OT: How many built their homes here?

Gun guru · Mar 9, 2009

I was just wondering how many of you guys built your own homes, (and maybe designed it too)

I get asked this sometimes: What would you have done differently?

Me: I should have picked out a home design, a little smaller too, I should have built an outdoor woodburner to heat the house in the bitter cold, I should have went with vinyl siding instead of T1-11 wood siding. (painting is a real PITA) I have an 8foot ceiling in the garage, I should have put in a 10foot ceiling.

What would you have done instead of your current home?

big fred · Mar 9, 2009

I built mine. Shoulda built it larger. I'm having a contractor build an addition this year. Lesson learned is that I'm not 35 years old anymore, so I'm not building the addition myself.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 9, 2009

I designed and built mine. Thats what I did at the time. I would change some things now that family has changed.

unclemerle · Mar 9, 2009

Building my own home. Retired from the Air Force April 03, Started the house Aug 03, about 80% done and have worked full time the entire time. Purchased the plans from dreanhomesource.com plan# 4011.

Merle

Tom in TN · Mar 9, 2009

Guru,

I live in an old two-story farm house that was built somewhere in the 1800's. It's not fancy - just an old farm house.

I ripped off a falling-down addition that was on the old house and designed and built a new addition onto it about 8 years ago. It contains a dining room, kitchen, utitilty room, and two bathrooms.

I should have made the dining room much larger than it is. When the whole family gets together, it's too cramped.

I'm still working on remodeling / redecorating the old part of the house even after all of these years. I do a little at a time as money and time allow.

Tom in TN

Vito · Mar 9, 2009

Built and tweaked design from 2 sets of plans.With my two sons now I probably should have made the great room a little bigger.When they leave the house will be fine for the 2 of us again.It's approximately 2200 sq.ft.

Vito

tbuzzard · Mar 9, 2009

Designed and built my own home in 2004. Started March 28th, moved in July 7th. My three boys (16, 13, and 11) and I did everything ourselves except electrical and HVAC. Steel siding, Andersen windows, 40 year shingles. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathes. Only thing I'd do different is make it smaller. Youngest boy is leaving in a year, too much room for a couple old coots.

metro mn · Mar 9, 2009

Have built 3 this one may have thought to much. almost 5000 sq feet 4 bath,now that the kids are gone me & ma & one golden retriever in all that?? put on vinyl siding hate it fades? as far as heat and elec. love it told those subs to do it like it was theres. in floor wesbo w/mini boiler runs on of peak. its nice very even heat no dust!! also have propane, With heat pump&plenum heater. elec only thing i would do different is more fluorescent lighting. used all 3/4 oak flooring has been great last house had alot of pergo?? I hated it always looked dirty. I think The next one will only be 1500sq feet! and two bathrooms a still almost get beat every Saturday when the boss cleans. may be this time I'll get it right. Kevin

JDemaris · Mar 9, 2009

I've built two by myself - and I mean that literally. Only help was from my wife once in awhile. Never again. Too many new code requirements and also the new-house assessment to deal with - forever. The way things are now - makes much more sense to me to pick up an old house cheap that has property and a design that my wife and I like. Then, fix it up. No new code requirements and a low assessment in regard to taxes.

redtom · Mar 9, 2009

Buklt my own in 93. Designed too from one I saw. Small thing but the dining room light is centered in the room but in reality you would never center the table. As a result its off to one side, a head clunker. chose the final grade of the garage floor arbitrarily. Pouring the cement where I thought it should be. Actually I should have studied my finish grade better. Since my garage is like 10 ft high I should have raised the floor a good 6 inches. Water doesn't flow in but it would be better if it flowed away.

Gun guru · Mar 9, 2009

I built mine too, I did all the work that I could do myself, finish carpentry, all finish plumbing, ALL painting, all hardwood floors, finish electric, all windows, cabinet install.

I hired out the footings, block foundation, rough framing (one crew in 4 days), HVAC and drywall, rough plumbing. It took me 11 months while working full time-----What a 8itch.

