I want to build a house by myself, but I don't know what knowledge i should know. can u tell me? Thanks.?

Question

I want to build a house by myself, but I don't know what knowledge i should know. can u tell me? Thanks.

If you know more details about the process and roughly cost, can u tell me, thanks.

Answer 1

Yeah.....hire a contractor. By the time you try to actually learn to be a Carpenter (not to mention an electrician, plumber, ventilation mechanic, etc.), he'll have the house done and you can live in it. It's not quite a "hobby" project, and the trade takes years to learn. On the other hand, if you have too much time on your hands, go for it and learn from your mistakes along the way. That way (in several years), you can say "I built my own house". I suppose pride makes up for a leaking roof and cracked foundation five years down the road!!!

Answer 2

With out going into anything fancy, if you don't know what you should know, the time and money you spend learning it will be more than what you would have saved during the process.

If you plan on actually building the house yourself, the process will be a long one that will take all your time. If you plan on managing the construction of the house, you will not get the same pricing for labor and materials that a connected general contractor will get. Most people do not realize the complexities that go into building any structure. The proper planning of materials and manpower at the correct time to avoid delays and conflicts is crucial to any project. It's the small mistakes that are made by inexperience that will cost you more in the long run.

My best advise to you is find a builder that is well know in your area. Being involved in the process of building your own home and making the decisions up front will save you alot of money in the long run. You will also have the home of your dreams with out the head ache.

Answer 3

Actually, it isn't that hard. It depends on your level of skills. If you are familiar with construction, but you don't know everything, then you can do it. When people say "build a house myself" it doesn't necessarily mean, you are going to do all the work myself. I hope people don't think the person means he is going to do the foundation, framing, mechanical rough-ins, roof, brick, siding, concrete, insulation, drywall, trim, paint, mechanical trim outs, flooring, punch list (which is the basic order of building, minus a lot of detail) When people say, build myself, they mean act as their own contractor. If you know some contractors, the owner of the company, some of them don't know which end of a hammer to swing. But they know the basic steps, know how to delegate responsibilities, organize, and have the money.

That being said, examine your skill set. Do you know where to get the plans? Do you know how to pick a good lot? How about a construction loan and financing? Can you get bids from a variety of subcontractors? Budget the project? Organize the schedule of deliveries and start of work by your subs? Do you know you need insurance for the construction? Do you have the free time? What work are you competent to do? What work is better subbed out? You need to ask these questions. And be honest.

If you come up with a bunch of negative answers, then maybe you should just use a contractor. But maybe you can use a company, like UBuildIt, where they help you with the process. From your question, I think that is where you are at.

http://www.ubuildit.com/

You need to plan this out. Fortunately, it is winter, and now is the best time to plan this out. If you work diligently through the next three months, you can have this all planned out by spring, when subcontractors are coming off winter and are hungry for work. First thing get a plan that meets your needs. Then budget, budget, budget. I cannot stress the need of a budget enough. The biggest percentage of the budget besides the lot, is typically framing. So you don't want to start without a budget, because within the first few weeks, you have spent a good deal of money between insurance, lot, permits, foundation, and framing. To budget, you need to get quotes for the lumber, subcontractors, concrete, roofing, drywall, flooring, etc. Many times, if you buy from one place, they give a discount. For example, if you get your framing lumber, roofing, cabinets, trim, from the same place, they will give a discount. Then you need to plan a schedule, so you know set time to be done. Some of the goals should be a finish date for framing, drywall, carpet, and closing. Each day you get behind costs money, in the terms of interest on the construction loan. So stay on budget and schedule. Somewhere in here, you need to find a lot and commit to buying it. And don't forget insurance.

Now the good news. Expect to save 20-30%. Try this test. Go to a website that has a calculator for mortgages and amortizing schedule. Figure out what you can afford for a 30yr fixed about 25% of take home pay. The price of a home. Then take 80% of that and you can build yourself for that budget. That is really a high figure. You may save more, if you do some work yourself. Then use that price for a 20yr fixed, you will find it to be similar to the payment for a 30yr fixed for the same house build by a contractor. But there is more. Put those numbers, the 30yr and 20yr numbers, into the amortizing schedule, and look at the difference in the total amount of interest paid. Now for something else, if you were to invest that payment money in a mutual fund for ten years, wow. After 20 years, your house is paid for, and you are investing in mutual funds, instead of paying for a house in 30 yrs. Big difference.

http://www.mortgage-calc.com/amortization/amortizationscheduleandcalculator.html

Point is you save a lot more than 20-30%, if you use that money and extra ten years.

