Any one built there own house? Been kicking around the idea of building my own house to help out with the cost. Was thinking of haveing someone put up the shell to get the thing rolling and start with the things I have the ability to do, roofing, siding, electrical (I have a nephew that is an electician to get me started) plumbing, insulate and hang drywall. I will probably have a real drywaller do the mudding, hang the cabinety and do tile work. Do you think this will be worth my while or am I just torturing myself for a few dollars??
- Thread starter Case e
- Start date
I built my home in 1999/2000, It took me 10 months.
My home is 2500 sq. feet, ranch on a block crawl. I worked my azz off.
I hired a crew to dig/pour the footings and lay the block.
I hired a crew to frame the house.
I hired an HVAC guy to put in the furnace and duct work.
I hired 2 guys to run the rough electric.
I hired a buddy to roof the house.
I hired out the rough plumbing.
I hired a crew to do all the drywall, hang and mud.
I hired an excavator to put in the septic.
I put in all the window and doors, I did the final electric and final plumbing, I did all the wood work, all the painting...What a 8itch that was. Exterior wood siding too. (50 gallons of Behr paint stain) I put in all the hardwood floors, I hired out the carpet. I put in all the insulation, walls and ceiling. I put in all the kitchen cabinets and bath cabinets. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths by the way.
It cost me a fortune too......With the land, and the garage which was built in late 2000 after I moved in it was $250,000 or there abouts.
I saved a pile of money by doing a lot myself but.....It was great doing it and I wish I had done many things different. The trades have taken a beating with the housing market all wrecked. If you know guys that will work for cheaper than the going rate than do it.
Chime back in if you want to know what I paid for some of the labor on the trades.
My home is 2500 sq. feet, ranch on a block crawl. I worked my azz off.
I hired a crew to dig/pour the footings and lay the block.
I hired a crew to frame the house.
I hired an HVAC guy to put in the furnace and duct work.
I hired 2 guys to run the rough electric.
I hired a buddy to roof the house.
I hired out the rough plumbing.
I hired a crew to do all the drywall, hang and mud.
I hired an excavator to put in the septic.
I put in all the window and doors, I did the final electric and final plumbing, I did all the wood work, all the painting...What a 8itch that was. Exterior wood siding too. (50 gallons of Behr paint stain) I put in all the hardwood floors, I hired out the carpet. I put in all the insulation, walls and ceiling. I put in all the kitchen cabinets and bath cabinets. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths by the way.
It cost me a fortune too......With the land, and the garage which was built in late 2000 after I moved in it was $250,000 or there abouts.
I saved a pile of money by doing a lot myself but.....It was great doing it and I wish I had done many things different. The trades have taken a beating with the housing market all wrecked. If you know guys that will work for cheaper than the going rate than do it.
Chime back in if you want to know what I paid for some of the labor on the trades.
Jason the Red
Member
I can tell you that if you hang the drywall yourself, it will end up costing you more. Finishers hate to follow guys like you that get the bright idea to "cut costs", and end up causing them more work. The finisher I use typically triples the price.
As far as the rest of the work, be sure your work can pass any and all inspections. If you have to hire somebody to follow you, it is going to cost!!
As far as the rest of the work, be sure your work can pass any and all inspections. If you have to hire somebody to follow you, it is going to cost!!
I built my present house from the ground up nearly 20 years ago, framing is really the easiest part that goes the quickest. It will take time to do it right, do you have a Woman that is going to be on your tale to hurry up? If you move in before its finished it may not get finished. If a Woman is involved you better let her have it like she wants it to start with because everything she don't like later will be your fault. I saved substantial money building it myself but we don't have codes or permits or anything where I live so I could build a mansion or a hog pen without worrying about inspectors.
Paul from MI
Well-known Member
I did ours in 1973. Had a contractor put up a shell, install windows & doors and put on roof, siding, & pour basement and garage floors. Basically close the place in so I wasn't dependent on weather. I did the wiring, furnace & ductwork, insulation, sub-floors, interior doors & trim, plumbing, painting & staining, etc. We finished in 6 months. I worked about 5 hours EVERY weekday and 8-10 EVERY Saturday and Sunday. I had some help from the guys I worked with(I had helped them build their houses), but mostly my wife and me.
I did some of the work on mine, but mostly acted as my own contractor- hired others to do the work, but found and hauled the lumber, appliances, etc. on sale. You can save a lot that way. Mine was 30 years ago, but I found many trades guys who would work for time and materials, and I really think I saved a lot- but then, I was lucky and didn't run into anyone who skinned me. And my dad was the carpenter- didn't work for free, but was very reasonable.
Gotta get pros for the carpet, and especially the drywall and insulation. As someone else said, they'll probably do it for very little more than the cost of the materials for you (ever see drywall on sale at Home Depot?). And its HARD WORK, rasslin' that stuff around.
