Newbie-can it be done with outsourcing?

[Daphne]

Our plan is to move from Chicago in the next year to Colorado (outside of Denver) and rent a house while I build a log home. I plan on taking the next class (just found you guys a week ago!) with my husband and father. Have my father help me erect the shell and hire out as needed. We have a budget of $200,000 for the structure. I would love the idea of doing most of it myself, but I have two small children and I don't think it is realistic. My husband will have limited time to help (weekends), but I think he should be at the class so he is on board. Some moments I think it is totally manageable, other moments I feel like a fool. Can it be done by hiring out help? Or does it defeat the purpose? Any thoughts, advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!

[Tom Featherstone]

Absolutely! Keep reading here Daphne sign up for the next class. It sounds like you already have a lot of "ducks" in order to make it happen. There are many here that could have only wished to have a start like you have. Welcome & glad you found us!

Tom

[Mosseyme]

If you know someone in the area you plan to move that would be a good potential help or manager you might consider taking him or herto class as well. A would guess most on here build with a much lower budjet than that. And yes you can sub out a lot of areas and still save a lot with all they teach you and with a totally differentmind set. Good luck.

[rckclmbr428]

I finished a shell and put a home under roof for a member out in Glenwood Springs, CO. I travel all over the U.S. building these homes, for a nominal fee of course ;-)

[Blondie]

Hello Daphne,

Welcome to LHBA! You are on the right track!!! You are very well prepared financially and should have a lot left over. With you, your father and your husband taking the class you will all be on the "same page" and building will be a whole lot easier!
Should you need the help, I cannot refer you to anyone better than Ronnie Wiley known as "rckclmbr 428." Wait until you get to the member side of this blog and you will be able to see what he builds and how he does it!!

Blondie

[joelkarr]

Daphne, we moved to Colorado from the Chicago area. We are in the process of building our log home. We live in Glenwood Springs, CO. We would be delighted to show you our progress. Ronnie (rckclmbr428) did an awesome job helping us get our stricture under roof.I highly recommend him. I can tell you from experience if you build it part time, be prepared to rent for several years. Don't hesitate to contact us if you want more details.
Joelkarr2000@gmail.com

[rreidnauer]

I know ClaireNJ had gone through a good number of contractors who often went and "did what they thought was best" which wasn't what she wanted. You'd have to keep a real close eye on any contractor not familiar with the tight-pinned, B&P method.

[Daphne]

Thank you for all of the replies! As I am sure you can all relate, the idea of having a log home, and one that I (help) build, excites me so much that I find it hard to fall asleep. Ronnie, I will definitely be talking to you on the "other" side. Thanks again!

[blane]

My son and I are doing everything ourselves part time with a much smaller budget than you have so you have room for hiring out some help. You might consider looking for land with an old trailer already on site that you could make livable while you are building and save rent money, not to mention you will have a well, septic, road and electricity already in place. That is what we have done and it makes it possible to put in many more hours on the build by living 30' in front of the log home.
And Ronnie is very knowledgeable and would be a great asset to have help finish things up after you get the shell done.

[hammerhead 67]

Our process has evolved from "we can do it all! " to .... "how much of the really physical stuff can we hire out".

Wife and I decided last week to focus on our business and try to sock away as much as we can to hire out the back breaking stuff. Concrete, land grading, high work like roof and rafters. Physical limitations come into play, as do expertise and schedules. My wife doesn't want to stack logs so I either have to hire someone like Ronnie or find some GOOD helpers.

Subcontracting parts of the build is a good idea if you have the money but lack the expertise.

My wife put it this way.... "are you really going to care 10 years from now WHO hammered nail number 212398 in the 5th floor board from the left wall" ? Nope.

[Gomer]

Hear ya loud and clear on this hammerhead ..... really not sure anymore how much we want to bite off ourselves so then it gets to be the "how much do we want to actually build" vs buying a loghome thats done and someone else did the work on.
Suspect by the time one subs out a lot of the beastly stuff it becomes mighty expensive.
I respect those that have at it and do their builds but when it's 90's out and humid the idea goes straight into the outhouse :eek:

[rckclmbr428]

[QUOTE=hammerhead 67;75016

My wife put it this way.... "are you really going to care 10 years from now WHO hammered nail number 212398 in the 5th floor board from the left wall" ? Nope.[/QUOTE]
I like this quote! Give me a shout

[spiralsands]

Daphne, I moved from Florida to NY to be near the land I'm going to build on. Right this week, I'm putting the wheels in motion to begin building my temporary shelter, (building office, for the permit guy I gotta see tomorrow night) on the land. I am a single woman who since taking the class has learned and practiced different types of construction jobs from replacing my own windows and gutting and rebuilding a bathroom to building a framed shed from scratch. I will not be doing my log home project alone. I expect to call on others for various aspects of the job but in the end, the project and the home is mine.

Frances

[jrdavis]

My wife put it this way.... "are you really going to care 10 years from now WHO hammered nail number 212398 in the 5th floor board from the left wall" ? Nope.

