Anyone build their house?
 

Anyone here hire or build your own house? Just wondering about some hints and tips about it possibly. Just contact a few project managers etc with the plans and estimates?

Yes. Don't. It's not worth the hassle. Much easier to buy a turnkey home ready to go.

If it's not your "I'm gonna stay in it forever and ever Dream House", I wouldn't do it. It's not worth the aggravation. Unless you just have a LOT of free time on your hands to have 20 or 30 nervous breakdowns. Talk to a builder who is putting up new homes in certain areas. Usually, they'll let you pick the colors and even make minor structural changes if you get with them before the house is done.

When you do it all from the ground up you'll be ready to kill someone after the 300th call to ask you stuff like, "Where do you want the plugs in the dining room?", "Do you want the carpet to go into the closet?", "Where do you want me to drill the hole on the deck of the tub for the sprayer nozzle?", "So did you only want 2 burners on your gas top, because that's all that came with it?", "Unfortunately, the (blah blah something I have no clue about) we were going to use is not in stock, so we'll have to back order it. Would it be okay if we just used (blah blah something else I've never fucken heard of) instead?" And the biggest one that you might as well go ahead and acquaint yourself with - "We're gonna need $(insert huge amount) extra, for that."

Said perfectly.

I really like those prefab homes. Some of the styles are spectacular.

I build my own house...650 cm2...but i think it is much cheaper to buy a new one..:2 cents:

Do your homework!

It is a time management issue,
& a personality problem, it may be easier to tell your representative that you are not happy with something in particular than trying to tell the builder.

This is based on my experience.

I built a house and had no problems. You must check out the reputation of the builder. As far as money for xtras thats only if you change your mind during the build and want changes or add ons. I was expecting this peocedure to be a huge stressful pain in the ass but It was not at all.

unless you're a builder and know what you're doing, dont do it. do you have a friend who knows a lot about houses? if you do have them find you a builder that does quality work. some of my aunts and uncles bought houses in sub divisions where they put up a few hundred similiar houses at a time and they mass produce them so much that theres a lot of problems. probably better off finding a smaller company.

I have built over 30 houses. I was a contractor and I got out of it because it just got too damn hard to find good subcontractors. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, excavators............. If you can find the right people to do those things building a house can be done without too many problems. If just ONE of those guys turns out to be a crook or just a shit head then the whole experience can go down the tubes fast.

http://www.farsideafrica.com/pics/za.../large/hut.jpg

:glugglug

browse the internet!

I dont think I would have the patience to deal with all the little problems and issues and mechanics of all thats necessary to build from the ground up being my own general contractor. Hire someone else to handle the headache.

Thanks for the replies so far. I have found building plans online and a nice layout etc. I just thought I woudl check out and see what some GFY's have done etc. I really don't think I want to build a place without knowing I will be here for a long ass time.