The plumber is still around, and I see him occasionally (mine was his first house job). The numbers have changed, of course, but he did it on time and materials, and dad and I had bought some ABS fittings before we decided not to do it, so he used some of those. He estimated $1,500 for the job, it came in at about a thousand. I asked him what he would have bid it, and he said 1,800.
Gotta get pros for the carpet, and especially the drywall and insulation. As someone else said, they'll probably do it for very little more than the cost of the materials for you (ever see drywall on sale at Home Depot?). And its HARD WORK, rasslin' that stuff around.
The plumber is still around, and I see him occasionally (mine was his first house job). The numbers have changed, of course, but he did it on time and materials, and dad and I had bought some ABS fittings before we decided not to do it, so he used some of those. He estimated $1,500 for the job, it came in at about a thousand. I asked him what he would have bid it, and he said 1,800.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
If you enjoy building it would probably be worth building the house yourself. If not your looking at the hardest job of you life. It would be a good idea to have the shell done. It would take too long for a person to do that by themselves and water would cause damage before you could get the roof on. I would give the mudding a try. By the time you get the house done you would be an expert. Tile is easy also and the tools can be purchased cheap at harbor freight. I would be willing to help you when it comes time to installing the cabinets. I manufacture cabinets for a living and could walk you through it.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
I built mine in 1979 and didn't hire any crews, except 1. Wife young kids and I did all except for a neighbor who came over and helped set the 36' trusses and one of my boys chose not to help so the $1000 he would have received went to some drywall boys and was a good investment....I don't like to do it.
Work was slack at the time and I had 30 days vacation. Took a 30 day LOA (60 calendar days) and built the house to the point where we could move in in 45 working days. The initial house was 1440 sq ft which I have increased to 2490 doing that work myself also.
I had 2 things that needed correcting after finishing: a light switch malfunction which turned out to be the switch and one connection between PVC and the brass faucet for one shower had a drip. Not bad for a guy who never built a house before.
Used a Readers Digest "how to" book to get ideas on things I didn't know about but was savy to most all of it.
Now here's the kicker.....did it for about $10,000.00 and it got me out of town. There was a local Buy Sell Trade guy in town that just happened to have plywood, insulation, electrical wiring and fixtures. Plumbing was from a lumber yard going out of business. Built pier and beam and poured the footings on the spot using old utility poles for pilings. Like others said, the framing went really fast. Finished some of the interior and some moulding after moving in. Still in it.
Bad news is I deliberately built it in August as we usually don't have any rain. It rained 3 times on it before I could get it weathered in. Put insulation below the sub flooring and it had a vapor barrier which filled up with water. Had to crawl under the house and slit every one of the batts at about 6' intervals to let the water out. Apparently all the wood getting wet didn't hurt anything.
So, if you really want to build your own house, are pretty good with tools and understand some construction basics, including beam loading stresses, go for it. May be the best thing you ever did.
My Uncle built his house when I was a young lad. His was cinder blocks and slab floor. Don't know any particulars, but he built it and lived in it till he died.
On having someone come back and clean up your dry wall mess, the problem that they have is that you have to know how to put it up to minimize the taping requirements and not be afraid to grab a fresh sheet of material.....no little bitty pieces causing them to have to do a lot of taping.
HTH,
Mark
Work was slack at the time and I had 30 days vacation. Took a 30 day LOA (60 calendar days) and built the house to the point where we could move in in 45 working days. The initial house was 1440 sq ft which I have increased to 2490 doing that work myself also.
I had 2 things that needed correcting after finishing: a light switch malfunction which turned out to be the switch and one connection between PVC and the brass faucet for one shower had a drip. Not bad for a guy who never built a house before.
Used a Readers Digest "how to" book to get ideas on things I didn't know about but was savy to most all of it.
Now here's the kicker.....did it for about $10,000.00 and it got me out of town. There was a local Buy Sell Trade guy in town that just happened to have plywood, insulation, electrical wiring and fixtures. Plumbing was from a lumber yard going out of business. Built pier and beam and poured the footings on the spot using old utility poles for pilings. Like others said, the framing went really fast. Finished some of the interior and some moulding after moving in. Still in it.
Bad news is I deliberately built it in August as we usually don't have any rain. It rained 3 times on it before I could get it weathered in. Put insulation below the sub flooring and it had a vapor barrier which filled up with water. Had to crawl under the house and slit every one of the batts at about 6' intervals to let the water out. Apparently all the wood getting wet didn't hurt anything.
So, if you really want to build your own house, are pretty good with tools and understand some construction basics, including beam loading stresses, go for it. May be the best thing you ever did.
My Uncle built his house when I was a young lad. His was cinder blocks and slab floor. Don't know any particulars, but he built it and lived in it till he died.
On having someone come back and clean up your dry wall mess, the problem that they have is that you have to know how to put it up to minimize the taping requirements and not be afraid to grab a fresh sheet of material.....no little bitty pieces causing them to have to do a lot of taping.
