Cost to do the countryplane jig...

[ajbremer]

I've seen a few 'Owner-Built Projects' threads where, when the builder finally gets to the point of finishing the foundation (usually some kind of piers or blocks), and then does the floor joist, and then nails the 8x4 osb to the joists - they then get up on the finished floor and do a jig. That is cool, I want so bad to do the 'Country Plan Jig' and now my tax money is coming and I want to get enough together so that I know I can work to the point of 'the jig'.

On the average, can some of you guess about how much it'll cost to get to that point for a 16x24 floor. I'm going to build the "Little House Plans' and basically copy the Nash building and ScottA's place. Here's their threads:

http://www.countryplans.com/nash.html

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3419.0

Any guesses at all would be appreciated.

[dug]

I'll throw out a guess.

Floor sheathing, beam material, joists, concrete, rebar, brackets, nails, blocking, etc. about $1500, plus a some hard free labor on your part. I haven't priced lumber lately so this is a pure guestimate- also doesn't include site prep, if any. Probably I am forgetting some miscellaneous items as well.

You'll be dancing in no time! 

[ajbremer]

Thanks dug, that's very helpful. I would still like others to give a few comments and a guess if they think it's a little different than dugs.

[Alasdair]

I'm going to guesstimate that we put 2k CAD to get to that point with our 12 x 24 - but we bought the lumber for the whole place in one haul so that may have skewed my hindsight a bit.
Good luck
Al

[rdpecken]

Our 14x24 took about $1700 in Arizona, buying from Home Depot and Lowes mostly.  This was a few years ago, but from my records:

Date   Store      Item   Price   Qty   Total   Purpose 6/2/2004   Countryplans   Web   Big Enchilada Plans Kit   117.38   1   117.38   Shed & House 6/4/2003   Yavapai County   Prescott   Zoning Clearence Review   100.00   1   100.00   Permits 6/4/2003   Yavapai County   Prescott   Document Fee   5.00   1   5.00   Permits 10/13/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   8" Concrete Tube   4.45   23   102.35   House Piers 10/13/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   4' rebar   1.28   36   46.08   House Piers 10/13/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   5 gal bucket   3.98   1   3.98   House Piers 10/13/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   11.88   1   11.88   Tax 10/14/2004   United Rentals   Prescott   Post Hole Digger Rental   72.34   1   72.34   House Piers 10/14/2004   United Rentals   Prescott   Tax   6.04   1   6.04   Tax 10/14/2004   Home Depot   Prescott   5000 PSI Quickrete   3.49   17   59.33   House Piers 11/5/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   80 lb crack resistant concrete   3.98   12   47.76   House Piers 11/5/2004   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   3.72   1   3.72   House Piers 3/12/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   8" concrete tube   5.47   2   10.94   House Piers 3/12/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   80# concrete   2.58   18   46.44   House Piers 3/12/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   4.47   1   4.47   Tax 3/11/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   4x6 Post Base   4.72   8   37.76   House Piers 3/11/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   2.95   1   2.95   Tax 3/11/2005   Home Depot   Mesa   4x6 Post Base   4.72   16   75.52   House Piers 3/12/2005   Home Depot   Prescott   5000 PSI Quickrete   3.49   17   59.33   House Piers 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   16 penney galv nails 5 lbs   9.24   1   9.24   House Girders 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   Liquid Nail Const Glue   2.97   4   11.88   House Girders 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   1.70   1   1.70   General 11/10/2006   Lowes   Mesa   1/2 in Lock Washers - 25   5.93   1   5.93   House Girders 11/10/2006   Lowes   Mesa   1/2 in Flat Washers - 25   6.83   2   13.66   House Girders 11/10/2006   Lowes   Mesa   1/2 in Hex Nuts - 25   7.13   1   7.13   House Girders 11/10/2006   Lowes   Mesa   Tax   5.53   1   5.53   House Girders 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   2x8x10   6.79   12   81.48   House Girders 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   1/2 in plywood   10.48   2   20.96   House Girders 11/10/2006   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   8.25   1   8.25   Tax 2/14/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   3/4" Sheeting   18.89   11   207.79   Floor 2/14/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   2x10x12   11.76   4   47.04   Floor 2/14/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   2x10x16   15.68   19   297.92   Floor 2/14/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   44.50   1   44.50   Tax 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   Shims   4.98   2   9.96   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   10d Nails   11.20   2   22.40   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   16d nails   11.20   1   11.20   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   8d nails   8.88   3   26.64   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   subfloor glue   2.97   5   14.85   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   hex bolt   1.60   4   6.40   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   hex bolt   1.87   21   39.27   Floor 2/15/2007   Home Depot   Mesa   Tax   10.52   1   10.52   Tax                                Total to Floor         1,717.52

[umtallguy]

hmm by my math, a frost protected slab is really not that much more then a raised platform

[suburbancowboy]

My 12 X16 was around 1200 dollars for just to get to the floor.  I could have cut that down to 1000 if I would have known how to use coupons for the box stores like I do now.  My foundation was pier and beam.