Paul from MI · Mar 9, 2009

Modified plans to come up with the house we have. Built it 35 years ago, took the plans to a contractor and had the house build as a pre-cut. We did all the interior work, except drywall. The basic design worked out well, 2000 sqft., 4 bedroom, 2-1/2 bath. After the kids left we added another family room. They didn't come home alone anymore, so we needed more room. I really enjoyed building it and have helped several friends build their own since. Constructioln work is fun and satisfying if you don't have to make a profit.
Paul

badpenny · Mar 9, 2009

Building my own, 4 years of buying parts and pieces on sale, milled floor joists and wall studs on my bandmill from my own timber. T and G V-joint paneling for the walls came from a mill 7 miles away,as seconds at half price, dug the hole for crawl space with my D4 Cat in May '07, poured footings with a 1/3 yd mixer, laid all the block foundation myself, did my own plumbing and electrical, passed all inspections, and moved in last week of Aug '08. My cousin, and a neighbor, helped with lifting the stud walls, and setting trusses. OWB for heat. 22'X32', 1 br 1 bath, did almost all by myself, and quite proud. Do it again? NO WAY

Dave2N · Mar 9, 2009

My wife and I did. Began in August, 1973 and moved in in October, 1974 with lower level unfinished.

Hired excavation, concrete work, plastering, well and septic. The rest we did outselves. Many a midnight knowing we had to get up at 6:00 am. Still have pictures of Mrs. Dave 2N installing the insulation. And while all of this was going on, we built a 32x48 pole barn too.

Twelve years and two kids later, we added a 24x24 addition.

In 2003 we built a 32x32 shop and in 2004 added a "three season room" in place of the patio. Believe it or not, doing the foundation for this in preparation for the walls (company isnstalled) was the most challenging and difficult project I ever attempted. But it turned out nice.

Biggest mistake?? Not buying land two miles south of here, across the state border. That would have put us in PA instead of NY.

Dave2N · Mar 9, 2009

If I were to ever do it again, I'd go with a manufactured home.

From the responses to this thread, it's easy to see why so many people who have "done for themselves" are upset about external_link's attempts to have us further provide for the "butt sitters." (Just another thought re: your great post earlier today.)

Paul in MN · Mar 9, 2009

I started mine in the fall of 1972, and moved in April '74, quite unfinished then, but it was our first home and we loved it and still do. I hired out the excavating (after trying myself), the LR fireplace, the electrical and basic drywall (got pushed by the bank to close). I laid the footings in pouring rain and sleet, laid 1400 conc blocks for the walkout bsmt, did all the framing, plumbing, heating (5 zone HW wood fired boiler), hired some help in pouring the bsmt floor and garage floor. It is a story and half Cape Cod design which my wife and I worked out together and then hired an experienced residential draftsman to make it look good. At the time my father thought I was going broke, and would not help one bit, he wanted me to rent an apartment and put my savings in the stock market. Boy, was he wrong!!

We have raised 5 kids here, letting them garden, make crops, have pets, chickens, horses, mini-bikes, cars, trucks, tractors, and 4H and Scout activities. We now have 8 grandkids (3 families) all within 20 minutes drive time. Life is good!!

No regrets.

Paul in MN

Fergienewbee · Mar 9, 2009

Built and designed my own in 2001. I had a home designer draw plans from my sketches. He had a better knowledge of codes, space requirements--jacuzzi for example, which we passed on--etc. Hired out excavation, concrete work, plumbing, ceramic tile, and rough carpentry. I did wiring, hardwood floors, built cabinets, trimmed out doors and windows, etc. I'm too light for hanging drywall and the plasterer had his own hanging crew.

I would have put in a OWB, but enjoy the freestanding stove with a glass door.

We have 2000 sf up and down. Our house is L-shaped with the bedrooms in one long wing--rooms are side by side rather that a typical 3-bedroom layout--and a shorter 20 x 42 living/kitchen/dining wing. Our plan is very open. The laundry is on the first floor in a nook next to the bathroom. Where does all the laundry come from except the bedrooms and bath towels?

Works very well for us, but I have a son, a jr. in college and my daughter starts next year. The Mrs. and I will have lots of room to play hide and seek.

Larry in Michigan

Gun guru · Mar 9, 2009

My floor plan is open too.

