes that are about 5 years old and if you look at the roof you can see where the rafters are, they are beginning to sag.

Here's a question--In your parts of the country when they build a house--do they put plywood all the way around it? They don't here. They don't even use plywood. They use pressboard and only at the corners and by windows and doors.

Yes, I had a bad experience from hiring a friend of mine's relative and he is in the church as well. Still having problems with the room he added.

It looked beautiful, but he didn't seal it properly.

[Esther]

Do you know anyone that has done the modular homes?

[Esther]

bump for Tbpew

[Esther]

Anyone know anything about "panel" homes. I'm not talking about modulars.

[Brother Strange]

Esther,

As you already know, I built my house two years ago. Since then, the building material has gone way up because of the demand for all commodites in China...and of course the war in Iraq and Afganistan has put pressure on construction material too. Also, the declining dollar against every major world currency has contributed to higher prices too.

Two years ago I built my own house with a little help in the labor, for $45.00 per square foot. It would have cost much more than that if I would have it custom built by a contractor. It would have been in the neighborhood of $150.00 per square foot. So, for cash money of about $100,000.00, I finished my 2200 + square foot home.

Since that time, I've been in a number of building material places. I have been astonished to find that some of the material that I bought two years ago have almost doubled. In some cases, they have. I'm sure glad that I finished my house when I did.

At this stage, I might would suggest that you not even attempt to do that or even hire a contractor because he is going to charge you at least 2 or 3 hundred dollars per square. But rather, look around for a nicely built home that you can buy at a discount per square foot.

[tbpew]

Anyone know anything about "panel" homes. I'm not talking about modulars.
sorry I have not visited this thread.
Modular builders and their field assembly contractor networks are extremely local. I have rarely ever heard of anyone shipping a modular over 120 miles. If you are in the south, please be sure to differentiate from Mobile home construction --these are NOT the same.

If you can find panelized construction it is certainly a good half-way approach between stick-built and modular. We had one in the middle atlantic area and it no longer is in business (Cardinal Homes). Panelized may be able and willing to ship further since the sub-assemblies are "flattened. The on-site construction skill sets are increased and I am pretty confident you will have to deal with the manufacturer's approved site contractors.

With all the building 'plan' packages out there, don't give up on shopping these kind of drawing sets. Then with these available, shopping 3-4 framing contractors would be much easier and normally a building supply house will do the take-offs for a material cost estimate. If you could find a framing contractor that is a kind of "general contractor lite", he may be happy to coordinate the foundation, work with you on site utilities, and get you framed in. You would need to coordinate your utility services (electric, sewer, water, heating fuel) with your site planning but you may find a very workable range of costs. If you are able to UNBUNDLE the effort (pay him t&m for his non-framing work) the upgrades involving your house's sub-systems, windows or other material items, may not even be a part of your contract with the "general contractor lite --framing contractor".

Enjoy.
You may want to consider putting together a spreadsheet.
AIA (Amer Inst. of Archetects) specs typically acknowledge 16 areas, these would be a readily available outline of work categories that a residential project may only involve a subset of. By example, my world is mechanical and electrical systems which are sections 15000 and 16000...just a thought to help you start to get your cost centers lined up. (a google search may bring you to the category listings...."AIA section listings"

[Rico]

Esther, right now seems to be a buyer's market in real estate. Why not see if you can find a home, that isn't all that old, to buy? It seems to me that building a home can be a serious pain in the you know where.

[justasaint]

the hardest part about building is the cost to build really isn't known until it is finished.It always cost more than budgeted and you have to wait.

My parents retired and I owner built for them but if you use a contractor it usally cost the same as buying one already built.

But it is the one you wanted.

If you can find one already built and it is 75% of what you want go for it.

I am buildinging mine now and from the time I sold my house (2yrs ago) until now I am 100,000 over budget.