contracting your own home?

Question

i was looking to buy a 1600 square foot house, my first home, but was baffled at what they cost in my area already built (145k) so i was thinking about contracting one out myself, my question is, a simple plan 1 story 1600 square foot house with an attached 2 car garage----something like this

http://details.coolhouseplans.com/details.html?pid=chp-18627&FoundID=22&sid=chp23

if i could come out a whole lot better just contracting it out and getting it into the dry and doing the majority of the inside work myself, plumbing, wiring, insulating, flooring etc etc, ive got some experience with the majority of these due to working with my dad a lot, and if i ran into anything i wasnt sure would pass inspection i could just get him to come out and help me with it

....sorry to ramble, but any how, i was thinking that house on a crawlspace...i could probably save a ton compared to what that house would sell for (approx 145k) already constructed in my area, is this a good prediction?

Answer 1

I've done two in my life; from scratch, and I got over it.

Obviously as a DIY there are things you'll have to sub out, such as the Concrete work (which by the way I'd do as a SLAB) The Electrical and Plumbing work by someone Licensed,,,and to CODES.

Roofing is another one I'll never touch again.

Using the WWW there are literally hundreds of sites that offer (Stage built housing) as well as KIT forms, etc. Built to shell/ built to "lock up"/ etc.

SAVING is a relative word. $145 K is a fair market price for a Frame house anywhere in this country.

Then there is the cost of the property, and dictated by it's location; the taxes and insurance after the fact. With that and your desire; will be the location versus access to materials and contractors.

Finally; and with no offense meant at all; is your ability to do the work not done by any contractor. Permits to pull; inspections to schedule; liability of the construction; etc.

Just one old Wolfs opinion but at 1600 sq. ft. for $145 K; I think $90.63 cents a sq. ft. is an extremely good deal (FINISHED)

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Assuming the role as a general contractor can be very frustrating. There is a lot of the work you can do yourself and then there are things that require a licensed contractor such as electrical and plumbing. I would check with the local building inspector about how much of the work you can do yourself. Research contractors to see if they are willing to work with you. Some are very finicky and won't allow for diyers to help in their area of skill. Crawl spaces are common in the southern states and does save a good chunk of money. One thing about crawl spaces is to have plenty of room for repairs down the road.

Answer 3

You lost me with house on a crawl space. Are you considering pier and beam as opposed to concrete slab. In any case you could sub out a lot of the initial construction but you will have to make sure that you have someone to monitor the subcontractors. You will definitely save a bundle of money by doing the finish out. There some people that specialize in handling all the subcontractors for you. I'll try to locate some and come back later.

OK here is one you might want to call: http://www.nhbconsultants.com/index.asp
And:
www.homebuildingcoordinators.com

Basically you want a coordinator to help you through the process.

Answer 4

I built my own house about 20 years ago. Needless to say it was an adventure but it was definitely worth it. I had the land graded and the foundation laid by other people then I started on the carpentry. Later I hired a plumber, electrician, cabinet maker, carpet installer and trimwork man. Overall it went pretty smoothly. Oh yeah, I had the shingles installed by someone else too. Take your time planning and be sure to get plenty of estimates as they can vary greatly.