2300 sq. feet large great room in the middle of the house 32' x 17' at the widest point. kitchen/dining room is 1 big room 28' x 16' connects to GR with a 6' opening.
All 3 bedrooms are on other end of the house from kitchen, wifey has her own walk-in-closet, 6'x7' I have a 3'x3' Master bedroom is 17' x 14' other bedrooms are 13x11 and 12x11. Foyer is an office room that is 13'12. 1 big ranch with attic storage. (I should have put in a hidden gun closet)

Anonymous-0 · Mar 9, 2009

Might as well say I built it, the 16x20 cabin on posts has been completely redone inside and out and is not about 5 times as big and it is on a basement/shop. Mostly insulated to "super insulated standards" mostly wish I had done even better in this area, I can't complain, we heat with 2.2 cords of wood a season here in Rhode Island and it is warm in the house always. Insulation is a good investment. Should have made the stall in my shop 2' wider maybe but I wouldn't have done too much diffeent. Oh, I did all the plumbing, wiring, carpentry-rough and finish including milling all native wood for interior, and design. Only hired the excavation, forms and concrete, and had the cabin moved 70 feet onto foundation.

yak651 · Mar 9, 2009

Built in '07, 1800 square feet, we did all the painting, staining, wood floors, tile work. Just wife and me, may have kids some day. If I did it again I would've went a little smaller, 2 bedrooms upstairs instead of 3. We did 9' basement walls, so we could've always added a br downstairs if needed. Have a gas fireplace, wish I would've went with a wood burning or pellet fireplace insert to have an option to propane. Also would've looked a little harder at geothermal, but still think I would've declined due to price. Kitchen could've been a little larger and would've like to have built second garage at the same time instead of waiting. Glad I didn't try to keep up with the jones' I could've spent more, but instead I have a 15 year loan instead of 30...

John S-B · Mar 9, 2009

I didn't build my home, it was modular. But I did have some modifications. Here's what I did that I liked and what I would change.

1. My basement walls are 9' 4" high. I had a 12x8 I-beam put in instead of the 6x10 so I only had two posts in the basement instead of having one every 6'. (44' long beam) I finished the basement and I have a drop ceiling 8' high with only 1 6" soffit on one end for the waste water pipe. All the other utilities are above the ceiling and accessible.
2. I used insulated concrete forms for the basement walls. R-40 isulation rating, I don't have to open the vents to the basement, the temp is constant and comfortable year 'round.
3. I should've put quality windows in to start with. The house is only 9 years old and I just replaced them all and the patio door because of draftiness and the seals were failing.
4. I really hate the vinyl siding. It's really noisy on windy days, especially in winter.
5. You can never have a garage that's too big. Mine is 28x26 with 16' high walls,... and full.

jwal10 · Mar 10, 2009

I took drafting classes and designed my 1212 sq ft house in 1972 as a high school junior. Built it in 1992. 3 bedroom 2 bath open floor plan. Started building it in July moved in Nov 20th. After my 2 kids moved out this summer I remodeled it, added walls and double french door to close off living room. Since we have a breakfast room and didn't use dinning room I built 2 closets and wall to make it into an office. Removed wall closet and made a walkin closet, added a french door and a 8'x 12' sun/spa room off master bedroom. I built a small cabin in the woods in 2004, a off grid, get away retreat....James

huntingreen2day · Mar 10, 2009

Built mine in 94. 3100 sq ft. Live in it alone most of the time now. did the HVAC,duct work and all. 2 units. Wiring, central vac, intercom, painted it top to bottom (will never do that again). yard sprinkler system. Did not frame, brick or trim it. I did all of this while working a 40 hr job and wiring houses for a contractor. I had help with the contracting business but kept the houses laid out, payroll and parts coming. started my house in July moved in in April.

Walt Davies · Mar 10, 2009

Mine was built in 1871 i was still young to help with it. But I done a lot to make it more livable New windows (wood of course) new roof, new doors, new carpet, new floor in kitchen ( that new fake wood great looking stuff and won't scratch.
I love the old place would never buy one of those new fangeled Clap board pieces of junk they build now.
Walt

Anonymous-0 · Mar 10, 2009

Built mine almost entirely myself. Started Jan 1, 2005 and still working on finishing the basement and still need to trim the entire house. I did everything except the well, septic, foundation, finishing drywall and HVAC. Only things I had a little help doing was hanging the ceiling drywall, shingles, trusses, exterior doors and some odd and end help framing. Sure makes for a nice home and cheap payment.

