Has anyone built their own home?

[Tradesman]

Has anyone considered constructing a metal building? I've been toying with the idea of having one designed in the 50' X 75' range and devoting about 1750sft in one end for living space. This leaves 2000sft for a couple of cars and a shop. My idea is to pour a slab with the living area built up 24" above the grade of the garage floor with no crawl space.
The living area is to be framed in metal and covered with standard sheetrock.
We rarely have snow here and the winters are fairly mild so building anytime of the year is not a problem. In fact the roof pitch for this size building per the country codes is 1:12...pretty flat. This was also from a quote by a manufacturer about 40 miles down the road. Even my house has a 5:12.
On STEELBUILDING.COM you can design a building to your needs. I spec'd a height of 16' and the base price was $10,913 including a $574 discount. Insulation adds another $4,215 and framed openings are $586. I can do better on the roll up, standard doors, and windows so they weren't included. Ridge vents and other goodies add about $1,000.
Total less freight $16,714.00, slab comes out to about the same cost.

Still kicking it around...any thoughts.

Tradesman

[Therese]

Dave,

Therese and I (Hugh) are in the process of building our own Log Home from Scratch. We looked at a kit, but decided to go at it ourselves. Went to one of those log home expos and they all said a log home from scratch can't be built. They want you to buy one!!

I built the foundation with a small electric mixer and wheelbarrow. Wow that took some time, about 2 1/2 months. If we had the money we would have had this process done.

We hired out the excavation of the basement and driveway. That was a big expense. This guy brought in a big 64000 lb machine and moved all the rocks and stumps. This is a local issue here in western maine.

Anyway, the logs are going up fast now. Started this whole process in June. We are using square 6 x 8 timbers from the sawmill. If you take your time, read as much material as you can and use the old knoggen you can accomplish anything. Don't let other people tell you it can't be done. If you have already noticed, the ones with the opinions of "it can't be done", probably haven't accomplished anything more than the big job of walking down to the mail box everyday.

Let me know what you have decided.

[Stoneheartfarm]

Have I done it? Why, yes, I have. I moved into it last Sunday. It took about 3 years and that was with subbing out the cement work, plumbing, heating and framing. It was also done debt free, as you propose. The problem with doing it yourself over such a time period is that the project continues to evolve, eventually growing a second head, some slimy tentacles and great big fangs. This is because you or your wife will continually see things and decide you want them in your new home. (A larger bath tub, specialty lighting, flooring, etc.) So the job just went from simple (vinyl tile) to expensive (ceramic tile.)

On the other hand, you can scrounge some good deals if you shop the close out racks. We picked up enough tile to do the main floor tub surround (240-8x8) and vanity top (25-8x8), off the discount rack at Home Depot for $5.00 a box. ($55.00 total for the tile). Then, we saw a nice little decorative belt tile that we wanted to use to make a band around the tub, and promptly spent $280.00 on it. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] Go figure.

SHF

[chevdog]

Been there, done that, won't do it again. My background is in achitecture and construction, but even with a few contacts and knowing how to do the plans, the constant grind and TIME of having a huge project like that is not worth it to me. In the years that I would spend building I could be already living in it.
I helped my dad build a house years ago and that's all we did - there was always some reason that something just had to get done that weekend. It got old and a lot of the fun went right out the window.
We are having our home built by Superior Homes Custom Inc. at a cost of $47/sf. That's very reasonable. It's a nice single story brick home- just like what you see in a subdivision, except the upgrades that the subdivision builders charge for are included - better quality fixtures, finishes, etc. They carry their own construction money, so I don't have a construction loan, but I will have a mortgage when they are finished. But - their construction time is 60-90 days, so why do I want to spend the next few years building?
We have so much to do anyway with getting that pasture turned into a homestead that to add a house construction would be overwhelming. Just getting in utilities, roads, barn, paving, fencing, etc etc is enough!

[Alan_L_Texas]

When we built our original house in 1980 for $40,000 we used a general contractor, who was my Dad. In 1986, after Dad had retired, with his consulting help, we did a $40,000 addition to the home. I had a friend help some days, and paid one carpenter on an hourly basis from time to time. I did all of the plumbing and electrical myself.