HTH,
Mark
I didn't build a new house, instead I did about 50 times more work and remodeled an OLD, OLD house. Yes you can save money, IF, and I do mean IF you know how to do the things you are considering.
I have never done any construction before like this in my life, heck I work in a factory. But I am pretty handy. The only things I hired were the basement, the house moving, hanging the drywall and the insulation being sprayed, foam that is.
All of the other work was done by me and my wife. I built everything else in this house. All the cabinets, all the trim, everything. Yes this was a huge project. I was told by many, many people I was nuts but that's how stubborn I am.
There were lots of days I wanted to burn this things down because I was so sick and tired of working on it. The projects seemed to drag on forever it seemed like. There are many things I would do very different if I had to do it over again.
Yes we saved tons of money and have a pretty nice house now, but it probably took 10 years off my life. I will add some pics of what we started with and a couple after.
Don't let me stop you, but I will warn you its a huge undertaking that takes twice as long and twice as much money as you think it will. Oh and don't even get me started on the permits and inspectors.
Joe Hynes
P.S. Oh by the way this place has been in my family since 1867, that is about the only reason we saved the house.
I have never done any construction before like this in my life, heck I work in a factory. But I am pretty handy. The only things I hired were the basement, the house moving, hanging the drywall and the insulation being sprayed, foam that is.
All of the other work was done by me and my wife. I built everything else in this house. All the cabinets, all the trim, everything. Yes this was a huge project. I was told by many, many people I was nuts but that's how stubborn I am.
There were lots of days I wanted to burn this things down because I was so sick and tired of working on it. The projects seemed to drag on forever it seemed like. There are many things I would do very different if I had to do it over again.
Yes we saved tons of money and have a pretty nice house now, but it probably took 10 years off my life. I will add some pics of what we started with and a couple after.
Don't let me stop you, but I will warn you its a huge undertaking that takes twice as long and twice as much money as you think it will. Oh and don't even get me started on the permits and inspectors.
Joe Hynes
P.S. Oh by the way this place has been in my family since 1867, that is about the only reason we saved the house.
I am a building contractor. My son and I work together and we are not on a big scale by any means. I started out building houses by myself with the help of my dear wife. She wasn't afraid to climb a ladder and help shingle the roofs or nail plywood. We did it all by hand too, no nailers. I have did about every job there is in building a house except for electrical work. After doing this for 35 years I have learned you can't do it all. We sometimes do the concrete flat work yet but otherwise leave the drywall, plumbing, insulating, shingling, and heating to others. Codes say we can't do the plumbing unless it is for my own home. Drywallers won't tape a house anymore unless they hang it. Framing isn't to bad but I have seen a lot do it yourselvers really mess things up and then call for help. Would have been cheaper to hire it in the first place. Same with doing woodwork. Most every homeowner we have built for had the idea to do the woodwork themselves. The one's that do say never again and after looking at it, I know why. I always try to find the best subcontractors for a reason. The job is done right and they don't have to come back to redo anything. Some have been with me since 1992. It all depends on what your skill level is and if you have a good paying job you might be further ahead to stay at that and pay somebody that does it every day to do it. There are a lot of guys that will come driving up looking for you to hire them. If they were any good they would be busy. I put my own foundation in for the house I live in now. Was in June, about 90 everyday. I laid the blocks, my oldest son carried them and my youngest son and wife mixed and carried the mud. By the time we got done we were all about burned out and I saved a $1,000 over if I had hired it done. Then I still had to build the rest of the house. Never again did I do that.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Very nice wood work. Hear you on how big of a job it is to redo an old house. That was not an option for me but I understand your thinking.
Mark
Mark
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
Joe,
If you act as the contractor and sub things out, you may save money and then again you may get taken to the cleaners. If you know good sub contractors, that you have done business with before, to frame, finish drywall, blow the insulation and hang cabinets, Great! On the other hand if this is your first experience, you may want to find a good divorce lawyer before you begin. You will also need a pocket full of money. Banks don't want to lend money on building materials and land without improvements, only finished homes.
If you don't have the experience, tools, truck, backhoe, and skills to do everything yourself, just knowing someone who can help WON'T WORK! Good way to lose friends.
I have completely remolded many homes and added on to existing homes. Getting to old to do many things, so I have good sub contractors that I can call. That said, when you build something for yourself, you tend to buy the more expensive things and there is no cost savings, trust me. 20 years ago I put $75,000 in a remodel on a house I paid $35,000 for 15 years before. At the time the house's value wasn't worth $110,000.
Sounds to me you should start small, remodel, gain experience, tools, and skills to do things yourself.
George
If you act as the contractor and sub things out, you may save money and then again you may get taken to the cleaners. If you know good sub contractors, that you have done business with before, to frame, finish drywall, blow the insulation and hang cabinets, Great! On the other hand if this is your first experience, you may want to find a good divorce lawyer before you begin. You will also need a pocket full of money. Banks don't want to lend money on building materials and land without improvements, only finished homes.
