Cost question

[Epiphany]

If you assume having a small house like the Builder's Cottage built here in the South costs about $100 per square foot, I wonder how much can be initially saved (per square foot) by only having the plumbing roughed in and finished at a later date.  The largest portion of the house has no plumbing at all.  This way, the house could be used as a retreat until such time as finishing could be afforded.  

Also wondering about the ballpark figure to have faux stacked stone applied to the fireplace...

[spinnm]

Depends upon whether you have to get a building permit.  Around here, you can't get a CO without a minimal kitchen and one working bath.

You can leave the other baths, if there are any, by indicating on the plans "future blah".

Trimming out plumbing is not really that hard.  And, a good plumber can do it quickly.  Small house, probably half a day....at say $50/hr.  It's the cost of the fixtures that get you.  

The hardest to do is the tub and that gets done during the intermediate plumbing stage called top-out.

First he roughs it it.  Then you frame.  Then he comes back, runs the lines, the vents.  That's top-out.  Then trim-out which is the setting of the fixtures.

Did someone here give you that figure?  Or is that the going rate in your area?  Actually small houses can be more expensive than the standard per sf.
You've got a kit, some # of baths, heating,cooling.
You buy that regardless of size...the upcharge for larger units is minimal.

So the addition of more living space is quite cheap in the grand scheme of things.

When I'm building I frequently think of Evert Dirkson....who said during a Senate hearing..."a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money"

[spinnm]

Over looked the stone.  Hmm...if you go to a supply house and tell them you're building a house, they'll give you a discount if you ask.

You should be able to find something satisfactory for about $7/sf.  There are more expensive ones.
A tile guy could do it.  Backs are flat, they make special corner pieces.  Can be put up on cement board.

You could DIY.  It's not hard.  You'd need the stone, thinset, board, grout.  Especially if you use the one that looks like dry stack.

The new stuff they've come out with the last few years is very realistic.  I'd think that in your area maybe the real stuff wouldn't be too expensive.

This is certainly a job that could be delayed.  It's cosmetic only.

[spinnm]

I've been thinking.  I went back and read some of your old posts.  Didn't realize when I wrote last night that you had decided not to DIY.

Also now realize that you're looking for a contractor to do this for you.  OK.  Still don't know if you need a permit.  Imagine so.  Texas is pretty civilized.

If you havn't found a contractor yet, go to the building permit people.  May be county or state depending.  May be Planning, Zoning Enforcement..names differ in different places.  Just call a likely tel # and ask who checks building permits.  Then go talk to them.

Building inspectors are concerned with "health and safety".  Is the structure sound?  Is the occupant safe?

So if you're trying to do this cheaply, let's think a little.  This is all moot if you have to get financing.  A bank wants a finished house.

Check to see the length of the permit.  Most are for a year.  Check on the fees.  So it takes two years.  Is that a big deal there?

Figure 1/3 for foundation and rough-in....1/3 to get it enclosed....1/3 to finish.  You can leave foundation and rough-in for a long time without hurting it  as long as you cover any exposed pipes.
Once you start framing you need to get the building roofed and the framing protected.  So once that phase starts plan on completing it.
So, is that a possibility for you?  Doing it in stages and paying as you go?

What can you leave undone?  Anything cosmetic.  Like the FP surround.  Interior trim.  Paint.  Interior doors.  Floor coverings.  Building inspector doesn't care if you're comfortable.  They just want you to be safe.  Go and talk to them and verify.  Often you can start establishing a rapport.  If you're out in the country, there may be only one.  They have a lot of latitude.  Get more flies with honey, than vinegar.

Went back and looked at the builder's cottage.  That sucker has a bunch of windows.  You may not need all of them.  That'll save some $$.  What kind of roof will you have?  Metal is cheap, fast and will last the rest of your life.  You could wait on the porch and add it later.  Just make sure that everyone provides for the attachment so that when you do it, it's easy.