I have the wood for my 20 X 36 that I am starting in the spring and not counting the foundation the wood was about 1000.

[Erin]

if I would have known how to use coupons for the box stores like I do now

And... ?
How do you use coupons for the box stores??

You can't just throw this out and leave us all hanging.

[Squirl]

hmm by my math, a frost protected slab is really not that much more then a raised platform

It depends.  FPSF around here takes 4ft of 2" foam all around and 2" over gravel before the slab and concrete are even poured.  This would make it an approximate area 24x32 of foam alone.  At around $20 a sheet in bulk, it would cost around $500. Add in the cost of building the forms, the cost of additional labor to work the pour, the concrete, and the rebar and you could end up paying much more.  Also FPSF are only approved for buildings heated year round above 60 degrees.

My estimate is it could cost as little as $1000 to as much as $2000 depending upon choices.  Rent a digger vs. dig it manually.  OSB vs. Plywood vs. Advantec.  I noticed rdpecken went with 5000lb concrete vs. 3000 lb. Rent a mixer vs. mix by hand.  The usual time vs. quality vs. money debates.

You can get a 10% off HD or Lowes normally for purchases over $200, but not always.  These coupons come in almost every change of address package from the post office.   They can be found on craigslist or ebay and many other places.  Spend $5 on a coupon for $100 off of each thousand spent.   I think the max is $2000 order. Also if you register with them and they can track your orders through their cards you frequently get coupons for $10 off your $50 next order with your receipt.

[suburbancowboy]

Part of it is what squil said.  Lowes and HD both match coupons.  I have also got on a lot of email lists for internet hardware store and some local home improvement stores in the area.  On a regualr basis at the end of the month or quarter if there revenues are low they will send out an email that for this weekend only everything is 20% off.  As an example we have a store about 40 miles from me called sutherlands which is like a smaller version of HD.  About every other month they send me a 15 to 20 percent off coupon.  I then print out several of these coupons.  I then once a week go to lowes an HD to shop there clearence sales and track lumber prices.  With the clearence price and my coupon I get up to 80% off.  Last week I got a Ryobi cordless pump which normally sells for 80 bucks for 15.  You have to have a list of what you want and be patient.  Using this method a couple of months ago, I got 7/16 osb for 5 bucks a sheet.  Normally it never goes below 7.  But one week the price dipped and I had a coupon.  I will use the same coupon at lowes and HD in the same week.  I never pay retail.  I have also been known to ask for further discounts at the register.  HD is really go to work with me. 
It is funny here where I live we have a HD and Lowes across the street from each other so they are very competitive.  It also helps I have a large barn to store stuff as I come across it.  I also shop the online classified but good lumber is hard to come by there.  I figure that my cabin will be 40% cheaper that if I had paid retail.

[jr1318]

Squil, I had no problem getting approval on sfpf in WI for a cabin that is only heated part time. 4.5 years later no problem with cracks or doors an window opening.

[Squirl]

JR, I guess I should have put NY state, and probably some other jurisdictions.  I thought it was implied by the "around here" beginning of the paragraph.  I didn't want to imply that people can't or shouldn't, but that is what is required is some jurisdictions when making fpsf.  Some jurisdictions don't approve them at all.  It all falls under the usual "it depends" answer.

FPSF are great for certain situations.  If you have easy access for a concrete truck and an easy area to pour.  If you have help to work the large concrete pour. If you have large boulders or a rock shelf or any other trouble excavating.  In many of these situations and probably some more that I missed FPSF are probably one of the best choices.  Again "it depends."

JR, if you don't mind me asking, how much did the foundation cost? umtallguy's math was that fpsf don't cost much more than the raised platform.  Is he right?  I was simply going off my calculations. It would help to here from someone who has a fpsf.

[jr1318]

Squirl, the cost was about 3100.00 including excavation and site prep, of that about 300 for site prep and sand, 320 for foam, only did foam around perimiter, 1000 for form material mesh etc, forms were used later in the build, add 1500 to have slab poured. It was only 350 extra for someone to pour slab than me doing it myself, the contractor gets discounts plus I didn't have to rent any tools or try to find help for the pour. The slab is 22x 22 mono with 12 x 16  edges and bearing wall footers.

[duncanshannon]

@jr1318 - how much do you figure other foundation types would have cost you (to compare against your $3100).  Sounds like you did all the labor except the pour right?

What is your soil like?

[OlJarhead]

Floor & Foundation         
Post and Pier
Pier Blocks   
Beams   
Concrete Pavers   
Beams   
Beams plywood insert   
Joists
Rim Joists   
Subflooring   
PT Posts
PT Braces   
Total   $591.24

[ajbremer]

Thanks for posting that OlJarhead - that's not a bad price at all. I'll have to go back to your build and check it out.

[OlJarhead]

Thanks for posting that OlJarhead - that's not a bad price at all. I'll have to go back to your build and check it out.

Somewhere I have the totals for each stage as I was keeping it on a fairly tight budget.  My plan was to frame the cabin in for $3000.  I think I was close to that (not including windows and door).