If you don't have the experience, tools, truck, backhoe, and skills to do everything yourself, just knowing someone who can help WON'T WORK! Good way to lose friends.
I have completely remolded many homes and added on to existing homes. Getting to old to do many things, so I have good sub contractors that I can call. That said, when you build something for yourself, you tend to buy the more expensive things and there is no cost savings, trust me. 20 years ago I put $75,000 in a remodel on a house I paid $35,000 for 15 years before. At the time the house's value wasn't worth $110,000.
Sounds to me you should start small, remodel, gain experience, tools, and skills to do things yourself.
George
Dieselbreath
Member
I acted as Owner/builder in 1993 and built a 2600 foot house with a 1500 ft walk out basement. I had just retired and had the time. However with the wife constantly asking "when can we move in?" I hired most of it done and finished in 10 months. I saved money and know it was done right since I was there every day working along with the subs and enjoyed the heck out of it.
I endured working over a wet Oregon winter with the house open and it got soaking wet. Other than some settlement cracks no harm done. If you can schedule everything so it won"t get wet that would be a plus.
If I had to do it all myself I doubt if I would be done yet.
I endured working over a wet Oregon winter with the house open and it got soaking wet. Other than some settlement cracks no harm done. If you can schedule everything so it won"t get wet that would be a plus.
If I had to do it all myself I doubt if I would be done yet.
Eldon (WA)
Well-known Member
I built my own starting in 04 and finishing in 08. I worked on it mostly in the winter when I didn't have much else to do, and we paid for the materials as we went (no bank/mortgage deadlines or hassles). I finished the lower level first and we lived in that section while I did the upper. I built my own drafting table, drew up the plans, got all the permits, dug the basement, dug in the utilities, put in sewer, framed it up (with the help of 2 guys)...and basically did everything except pour and finish of the concrete, rough plumbing and electrical, and the HVAC. I did a lot of special touches that were labor intensive and would have cost a fortune to hire someone to do. I built all of the cabinets upstairs, laid a lot of tile and marble, hardwood floors, custom fireplace, etc. I think I have about $120k in a 3200 sq ft house valued around $375k, so the savings were worth it for me. It will help if you have some building experience (I once worked for my cousin (a builder) for 6 months) and like others have said, make sure you have an understanding wife....
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
Many, many years ago when I was kid of 15 I worked with my uncle building houses. Learned a lot but mostly I learned that it's not a one man job. You need two people to do most of the work. Twenty years ago I built my own house in southern Oregon I was the contractor and hired the sub contractors to most of the work although I did the wiring myself and got a complement from the inspector. Even taught him one thing about running a 220 wire to the back of the house and splitting it out to two 110s saves on wire and does a cleaner job.
One thing to remember is that a roofer can buy the roofing put it on for what you will pay for the material also on most of the other stuff. Check around and see what the cost are. Finnish work is fun but can run up the cost two.
Walt Davies
One thing to remember is that a roofer can buy the roofing put it on for what you will pay for the material also on most of the other stuff. Check around and see what the cost are. Finnish work is fun but can run up the cost two.
Walt Davies
I built mine, and have a few pointers. First, consider that if you are holding down a regular job, you'll be building part-time. Check with your permit office before you start and see if there are any time limits on building. It will take longer than you think. What happens if you aren't complete (final inspection) before the permit expires? Make sure you know all the applicable codes. Again, permit office should be able to "help" you there. Other than the need to have a multiple man crew at times, erecting the shell is actually the fast and easy part, and it doesn't require any special tools that you don't already have. Who doesn't have a hammer, circular saw, tape measure and framing square? Probably makes a lot of sense to hire out the concrete work, as it can be difficult to get "your friends" to come over and help with that. Definitely hire out the drywall hanging and mudding to a pro. It's not a difficult skill, but not one you want to learn on your own house. Besides, the drywall guys can hang and mud the drywall almost as cheap as you can. If you're going to be your own general contractor and hire subs, you probably need to provide toilet facilities for them, so figure that in your costs.
I am toward the final stages of doing just that. Contracted to have things I couldn't do myself (needing multiple people) like foundation, framing, rough plumbing and electrical, and heating. Been doing all the finishing myself; bathrooms, kitchen, trim, flooring, painting. Could not have afforded it any other way. Also oversaw/directed and worked side by side in the construction of an aircraft hangar. Still have lots of work to do but at least have COs.
Eldon (WA)
Well-known Member
My wife's choice...with 75 AC tractors here it was hard to find a pic without some orange in it LOL!
On my first place, I did just what Joe Hynes did in his post. A complete gut, addition, everything. I think it was probably as hard a building a new house. I had lots of time on my hands. We had no heat for a while, since we ripped the whole side of the house off in March. Lots of things like that.
Second house. I was working a ton of OT. In the end it was easier and quicker to write a check. My dad and I picked up a few of the easier tasks that we could knock out on a Saturday night and Sunday.
