Interior steps and landing quesion
Bernie Habermeier
6 years ago
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Comments (19)
Bernie Habermeier
6 years agoRelated Discussions
It all starts with land
Comments (38)I'm in eastern Tennessee. Not too terribly far from you, but not sure how much different costs would be. In my area, $165/sq ft (plus cost of land) could feasibly get you a nice house with higher end finishes- nice hardwood, granite, etc., -but not top of the line (SubZero, Wolf) appliances, more unusual granites or marbles, etc. That also wouldn't include a pool and landscaping. I have to agree with others, though, that I don't think you could do the first house for $165/sq ft, it costs are comparable to my area. On many houses, a range of materials could be used (think vinyl vs. Hardi vs. wood siding, for example) and everything might still turn out OK. But this house demands expensive materials. In my opinion, anything less would look silly. Cultured stone is a no-go, for example. With that said, if you haven't built a house before or have some other frame of reference for what things cost in new construction, I know it can be tough to accept what people are telling you if it doesn't match up with what you're thinking- I've been there. Somebody would tell me how expensive my house would be to build, and I would think along the lines of "My cousin Joe Bob built his house for $55/sq ft...I can definitely build a lovely huge house with everything I want for double that...surely for triple that price." Nope. Some of us are wrong- you can either build if for that price or not. You need to find a reputable, experienced builder that builds the type of house you're interested in and talk to them about costs. I've found that those with experience in the construction field (experienced in building similar homes to the one you want to build) can pretty quickly look at a plan and give you a fairly accurate ballpark of what it would cost to build. Then you'll at least know if you're remotely in the price range you'd like to be at before you spend more time and resources on a plan. Good luck....See MoreFirst steps for a new construction custom or semi custom home
Comments (19)Rory20, the $200/SF rule of thumb budget would be for a custom designed home. A builder's tract development or an individual house from a builder MAY be less, depending on lots of things, i.e., land and development costs, size and amenities, demand, etc. A $/SF cost is only a very rough approximation and it's only useful purpose is in very preliminary initial budgeting. As I mentioned the Zillow web site (and similar ones) lets you quickly compare actual prices of existing and new houses for sale to get a quick sense of cost ranges, what may be appealing and what may not. The best way to become familiar with the cost of houses in areas of your choice, and what they include, is...to look, look, look at them! Each and every builder has their own approach to customization, from a little to a lot. You have to go out and investigate. The old rule of thumb is that existing houses tend to cost less than new ones. While not always true, it's good to keep in mind. One of the best things to do before a dedicated search is for you and your spouse to make a list (to which you BOTH agree) of the "must have" spaces and amenities, and a second list of "nice to have" spaces and amenities. The lists are of little value if you don't both agree. The purpose of the list is to establish some important criteria by which to evaluate the houses you see, rather than simply getting carried away by some of the glitz and upgraded features that are common in model homes. Thus, when you visit homes, look beyond the surface "glitz" and try to evaluate the "bones" of the house to see if they will fit your lifestyle and budget. Everyone has their own priority list, but my recommendation for the top priorities in choosing a house are: 1) location; 2) immediate neighborhood, improvements, schools, transportation, etc; 3) individual house. Unfortunately, IMO, some folks make a purchase decision simply on house amenities such as granite counter tops, a buffalo tub and a MBR walk-in closet large enough for a basketball game. Builders know this and construct their houses accordingly. This is why so many builder's houses are so similar. So know what you really need and want before beginning your search. Good luck on your hunt!...See MoreMicrowave Landing Space?
Comments (26)Cpartist, you should have returned your faulty Simply Human trash can. I've had mine now for 10 years - so has my DD. Both still work perfectly and hers must endure the "delicate" touch of her DH and her two boys! I sweep most things directly into my kitchen sink. If it's other stuff nearer the trash can, I can sweep things directly into it, too. If one is doing a new build or has such an enormous kitchen that one is not limited to a small under--the-sink trash can, then a built in might work. I've just seen far too many that ended up overflowing (no one empties a kitchen trash can just like no one replace the toilet paper roll!) and there was a smelly mess inside. I don't like anyone in my kitchen when I'm cooking or doing the last preparations for a meal. It's very distracting to me. And I do NOT feel like a servant, shut away, but then that's me. Interestingly, my DD feels the same way - shoes everyone out of her kitchen to the LR - says she cannot cook and also be the charming hostess. She's the only one of her friends with a separate kitchen, but then she's also the only one of her friends who truly cooks and does it very well. She's a total foodie......See MoreNew Jersey, residential interior stair riser code?
Comments (8)A simple search of your thread title brings you here... (that's from 2018, I'd bet the secretary at the building dept. could answer your question. Have someone else call if you are worried about revealing your identity.) https://up.codes/viewer/new_jersey/irc-2018/chapter/3/building-planning#R311 R311.7.5.1 Risers The riser height shall be not more than 8 1/4 inches (210 mm). The riser shall be measured vertically between leading edges of the adjacent treads. The greatest riser height within any flight of stairs shall not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 inch (9.5 mm). Risers shall be vertical or sloped from the underside of the nosing of the tread above at an angle not more than 30 degrees (0.51 rad) from the vertical. At open risers, openings located more than 30 inches (762 mm), as measured vertically, to the floor or grade below shall not permit the passage of a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere....See MoreUser
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6 years agoBernie Habermeier
6 years agoBernie Habermeier
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6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoBernie Habermeier
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6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoBernie Habermeier
6 years agoBernie Habermeier
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6 years agoBernie Habermeier
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