Building myself or not ?

savagewsm · #1 06-12-2014, 09:24 PM

I am in the planning stages of a new home. Looking at the various options out there is getting a little confusing and if anyone has some input it would be greatly appreciated.

Personal info: I've had a lot of experience framing, plumbing, laying tile etc…. as I used to have my own little reno business and have helped quite a few buddies with their homes. However, I'm getting up in years and a little slower than I used to be.

The new house has to fit into a pretty tight budget so the balance between what do I pay for someone else to do the work compared to the savings of doing it myself is the big question. In todays market how much ( as a percentage ) does labout impact the price of an RTM or contracted house ?

The location is on family land and the site has family living close by so it can sit without worry of thieves and such.

So if you were a 50+ year old fellow with limited help from friends but a good background in building on a tight ( very tight ) budget and a three year window to build what would you do ?

P.S: My other half is not the patient type and does not want to live in a construction zone.

thanks in advance for any advice

densa44 · #2 06-12-2014, 09:30 PM

My neighbour hire day labour guys and they helped with the heavy work. I think he contracted the roof, I did too.

It is very hard to get guys to come, so you may end up doing much of it yourself anyway.

I got fixed price quotes for the concrete, roof, and dry wall.

Good luck.

Ken07AOVette · #3 06-12-2014, 09:32 PM

I did absolutely everything myself with the help of friends. 2800 feet in 7 months.

Yes, if you have enough help do it yourself, start in may done by october.

savagewsm · #4 06-12-2014, 09:37 PM

Stupid question but once the house is framed, wrapped, windows and doors does it hurt it much to sit all winter without heat. ( no drywall or insulation )

I know it may be a dumb question but I've never left a project sit over winter and I may have to do this based on work commitments

Also, what is a fair wage to pay a labourer to help. As was mentioned above all I'd need is someone with a good back that can swing a hammer or not shoot themselves in the foot with a nail gun. I was thinking that this would be a good opportunity for some strong teenage fellows to gain some experience and a little cash in their pockets.

Grizzly Adams · #5 06-12-2014, 09:41 PM

P.S: My other half is not the patient type and does not want to live in a construction zone. [Quote]

There's your answer, unfortunately.

Our family built our house, took two years for the major part, but my wife doesn't mind a little crap and inconvenience. Should have seen the shack we lived in while building.

Only stipulation was barn had to be built First. Was a lot wiser man afterwards and I can repair anything on the place. Doing it myself also enabled me to stretch the budget by scrounging. Drywall came from damaged sheets written off by one of the suppliers and I chanced on a good deal for windows and doors from a builder in Calgary. Jetted tub came from Liquidation World. Actually the third house I built, but this one was meant to be a keeper. Nice part is nobody is pushing you and if you want to take off for a few days, so be it.
Grizz

sparky660 · #6 06-12-2014, 09:45 PM

What are the rules for new home warranty and mortgages?

Grizzly Adams · #7 06-12-2014, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savagewsm

Stupid question but once the house is framed, wrapped, windows and doors does it hurt it much to sit all winter without heat. ( no drywall or insulation )

I know it may be a dumb question but I've never left a project sit over winter and I may have to do this based on work commitments

Yes, concrete will very possibly heave and crack. Saw a basement near Millarville, basement done, people left it sit over the winter with the floor poured. Heaved almost a foot in the center. Company I worked for years ago, poured a bunch of basements when the housing market collapsed. Tarped them in and heated them over the winter. No problem.

Grizz

savagewsm · #8 06-12-2014, 09:50 PM

We are currently living in a good house that's paid for so if the job was totally done we could just move inot the new house. In the next three years I coukld devote about five months to the project full time then most weekends as well.

can it be done with one guy a couple of strong backs ?

I got a quote on an RTM of a 1500 sq ft. RTM at the drywall stage at $95,000
Just the house. How much can I save doing my own building ? I think I can sell this to the boss if I say the savings will let her have fancy countertops and frilly things. Hell if it was up to me I'd have concrete walls and rubber mats for floors.

savagewsm · #9 06-12-2014, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Yes, concrete will very possibly heave and crack. Saw a basement near Millarville, basement done, people left it sit over the winter with the floor poured. Heaved almost a foot in the center. Company I worked for years ago, poured a bunch of basements when the housing market collapsed. Tarped them in and heated them over the winter. No problem.

