DemianJ's 2-Str Universal in VA (New Pics 7/13/07)

Started by DemianJ, February 27, 2006, 02:05:45 PM

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jraabe

#25
Coming along nicely Demian!

I resized some of the early photos and edited the starting post a bit.... and put up a link to your great project on the home page!  8-)

DemianJ

#26
Jared, I don't mind you asking at all.  That was one of my biggest questions when we started.  The total is a rough estimate b/c we used up the construction loan awhile ago and haven't been keeping track as closely lately.  Once we're done, I'll have a better idea of details, but off the top of my head here's the breakdown.

Total Cost is about $125,000 for the house (everything but the land; includes fully finished interior, appliances, etc).  The cost of living here is probably slightly above average and slightly larger houses (some in "as is" condition) go for between 200-225K in our area.  The cost of materials went up about 25% during construction (the price of houses more than doubled in the area over the past 3 years and the number of houses being built more than tripled, so there was a lot of demand for materials).  As for valuing sweat equity, I was the GC and probably put in about an average of 20 hrs of hands-on work per week from Feb. 1 until the present (5 day a week for the first two months and then about 2 days a week thereafter once I started a new job) with about an average of 8 hrs a week spent GCing (on the phone and getting materials).  On average, (not counting subs) there were 2.5 people working onsite during the last 8 months.

300ft well  $5000

Septic $3800

300 yd Electric Trench $4000

Basement (excavation, concrete, waterproofing, drainage, labor, for 8ft walls and 6" slab) $10K

Porches (materials and labor; T&G flooring and onsite made posts and railings) $14-15K (+ about another $1K to screen and glass part of it and build a balcony on front for materials w/ 1/2 paid labor)

Electric labor and materials $2K rough in, $2300 trim

Plumbing labor $2800

Rainscreen and foam walls added about $6,000 (a guesstimate) of labor to cost of the house; materials were about $1000

Insulation labor and materials (other than foam) $1500

Siding Labor (cedar lap siding, includes caulking)  $2400

Bump-out about $3000 (labor and materials)

Heating $200 used stove, $325 of baseboard, $1700 of pipe, etc, $300 labor (only includes pipe installation)

Driveway (very short crushed stone) and parking area: about $1K; Final Grading: about $500; Landscaping about $1K in straw, seed, trees, bushes, etc.

Termite Treatment: $400

3/4 of windows and doors, 1/2 the appliances, 1/2 the flooring, 1/2 the plumbing fixtures and all the cabinets came from the Habitat store (about 1/3 of retail).  Floors are tile in the master bath, vinyl in 1/2 bath, and laminate in the rest of the house.  Heating is electric baseboad and wood stove.  Cooling is attic fan and 2 window units.

If you saved the porches for later and didn't do the rainscreen (or just used folded tarpaper strips), I'd guess the house could be built for $90K w/ 2-3 days a week of your own work (w/ a carpenter and a laborer working 5 days a week) over the couse of a little over a year.  If you were able to put in 5-6 days a week with only another skilled worker, it would be more like $60K.  This is a complete guesstimate, but if you left off all the optional things above (and did a post foundation), did all the work with a hired helper (and subbed out electrical, plumbing, and excavation), I'd guess it would take over 2 years and could be done for $35K or so.  I'll write more once things settle down some and I sort through the damage.

Screening in the porch added about $3K to the total (doesn't include removeable glass and insulated panels that I plan on adding for winter use as a sunporch/greenhouse) and finishing 1/3 of the basement (includes insulating walls and floors) as a den, added about $4K.

Demian

Edited/Updated by DemianJ on 10/11/06



glenn-k

Beautiful job, DemianJ.  While there was added cost for the rain screen, there is no question of the added value - it is one of the best things you can do for yourself especially if you are exposed to driving rain which I guess most places get once in a while.  It is especially a very good idea if using a housewrap to help prevent damage from water getting through a wrap penetration of any type, getting behind the wrap and unable to get out.  

Two new apartment complexes in Oregon had major problems from rain and house wraps, I was told.

DemianJ

Thanks, Glenn.

We did use housewrap behind the foam.  We're on a ridge and get 10-15 storms a year with driving rain, so I think it will be worth it in the long run.  I just wasn't prepared for the extra amount of time and cost from adding all those extra layers.  I should have been considering foam, furring strips, and the top and bottom vents nearly doubles the complexity of the walls.

