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August 2013 Moms
kwrecks
member
Building a house
kwrecks
member
Had anyone here, instead of buying an existing house, bought land and built a house instead? We aren't planning on moving for a while, but I have always wanted to build s house so that I can customize it, and make it s house that we can live in long term. DH keeps saying there is no easy we could afford it, and that is way too much trouble, and I keep telling him that in order for us to but a house like we want, it may be the sane it cheaper to build.
Tell me about your experience. Was it fairly easy? Would you do it again if given a do over?
Tell me about your experience. Was it fairly easy? Would you do it again if given a do over?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Building a house
They originally wanted to build a custom-built house so that they could design it and get everything that they wanted. But in the end, that proved to be way too expensive. They went with one of the preexisting designs that the builder offered, and then they put their own finishing touches on it (picking flooring, paint colors, deck size, etc.).
There were a lot of issues that they ran into. Sometimes they'd have to go behind the builder to check out the work, and things were not done the way they were supposed to. Sometimes this was due to communication failures between the builder and the construction crew, or between my friend and the builder. My friend and her husband are very handy, so they knew what to look for and were able to correct the situation. (As opposed to me, who wouldn't know the first thing about home construction and would have completely missed that they installed the wrong faucet line or the wiring panel was upside down, etc.) Their build site was also vandalized and burglarized a few times, which was a huge hassle.
In the end, it'll be great because they have a brand-new, beautiful house, but not every single thing is customized the way they wanted it to be (too expensive). I could never do it; I'd rather buy a house and remodel it along the way (and I think that would be way more affordable).
Like you said, you're not moving for a while, so that could give you time to bulk up some hefty savings to get your project started. It would definitely be a dream come true! Good luck!
We were able to move walls, add storage, move the laundry room and design our own fireplace. We are very happy with how it turned out. We paid for upgrades in places that mattered and added upgrades once we moved in to easier things. For example, we did the counters after because marble counters through the builder was expensive.
We bought an existing home. However, I work for my family's custom home building business, so maybe I can offer some advice.
Is this going to be your forever home?
This is just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. If you truly want to build, I would take time to figure out exactly what you want out of your home. Work with an architect to revise and revise your house plans. Really think about the future and what is practical for your family. Once you are firm in your decisions, you'll have plans that you can send out for bids. Include specifications (flooring decisions, electrical plans, etc.) so that your estimates will be comparing apples to apples.
Interview at least three contractors. Have them drive you around to homes they have built similar in size and style to the one you want to build. Ask them for customer references and actually call them! Customers who love their contractor will love to talk to you about their experience. Ask the contractor for a sample contract that notes how they handle invoicing: will it be a set price contract, or a time and materials contract.
Honestly, the best fit for you might not be the lowest bid. Building your dream house is an investment and you are going to want to have a good working relationship with your contractor. It is a stressful process and you need to trust your builder. So be sure to consider factors other than the price.
ETA: Make sure that your contractor has certificates of liability and workers comp insurance and require that their subcontractors have them too.
If you want to have a general idea of what a house may cost you, call a few builders in your area and ask for a ballpark price/sq.ft. I'm not sure where you live, but around here it is $250/sq.ft. for new construction.
You can get an idea on vacant lot prices by searching your local MLS.
Good luck! It's fun to choose everything you want!