ChainsawGrandpa
07-24-2007, 08:59 PM
I'm sitting here at work. Behind me are two coworkers discussing the bids and actual costs of their homes that are being started, and almost finished. $35,000 for tile work, $8,500 for carpets, $3,500 for paint, $15,500 for plumbing, $1,500 for door knobs....(for door knobs!!??) My front door latch, pull, handle assembly, deadbolt is nice. Brass. Very expensive, and elegant. I just can't recall what I paid...$18? $35? Doesn't matter, I did see it on display in a store. YEOW! They want more for that assembly than my latch, door, jamb, trim, paint, and entry tile will cost. Much more!
My guest house was projected at something like $7,000. It has grown
in size, and the bulk of the spending is over, but the construction will
last another year. The project has grown in size and cost and I project
the final cost will be $17,000 for 830 square feet (about $21/ft) .
We both have: Oak and tile floors, glass block wall, high end windows.
They have things I won't have, biiiiiiig mortgage, high risk of loss when
(not if) the market falls...) but I'll have things they don't have (waterfall,
radiant heat floors, sound proofing, full custom cabinets...).
Maybe since we slow-down and get good prices, and use some of the
techniques Skip taught, it allows us to save money to the point of
stretching credibility. I was talking to a real estate agent about a log home and he said; "That's (price) is impossible! You're talking about building a home for the cost of an appliance budget!" My thoughts are; "Yes I can, and just how exotic are your appliances?"
My skill is that I just think like Skip, employ techniques he taught, and refuse to pay retail when someone is willing to sell it cheap or give it away. I just can't understand $250/ft. when I can build as nice or nicer for $15/ft. Hey, lets face it...building without a lender breathing down your neck, and seeing your dreams come true with your own hands is just a blast! Right now they're complaining that they have no life for a whole year while being your own general contractor. Building your own log home for cash adds to the fullness of life. Enjoy the ride!
Being in a hurry, and living off site has cost me at least $6.50/ square
foot. Up until I heard these guys talking I was upset with my wild
spending! In hindsight, if I had spent more time thinking, and less time
charging ahead to beat the short building season, a little more planning,
and looking to the future I could have saved as much as $4,000.
It seems that the total front-end of the building process is a lot like the
log catalog...the more time you spend in thought, and planning the more
time and money you will save.
Just my miscellaneous ramblings....
-Rick
My guest house was projected at something like $7,000. It has grown
in size, and the bulk of the spending is over, but the construction will
last another year. The project has grown in size and cost and I project
the final cost will be $17,000 for 830 square feet (about $21/ft) .
We both have: Oak and tile floors, glass block wall, high end windows.
They have things I won't have, biiiiiiig mortgage, high risk of loss when
(not if) the market falls...) but I'll have things they don't have (waterfall,
radiant heat floors, sound proofing, full custom cabinets...).
Maybe since we slow-down and get good prices, and use some of the
techniques Skip taught, it allows us to save money to the point of
stretching credibility. I was talking to a real estate agent about a log home and he said; "That's (price) is impossible! You're talking about building a home for the cost of an appliance budget!" My thoughts are; "Yes I can, and just how exotic are your appliances?"
My skill is that I just think like Skip, employ techniques he taught, and refuse to pay retail when someone is willing to sell it cheap or give it away. I just can't understand $250/ft. when I can build as nice or nicer for $15/ft. Hey, lets face it...building without a lender breathing down your neck, and seeing your dreams come true with your own hands is just a blast! Right now they're complaining that they have no life for a whole year while being your own general contractor. Building your own log home for cash adds to the fullness of life. Enjoy the ride!
Being in a hurry, and living off site has cost me at least $6.50/ square
foot. Up until I heard these guys talking I was upset with my wild
spending! In hindsight, if I had spent more time thinking, and less time
charging ahead to beat the short building season, a little more planning,
and looking to the future I could have saved as much as $4,000.
It seems that the total front-end of the building process is a lot like the
log catalog...the more time you spend in thought, and planning the more
time and money you will save.
Just my miscellaneous ramblings....
-Rick