MB25ACRES

I have to be honest the costs of your house have scared me alot. Iam hoping to build a 20 x 40 with full basement haven't commited to 2story or 1.5 yet. I am hoping for under half that. I live in ohio. ???????????????? :'( Mike Barrett


DemianJ

#30
It did end up costing a lot more than we thought, but material costs really sky rocketed on us and we added on extras.  There's a huge building boom around here that really drove up prices, so it might not be as bad in Ohio.  Also, that cost is a guesstimate at this point and includes a finished interior, appliances, etc.  We ended up splurging on a number of extras (400 sq ft of farmhouse porch, rainscreen, bumpout, lots of windows, tile and our water/electric expenses were high), so if you keep it simple, and do most of the work yourself (or just hire a laborer and a framer) and don't mind it taking a few years), it might be possible to do it for a little more than half.  Jimmy is doing all the work himself, so you might want to check out his costs.  Is there any chance you could shave off some sq ft (maybe 20x32)?  You can always plan for the possibility of an addition which extends past the basement walls with a post and pier foundation (John's plan's are really easy to expand).  Maybe use part of the basement for living space (or wait to finish it until later)?  Our 2 story 20x24 is plenty of space for two adults, a crazy dog, and a baby.

MB25ACRES

I do plan on doing all but the basement myself. I am married with 3 kids 11,10,8 so I need room. I am going
to get plans this month and hope to get a material list and bids on material. I can build over two years. So hope it goes well. I do have to do a bump out to cover 22x 24 minimum sive per county restrictions.Thanks Mike Barrett

DemianJ

#32
It does sound like you need some space; I'd definitely consider using the basement as living space (with windows, if you can), then.

You'll know for sure once you solicit bids, but I was thinking about it some more, and with a full basement I think it would be hard to do that number of sq ft for 60,000 at today's material prices.  The basement (18K), septic (5K), well (4K), and framing package (20K?) is going to use up the vast majority of your budget.  Flooring (even cheap stuff like laminate), windows, doors, appliances, plumbing, paint, siding, fixtures, etc really add up, but you'd really have to be extremely resourceful about sourcing these items and there would still be an unavoidable sacrifice in quality.

You could definitely dry it in for that price, but I think all the finish costs will push you over.  For what it's worth here's my thoughts, based on my experience:

I'd really consider whether you can trim some sq ft.  A well designed, well thought out plan will feel a lot bigger and be more functional than most off the rack houses out there.  I'm sure you already know this, but it's good to remember that if you max out the sq ft you can afford, then you'll sacrifice quality.  I really believe in the "Not so big house" maxim that it makes a far more enjoyable house to focus on creating quality rooms that you actually use.  Make the LR and kitchen a relatively large, high quality open space, then create minimal, cozy bedrooms (especially for the kids).  Put a basic den in the basement to have a play area or separate TV area.  Everyone has different needs, but for me personally, in my house, if I expanded my floorplan to be 20x32, an extra 300-350 sq ft of interior, would be enough to add two more small bedrooms (12x13) expand the 1/2 bath to a full bath and maybe add another small 1/2 bath.  Plus, having that extra 150 sq ft or so in the basement would allow for a really large den while still having a large space for storage and washer/drier.  I grew up in a 1400 sq ft house with no basement and never felt cramped with my mom, stepfather, and brother.  On the other extreme, my wife and I were the only tenants the landlord bothered to find for a terribly designed 5000 sq ft house, that we both absolutely hated.  Even if we could have afforded to buy a house like that, we both would have gladly traded it for our current 960 sq ft house.

Good luck with all the decisions.  I'm just trying to convince you to scale things down now, b/c things will always cost more and take longer than you originally planned (so you don't want to start out with a plan that uses your entire budget).

DemianJ

DemianJ

We got our Final CO today (so now I can take the picket railing off my non-tempered windows and hook up the wood stove).  We've still got  a bunch of little things left; the punch list seems to stay about the same length now matter how many we knock off.

I'll try and dig out the camera to post more pics.

DemianJ


DemianJ

#34
We cleaned up for guests, so I thought it would be a good time to take some pictures  (I'll post some upstairs pics later).  We've still got a lot of punch list items and porch painting to do.  I may have gotten a little carried away with the number of pics b/c the batch uploads with photobucket are so easy.

















jwv

Beautiful, cozy, homey! Thanks for sharing the pics!

Judy



jraabe

Very nice Demian! Would you like to have a spread on your place in the Gallery?

If you can send some of these photos as an email attachment, I can pull a page together for this. We can show a little larger photo and get a tighter storyline that way.

John
john@countryplans.com


DemianJ

Thanks for the kind words.