Heat?  There are cheap ways to heat such a small space, but I suppose that cooling is a issue there.
An old-fashioned gas wall heater will heat the space and I imagine a window air conditioner will cool it.  But, you're restricted later on if you don't put the ductwork in up front.

What kind of windows?  What kind of exterior finish?  Cheapening here is penny wise and pound foolish.

What you want to do is have all this info nailed down b4 you talk to a contractor.  If you get several bids you want them bidding on the same things.  Amount you will leave undone.  Quality of materials.

That's all I can think of.  Maybe some of the others will have some other ideas.

[glenn-k]

Good advice, Shelly - looks like lots of experience on your part.

[jraabe]

Good thread and good comments.

A couple of thoughts:
• the most cost effective windows are usually locally made vinyl frame units (white or light colored, especially in hot climates) with Low-e coatings if you are in a cold climate and the upcharge is not much.
• houses cost about 1/2 for materials and 1/2 for labor. The suggestion that you need to be about 2/3 done to get a rural occupancy permit is about right with my experience.

[Shelley]

Another idea.  Got my IKEA catalog in the mail today.

They have a kitchen for $518.  Includes all cabinets, sink, faucet, knobs and countertop.  Doesn't say how long, but I'm eyeballing it to be about 10' of base and uppers  with holes for the refer and stove.

It's junk.  White melamine on I'm sure particle board.  But it'll do for a while.  I'm thinking the price is probably better than HD's put together ones.  If white doesn't float your boat, you can get special melamine paint and paint the doors any color that suits you.

If fact IKEA is a good source of things for small house builders.  Since they're European, and houses tend to be smaller there, they have all kinds of clever, multiple use, use-the-walls as well as the floor kinda stuff.

You'd have to do a road-trip to Houston.  Their quality varies so much I'd never order online unless I'd seen it first.  They have a rather cool looking stainless steel wall system for kitchens...open shelving, wall hangers for stuff...but I'd imagine in a space that small it'd be better to hide as much as you can to get a cleaner line.

Since a lot of Europe has no closets and many of the kitchens are unfitted, they have things that you can use instead of framing in closets in the storage loft.  I notice that there are no closets on the main level.

Also have some very inexpensive vanities with lavs included.  Inexpensive, but still with a little flair.

[vojacek]

ikea rocks! check out their free 3d kitchen design program. you can plug in measurements and fit in cabinets and applianes. it's not a perfect program, but it works well to see what things will look like. we live outside of houston, and travel to ikea on a regular basis. only purschase i regret ... a set of pots and pans that didn't hold up too well. we plan on using their birch cabinets. we are also getting the stainless console for a outdoor fish cleaning table. i will spend anything not to have another redfish cleaned in my kitchen!!!

[Epiphany]

Shelley - great remarks.  Thanks for all the thought you put into it.  The basis of the question was that I was thinking of building only the non-plumbed part of the Builder's Cottage - 14 x 16 - and using it as a retreat while I save money to add on the 8 x 16 plumbed portion.  The question occurred to me as to whether it would cost that much more to add the additional square footage while building the living room portion.  I want to have the appearance of it being a "complete, lived in" house to throw off complaints from neighbors and vandals.  Plus even with the kitchen and bathroom just roughed in, a counter could be built for a camping stove, water storage, dressing room, etc.  Electricity is the easiest utility to take care of first, for cooling, and the fireplace/woodstove would take care of the heating.  $100 sf is the going rate for high quality custom building in this area.  

Texas is full of bureaucrats and rules, but civilized?  Hardly...  )    

[Epiphany]

Also - some of the stone on the inside I might be able to do myself.  Metal roofs in this area are very expensive and are not allowed in some areas.  If I can do it, and can afford it, I'd love to have a metal roof.  There are enough builder's outlets and salvage places here to find the windows and doors and some of the fixtures at reasonable prices.  As inexpensive as a porch is, they're pretty necessary here in the heat.  And we're getting an IKEA here in the DFW area in the next couple of months.  No more driving to Houston!