Where can I see the vote results?

Nevermind. I realized that I had to vote to see the responses. :)

For those that voted NO, care to share why?

LOL I've both built and birthed 3. No more babies, but maybe just one more build. :)

We are just about done with our LAST build. We are 62 and 56. We owned the lot next door to our former home and always knew we would build there someday. For 5 years we have been talking about and researching a one level build for our older years.
We were the GC's as we know so many sub contractors.
We started in late December. While we have been blessed with wonderful subs it has not always been smooth ans towards the end quite stressful. Because of our age we both say we never want to go through the stress again. I think if we were younger my answer would be different.
We do not regret it just glad it's almost over!

Vote currently stands at 9 for, 5 against. I'm in the against group. Built 4 years ago, when in our mid 60s/70s. Found the process (and the related move) exhausting even then, and we're still sorting things out with the builder. It wasn't our first build, but definitely the last. We just don't have it in us to go through the stress again.

We haven't even moved in yet and we joke about all the things we'll do differently in our next build. Maybe one day.

We are in our early 60's and late 60's and have been planning, for 3 years, our final, last forever home. We were all set to go with a builder then at the last minute had that gut, nervous bad feeling. I went with my gut and researched a little more into the contract and didn't like what I heard from the attorney and the builder. We switched last week to a new builder and I'm finally feeling good about this build. We should start in the next few weeks.

We've done one other build and I loved the entire process. What I didn't like was the upheaval in our lives at that time. The oldest child was getting married, one was graduating from High School and one going into High School. It was a terrible time to build! Now, all our children have their own lives and their own children so perfect timing for us to build one last time. So, for us, we picked the busiest time of our lives to build the first house but ended up with a wonderful home. My only advice is to make sure you have the time to dedicate to a build.

So, my answer and vote are a big Yes!

Its tough to say. Perhaps in a different state with the right lot, with an architect (with landscape) or during a light recession or just coming out of one. Main issue was cost to build.

So yeah probably

Only if I could use a different builder but why would I?

We build our first house last year when we were 60; it was a delight. We used a architect and a custom builder. We picked everything (cabinets, floors, plumbing fixtures, roofing, appliances etc) out before the build to get a realistic budget. We made some minor changes over the year but ended up just under budget. Our builder was great. It did help that my husband is very savvy regarding building, was at our sight everyday, and was able to answer questions the subs had. The hardest thing was to find the right property to build on. We ended up with 5.5 beautiful acres and constructed an amazing home. If needed, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Are you using a GC or O/B? I would O/B if I were you.

Mrs. ARG and I have built 3 houses over the last 30 years (and GC'ed all three also) and against all odds are still happily married!

And I've found it's a whole lot different when one is spending their own money...LOL! But it's helped me tremendously in what I do. If the opportunity came up we'd do it again in a heartbeat.

The no was because the subs are terrible now, getting things done is much harder than it used to be. More stress this build than several before added together.

Also the jurisdiction was quite unreasonable taking months to get back to us on things.

Maybe things will change in the future. But anyone building now (in my area at least) is certifiable.

Gee @cpartist I would almost think you were being sarcastic! :)

I can't give a simple yes or no. My standard answer is 'if I knew then what I know now' I would have made different choices. Not different design or material choices because I love my house, the setting and land. I honestly don't know what those different choices would be but when we made this move and built this house we had no idea there would be a granddaughter on the other side of the country and the difficulties involved in having family time Two x/year for a couple/three weeks is not enough! However I would never want to live on the Olympic Peninsula so as I said, no idea what the different choices would be.

My new build was completed in October, 2018. My husband and I chased our dream and built a home on a lake. The process was a nightmare, but at this point, worth it to live on the water. I could not imagine going through the stress of building a home for a house built on any old subdivision/city lot.

robin0919

"Are you using a GC or O/B? I would O/B if I were you."

Hi, I am not sure if you are talking to me, but what is an O/B?

jlynn - Very good advice about picking your fixers ahead of time to come up with a reasonable budget. That's just it...I think my biggest fear is not keeping up with what's available. And I don't want to pick things because they are "in" at the moment. I'll have a lot to study and learn along the way.

DLM2000-GW - One of the reasons we are thinking about building is so we can live closer to our grandchildren. :)

For those that would never build again, I understand. Should we do so, this will definitely be our last build.

I haven't voted but I think my answer is something along the lines of "Yes, I'd build again because the house I'm living in doesn't meet my family's needs, BUT if it did, then there's no way in heck I'd take on that beast again because I'm way too tired for that!"

We are getting ready to gut remodel/add onto our house which I expect will be far more painful than building from scratch.... :-(

It depends on WHO you're doing it with. Depends on this I think: what's your "remodel dynamic" with your spouse and with your contractor. We're in our 5th home (we've moved a lot) and i'm in my 40s. The last home was almost new construction incl. a 500 sf addition. It was a painful experience, mainly because of the non-trustworthy GC we hired, but I would do it again with the right person. I'm about to enter another remodel, but I feel it will be manageable because of the person I'm working with (comes through a personal referral) Now, staying on budget, that's another thread...