I like this quote! Give me a shout

Ronnie-- that quote is a GREAT business quote.
I hope it works for you.
I may have to call you too.
I found out 4 weeks ago that I had a iningual hernia and had to have surgery last week.
8 days later I can BARELY tie my shoes. (i'm sure it will get better.....)
But before the call I need to get my logs..... still in progress, I think. !loggers! :(
JD

[loghousenut]

Ronnie-- that quote is a GREAT business quote.
I hope it works for you.
I may have to call you too.
I found out 4 weeks ago that I had a iningual hernia and had to have surgery last week.
8 days later I can BARELY tie my shoes. (i'm sure it will get better.....)
But before the call I need to get my logs..... still in progress, I think. !loggers! :(
JD

Double score Ronnie. In one day you got a quote that is good for business and found a hernia that's as good as gold!

Heel up JR. I just saw the photos on Wikipedia and it don't look like much fun! I just might give Ronnie a prophylactic call (look it up, Bo).

[edkemper]

hammerhead,

> My wife put it this way.... "are you really going to care 10 years from now WHO hammered nail number 212398 in the 5th floor board from the left wall" ? Nope.

The next question is are you planning on a mortgage?

Cause after paying 10 years on that 30 year mortgage, the comment might become I wish we had put in the labor and were debt free.

Know what I mean?

[BoFuller]

Double score Ronnie. In one day you got a quote that is good for business and found a hernia that's as good as gold!

Heel up JR. I just saw the photos on Wikipedia and it don't look like much fun! I just might give Ronnie a prophylactic call (look it up, Bo).

"Wikipedia" or "hernia"? :)

[loghousenut]

"Wikipedia" or "hernia"? :)

Prophylactic... It has something to do with a Wikipediated hernia. Not a pretty sight.

[hammerhead 67]

Ed, plan is to build with cash. No mortgage. It pushes our build off until next year but it should be worth it.

[loghousenut]

It will be.

[FishingAddict]

Ed, plan is to build with cash. No mortgage. It pushes our build off until next year but it should be worth it.

and odds are in your favor all works out well.
Attended 4 funerals already this week of friends or family ranging in ages from 22 to 68. Another service tomorrow for a neighbor - 57. Heart attack while on job.

I love the idea debt free. It sounds soooooo cool and it is cool. I was mortgage free last year and know the feeling even if it didn't last.
I also believe 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000% you live for today, TODAY and in the here and now as there are zero guarantees tomorrow will ever come. Live in the moment, love what you have, maybe go smaller initially if it means less debt or a faster build or whatever it is.

Waiting for tomorrow to do something that you desire and want is not worth the small extra expense of doing in the here and now.
Just take a walk in a National Cemetary or a local one ........they all had dreams too. They lie under the headstones with them. :(

Just my .02 and I am unboard with most everything talked about here except for this concept of waiting and taking all the time in the world if need be to do it debt free. If you could give me a 1000000000% guarantee I'd be here and healthy and have all the years ahead ---- yep. I'd be with this. You can't and I can't so .......

[panderson03]

Dear Fishing Addict, my heart goes out to you. you've suffered so much loss in such a short time.
I'm right in there with you in your 'live for today' philosophy.
thanks for posting. you have a message all should hear.

[Tom Featherstone]

Fishing Addict so sorry to hear of the overload of loss in such a short period. We try to break it down further into "one moment" at a time, the daily challenge is remaining there. To find a way to enjoy each moment as if it's our last. I've seen way to many people spend their whole life working for "someday" that never comes missing out on Life's gift's in each moment. Maybe why it's called the "present". It's the only one we can be in now.

My all the hurting hearts heal quickly and that you all find Joy again in the moment.

[rreidnauer]

We all form our views differently, and for differing reasons. Clearly, it's easy to see how FishAddict's have been influenced.

In my case though, in regards to acquiring my home, "doing" is a great part of life, than rather simply "have done." The time spent carving out my homestead from the raw land is meaningful to me. I enjoy the process as it progresses. I love to (perhaps all too long) pause and just look at the bit of what I achieved for the day. Life is the journey, not the destination. If I were to die tomorrow, I could do so content with the fact the home never got done. I much rather have that, than to have a home and mortgage, knowing I've left behind a debt unpaid.

Now if we're talking about social ventures, or experiencing destinations, etc., then by all means (and I'm speaking hypocritically, since I'm guilty of it) one should get out there and live it. Every day that passes is a day lost and never recoverable. All too many have uttered the words, "I wish I would have done this sooner." Still others never get the chance to say the same.

[loghousenut]

Live in the moment, love what you have



You said a mouthful there, Buddy. The happiest people in the world are those who love what they have. Type A, type B, financially successful, or pauper... There are all kinds of folks who love each day in spite of what they have or lack.

Me?... I love having a halfbuilt log home. I look forward to enjoying every minute of the finish work. I look forward to sitting on the deck, with drool leaking from the corner of my mouth, in the rocking chair my Son will make for me. Kill me tomorrow and I'd rather leave the place just as it is than leave my Wife as a partner to a bank.

Rod is right on the money when he says "Life is the journey, not the destination". Just a matter of choosing your journey.