I was once told and do believe this "If your marriage can survive building a house, you have a strong marriage"
rick
Second house. I was working a ton of OT. In the end it was easier and quicker to write a check. My dad and I picked up a few of the easier tasks that we could knock out on a Saturday night and Sunday.
I was once told and do believe this "If your marriage can survive building a house, you have a strong marriage"
rick
mjsnodgrass
Member
i'm doing that right now. i poured the foundation, framed it, roofed it plumbed it. i hired out the electrial because of the numerous code requirements. hung the drywall, but will find someone to tape and finish. pick your battles right? i don't feel as though i saved a lot of money, as there are many contractors looking for work, but i have a much better built house. used 2 x 12s' for joists, 5 ply cdx sheathing, 50 yr roof, things like they use to. it's been a lot of work. just make sure you get a inspection every 4 -5 month to reset your permit. what really took a lot of time i feel was septic, power and well. good luck and have fun
I did mine in 93. I figure I got a $150,000 house for $70,000. It took about a year to make it liveable with a years worth of cosmetics to finish. In my area the early 90's were right on the start of "hyper" regulation. I didn't need some of the inspections we now have. Due to inspector issues in my Twp I never even got an occupancy permit. I did anyhting wood related, plus plumbing, electrical and some of the concrete. It was as square and true as I could possibly make it. I have/had a few good friends that were knowledgeable of all steps and between us we had all the tools. One thing though, the subcontractors were not in any hurry to get to my job, because they all have regular contractors that give them a lot of work and they get first priority. I like to tell folks "I can't tell them who to hire but I sure can tell them who NOT to".
If specific location is not a major factor, and if you're not just itching to go hands-on, you might be better to just look for a good house on the market, with all the yard and shrubs and fences and systems already in place.
In my case I had land in the country so I contracted with a company that builds shell homes---frame, exterior, roof, sub-floor, windows, wall insulation, exterior doors. One good experienced carpenter did about ninety percent of the work building the shell. He didn't use a blueprint---he had a one-page footprint of the house tacked to a short length of 1x12.
The rest of the work I contracted out(HVAC, rough electrical, drywall, plumbing, septic, well, interior finish, exterior paint, fireplace, kitchen linoleum.) My neighbor built my cabinets and I did the countertops and bathroom tile. I (and wife) did all interior painting, attic insulation, receptacles/switches/fixtures, fireplace mantle, 900 sq. ft. of redoak 3/4 t&g flooring and 80 sq.ft. of 3/4 redoak mosaic pattern flooring, separate garage.
I was also holding down a full-time job dur, king this time.
I know I saved money, but I couldn't say with any degree of certainty just how much. It was a great experience, and I have a 2,300 ft. house (plus two big porches) that I really enjoy. If you're young and handy (or want to be forced to learn how to be handy) go for it. You'll have some pride in what you did.
In my case I had land in the country so I contracted with a company that builds shell homes---frame, exterior, roof, sub-floor, windows, wall insulation, exterior doors. One good experienced carpenter did about ninety percent of the work building the shell. He didn't use a blueprint---he had a one-page footprint of the house tacked to a short length of 1x12.
The rest of the work I contracted out(HVAC, rough electrical, drywall, plumbing, septic, well, interior finish, exterior paint, fireplace, kitchen linoleum.) My neighbor built my cabinets and I did the countertops and bathroom tile. I (and wife) did all interior painting, attic insulation, receptacles/switches/fixtures, fireplace mantle, 900 sq. ft. of redoak 3/4 t&g flooring and 80 sq.ft. of 3/4 redoak mosaic pattern flooring, separate garage.
I was also holding down a full-time job dur, king this time.
I know I saved money, but I couldn't say with any degree of certainty just how much. It was a great experience, and I have a 2,300 ft. house (plus two big porches) that I really enjoy. If you're young and handy (or want to be forced to learn how to be handy) go for it. You'll have some pride in what you did.
jim johnson
Well-known Member
There are two things that make this a hard thing to do in a lot of situations.
1: If you have a loan will the bank go along with your idea, a lot of them won't.
2: In some locations where you have to have a building permit it is only good for so long and you have to renew it and that can get expensive after a few times but also some will only renew it so many times and then it has to be completed or suffer the consequences.
It's a good idea but if you are relying on friends and family to help it can cause problems. They are always eager in the beginning but when it starts taking up their weekends it gets old fast. When I built houses for a living I helped friends out but it usually ended up with me doing all the work for nothing and them drinking beer. The lumber that is sold today will not stay in a wall without something making it stay there. I've seen lots of wall studs pull themselves out of the nails and wind up in a u shape on the floor. There are a lot of things to consider before you do this so you remain friends with your friends.
1: If you have a loan will the bank go along with your idea, a lot of them won't.
2: In some locations where you have to have a building permit it is only good for so long and you have to renew it and that can get expensive after a few times but also some will only renew it so many times and then it has to be completed or suffer the consequences.
