House for my Parents

[TnWV]

Great thread Eddie!! I always enjoy reading about your projects. I'm about to start building a house, so I'm taking in everything I can from threads like these and incorporating all of the great advice as I go through the planning process. I'm looking forward to following your progress and watching it all come together through your pictures.

 

[EddieWalker]

Last weekend I built the first two trusses for the garage. Then I wrote down the lengs of each piece and had my dad cut all the pieces for the remaining 15 trusses during the week. The way we're building the house is on the weekends I do all the detail, precision work, as well as anything up high and dangerous. During the week, my parents do all the slow, time consuming things that need to be done.

Yesterday we built all 15 trusses in place. We just built the next one, then the next one and then the next one until we where done with them just before dark. Today I built the gable end wall and gable eaves, then spent some time bracing it all together.



Eddie

 

[jinman]

You are sure moving along, Eddie. Soon, you'll have the decking and roof on and be in the dry. My gut feeling is that the cost of this house is gonna be astonishingly low.

 

[brin]

Eddie....You are doing a great job...but I want to really mention and commend you on what a neat and clean job site you are maintaining....that has always been a pet peeve of mine...I can't tolerate builders that work in a mess of scraps or leave the job with a pile of garbage and scrap from day to day....You exhibit all the signs of a true professional....congratulations and especially on being such a fine and caring son.

 

[IslandTractor]

You are sure moving along, Eddie. Soon, you'll have the decking and roof on and be in the dry. My gut feeling is that the cost of this house is gonna be astonishingly low.

Too bad for the rest of us we don't have someone like Eddie to honcho building projects like this. I'm really impressed with the efficiency of the project especially how Eddie has managed to appropriately utilize the willing but less skilled labor of his parents to move things along. A great example of efficiency but also a really wonderful family project. I hope Eddie looks back at this effort with great pride as he certainly deserves to.

 

[EddieWalker]

Jim,

I was just talking to my parents about the budget and how where doing. The numbers are really good, but what amazed us is the house I grew up in was about the same size and they paid $27,000 for it. That means somebody bought the land, brought utilities in, bought materials and hired people to build it and then sold it for a profit. I find it truly incredible what it must have cost for materials to build a house in the 60's.

Bob,

Thank you, but I have to give my Mom most of the credit for keeping everything cleaned up. I'm huge on staying organized and not having anything on the ground to trip over, buy she is truly OCD in keeping it nice. She sweeps three times a day!!!!

Island,

Thank you!!! Sometimes it's frustrating, but when I figure out what they can do, and they get it done, it's very worthwhile. And like everyone, it's mostly just not being familiar with what I need them to do and trying to explain it to them. Once they understand what has to be done, they tear it up and stick with it until it's done.

Today they finished all the OSB on the walls!!!! It's funny to see them work together. Mom tells Dad what to do, he tries, she gets mad and yells at him, and that' when he listens and it gets done. Once the OSB is in position, she gets her chair and sits on the inside while he nails it in place. Every time he misses, she tells him which way to go and how far off he is. Truly two old people that have their own way of getting things done!!!!

Eddie

 

[DougM]

((( Truly two old people that have their own way of getting things done!!!!

Eddie )))

And I think You like to do things Your wasy al so ....What ever works for the people doing the work..

More Pictures Please...

 

[DougM]

((( Truly two old people that have their own way of getting things done!!!!

Eddie )))

And I think You like to do things Your way al so ....What ever works for the people doing the work..

More Pictures Please...

 

[kiotiken]

I was just talking to my parents about the budget and how where doing. The numbers are really good, but what amazed us is the house I grew up in was about the same size and they paid $27,000 for it. That means somebody bought the land, brought utilities in, bought materials and hired people to build it and then sold it for a profit. I find it truly incredible what it must have cost for materials to build a house in the 60's.

As a teen (somewhere around 25 years ago) when my family moved, we sold our house for just more than $100K. I remember asking my parents how much they paid for the house and my dad gave me a number of around $20K(I can't remember the exact number). I asked him why he didn't buy more than one at that price and he told me he only made $6500 a year at the time, so that was a lot of money back then. I remember my parents debating spending the $179K to move to a bigger house, and in the end, that's what they did, and they're still in it today. They're now considering downsizing and have found that the house is worth $550K - $600K. I'm sure my kids will one day look back and be amazed that somebody could buy and service the land, buy materials and hire people, all for less than a million dollars.

 

[murphy1244]

Eddie, I find it funny that your buying your cabinets from around me and I'm buying from your state.