Steps To Building

[whit]

Hi All,

Is there anyone out there on the forum who can list the steps they took to building their cottage from clearing the land, to building a road, adding septic, well, electrical hookup, to building the actual cottage. I guess my main question is can this all be done in stages? I am working with a limited budget so I would like to tackle projects one at a time and them pay them off as I go.

For instance when I build the road, how much room do I need beyond where the cottage will be to get the well driller and septic digger in?
Could I install the septic and well before building?
How do I pick the best location for the cottage on the property?

I'm almost looking for a shopping list of what people have done.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Yes I'm a real newbie   

[hpinson]

I wonder if there might be value in you determining these steps yourself, using threads in this forum as a model. Most of the build stories here follow a similar path - look for and aquire some land, purchase or develop plans, do a small learning or test project - perhaps a storage shed, get legal permits and permissions, perhaps hire contractors for certain stages, work with inspectors, aquire materials, add water/septic, build foundations, floor, walls, roof, sheath and close, add electrical, add plumbing, finishing, enjoying results...  There really is a common pattern.

Just go through ten build threads that you like here, and take notes.  Those steps and their details of how various members solved their attendant problems, should emerge for you.

[Redoverfarm]

There are steps in some builds that are unique to a particular which can not be generalized with everyone.  Here is a few sites which layout the process.  Maybe not to a "t" but basic.


http://www.home-building-answers.com/step-by-step-home-building.html

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/repair/house2.htm

As I said there is some differences between rural and urban construction.  Road building is one.  It should be constructed  to allow easy access to larger vehicles as well as automobile.  I sort of like the 10-12' wide.  The well would also be a priority in that if you cannot get water you may change your mind about the site.  Septic require a lot of land that is capable of "perking".  You do not want the septic at the best location which you should save that for your house site.  There is distance stipulation from the well to the septic.  So water would be 1st for me, second would be the septic and lastly the house site. 

After you have had a chance to digest some of the information on this site and the attached sites I am sure you will still have questions.  Just chime in and I am sure someone will be glad to lend a hand.

[whit]

Hey thanks guys. I'll start doing my homework. One of the things in my particular situation is the muncipality has very strict rules that I have to abide by.

For instance:

- I have to purchase all of my permits (well, septic and building) at the same time and have eveything completed within 2 years. I can extend the permits but will have to pay again.
- I have to build a cottage of at least 60 square meters (645 square feet) minimum
- I can not build a shed before a main building is built
- The septic system has to be a holding tank which has to be pumped out.

[hpinson]

The conditions that you build under are not uncommon anymore-- actually they are probably pretty much the rule in the USA (zoned minimum square footages, time limits, septic system conditions, exclusions on living on site during construction) and maybe even strictor in some other countries like Canada and much of Europe. I can see why a checklist would be useful.  Once you put your checklist together, post it for comments.  I've had luck doing this sort of list in a spreadsheet where I can visualize due dates and check off done items.

[Squirl]

In most publications I have read, they recommend septic first.  I tend to agree with it. 
First, you never know what you are going to find until you dig.
Testing for septic is an important first step to this process.  I usually have a site tested before I buy the property.  It would stink if you build the house first, then the site you had planned for your septic hits a layer of boulders in the center of it while you were digging.  It happens.  Now if the only other sites on your property are up hill or where you just built a house, or too close to your house or well, you just bought a very expensive problem. 
The other reason I agree with septic first is especially for people with limited funds.  Going from raw land to improved land is usually a big step up in ability to sell.  Banks are more likely to finance a construction loan on improved land.  In my research prices for improved land with septic sell for more than raw land and the cost of installing septic.  This represents the value of the individual who undertook the risk and invested the money.  Life is unpredictable.  If a person is on that tight of a budget and life throws a catastrophic financial hit, the ability to sell and not lose what was invested is important.

That being said, the holding tank septic is not a common requirement and may throw a monkey wrench into some of the idea of septic being placed first.

[Redoverfarm]

Hey thanks guys. I'll start doing my homework. One of the things in my particular situation is the muncipality has very strict rules that I have to abide by.

For instance:

- I have to purchase all of my permits (well, septic and building) at the same time and have eveything completed within 2 years. I can extend the permits but will have to pay again.
- I have to build a cottage of at least 60 square meters (645 square feet) minimum
- I can not build a shed before a main building is built
- The septic system has to be a holding tank which has to be pumped out.

When you say Municipality you are referring to within the limits of a incorporated or unincorporated town.  Is there not city water and sewage.  In a rural area under a county jurisdiction I could see this would apply.  What are other residents doing with their sewage?  Where are you located or where is your build site?

[whit]

I am building in the Val des Monts area of Quebec. Because the lake the property is adjacent to is designated a "green" lake, the municipality does not want the possibility of any sewage making its way into the lake. This is why we have to use a holding tank as opposed to a septic bed. There is no city water. This property is out in the country. I'm not sure if other properties with waterfront are pumping the water from the lake but I suspect they are. I am not close enough to the lake to do this so I need to drill a well.

[UK4X4]

here's my take

Spend a lot of time at the land, get used to where the sun moves, the views, the wind etc.

Speak to all the neighbors- get a feel of whats worked in the past in the area foundation / well / septic wise

Walk the land, clear it out if you can't see for the weeds

Chat to the permit office - not just from the website- see if they really enforce the 2 years or like mine - they need to see some progress every 6 months or so- I'm limited by snow so they are a tad lenient in the winter months ....hopefully !

Take a look at where you think the house will be- plan out where the septic will be and the probable well- spend some time dousing !

Others can give you a better idea on roads etc, mines a small plot !

Plans wise I think I got to version 7 first came multiple dream houses, but after a while I had to re-think and go with what is a realistic size and form

In order to do this I spent time measuring existing rooms in my flat- when visiting friends I'd often measure they're open areas as we are pretty limited and had nothing to compare too.

I'd be often seen measuring some ones nice kitchen, or family room.

that got me the basic floor area worked out, then it was more graph paper and some cut out room sizes, - move a bit here, move a bit there till we were happy

We went from a pretty large basement-1.5 story to a more standard 2 story and crawl space.

Every time I look at my plans I still want to change things.....but I'm resisting for now - we got the permit, we'll build the shell and then I'll mess with walls after seeing the space.

the whole process is an adventure- try not to put a schedule on yourself from day one- these things take time and need to be well thought through.

Costs on peoples threads vary hugely from one area to another, mine in CO - I probably pay twice to 4 times what some have paid and I'm limited with contractors for now which does not help- mind you progress is fast.

last weekend was a hole- this was drained and lined out- filled with crushed rock and now their forming the foundation- engineer on next Tuesday and pour after that- in two weeks they'll acomplish way more than I could do on vacation in a year or two.

[flyingvan]

  We chronicled building our cottage starting from idea stage to present on our blog flyingvan.blogspot.com if you want to see the steps we followed.  You will have to scroll past the political rants, work related stuff, and family things, and a ghost story but most of it is building

[rick91351]

UK4X4 has a lot of wisdom in his post. 

One thing I think is a must is to just sit and vision.  Feel the breeze and listen to what the trees and birds have to say.  And hell I am far from being a new age tree hugger.  But the good old earth has a lot to say about things.  Is there a view you have to capture?  Or it might be a sun rise spot or sun set place.

Reason out how big you really need with out being told how big you need.

   

[whit]

As always with this forum, the advice and opinions are so valuable and very much appreciated. There is a lot to consider for sure. Thanks so much for taking your time to add your thoughts an opinions.