It's a good idea but if you are relying on friends and family to help it can cause problems. They are always eager in the beginning but when it starts taking up their weekends it gets old fast. When I built houses for a living I helped friends out but it usually ended up with me doing all the work for nothing and them drinking beer. The lumber that is sold today will not stay in a wall without something making it stay there. I've seen lots of wall studs pull themselves out of the nails and wind up in a u shape on the floor. There are a lot of things to consider before you do this so you remain friends with your friends.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
The mistake most people make when tape and bedding is smear too much mud on thinking its better to get plenty on so they don't have to come back and apply some more later. The fact is what is labor intensive is sanding the mud so it's better to try to put the mud on thin like you never intend to sand it even if you have to make a couple of passes around the room. That way there is not too much to sand when it dries.
For tile work I would go to harbor freight and get one tile cutter that just scores and breaks the tile and a wet saw. The larger pieces that you just cut in two it's easier just to score and break it like a piece of glass. If you have an application where you need to cut a corner out of or an electrical outlet a wet saw is the best. It's not as messy either. Picture cutting something on a table saw with someone squirting the blade with water. You will also need a grooved trowel to install the mortar. Then when you lay the tile, for floor tile you lay out how you want the tile to run on the floor with a chalk line as a guide to keep it running straight. Of course you loose the line when you put the mortar down but you work in small areas and you can tell from the line a couple of feet away if you are getting off course. For close up you use plastic dividers to keep the mortar line consistent. Usually overnight the mortar will dry and you can grout it. You just mix it up like the mortar and apply it to the grout line with a rubber float. Then with a bucket of water and a sponge you wash off the excess. Then after a few days when you know the grout is completely dry apply a grout sealer and your done.
For tile work I would go to harbor freight and get one tile cutter that just scores and breaks the tile and a wet saw. The larger pieces that you just cut in two it's easier just to score and break it like a piece of glass. If you have an application where you need to cut a corner out of or an electrical outlet a wet saw is the best. It's not as messy either. Picture cutting something on a table saw with someone squirting the blade with water. You will also need a grooved trowel to install the mortar. Then when you lay the tile, for floor tile you lay out how you want the tile to run on the floor with a chalk line as a guide to keep it running straight. Of course you loose the line when you put the mortar down but you work in small areas and you can tell from the line a couple of feet away if you are getting off course. For close up you use plastic dividers to keep the mortar line consistent. Usually overnight the mortar will dry and you can grout it. You just mix it up like the mortar and apply it to the grout line with a rubber float. Then with a bucket of water and a sponge you wash off the excess. Then after a few days when you know the grout is completely dry apply a grout sealer and your done.
Vito
Well-known Member
I did it.I am a carpenter by trade.I was working as a construction super at the time.I did what I could at night, vacations and weekends.Subs we worked with took very good care of me as far as billing goes.Took 6 months but could have cut the cycle to 120 days if I had to.We did save some money.
Vito
Vito
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
We built or house from 1979-1982. Our permit was good for whole period of time no renewal.THe only work hired was digging of basement,concrete work and roof. We put every spare minute into it while building.I would tack things together and wife and dad did the finishing nailing when I was at work. Had several friend that were home builders that would tell me what to do when I run into problems.
Case e -
We built new home during the big housing boom. This was after saving for 10 yrs. so we put 1/2 down.
I wanted to do what you describe however where I live (out in the sticks) and at the time all the new construction I could not get any subs to come out. I was just a single job on a dirt road and others were subdivisions on the hard roads.
For me I hired a semi-retired builder. He had all the relationships with inspectors and contacts for subs. He was only doing about 10 houses a year so if something was slow at my place his crew had another place to work.
We worked it out that they would do most of the work and after inspections I would do my enhancments i.e. garage attic, upstairs attic, crown moulding etc. I worked nights and wx to keep pace with his crew.
Only thing I regret is not making them dismantle the the garage trusses. Was to be a walk out attic from upstairs and when we discovered mistake they already had the felt down. I hate that dam pull down ladder.
HTH
We built new home during the big housing boom. This was after saving for 10 yrs. so we put 1/2 down.
I wanted to do what you describe however where I live (out in the sticks) and at the time all the new construction I could not get any subs to come out. I was just a single job on a dirt road and others were subdivisions on the hard roads.
For me I hired a semi-retired builder. He had all the relationships with inspectors and contacts for subs. He was only doing about 10 houses a year so if something was slow at my place his crew had another place to work.
We worked it out that they would do most of the work and after inspections I would do my enhancments i.e. garage attic, upstairs attic, crown moulding etc. I worked nights and wx to keep pace with his crew.
Only thing I regret is not making them dismantle the the garage trusses. Was to be a walk out attic from upstairs and when we discovered mistake they already had the felt down. I hate that dam pull down ladder.
HTH
Mark, same thing here. When I went shopping for a mortgage loan. Every bank I went to said no to building my own. All said they had been burned to many times by people with good intentions.
