Help estimating cost of reno
S. Allen
2 years ago
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Charles Ross Homes
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Please HELP estimate non-construction costs
Comments (11)We are building in Va as well and considered a similar owner/builder setup as DH is carpenter for homebuilder and we have access to all subs, etc. We were told by several bankers that without a contractors license, builders insurance and references we would have great difficulty getting a loan. Perhaps things are starting to loosen up, but it's worth considering. We finally decided to have DHs company build the home - he gets paid to work on our house and we don't have the responsibility. When we considered what we would need to pay ourselves if we acted as GC it equaled what we ended up paying our GC in profit/overhead . The initial costs added up quickly and many were specific to the property. For example, our county designates areas "Shrink/swell soil" and if you want to build with in 500ft, you have to hire a soil scientist, soil test and foundation approved by engineer. This was not that costly as we performed tests months in advance of build and worked w/Superior walls who's in house engineer approved basement system. Digging our septic test pits also let us know that our house was going to be situated over a very dense shale and so when our excavator came out, he included a rock hammer in our estimate - at an additional $2500-$3500 that would have come at quite a surprise in the first week of the build. My advice would be to speak in great length with the county officials who will be providing your permits and your excavator. These two resources were incredibly helpful in anticipating the costs with site work. So in my opinion, the more homework you can do regarding the costs to build on that particular lot, the more prepared you will be. Other costs were temporary electrical service, surveys, gravel gravel and more gravel, storage, eating out as we travel to and fro! and our own homeowner's policy for the property in addition to the builders insurance. Best of luck!...See MoreHelp with Cost Estimator
Comments (10)DCRanger--Whoa!!! That cost estimator is WAAAAY off. It came up with $979,383 for my 2494 sq ft house with unfinished bonus & no basement. That's even more than the outrageous quote we got on building the original house we had planned at 4623 sq ft with unfinished bonus & basement with lots of super expensive windows & french doors & expensive finishes! Good heavens!! I just did the math--$392.70 sq ft!!! Definitely something wrong there. Maybe they left off a step & you're supposed to divide the total by 3 or possibly 4? Just redid the quote using Level 6 for everything & deleted the fireplace and it still came in high at $549,323! Yikes!! There is a free cost estimator on www.coolhouseplans.com. You can access it when you click on any plan. They didn't have Thorne Bay, but I clicked on a similar plan with 2934 sq ft and it came up with $88.02 sq ft for Michigan as the average--does not include porches, patios, basement, site prep, well, septic, etc. (NC came in at $77 sq ft) They also have a link from there onto another site where you can purchase a more detailed cost estimator (the $24.95 might just be worth it). Thorne Bay is a beautiful plan with relatively simple lines to it (quite similar to mine, actually). If I was you I would not give up my dream of that house on your 40 acres until you've shopped that plan around to some area builders. Since things are so crazy with the economy right now, I would go to some building suppliers and ask if they can refer you to some quality builders who are in and have remained in good standing through this whole economic crisis. That's how we found ours--the guys at the brick manufacturer gave me the inside scoop on the builder we had planned to use and I finally just asked who they recommended and they had only 2 names for me based on quality & timeliness of paying their subs & suppliers. Also look for someone who doesn't have a lot of overhead as this will also help keep costs reasonable. I'm waiting on my contractor to get back with me on his quote, but he keeps telling me that it will be within that price range of $115-125 sq ft. I'll let you know when he gets back with us. Here is a link that might be useful: coolhouseplans website...See MorePlease help estimate the cost of cabinet door resizing
Comments (4)Unfinished paint grade doors from a cabinet door company will probably run you around $100 each. The labor is what will cost you on this project. I'd expect the labor to be between $300-$500, depending on locale. This would be a fairly easy DIY job for someone who owns a screw driver and can wield a paint brush. However, I'd really caution you on the safety of having a MW located that high up. It IS an issue that you need to be aware of. It'll be LOT more difficult to clean, requiring the uses of a step stool to reach. It's too high to safely pull out hot beverages. It's well outside the average human's comfort reach zone unless you're 7' tall. It'd be downright dangerous for kids or shorter adults and your insurance company might not be that happy with you in creating such a safey hazard in your home....See MoreAC broke - Need help in cost estimate
Comments (15)I have been trying to keep the costs under $8500 and therefore I am down to two systems choices. I have model numbers on one and still working on a quote with model numbers for the other. Any thoughts? Trane XR16 Heat Pump 16 seer 4 ton single stage, 80% gas furnace single stage, new thermostat, matching ACoil, media cabinet fielder, clean flush and reconnect line set, remove and discharge all old equipment. $7600. 1 year "gold" member service plan, 10 year parts warranty from Trane Goodman DSZC180601 DSZC 18 seer 4 ton two stage heat pump GMVCB1005CN 80% variable speed two stage gas furnace CAPF4961 5 ton insulated A-Coil AM11 Media air filter CTK04 Thermostate, fossil fuel kit for heat pump with gas furnace, new pad, flush out freon lines, install new drain line, install new humidifier pad in existing, safety switch, pull vacuum on system and charge, remove all existing items $8,300 2 year warranty on all labor, 10 year on all parts, limited lifetime on compressor? I like both installers, they were heads and tails above two others I spoke with on the system. The Goodman installer (ex Trane dealer, ex Lennox dealer), did the most thorough job, measurements, inspections, questions, etc. I am leaning toward the Goodman because the systems seem night and day from each other, but I feel more confident in the Trane name. Unfortunately a similar Trane system is over $12k...See MoreS. Allen
2 years agoCharles Ross Homes
2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agoUser
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoS. Allen
2 years agoUser
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agonavi_jen
2 years agoS. Allen
2 years agonavi_jen
2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agoKristin Petro Interiors, Inc.
2 years agoS. Allen
2 years agonavi_jen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agonavi_jen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoHelen
2 years agoCharles Ross Homes
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
2 years agoGN Builders L.L.C
2 years agoweedyacres
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoS. Allen
2 years ago
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