Answer 4

You need to dig the footing; install the rebar; and pour the concrete. Then, build the floor joists and add the floor. Then, frame the house with 2x4's. Then, add the roof and siding. Then, add the utilities. Then, sheetrock the inside and finish it.

I'm not sure that you can build a house without a license. There are a lot of little things that you should know, or the house may not be as solid as it could be. You may want to consider a log cabin kit.

Most homecenters sell whole house packages that include lumber, windows, shingles, doors, sheetrock, etc.... They run into the tens of thousands of dollars - $30,000+.

Answer 5

I built all the houses I have lived in . It is a big job , it will take all your spare time for a year or more. You need to look at homes under construction in your area, you can learn framing methods this way. If you are going to build your own foundation get a book on laying block or rent forms and pour your own. There is a lot to learn but anyone with determination can do it. If you really do it all yourself, you can build for less than half the cost of paying a builder. building your own home is very worthwhile finacially. You will get a new home for less than half price , but you have to be commited to hard work, Every time I built a house I lost 10-15 lbs.

Answer 6

Wiseone hit it on the nose. I am a builder who builds custom stick built and modular homes. Modular arent better your reading too much on modular websites.They are faster. They are only less expensive if the home is one of the simplest homes they make or in a expensive area. Where I live we sell modular homes for the same price as a stick built. The quality isnt exactly the same. A stick built home is much more true. But we set alot of modular homes that are very nice. If you go with a modular home you need someone who is approved from a manufact. to buy the home and the builder will mark up his % into that cost so your best bet is to be your own G.C. if you have no idea about construction then good luck..

Answer 7

you need a working drafted house plan.A detailed house plan and a materials house plan.Then they have to be approved by your town or city hall.These plan are done to scale showing the walls, doors, stairs, windows,Wiring outlets, plumbing rough ins, locations of rooms spacing of studs and types of insulation being used.Weather your tiling, carpeting,or laying hardwood floors.
Some townships or cities required licensed trades people to do the work. So you might be require to produced a license for,Framing, electrical,plumbing,Drywall,contractors license,Concrete, work such as foundation, and support columns.There might even be one or two that I have forgotten.It's a cash cow if you know what I mean.
Just to be a drafts person you need at least three yrs collage.Electrical can take you three to seven, depending if you what to install your own breaker box and meter.Plumber is three to five yrs.
That's why so many companies higher contractors which hire other contractors to do pacific jobs on a site.
You can be the contractor and hire the contractor for pacific jobs, but you have to know when they are needed on the site.When what will be finished and the other will start.It costs to have a contractor of lets say electrical sit and wait for your framers to finish there job,or even the plumber, or drywall people.
Not tiring to discourage you, but it takes a lot and might even cost you a lot.
If you hire a good architect, it is his job to design the house you what and even give you some ideas on how to improve on them.He should be able to give you a list of contractors he approves on, and not just one.He is paid to be at the job site every day construction is going on.He is suppost to know if the contractor is making short cuts where you would never know and spot them from occurring in the first place. He is also the one to give you the keys when the job is done and to your satifaction.

Answer 8

I have heard the line "I have built my own house" from so many people. The fact is that there is a reason that people pay contractors to build their house. To say that building the house only takes enthusiasm or effort is like saying the same about rebuilding an engine for a car. The biggest problem is that if you screw something up the house will still work, unlike the engine. I have seen so much crap that people have built...and in turn, i have had to fix a lot of the crap. The bottom line is that you really ought to make your money to pay for your house while at your own line of work while a professional is building your house.

Answer 9

Buildog a house your self is a ton of work. My father bult 2 houses and has been in the business for 30 years when its your own house its much more stressful than building it for someone else. Especially if you try to do everythign yourself.

Answer 10

Go work for a builder for a few months, pay close attention to the process. The best way to learn quickly. It is not a simple process.... starting with the design to the last trim. Basically you have to know math, physics, engineering, plumbing, electricity, all kinds of finishing techniques just to name a few.