In hindsight, are you glad you built a home?

Lady_Novice · March 13, 2005, 07:42:32 PM

Are you glad you built a home? Why or why not? Related question: Would you build another one?

I've spent many months planning to build and I'm trying to believe that I'm actually going to start building a small cottage (mostly with my own labor) within the next couple of months. Without even having yet lifted a hammer, I admit I've felt frustrated at times. My emotions have ranged from "this should continue to be interesting" to "I wish I still had my day job." (I think my biggest frustration is that I know reading books will only take me so far and there is no such thing as, say, a hands-on 3-month course covering most of the facets of stick-built home-building. The "Owner-Builder Center" [or something] in Berkeley offered something like this in the past, but not anymore. But that's not really the point of my post.)

In all I've read here and elsewhere, it seems that some former novices are happy they built and they loved both the planning and the building. Others, while happy to now be living in a home that suits their desires, did find the process quite stressful and seem ambivalent about whether they would do it all again.

I added a related question in the first paragraph because, to me, one litmus test of whether the process proved workable would be whether someone would build another home, perhaps due to relocation or to re-sell for a profit. (Of course I realize that, for many, the goal is only to create a house that suits your unique desires and there is no reason to create another.) One reason I ask that is that, if done right, building another home should prove more remunerative than most other careers/pursuits that people would go back to after building their homes. For example, if an able, efficient person could, perhaps within several months, build a small home for around $50,000 (perhaps $20,000 for land and $30,000 for materials and some contracted labor), and the home could later re-sell for $120,000 (or more or less, depending on locale), then you are likely making far more per hour than in the typical job.

I'm just curious as I know everyone feels different emotions about different things. I hope the gist of my post is clear. Thanks in advance for any and all responses!
Lady Novice

Shelley · March 13, 2005, 09:36:55 PM

oooh, thought provoking.

Gonna be twice as much work and $$. Count on it.
Hardly ever does anyone say, "That was easier than I thought"

Suppose it's like all things. Not everyone who attempts it has the wear-with-all to develop the skills to complete the task. Not everyone does it for the "fun" of doing it. They're the ones who do it once and stay planted.

We, however, have done it many times. We're process people. We love the doing of it. House is finished, everything perfect, we move on.

Can't tell you the thousands of dollars we paid in capital gains until the tax law change. Yeah for that.

And, human nature being what it is, most people are loathe to say, "I screwed up. Bit off more than I could chew. I hated it. Never should have done it." People don't like to admit they were foolish.

If you're still deciding, you could volunteer at HH. That would give you some hammer swinging experience.

Here's a book you might enjoy. A House of Straw by Carolyn Roberts. It's about straw bale, but it's really just an autobiography.

This woman was totally clueless. About building, about pretty much everything. Had no money saved and not much of an income stream to finance it.

I couldn't believe all the stupid things she did trying to build her house with almost no help. But, she did it. Got a book out of it too.

March 14, 2005, 01:51:32 AM

As Shelly implies, whether or not you build a house and whether or not you are "successful" at it has more to do with personality and desire than talent, money or previous experience.

A great model is Francis of Asissi (later to become one of the most important Christian saints). A simple monk, he didn't know enough to understand that he didn't know how to build anything.

He just started going out every day and piling up rocks. When people asked him what he was doing he said "building a cathedral" and went back to work. They would chuckle and shake their heads. Two weeks later he's still there piling up rocks. By the end of three months some other people were hanging around and starting to help out... you know the rest of the story.

In many ways that's also how Heather built her house (at age 17) — it's in the Owner-Builder gallery. She just started doing it and the means showed up.

On the other hand, we all know many other stories (Rosanne Barr comes to mind) where there were millions of dollars to spend, the best talent money could buy and the project still couldn't be completed. The heart just wasn't in it.

I'm reminded of the lesson I learned recently from the President of Toyota...

"Act, improve, repeat!"

A simple formula that can teach us all how to move mountains.

Lady_Novice · March 19, 2005, 03:10:41 PM

Thanks to John and Shelley for the replies!

Shelley, yes, indeed, I finished reading Carolyn's book "A House of Straw" a few months ago. Wow, it was eye-opening. I'm sure it wasn't meant to discourage a single woman (or man) from building her (or his) own home, but it could have that effect nonetheless.

Part of her problem (or challenge) was that she was trying to work full-time and raise two teenagers while she built. Also, she had limited funds, she had inadvertently chosen a fairly difficult design, and it sounded like she had a difficult building department to deal with (Tucson area). Thankfully, she did possess some sort of superhuman persistence and some sort of quick learning ability, which were qualities that seemed to save her project in the face of difficult odds. Also, she found an experienced consultant who could guide her through the difficult parts. I saw a little of myself in Carolyn; for example, I tend to bite off more than I can chew or I underestimate the amount of time and effort that will be required.