The job took 6 months, and I have never been more miserable and trapped in my life. I'll never forget one night when I was green sheetrocking the new shower, I was tired and recut the same piece about 3 or 4 times, kept making mistakes. I blew up and threw a tool across the room where it knocked a big hole into a nice sheetrocked wall.

Ever see the Money Pit, where Tom Hanks and Shelley Long have spent all this money on this house, and the final straw is when the bathtub goes through the floor? Tom Hanks loses it, and just starts laughing... can't get his breath he his so hysterical. Anyway thats what I did when that happened.

NEVER again......

[Stoneheartfarm]

Now see, I never got so mad that I actually broke anything. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Although I regularly threatened to get 5 gallons of kerosene and some rags...
[img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

SHF

[ScottAR]

Been watching this thread for awhile... Thought I would chime in with my family's projects over the years. I should say that my parents GC'd some houses in the 70's, (before/during the giant interest rates) and have a few rentals that need regular work. My uncle is a retired HVAC contractor and my cousin is a HVAC contractor/ pro firefighter. I was out of work temporarly this summer and was bored so I helped for about a month. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

1500ish sq ft with double garage. Porch all the way across the front. 5-12 roof.

On with the story...

My cousin's house project started about the last week of April with the driveway. (insert numerous weather delays here) The footings and block went in during June among more weather delays. We were setting floor joists on July 4th. My uncle, cousin, and myself with the odd helper here and there framed the floor, all the walls with sheathing in about 3.5 weeks. My uncle had a guy with a boom truck hoist the premade trusses onto the walls(laying flat), and one weekend in a "barn raising" type thing, about 6 of us stood and secured the trusses. Back down to 3 people and 3 days the roof was decked. Used the tractor to lift the decking. They hired the roof (2 days) and started on windows/doors.
I had to do some rehab on a couple of rentals so I was out of the loop for about 2-3 weeks. They did the plumbing and electrical; hired the insulation, drywall, and inside trim. I came back for painting. Sprayed primer with the airless and rolled color/brushed trim. 1.5 weeks with 4-5 people (2 that were practiced painters and 3...uh..."not practiced") Hired cabinets, flooring, garage doors, and brick/siding.

Anyway, glossing over the 500 little projects, They've been living in this house about 3 weeks as of Thanksgiving. It can be done, but go in with your eyes open. YMMV.

[53559]

I've never built a bird-house in my life but the last 18 months I have taken on building a house with an attached apt. in Maine. I also have an 18 month old baby boy and constant deadlines in my work. VERY familiar with the build as you 'continue life' game. I've had some help from my father-in-law and my own parents. I've worked on probably 85% of the project and had help with probably 70% of that 85. ANY questions or help I can give you, let me know and maybe we can talk/e-mail what-have-you.

'The Arizonan-Mainer'

[Pat]

Neat picture. Ah, brave lad... trolling for mountain lions.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[tugwell]

I'm new here, although I've been on TBN for a while.

Build your own home? If you have the time and determination, I think it will be one of the great accomplishments of your life.

I built my own "home" starting in 2000. I adapted plans from Barnplans.com to have a shop downstair and a 1200 square foot apartment above. The building is 32x40 with an gambrel roof. I was fortunate that our building inspector allowed me to alter the plans for dormers and a full loft. (If you haven't looked at Barnplans.com, their structures are very stout, and I actually increased specs here and there.)

I contracted the site prep and septic, but did everything else with the occasional help of friends (slab and raising walls) and the frequent help of my retired father. We started the foundation in July, and were weathered in by the end of September. I worked half-time during the summer, but full-time through the winter (wiring, plumbing, and drywall). We built our own cabinets (I'm a shop teacher), laid the carpet, did the trim work, etc., etc. I moved into a "finished" home 53 weeks after we poured the foundation. I've spent the last three years adding a carport, drywalling and insulating the downstairs, and completing those little things that didn't get done initially.

Would I do it again? Yes, if I thought my body was up to it. I am as proud of this place as anything else I've ever done! The structure cost about $40,000 including rental equipment, septic, and tools I needed to buy. The insurance company says replacement cost is $125K. That's a big savings!

The time committment is significant, and it will drain you of everything you have. Relationships will suffer if you push yourself like I did. Considering you have a place to live while building, I think you could pace yourself.

If I can give anybody other information, just ask.

Tugwell