John, I'd be honored.  I'll dig up the originals of those pics and email them to you this week.

Jackson_Landers

Demian,

I'm pretty close to you over in Albemarle County and just ordered the same plans to start building this Spring. We're working with the same Sarah Susanka, 'Not So Big House' philosophy, so on several levels seeing photos of your project and it's budget is extremely helpful. Thanks for posting all of this. It's remarkable how those salvaged windows make a house with such classic lines look like it's been there for 100 years.

May I ask what your experience was in construction before you started this project?

DemianJ

#41
Jackson,

I'm glad my postings have been helpful.  I'd be interested in hearing more about your project (as would other folks here, I'm sure).  I just sent you an email and can provide you with some helpful sub contacts (e.g., a great electrician and plumber) if you're interested.

I wasn't that experienced when I started.  I helped out on building the house I grew up in, but I was only 10 or 11.  Then I worked 5 or 6 summers as an electrician's helper, trim carpenter's helper, and construciton laborer, but didn't do much more than grunt work.   I'm pretty good with my hands, but I was somewhere between a laborer and a newbie carpenter when I started.  I've definitely learned a lot.

And thanks; I was trying to make the house look like it belonged on a VA farm. The windows are actually mostly low-E, high performance windows (Habitat has a wide range of materials from new/almost new to salvaged) that I selected based on their looking appropriate on a farmhouse.

DemianJ

happylogan

Did you say your liveable sq is 960- not counting the basement??

DemianJ

Sorry for the slow response.  We had a baby 5 months ago, so I've been busy.

Once you subtract the exterior walls and the stairwell, it's more like 860 of finished interior space (but we also have almost 350 sq ft of porches).  So far, it's been plenty of space for 2 adults, a baby, and a dog.  In hindsight, I'd have probably included a small closet downstairs, though.

Currently, we've finished the balcony and are working on screening in the sideporch, in addition to building a laundry room in the basement.  

And I still need to track down those pictures for the gallery, John....

jraabe

#44
Babies do have a way of taking over the top of the project list.  :D

Sure a good thing they're cute. 8-)



hobbiest

The reason babies are so cute, is so you don't kill them before they become teenagers.   :)

Around here, the same 28x32 colonial house goes up all over the place as a spec home.  Its the only thing built on spec!  It makes me so angry!!!  Anyway, they build them for about $100K, not including the land.  That includes all of the professional labor.  The trick is that you have to be extremely cheap with everything, vinyl siding, (is 1/4 the price of wood) cheapest windows, osb everything, carpet or vinyl flooring, cheapest appliances and fixtures, no character, and no class basically.  BTW, I love everything I have seen of your house here!  I have estimated costs jotted down for the same footprint, but rotated as a craftsman foursquare.  Or I might go with a 32x32 instead.  Lots of built ins, 3rd floor walk up (attic), 3 (or could be 4) bed, 2 1/2 bath with laundry on main floor.  This is with wood siding, and trim (cedar clap, and shakes), but could use prefinished hardiplank for same cost.  Again, some of the estimates are purely theoretical, but being as though building is my living, I am fairly good at it.  With labor, and the loan payments, it comes in at $150k for the construction of the house (no land cost in there), not including any landscaping.  Keep in mind though that I build most of the stuff that costs a lot of money in the inside of a house.  The worst part about it though, is that I still have to wait so long to build the house for my family.  Even if I could get the 50k needed to get the rest of the loan, the house would just be for spec, and not for us!!!   ARRRRRGGG!!  Everybody on here makes me smile when I look at your progress.  I am so happy for you all to be enjoying building your own house.  You give me hope!  

BTW, if anyone happens to just have a spare 50k laying around...

If I do find a way to build the house, I will start a thread on here.  If anyone is interested in the cost breakdown I have, let me know.  Like I said, it may not work for everyone, or every location.  

Congrats on the baby, nap often with him/her, and take lots of photos.  I have four of them myself, and the time flies by so fast.

DemianJ

#47
Thanks hobbiest.  Sounds like you got a great plan.  And you're certainly right about the added cost of using high quality materials.  

Here's some new pics on our progress.  We're hoping to screen in the porch in the next few weeks and start finishing 1/3 of the basement as a den.










peg_688

Nice lookin place D  8-) What up with that rake metal on the 4 th photo? The one showing the to be screened in porch one. Looks like it's flipped over , at least partly.

Keep at it you'll be done with the main stuff soon. Of course you'll MTL never be done ;) There's always something to tweak , build , and to etc, etc,.........  

glenn-k