Virgil's Threads on Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home
cpartist
6 years ago
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cpartist
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Tips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home, Part 2
Comments (2)This is a great thread for those contemplating building a new home. Clients are often bringing me sketches of floor plans or plans they've found online. Such plans can be helpful as a point of departure but almost always require a complete redo. What helps me more is a detailed conversation about lifestyle, philosophy of art and design, and a deep understanding of the site....See MoreTips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home Part 1
Comments (7)The one thing I would add is don't let anyone (realtor, builder, brother-in-law) tell you that a lot is 'OK'. It's very important to do as much of your own due diligence as you can when considering your future home. We were once showed a home across the street from a sewage treatment plant. It was an ideal location for us, being very close to our son's school. We were assured by the realtor that there was 'no odor problem'. Over the next 11 years, we had the opportunity to drive by that neighborhood every day as we brought our son to school. It reeked! Outdoor activities would have been impossible many days. The realtor either didn't know, or outright lied to us. There are many tools available to check out the neighborhood. Many areas have a GIS site (Geographic Information System) to check things like flood zones, topography, crime stats, even soil types. You can zoom out to find out what else is in the area, such as a hog farm you didn't know existed. It's not a bad idea to check with the local city/county to see what kind of future plans they have for the area. You don't want to find out about the new Interstate or airport after you've built your dream home. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I never consider a parcel unless it has a current 'perk' (percolation) test for a septic system. There are work-arounds, but they are expensive, and sometimes downright ugly. Who wants a mound system in the front yard (because there wasn't room in the back)? If the lot is on city sewer, then it's not a consideration....See MoreWhat exact info do I need to in order to get a builder's quote?
Comments (30)The verbiage here is a bit confusing and I just wanted to try to add a bit of clarity. I am not saying anyone is wrong in practice, but in this case words can matter. An estimate is a guess based on experience, estimates may be good or bad, detailed or vague, right or wrong, etc A quote or bid is firm offer to do business based on the given criteria, a quote is one half of a contract and once accepted becomes a fully executed contract. A contract signed by both parties establishes the terms and conditions of the quote. Any, or even all, of these might be omitted in building a home, but a quote will establish a legally binding price for the specified work. ------------ A LOT of contractors have gotten burned by confusing a quote and an estimate. Additionally, quotes are harder to disclaim than contractors realize, there have been many contractors who have lost cases based on quotes for work they quoted remotely. The more specific the information you give to the contractor the more exact his quote will be, because while he must honor his quote he does have a lot of leeway absent exact specifications to quote something very different than you want. For example, he might quote a level 3 drywall finish when you want a level 5. ----------- Having said all of the above, it means absolutely nothing. All you need to do to legally enforce any of these things is add a stupid amount of money and time. In the end, a good contractor who you vetted and trust, will help you develop the information you need to give him, so that he can give you the information you need. You should specify everything possible, because garbage in = garbage out, and if you plan on letting a contractor substitute his vision for yours, just offer to buy his current house and save yourself the hassle of building....See MoreHave land, where to start?
Comments (15)Hi, Katie, Congratulations on taking the plunge and beginning the great adventure of home building. Every home building project--from modular homes to mansions--has a budget, and everything flows from the budget. Without knowing anything about your budget or the demands of the particular site, I'll second Jeffrey Grenz's advice that the first step look at homes under construction which are similar to what you have in mind for an initial cost calibration. While you're doing that, you'll also have the opportunity to critique quality and design. You can begin to pre-screen the contractors, designers, and architects involved based on those criteria. If you plan on financing any part of the project, step 2 is to visit a lender or two and get pre-qualified. Step 3 is to compare your findings from steps 1 and 2 and determine if the project is viable (keep in mind that designing and building a custom home on your property will cost more than buying a builder's model) or whether you'll need to scale back the project or defer it until you have more in savings to contribute to the cost. Best wishes for a successful project....See Morecpartist
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