Grizz

Would a slab have the same risk ?

npbra · #10 06-12-2014, 10:00 PM

My wife and I built our house our self. Took 3 1/2 months and the only thing I didn't do was the linoleum. I am a handyman with no formal training in building construction and have been living in the same house for 20 years. Best thing about building it yourself, you never have to wait for the contractor to show up. Did use slave labor for some of the heavy lifting. Great experience and only cost $35,000 for 1600 sq.ft. house and 2000 sq. ft. attached garage (2 storey).

fordtruckin · #11 06-13-2014, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npbra

My wife and I built our house our self. Took 3 1/2 months and the only thing I didn't do was the linoleum. I am a handyman with no formal training in building construction and have been living in the same house for 20 years. Best thing about building it yourself, you never have to wait for the contractor to show up. Did use slave labor for some of the heavy lifting. Great experience and only cost $35,000 for 1600 sq.ft. house and 2000 sq. ft. attached garage (2 storey).

How long ago??

To the OP, My ex inlaws wanted to pay someone to do the brick on the front of their house outside of sylvan. Just the trim parts up front by the garage and under the front porch. If I recall they were quoted around 8000$ for the labor. We did it ourselves in a week, so I'd say that was pretty good savings. You can do a lot of the work yourself and save big $$ plus then you know how it was put in and where everything is if you ever want to do a reno. I can't tell you how many times I've worked on a place where layout for studs was changed halfway through the wall. Not that it helps you much but If I was closer I'd be more than willing to give you a hand. The way I look at it you always can learn something and even if I don't ever use it again, its another tool in my tool box of skills!

nelsonob1 · #12 06-13-2014, 12:18 AM

Best way forward in my opinion is to GC the home yourself and sub out the components that you need help with such as foundation, roof etc. Not difficult at all and there are no home warranty or mortgage issues.

skidderman · #13 06-13-2014, 07:06 AM

Without heat the cement will heave and crack. Almost guaranteed.

super7mag · #14 06-13-2014, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

Best way forward in my opinion is to GC the home yourself and sub out the components that you need help with such as foundation, roof etc. Not difficult at all and there are no home warranty or mortgage issues.

I think you may have missed the thread about the new home warranty laws, Alberta has pretty much screwed the homeowner out of being the GC, and even if you qualify for the exemption you will not find a bank to finance you.
All I can say to the Op is you had better do some more research on this. Unless your paying out of pocket for the entire build.

BBKiller · #15 06-13-2014, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by super7mag

I think you may have missed the thread about the new home warranty laws, Alberta has pretty much screwed the homeowner out of being the GC, and even if you qualify for the exemption you will not find a bank to finance you.
All I can say to the Op is you had better do some more research on this. Unless your paying out of pocket for the entire build.

He has a paid off house, so I assume he wouldn't have a problem to remortgage his current house to fund his new house. That's what I would do if I didn't have the cash on hand.

coreya3212 · #16 06-13-2014, 08:04 AM

He would still have to pay 750 to the govt to not insure him. I tell you what, I don't usually do this but I am in a generous mood this morning. I will not insure you for 650.

benamen · #17 06-13-2014, 09:24 AM

I am 60+ and started an addition to my cabin last September.(cabin is 2 hours from my home) Not a complete building (I stick built our current home 35 years ago in six months while holding down my regular job) but adding to an existing building has its unique challenges. I paid to get the hole dug and holding tank supplied and placed then setup the forms for the footings myself. Concrete is heavy work so contracted that out. Took a week off and with the help of my son and son in law, we had the wood foundation in place and insulated and the shell up and ready for shingles. Following weekend we did the shingles and tied them into the existing roof. Since then, I have been to the cabin every weekend, sometimes by myself and other times with helpers. I am ready to start the siding. It will be a little bigger job as the ladies don't like the existing color so have to remove the siding from the original cabin and then start with the new siding. I have done all the plumbing and electrical and the only other job I will be contracting out is the heating as I do have natural gas to the cabin and you need a ticket to gas fitting and get a meter installed.
So if you are only 50, it should be a piece of cake