Examples were friends got tired working for pizza and beer, couple divorced before finished or never finished.
All said I had to come back with house plans and a firm price from a reputable builder that they approved of that could complete the house in a set amount off time. Bank then looks over plans and decides if house will be worth builders set price.
Bank said this way if something happens to me they have a house built on budget on time ready to sell to someone else.
House built in 2005. Never go through a house build again!!
Examples were friends got tired working for pizza and beer, couple divorced before finished or never finished.
All said I had to come back with house plans and a firm price from a reputable builder that they approved of that could complete the house in a set amount off time. Bank then looks over plans and decides if house will be worth builders set price.
Bank said this way if something happens to me they have a house built on budget on time ready to sell to someone else.
House built in 2005. Never go through a house build again!!
I have built five new houses and remodeled three. My kids and two nephews all have new homes that we all built together. My brother had been a carpenter before he started farming. My father built his own home with us kids helping. I had remodeled three homes I have lived in. So we had a lot of experience.
Yes you can save money IF you can hang in there and keep working on it while making a living. Some things I think you need to really look at while thinking about doing it.
1) Like others have stated, check on building permits in your area. We did not have to have any where we live at that time. You do now.
2) You really need to have a real good down payment, 30-50%, plus a real good track record with a local bank to get them to finance you to build your own. My Kids all had half the money to start and I spotted them the other half. Then when we where done they financed the house and paid me off. So if your family can help you then it is easier to do. I also have a written contract with all of my kids that states that they agree to help build any homes we are building for a family member. Is that a legal contract?? No but none of them has ever complained about it when they are living in twice the house they would be if they had not had family help.
3) DON'T try to do everything. I can hire drywall hung and finished for just a little more than the drywall cost at a big box store. We let the drywall guy use the houses as fill in between his big jobs. If you have things planned out you can make this work. We would finish a few rooms at a time. Another thing to want right is any concrete work that will show. If you have a rough job on the foundation it is not big deal but if you do that on the garage floor then it is.
4)This is the most important thing!!!! How handy are you and your wife/friends??? I mean you really need to be honest about this. If you have trouble hanging a picture straight then go buy a house that is already done. Also are you good at finishing long projects?? IF you have issues sticking with them then don't even start on a house. It will eat you alive. Everything takes longer and costs much more than you estimate it to take. (One my BIL made me think about) How much money do you make at your day job?? He is steam pipe welder, $75 per hour. Plus he is not a real patient type of guy. He decided to just work a few extra hours/jobs and hire his house built. He is making much more that the people that he could hire to do the work for. So why take a pay cut to do something he was not the best at anyway????
Yes you can save money IF you can hang in there and keep working on it while making a living. Some things I think you need to really look at while thinking about doing it.
1) Like others have stated, check on building permits in your area. We did not have to have any where we live at that time. You do now.
2) You really need to have a real good down payment, 30-50%, plus a real good track record with a local bank to get them to finance you to build your own. My Kids all had half the money to start and I spotted them the other half. Then when we where done they financed the house and paid me off. So if your family can help you then it is easier to do. I also have a written contract with all of my kids that states that they agree to help build any homes we are building for a family member. Is that a legal contract?? No but none of them has ever complained about it when they are living in twice the house they would be if they had not had family help.
3) DON'T try to do everything. I can hire drywall hung and finished for just a little more than the drywall cost at a big box store. We let the drywall guy use the houses as fill in between his big jobs. If you have things planned out you can make this work. We would finish a few rooms at a time. Another thing to want right is any concrete work that will show. If you have a rough job on the foundation it is not big deal but if you do that on the garage floor then it is.
4)This is the most important thing!!!! How handy are you and your wife/friends??? I mean you really need to be honest about this. If you have trouble hanging a picture straight then go buy a house that is already done. Also are you good at finishing long projects?? IF you have issues sticking with them then don't even start on a house. It will eat you alive. Everything takes longer and costs much more than you estimate it to take. (One my BIL made me think about) How much money do you make at your day job?? He is steam pipe welder, $75 per hour. Plus he is not a real patient type of guy. He decided to just work a few extra hours/jobs and hire his house built. He is making much more that the people that he could hire to do the work for. So why take a pay cut to do something he was not the best at anyway????
Harold Hubbard
Member
I started in in 1985, I think. I had an old nasty 8x35 trailer that leaked on sunny days, and froze my butt in the middle of the summer. I didn't want to put my house anywhere else, and I didn't dare move the trailer and try to live in it afterward. So, I had a foundation trench dug around the trailer, and twice as wide. we poured a footing and laid a block wall on top of it,covered it with hay and waited til spring. That summer and fall, we framed the house, sided it and put on half the roof, In the spring we finished the roof, and started the inside. In the late fall we opened the end of the house and pulled the trailer out, kitchen bathroom and everything. Through the winter we camped out in the shell, living out of the microwave and one cold water faucet while we finished the kitchen, bathroom and most of the living room. In 1991 we had our first child, and work on the house came to a screeching halt. The second boy was born in '93, and it was '98 before any more progress was made. Work has continued in fits and starts, as money and time has been available. It is still a work in progress, and probably always will be.