John, it's interesting that, based on all you've seen, you place such importance on personality/desire in comparison to experience and other practical aspects. The St. Francis story is great and I'm encouraged by Heather Martin's story. When I was her age, I certainly did not possess the maturity to achieve what she did. Now that I'm quite a bit older, perhaps I do. So even Roseanne Barr wanted to manage her own house project? If all her time and money couldn't make it happen while Heather Martin succeeded, it indeed may come down to personality and motivation.

Speaking of motivation and desire, I think of Richard Proenneke. I just saw the PBS special "Alone in the Wilderness," which details his 35 years in the Alaskan wilderness, his building his own log cabin, hunting and foraging food, and so on. Readers of this forum would really enjoy it.
Lady Novice

John Raabe · March 19, 2005, 06:38:48 PM

The Richard Proenneke story is great - I gave the book to my dad for his birthday last year. The guy was a master of the physical world! Just watching him do things like take a piece of tree and turn it into hinges is truly amazing.

For anyone who hasn't read this story about my dad (Thought Experiments - http://www.countryplans.com/thought-ex.html) he was also one of those people who could build just about anything. Sad to say it is not genetic. :'(

March 20, 2005, 06:57:24 PM

I am really glad!!! I built my little house a few years back with John's plans. It is ALOT OF WORK but it can be done. I did everything myself except shingle the roof. My only help was a real nice friend I made. He is a retarded man who lives down the road and just started working with me. He was home alone all day and was bored. Actually he is quite proud of the house and shows it to everyone. I think it helped his confidence alot!

Still working on it... Porch and deck will go on this year!

Amanda_931 · March 20, 2005, 07:01:30 PM

Cool, Spyke!

glenn kangiser · March 23, 2005, 02:12:20 PM

Spyke, If you get the chance, we would all like to see you start a topic about your house -include the size in the subject line- and post some photos.

You can host the photos at tinypic.com and use the image button to link them. You can also copy the IMG******IMG line tinypic provides and paste it directly in without using the image button on the message composing page.

We would like anybody who has built one of John's plans to show us their handiwork. If you put the size in the subject line, people interested in that plan can find it easily.

Thanks to all who share their experiences here.

Lady_Novice · March 26, 2005, 03:54:12 PM

John, it's great to know that others have heard of the Richard Proenneke story. The "Alone in the Wilderness" documentary was on PBS again last night in this area. For one thing, I found it encouraging to think that someone in his rough circumstances (e.g., no power tools, transporting supplies via canoe, etc.) could successfully build a cabin, and fairly quickly at that.

Spyke, congratulations! We'd love to know more.

Another note about Carolyn Roberts, who wrote "A House of Straw": I think reading her book was part of what prompted me to start this thread. When I reviewed her website and noticed her comment that she would not consider building again for quite some time, I wanted to know how others felt. But everyone's motivations and circumstances are different. As for myself, I know I want to build, but there are also so many other activities that I need to attend to, and I want to be sure it's the best use of my time right now. But there's no way to be sure about anything in this life.
Lady Novice

March 26, 2005, 05:51:17 PM

As long as you mentioned Roberts again, I'll bring up something.

I didn't find her an especially sympathetic person. Considering that she wrote the book and wants to put herself in a good light....there was an undercurrent that I didn't care for.

Think maybe she's a user. The story about the trailer, the romance that ended with the house completion...stuff like that.

And, I don't think she has much bummin' around sense. Who would store boxes and upholstered furniture where the rodents could get at them? Who would do a mud floor and frame walls in an area that crawls with subterranean termites?

Anyway, just my take on it. Living on site in a trailer makes sense. You can make use of the odd hour or two between work and dark.

Amanda_931 · March 26, 2005, 11:41:14 PM

Since there was nothing much about the publicity/advertising surrounding the Roberts' book that enticed me to read it, I'm glad to know that there might have been a reason.

If you want another book with a not totally sympathetic heroine (fiction, this time) who (re-)builds a house as an antidote to depression, you could try Folly by Laurie King. I love Laurie King. All 2 1/2 series that she's written. Not everybody does, although The Beekeeper's Apprentice was on somebody's list as one of the 100 best mysteries of the last century.

500 lb gorilla's link to Folly:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553111035/104-3912253-9893536

This one does take place in the San Juans.

markbrown · March 28, 2005, 06:59:06 AM

I have no regrets, the house is good, not great, I had and developed building skills. I will build again for two reasons. One, since I built this house there has been a divorce, I want a fresh start with myself and possibbbly some one new. Two, I would like to change a few things and my life has changed, next home will be smaller, a better workshop, still lots of storage, and a few things I now want, Hot tub, brick oven, different kitchen,etc. but if I never build again, this house will work just fine.

Mark