re: Advice for a first time home builder

Build a big arse Utility room. With a shelf for big pots, vaccum cleaner, mop sink, washer, dryer, extra freezer. We have that and its awesome.

Have your plumber run all your water to a Manifold with a shut to each room. Also, install a stainless valve at your water main behind the city main.

Electrical receptacle on each wall.

If you not solid sheeting interior try to figure out where TVs will mounted and put some 2×10s betweebbthe studs to mount the TV easily after your walls are up.

Solid sheet your closets.

Fiberglass or steel exterior doors.

If you will have exterior columns, I'd go fiberglass with that too.

Exterior gas line under the patio.

I did it In rural Texas with much less local county oversight and it was extremely time consuming but I did learn a great deal and I know every square inch of my home when something is need of attention. I did gain equity quicker but it was two years out of my life all while working a Day job full time. Your wife and family must be all in on it with you or it will be hell. Access to reliable subs will be your biggest issue especially in LC due to number of homes being rebuilt due to the storms. Print off plenty of lien release forms and have each contractor sign it so they can’t come back later and say you did not pay them and they then put a lien on your home. You will need to be aware of inspection schedules and the parish will want their cash upfront so get ready to deal with them first to get your building permit. Lumber prices are high right now so keep this in mind. Be prepared for things to be stolen. You will need to be there everyday to check in on what the subs are doing. If they are doing something wrong they can do a lot of wrong shite in just one day. I would go before and after work every day. Scheduling of the subs in the right sequence is of great importance. Also look into builders risk insurance. When I built what surprised me was my builders risk insurance and porta-can where the same amount each month. Go figure. Anyway I am glad I did it but it was not without stress. Just keep an even temperament and stick to your budget. There are some things to go cheaper on but stick to quality. Seems like the things I went cheap on bite me in the arse within a few short years. Best of luck.

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tigerclaw10
Advice for a first time home builder

Was going to post on the money board but I wanted to get more answers that weren’t concerned with just the financial side. I’ve decided to be the general contractor on my home build (Lake Charles area). I’ve got some help from people who have been general contractors for homes in the past so I decided I would try to save some money in the long run. Any dos and donts from the OT?

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Several suggestions:

1. Make sure that your real job can absorb you being away from it a lot. Because oddball stuff will keep cropping up at inopportune times.

2. This is really a project management position, and you need to be sure you have those skills and not just a technical understanding of the construction details. Truly quality labor in the construction industry is slowly fading... knowing the right people is one thing. Getting them to your job site is another. Getting them to your job site at the right time so that other construction details aren't being held up is yet another.

3. Get you know the management of your city inspectors well. Many inspectors handle certain city regions instead of "first come first served". Find out who these people are and go to them first when problems or changes crop up. Let them know your plans and goals. You don't need to treat them out of bounds but you really should build a rapport and be friendly and responsive. They can make or break your project.

4. And have your plans and details on paper, with plenty of copies, and know your stuff. Document changes and discuss with them first. The approving engineer and inspection team absolutely hate amateurs that take up the majority of their time.

5. Seriously think about the things listed above, and determine if you can hire someone to do these things that you trust, and whether or not they can do them better and faster. Because faster IS cheaper. Two months of delays due to not having the proper project management timing will probably more than wipe out every bit of savings you would gain by doing it yourself.

6. Take pictures. Lots of pictures. In fact, hire one of your kids or your wife to take shots of EVERYTHING from all angles and elevations. It will be worth it just to know where that one pipe is in the wall or where that cable/conduit/water line is out in the yard. It might save you with an inspector later, as well.

7. There are some areas in which you do not need to go cheap. Knowing the areas to save money and where not to will result in much better quality in the long run.

8. Buy a book on contracting your own home. There are several out there but a great one is "The Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home" by McGuerty and Lester. LINK

Good luck. You're gonna need it.

Knowing every square inch of my home is a big deal to me as well. Did you have lots of problems with the framing and blacking in of the house or more inside problems like electrical Sheetrock etc.?

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I’ve decided to be the general contractor on my home build (

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Don't.

My brother in law deeply regrets doing that.

I'm an architect. There is a good reason many architects actually do NOT design their own homes.

Also, hiring an independent GC is expensive but they are going to do a lot of the messy battling for you and save you precious amounts of sanity.

A good reputable GC has a network of guys that they work with regularly. Those guys are going to show up and do work on time so that the GC will keep them in the good jobs.

That’s the big deal to me. Explaining to my wife that we have to live with my parents for another 3 months because the plumbing guy is on his deer lease in Kansas is not in my wheelhouse.

Hire DR Horton. Be done. You’re welcome.

Don’t do it,

Have whoever does it add hot water with mixing valve to a outdoor hose connection, wonderful for washing dogs, or other things outside during cold weather.