Is it a home or a commodity?

If you approach it as a commodity its better to buy.

If you're looking to build your home using the creative process, look for team members that think this way.

Just completed homes for a couple in their mid 70s, another couple at 60 and a younger couple with elementary aged kids aged 39-40.

Starting another for a pair in their 60s.

One of my favorite memories was when a biotech quality exec (#3 at a well known large company) said at completion... "I'm ready to do another!"

I would NOT do it again. Getting too old for this. This was our third (and final) custom built home and this one took its toll on me. It was a battle the entire time and towards the end....well, just look at my avatar.....I’m still recovering and we’ve been in a year now. I have to say though that I still find something about building a thrill, and just the smell of new construction and sawdust gets my heart pumping. It’s kind of like childbirth.....you eventually forget the pain and are ready to do it all over again.

I knew up front that this would be our last build, but if I was younger I’d probably do it again. Glutton for punishment I guess. Not that I’m dissatisfied, but I could REALLY perfect things doing it a second time.....that’s just my nature though....I love to fine tune and improve on things....there’s always better.

Going to love our new house but never again. Unless I had an unlimited budget!

O/B is owner/build. IE - DIY to some extent or another, with the owner at least acting as general contractor :)

That is how we have done every major remodel and how we are doing our new build too, but my husband has years of experience in the field at least in the ‘design/engineer/DIY all the things‘ side of things. And we are still hiring an architect to help us make a cohesive, well functioning floor plan and aesthetic to fit our needs. We may be erecting the whole thing and only subbing out the occasional task, but even my (very stubborn SE) spouse knows it’s best to have an architect‘s eye and hand in making it live well.

Thanks! Should we proceed, we will be using a builder/contractor that we have used before. And I am a hands-on person, so will be checking-in regularly on progress.

I voted yes, as long as I had the time and energy to be on site every day. When we built our current home, we had an infant and toddler, and it was VERY stressful. But we were also our own GC so that added an extra layer of stress

I am closing in 10 days on my new-construction house. I have vowed to never go through the process ever again! Maybe if you're building a custom home it's more enjoyable. But building with a relatively large tract builder has been an experience I do not wish to repeat.

I'm certain I'll move again - but I'll just buy an existing house and remodel it to my liking.

I'd do it again even though I currently on hold with my custom build. I just can't imagine spending what these builders are asking for tract homes with subpar fixtures and finishes. When I spend money on anything it has to be very satisfactory to me.

I have never built and I never will. You can get a lot more bang for your buck buying an existing home. My parents recently built their second house (in their late 50's) an my grandfather just built a house as well (in his late 70's). I have no desire to deal with everything they've dealt with. From things not being done according to plan, timelines falling entire seasons behind schedule, and just when you think everything is done, you realize something is broken. Both of them used different builders. Both of them had leaky roofs and water damage due to that. My grandfather had water in his basement. My parents had brickwork crumble because bricks were laid in weather that was too cold. Their shower was tiled wrong so they couldn't use the shower in their master bath for months. The glass top on my grandfather's brand new stove cracked. My parents brand new microwave caught fire. It takes forever to iron out all the kinks, and they spent an obscene amount of money.

My house is insured for more than twice what I paid for it because that's how much it would cost to rebuild it if something were to happen to it. I have a nice, solid house, and I'm paying peanuts for a mortgage. On top of that, I can choose to upgrade and customize my house, one project at a time, at my leisure, because it's already a fully functional house, and I can live in it as-is just fine.

After all we have been through with this current build, I would have to say no. Building during a pandemic added extra stresses, strains, and delays to what is already a fraught process. I do love our house and the site that we put it on, but if I had to start over, I would try my darnedest to find an existing place we could renovate to our satisfaction, over time. By the time this is behind us, we will have been renting for almost two years; something we did not anticipate and would not want to do again. I am so ready to be in my own space with all my things (not 3/4 of them in storage) again.

@Emily, I echo each and every word You wrote. This is exactly the same experience I have with my current built. I am mentally exhausted after 2 years of building

Building today vs even a couple of years ago is a huge difference. so much is backordered and it makes for a slow build. Even if you renovate an existing home, I dont think that its much better or faster (relatively speaking) than a new build. Delays everywhere and a lack of skilled labor, at least in Florida where they are building everywhere. Would I do it again? Yes, just not during a supply chain slowdown.

Having fully renovated our current place while waiting to build - from the studs in - I can honestly say a major full house update is harder than a new build. You’re working around other people’s unsquare corners, cost cutting, and mistakes. It’s significantly more challenging to do right than green field, especially to get a nice finish. And then you’re contending with the endlessness of anythiny you didn’t renovate being an older system or finish that will need updating sooner because it is at the end of its design life.