Here are some facts about the build:
All the lumber came from my father's farm.
I was working for him full time until 2000
He was generous with his own help, and the use of any and all farm tools and equipment, and cut me considerable slack as to hours of work.
It was all pay as you build.
A good friend of mine helped me for a lot of the design, and much of the actual construction. He was working off and on during this period, and would help out for a weekend at a time for beer and food.
This is a rural area and pretty lax a far as permits and inspections, no bank involvement also gave me leeway that might not have otherwise been available.
I don't ever intend to sell it, so I didn't have to consider the requirements of a hypothetical future buyer.
One piece of advice, if there is any way to avoid it,DO NOT TRY TO LIVE IN A HOUSE WHILE YOU ARE BUILDING IT!!!!!!
Pulling the trailer out
Here are some facts about the build:
All the lumber came from my father's farm.
I was working for him full time until 2000
He was generous with his own help, and the use of any and all farm tools and equipment, and cut me considerable slack as to hours of work.
It was all pay as you build.
A good friend of mine helped me for a lot of the design, and much of the actual construction. He was working off and on during this period, and would help out for a weekend at a time for beer and food.
This is a rural area and pretty lax a far as permits and inspections, no bank involvement also gave me leeway that might not have otherwise been available.
I don't ever intend to sell it, so I didn't have to consider the requirements of a hypothetical future buyer.
One piece of advice, if there is any way to avoid it,DO NOT TRY TO LIVE IN A HOUSE WHILE YOU ARE BUILDING IT!!!!!!
Pulling the trailer out
huntingreen2day
Member
I built mine. Started in July of 93 and moved in in April of 94. A contractor I worked for helped me on some things. I did the electrical, installed a central vac and intercom system. Did all the duct work and installed the AC units. Painted the entire house inside ( never will do that again). I did this while holding down a full time job and running a residential wiring business on the side.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
In today's housing market, you can probably buy a decent house for less than what it will cost to build one, even if you do the work yourself. If you really want to go the DIY route, consider buying a foreclosed home where the former owner gutted it before moving out. These can be picked up for a song, although you may be looking at a lot of expense to get one livable.
My main business is construction - commercial and residential.
Some good advice given to you already here, also on buying an existing and gutting it - some good bargains out there. Here"s a few thoughts for new:
Run the numbers and see what it is to have it "white boxed". That"s dried in, all elec, plumb, and mech"l roughed in and drywall finished. You can sub out those trades or have one general do that part. What"s left - trim and finishes, you can still save on and if you make mistakes, they"re easier to correct (as opposed to goofing up a foundation). The finishes are also easier on your schedule - you"re out of the weather and your work really doesn"t hold up the project too bad.
Believe it or not, there"s some science and tech that goes into doing a house right. Most people with good work ethic and reasonable skills can frame, roof, etc.
However - you really need a very good understanding of water and how to manage it. Proper flashing, air sealing (and not sealing in some cases), moisture transmission, etc. can make or break a house and it may not make itself evident until later. I"ve unfortunately had to undo what many do-it-to-yourselfers have done. They"ve done it according to product specs, and tried to do it right, but did not have a grasp on how the whole thing works together.
I don"t want to discourage you, rather encourage you to do some research on this part of the process - it will help you decide how much you want to try yourself and if not, will help you select the right tradesmen to help you.
Last, by going the white box route and subbing those trades, then doing your finishes you can easily save 20% or more on the cost.
Good luck
Tony
Some good advice given to you already here, also on buying an existing and gutting it - some good bargains out there. Here"s a few thoughts for new:
Run the numbers and see what it is to have it "white boxed". That"s dried in, all elec, plumb, and mech"l roughed in and drywall finished. You can sub out those trades or have one general do that part. What"s left - trim and finishes, you can still save on and if you make mistakes, they"re easier to correct (as opposed to goofing up a foundation). The finishes are also easier on your schedule - you"re out of the weather and your work really doesn"t hold up the project too bad.
Believe it or not, there"s some science and tech that goes into doing a house right. Most people with good work ethic and reasonable skills can frame, roof, etc.
However - you really need a very good understanding of water and how to manage it. Proper flashing, air sealing (and not sealing in some cases), moisture transmission, etc. can make or break a house and it may not make itself evident until later. I"ve unfortunately had to undo what many do-it-to-yourselfers have done. They"ve done it according to product specs, and tried to do it right, but did not have a grasp on how the whole thing works together.
I don"t want to discourage you, rather encourage you to do some research on this part of the process - it will help you decide how much you want to try yourself and if not, will help you select the right tradesmen to help you.
Last, by going the white box route and subbing those trades, then doing your finishes you can easily save 20% or more on the cost.
Good luck
Tony
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