Kelly C · Mar 10, 2009

HEHEHE. I have always wanted to build my own. I had helped my Uncle build his in the late 70's. he never had a mortgage.He just worked on it when he had the cash and lived in a trailer. I liked that idea.

Lucky for me though I know my limmitations. I have always been great at starting projects. its the finnishing part I have issues with. I cant imagine how building a home would have turned out.

I have broached the subject to the wife about building a place on the land we purchased a few year ago. She just says " NO WAY YOUR DOING THAT!" Smart woman I have.

JBMac · Mar 10, 2009

We finished ours in 2007. My builder was very good, but not an architect. I wish I hadn't monkeyed with the layout of the bedrooms. The rooms ended up being 14'x 8' because I moved the closets. When the carpet wears out, I keep threatening to move the closets to make the room like it should have been. The other thing I would have done was do away with all of the low-flow plumbing. When I take a shower, I want it to blast me! I've tried drilling out various shower heads to no avail. How high of a pressure can you safely run the well at? It has copper plumbing.

John

Mike in Ohio · Mar 10, 2009

Built mine started in june 2001 moved in sat before christmas 2002. Had the masonry, rough framing, hvac, and drywall done. We did everthing else. A year and a half of saturdays and half days on sundays. By we I mean my dad and brothers and any friends who happened by. My father in law is a contractor 2 counties away, his crew did the framing and his drywall guy did the plastering.With what I spent on pizza and soda pop I might not of really saved any money.We went through model homes for about 6 months taking notes then put it all together in our own design. Our closets are huge, the laundry room is on the second floor off of the master bath. Also a huge kitchen and large dining room. Other than a couple of light switches I wouldn't change this house design. If I built another it would be a smaller ranch because we didn't end up with as many kids as we planned. Also have 8' ceiling in basement and three car garage deep enough for a crewcab dually pickup with an 8' bed.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 10, 2009

I bought 2.5 acres with a junk house in '68. Had a mortgage-baloon note- and when I went to the county to get it condemned, I found out who REALLY owned it. Got a letter from the bank that said we're taking steps to protect OUR interests. (They didn't know I started it). So, since I wasn't married, I took entire paychecks to the bank and paid it off in 1 1/2 years. Tore down the old house and built a new one-had to get a "permit"-grr. But as a result, I've never had a mortgage beyond that original balloon note. Still living in the same place many years. I now wish I'd insulated the basement and put up 9' walls down there (split foyer), but back then-1970, it cost $30.00/month for gas and elect. And yes, it does anger me to see people get bailed when all they were doing was "movin' on up". Don't these young folks neighbor? nnalert said "it takes a village to raise a child" and I believe that's true. Nowadays it seems grandma and grandpa and daycare are doing the raising. They shoulda gone without when they were able, instead of spending every cent on the newest "toy" IMO.

Jahaze · Mar 10, 2009

I have been building mine for the past 15 years. I don't believe in ever being done. When we first started, I wanted to be as effient as possible, so we have the basic bed rooms, and bath rooms, but very little open floor space for (no great room) for entertaining. I have almost 3,600 square feet of living space, on three levels (lots of places to hide). If I were to start over, I would have gone with more or a ranch style so it would be easier to get around in when I get old. For now, I have plans to ad on an old folks wing so I have a place to live in 30 or so years, my kids can take over the rest of the place.

Our home is constructed with full logs, so the rustic look fits in well, which means my lack of finish carpenter skills goes largely un-noticed.

CJ3b_jeep · Mar 10, 2009

We built ours in 2003. It's a log home and we had the structure framed by the log company and the roof installed by them. We did the rest, including electrical, plumbing, cabinets, heat, floors...everything. I wish I had made it about 6-7 feet longer so we'd have a larger dining area. Other than that it's perfect. This summer we are doing a breezeway between the house and garage.

Gun guru · Mar 10, 2009

My wife and I would have lived in a trailer on the property IF her parents would not have let us live with them for a year while I built my home.

That works out very well---You buy a travel trailer for---$15,000 and live in it on your land and you are right there with no driving to the land to work. (just drive to work.)
An old boss of mine had a friend that did this.

OT: How many built their homes here?

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