It feels very much like being a hamster on an expensive wheel.

This is the third home we have done major renovations on, and once our build is done we will rent it out. The build is so much less hassle, especially being designed from scratch with more thought out systems, sizes of things like windows and wall length, and a much more workable floorplan. Especially because we need it wheelchair accessible, there is really no comparison.

Builds have challenges, but renovations of any significance come with a massive headache of their own, and the price tag is nothing to sneeze at even as a DIYer. It takes so much more time too, having to work through and around existing layers and blend finishes on patches and such. Just… having done both devils with our own two hands, there is almost no comparison.

Yes. Fully custom home with a great design/build firm, and my husband was happy to have me take the lead. It was a challenge, but one I enjoyed.

@dsnine, You do make excellent points. We have built new several times but never, ever done a major reno. I am sure those are very challenging too, especially now. I probably wouldn't buy a home that needed a ton of work or a complete gut, but if it just needed a few changes to make it a wonderful place to live, I would still go that route vs. building new again. This is our third full custom build over 36 years of marriage, and we also did a tract home and a semi-custom condo. Never have we faced the challenges of building during these times. Our builder is very good, but the entire process has been so slow and frustrating, for a variety of reasons, that we are done with new builds. This will be our last, and that's fine, given our ages (60 and 68). Hopefully we'll be living in this one for a looooong time!

Cheers to that Emily!

This thread title caught my eye and then I realized @nhb22 was the one who started this thread two years ago now, but she went for it and is currently in the process of moving in.

I hope when she emerges from the boxes and boxes of unpacking that she lets us know what her throughts are on whether she'd do it again, now that she's done it again...haha.

@Emily a few months to go and then maybe you'll have a different take, once you are settled and enjoying the fruit of your trials the past year plus. I hope so:-)

IM BUIL IN NC & NO WAY NEVER AGAIN NOT SUR IF ALL BLAME IS COVID BUT EVERY TURN PROBLEMS FROM SETBAC WRONG SO HAV TO REVISE PLAN TO DELIVERYS ALLWAYS MONTHS OUT

So, we are still building and I don't want to do it again. Some of that is I love our house and setting and can't imagine what I'd do differently. The Decision Fatigue is real. Our previous two houses were old Victorian's that I did huge (almost completely full) renovations on and did everything myself. Having someone hand me keys after the end of this build is going to be very nice! :)

FWIW I wouldn't want to renovate anything again either. LOL.

I am planning to finish the basement and a guest suite above the garage myself. DW says I need a project :)

I'm right in the middle of building. We have a good builder and most of the subs have been great too, but at every stage I hate our HOA more and more. They take the joy out of the process.

Not sure I would want to build again. I selected all the materials for the house and put a lot of time into it, which means you kind of stop living the rest of your life. Don't think I want to be in limbo and living out of boxes again for another 12-18 months of my life.

We're also mid build now, broke ground in May, which was quite a delay from our original planned start but I think I'd do it again, although with the lumber and other material price increases I admit there was a pretty high stress factor on whether it was particually wise to go ahead at that time.

While this isn't our first build, it is our first time building in a truly established neighborhood, where the neighboring homes have been here for decades. This fact added an element I hadn't really thought too much about before, which is the direct neighbors not overly pleased with us building and being less than friendly. The further away neighbors have complemented us often on the house and stopped to chat when we are there, but the immediate neighbors are clearly not pleased, which is uncomfortable to say the least. I honestly don't think the close neighbors would have been pleased regardless of who built or what style house it was because they were losing their corner park like setting that they've enjoyed for years and years.

I also agree the process has been very time consuming, as I have done most of the design and all of the selections myself, but with Covid life has been somewhat limited anyways and this house project has provided a focus and creative outlet rather than only thinking about the turmoil going on in the world.

Thankfully we have been able to stay in our current home, so we haven't had to deal with the renting aspect, but it's always in the back of our mind worrying about the market crashing before we sell it this spring.

So many things to consider, but yes I'd do it again, if there comes a reason for us to sell and move, but I don't potentially see that happening. Who knows though, because I never expected to be a Canadian born and raised girl, turned Southerner for the past 20 years either, but here I am.

I'm 61 and built a new home a year ago, semi-custom. I also built a custom home 27 years ago. I'm a different person now than when I was younger and much more willing to make compromises and take things in stride. But I do like selecting all of the items for my home and that they are brand new.

If you like it - why not?

Ofc right now we face a lot of challenges while building processes such as permissions and quality materials, and it is hard to find good workers even. But I do believe in the power of a wish. If you want to, start doing it. It is better to be mistaken than to regret you've never tried.

@Kat, I don't understand the people who get upset about an empty lot getting developed in an established neighborhood. They could have bought the lot themselves and done whatever they wanted with it!