20x30 1.5 Story in Flagstaff AZ

[John Raabe]

Ask for other estimates and find out what is driving the high costs (blasting?). Talk to smaller crew builders and see what alternatives are being found.

[potatopankakes]

Hi Rick, how much would your $25k change if you were on the lava flow?  The area my friend is in, has lava flow 2-3 ft below the surface.  Apparently, that's what drove up the cost estimates.

Holy Cow!!!!!  If you guys are having to pay that much!!!     I might just have to buy a hoe and come down there for a few months.

I don't think I have $25K in all my excavation....  Septic tank - septic infiltrators - and permit  -  culverts (found them used off a state road project and they were salvaged)  - excluded.  But that would include the roads - (decomposed granite for road was on site) but would include haulage.  Would include shop and house and a cellar and two RV pads and trenching for water, power and sewer.   However it digging is real easy going over here where we put everything.  We would be in the lava flows if we went 100 ft west.   

[rick91351]

Hi Rick, how much would your $25k change if you were on the lava flow?  The area my friend is in, has lava flow 2-3 ft below the surface.  Apparently, that's what drove up the cost estimates.

Funny the local excavator stopped by today as I am trying to get him back over here and do the fine grading here around the house and redo a road or two.  I ran this post by him...  He says highballing bids by excavating contractors is often a real problem. They often bid job at worst case scenarios then end up in heavy clay or pumice  rather than rock.  Their three days of hacking rocks with a rental rock breaker turns into a day  and no rentals.  But he bid $______ and that was agreed to.  Do not look for him to rebate.

He says that is one reason he often will not bid a job.  Me as long as I have know him it is just so much an hour for the dozer or so much for the excavator or backhoe.  I have worked with him for several years on jobs off and on.  I will give him a hand and he will work you in to the ground.  Like he says he would rather just hire himself and his machinery at so much an hour.  He is reluctant to do so even on road jobs like for the county and he hires out his excavator quite a bit up here.  So you guys might look for some one that will work like him..... 

[Cougr67]

Mathew.
My roof trusses are very much like yours. Parallel cord truss but mine are only a 5/12 pitch. I am having a hard time figuring out what kind of permanent blocking I need to use. The truss heel at the top plate well be blocked off course along with some venting but what else did you do ? Did you block between joists at the ridge? Any diagonals between trusses?

[schiada]

Hi, MP.
I'm down the hill from you in Wilhoit. Just south of Prescott.

Could you use the plan's as they came from CountryPlan's ? I read you needed to change some things to meet code. Did you need to go to a Architect  for the changes ?

Also who did you use for the foundation plan ?

I'm getting close to needing to go to the County (Yavapai ) for permitting and would like to have my duck's in a row.

Thanks for the input ! Randy

[Matthewpeace]

Matt, did you do the excavation on your own, or hire out?

I ask because, I've gotten feedback that digging/rock removal is one of the most expensive portions.  One of my friends was given an estimate of $70k for digging the footers, utility trench, septic & drain fields.  That number possibly included $15 for advance septic equipment.  Even if I take $15 from $70, $55k is still a whopping number for excavation.  But, I'm hearing this rather consistently... so I'm believing it.

I did the land clearing/ grading and footings myself with my backhoe.  The Rock was bad and I just scratched through it as I went.  I had my yard lines for water and sewer run with an excavator.  I dug up more rock than I expected but have since used every single rock in my landscape.  (Pictures to follow). That price seems really high.  I have less than that in my whole build.

[Matthewpeace]

Hi, MP.
I'm down the hill from you in Wilhoit. Just south of Prescott.

Could you use the plan's as they came from CountryPlan's ? I read you needed to change some things to meet code. Did you need to go to a Architect  for the changes ?

Also who did you use for the foundation plan ?

I'm getting close to needing to go to the County (Yavapai ) for permitting and would like to have my duck's in a row.

Thanks for the input ! Randy

I had to make some changes to the plans.  Nothing major however.  Just added the roof truss drawings and changed the foundation plan.  All of the changes made to the plans I did myself with a ruler and a pen. I had no architect or engineers for any of it.  Added electric outlets in the loft, stair plans (that one was a bummer) and I had to change the interior wall to a bearing wall for some reason.  I can send you some pictures if you need

[Matthewpeace]

Mathew.
My roof trusses are very much like yours. Parallel cord truss but mine are only a 5/12 pitch. I am having a hard time figuring out what kind of permanent blocking I need to use. The truss heel at the top plate well be blocked off course along with some venting but what else did you do ? Did you block between joists at the ridge? Any diagonals between trusses?

I just did the blocking at the heels with venting and two continuous lateral braces on either side of the roof. I did not block the ridge.

[NathanS]

Hi Matt, how do you like living on the concrete floor? I'm really thinking about doing a foundation like yours.

Great job on the build.

[MountainDon]

Regarding "living on a concrete floor".  Our home is on a concrete slab and we've lived on it since '85. No real complaints. We have ended up with tile almost everywhere and that was made simpler going down on concrete. We like slab floors. 

[NathanS]

Regarding "living on a concrete floor".  Our home is on a concrete slab and we've lived on it since '85. No real complaints. We have ended up with tile almost everywhere and that was made simpler going down on concrete. We like slab floors.

I love to hear that. It seems like such a no-nonsense flooring system. Just hose it down It's also cost saving without compromising structure.

[Matthewpeace]

Regarding "living on a concrete floor".  Our home is on a concrete slab and we've lived on it since '85. No real complaints. We have ended up with tile almost everywhere and that was made simpler going down on concrete. We like slab floors.

I like the slab. I would prefer it over a framed floor

[Matthewpeace]

Hi Matt, how do you like living on the concrete floor? I'm really thinking about doing a foundation like yours.

Great job on the build.

Living on the bare stained concrete floor didn't last.  We put hardwood down almost immediately.  It was cold and never felt clean no matter what we did.

[NathanS]

Living on the bare stained concrete floor didn't last.  We put hardwood down almost immediately.  It was cold and never felt clean no matter what we did.

Bummer. I wonder what made it feel dirty.

[Matthewpeace]

Bummer. I wonder what made it feel dirty.

I don't know if it was the sealer or the fact they the floor was so dark.  But it just felt unfinished and didn't work for me.