No. Get yourself a detailed cost breakdown and start filling it in with local costs. Sounds like you have plans for detailed and accurate bids.

It depends.....where in the country are you?. BIG difference.

"Skinny is 100 a square foot better is 125 a square foot."

Impossible to say if this is accurate or not. In 75% of the country that would be impossible. Too little info given for anyone to answer that question intelligently. Even then it is so location and finish dependant that iut would still be close to impossible for anyone to answer.

We are in TN and I mentioned that we are discount/overstock shoppers. I know it's a tough question. I also am living in an RV while I do this, and I have income so I'm thinking I'll have more
dollars to throw at it if I need to. The bottom line is, I don't want another mortgage.

Take this with a major grain of salt, as I have limited experience and knowledge (and know nothing of your area), but if you do have a little flexible budget if you go over, I think you can do it. Since you have Amish in the area, they are great for solid workmanship at a good price, and you like to shop for a deal (I love finding great deals -- bought all but two light fixtures from Amazon Warehouse Deals). I did a 36'x28' two story, 2.5 bath, with basement through an Amish owned GC for about $210,000, which included all the permit and engineering fees. I have Amish cabinets (kitchen and bathrooms), granite in the kitchen, cultured marble tops in bathrooms, LVP throughout, Andersen 200 double hung windows, cold climate ducted heat pump, hybrid heat pump water heater, standing seam metal roof, one piece tub/shower...to give you an idea. I didn't spend a ton of finishes, but did spend more on certain items.

You're not close to half done for spending at the dried in point. You're not even talking about gettting it dried in fully by a Pro though, which is a big mistake. If you don't get it weathertight, you'll be paying a price in weather damage. That 82K is 1/3 to 2/5 the end cost.

> Can I finish it with the remaining 63k ?

Sounds very short.

Create excel spreadsheet with the line items

-permits

-backfill

-utilities

-electrical

-plumbing

-hvac

-appliances

-driveway

-flooring

-windows

-doors [including paint]

-garage doors

-paint

-ceiling texture

-trim

-window aprms

-exterior gutters + downspouts

-siding

-eves

-insulation

-stairs

-porch or steps

-finish grade

-ng?

= You also need a reserve just in case contractor messed up.

HVAC is expensive ~20k and even cheapest windows ~8k

...

Have you considered hiring an architect? Just kidding.

When the time comes for a "flooring budget" $6 wont do it. That seems to be some sort of magic number around the country that contractors tell homeowners will buy them flooring. It will but they wont like what it looks like. For nice wood floors look at more like $11-$16 installed.

I'm buying the flooring from an Amish mill for $1 a foot. I'll be sanding and finishing it myself.

Who’s going to remill all of those not even #2 rejects to be square and true? That isn’t even a mill cost for bring your own wood to them. The least expensive legit mill price for decent #1 wood runs about $3-$4 a square. That’s not Clear or Select. That is to the trade repeat customers. Not to one off project individuals.

Finishing that yourself? Have you ever run a drum sander? You can very easily burn enough waves into the floor to have to buy all new wood. If you’re smart, and use a rotary instead, that increases the time needed. It also increases the potential for closing the pores and burnishing by using the wrong grit too long.

Learning on the job has the potential for costing you a lot more than just paying the Pro. On any part of this. That is both time and money that it costs you. Ask anyone who did a self build. 3 years of work, a move in date, and things still aren’t really done. And never will be. Life gets in the way.

Register as a building company and get a sales tax number from your state. You can get quotes for the lumber and separate quotes for the trusses. Look for a rough crew for framing. I believe you can get that 82k down. Yes the sky can fall and you can be hit by catastrophes. But that's totally up to You. So do your homework.

Without an actual contractors license, you’re not going to get a business license or resale certificate as a contractor. TN has specific education, personal recommendation, and other registration requirements for becoming a contractor. That would be a red flag for a nice visit from the IRS if you tried to make a personal home into a business expense.

Register as a building company and get a sales tax number from your state.

Or better yet, don't break the law.

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I understand wanting to avoid a mortgage, however, I am not sure that you are creating value by doing so. Mortgages are great low interest loans and work well when you need one.

You need to think about total cost of ownership of the house rather than just cost to build. Limiting yourself to X dollars to finish the property may just require more money later on in the form of replacement, repair, and energy efficiency costs. Without even considering the non-monetary factors of comfort and livability.

If you can build a great house without a mortgage then great, however I would take a great house with a reasonably small mortgage over an OK house without.

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I second live_wire_oak's concern about flooring at $1 per square from an Amish mill. That seems like a savings on the front end and a massive back ache on the back end.

I believe what he said is he is $100K in and 2 years of his labor to get to this point. The blog started in 2016.

I've listened to the babble of these two guys a little too much. "$10 per foot" to finish from dry in? lol... $20k for drywall, insulation, cabinets, counters, paint, flooring, flatwork, doors, trim, fixtures, showers?

He's selling land & promises.

Maybe he's chopping down his own trees & milling lumber...