New Land, New Home Build

[Cantoo]

extraktor, don't worry about the little twigs from the bush hog, you'll be able to still use your powerred wheelchair now that you have the 36" doors.
Bolt a piece of steel mesh on your roll bar if possible.
There is a type of attachment that fits on your bucket that will grab and remove those little stumps. Not worth grinding them and the few that you miss with the grinder you will find with the ztr.

 

[dlauffenburger]

I really like that show and find that I learn something new in just about every episode. He builds in Canada, and things are different there then down here in East Texas, so some of it doesn't apply to me, but it's still fun to learn about.

You have to be careful with these shows. He doesn't have a budget and he is promoting materials on his shows that he is paid to use. Some of those products are new and have not stood the test of time. If you have watched his shows for very long, you might notice how he has changed how he does showers, and how he promotes some items over others. .......


Eddie,

Great post. I recently retired from the Navy and am planning on moving back to my home town in Western PA, so i have been researching floor plans etc. I live in Texas so i am having to do everything via the Web and phone.

What was amazing to me, not to mention extremely frustrating, is that there is no system in place to research building contractors or even view their building code violation record. When i called the local building department and asked them if they could give me some guidance on who are good builders/contractors in the area they stated that they don't track that kind of data. I assume that they are just hesitant to recommend anyone due to the possible liability.

So here is the $1M question, how does someone find a good builder/contractor. All of my research has said to visit their build sites and finished product, but as you outlined in your post it is pretty easy for them to hide their inadequency with a good sheet rock and finish sub.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Dave

 

[extrakt0r]

^ you have to make it a point to visit your subs sites daily when they are doing the work. It takes alot of time out of your schedule.

They can frame a house in about 3 weeks. Plumb it in a few days, and do the elec in another few days.

If you are not visiting neighborhoods daily, you will never get to meet them.

When I was doing my sub selections for about 45 days I was literally going to jobsites for about 2 hours each morning, inspecting work and talking to subs. Taking pics with my camera, etc.

 

[EddieWalker]

So here is the $1M question, how does someone find a good builder/contractor. All of my research has said to visit their build sites and finished product, but as you outlined in your post it is pretty easy for them to hide their inadequency with a good sheet rock and finish sub.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Dave

You are right in that I don't like to give recomendations because they can come back to bite me. In my opinion, the trades are overrun with people having an addiction of some kind. Drinking is the most commmon, but drugs adn gambling are a big part of it too. Of the three, the gamblers are the worse. The second they get any cash, they disapear!!!!

A guy who has had a great reputation will sometimes totally change overnight. It's sad, but I know of several very big, very rich, builders in my area that went from hands on, make it right, and standing behind what he built, to not caring, bullying clients and never finishing the jobs. It's scary.

If I was to look for a guy to hire, I would go to Angies List. I both hate it and admire it. I'm on there because some of my clients have written reports on me. From what I understand, they are all great reports. The reason I hate it is that I get a ton of calls from people wanting bids from me, but in my experience, most are just shopping around and not serious. It's proven to be a waste of time for me to even deal with those types of callers. I also get calls from Angies List asking me to be a featured contractor. I don't want to, and have told them repeatedly that my business in doing very well and that I don't want or need their website. But the reviews are honest as far as I know, and there are enough bad reviews out there of the other guys that I think it would be a good starting point.

My advice when looking to hire a contractor is to talk to at least five. That sounds easy, but in every case that I've had to come back and fix what was done wrong, they hired the first guy they talked to. If he sounds nice, you like him, he has some great ideas and has been around for years, that's all most people want. Keep looking until you have spoken to at least five. DO NOT be in a rush to get started. Another year is nothing if you can get it right the first time, becasue if you don't, it will cost you twice as much and take many years to make it right.

Check refrences, ask around, walk up to owners of new houses and ask then who did their house and if they did anything wrong. The more footwork and effort YOU put into finding the right person, the greater the reward will be for you.

I don't advertise. Im all over facebook, but all my jobs come from repeat clients and their friends. When I want to hire somebody, that's where I start looking for names. If it's somebody that I really know and trust, then I might hire that guy right off for the job, but usually I talk to several before commiting. Not only is my name on the line when I bring in another contractor, my reputation for future jobs with their friends is at risk!!!!!

I'm very approachable, Im' very easy to find, and I'm out in the open. If somebody was angry with me, they can find me real easy. I do this on purpose becasue it shows my clients that I'm here for them, and they are always welcome to come to me if their is a concern. Facebook accomplishes this, but just telling them where I live also builds trust with my clients. Do you want to give a stranger the keys to your house and not even know where he lives?

Listen to your little voice, address every red flag as it happens, and NEVER HOPE that things will get better. Once it goes bad, it will just get a lot worse!!!!

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[sriddle1ny]

Dave, Congratulations on your retirement and THANK YOU for your service to our country. In 1997, I retired as an OSCS after 9 years active and 16 reserve.........

I'm in the process of gearing-up for another build and the last I hope in SW NH. Unlike others who have posted I always move into an area and start from scratch in selecting land and then quickly progressing to the build. You can save lots of money if you act as the General Contractor instead of looking for a Builder who hires his own subcontractors and plans everything cradle to grave but there are risks and I've learned a well written detailed Statement of Work (SOW) that ties progress to payments can help mitigate them before the work starts.

If you attempt to act as a General Contractor it will require a good amount of time learning/understanding the details within the codes they use in PA, the inspection schedules, etc. Acting as a General is not hard to do, you just need to understand the sequence of events and what has to be completed before another sub can start his/her work. Once you get a handle on that you can create detailed SOWs citing the specific state and local codes they need to adhere to + the use of any materials of your choosing for each of the trades. What I mean is you'd want to do your homework on all the HVAC mechanicals for instance, furnace, water heater, boiler, LP/Gas/Electric, etc. Just remember, you need to drive it or else you may wind-up with what they call "Contractor Grade" stuff......... The more you dig and understand the efficiency ratings the better you'll be down the line with reoccurring energy costs.

It doesn't surprise me local gov't will not disclose any information about a particular business or even recommend one they feel does a great job, they must remain impartial because they are also the inspecting arm as well.

LAND - Depending on what you're looking for it can drive cost. If you want a bare lot outside a subdivison setting you may have to install a Septic System = $$$, drilling a well = $$$, run power to the house = $$$, driveway installation, drainage, etc. as opposed to purchasing a bare lot in a subdivison with all the utilities already in place.

When I finally get a good set of plans I send them out to at least 5 lumber yards for a materials quote. If the plans are not detailed enough then I provide a supplemental sheet specifying the window mfr/model, roofing materials, exterior clad, what types of trusses, etc. The trick when obtaining bids is to eliminate any room for interpretation then you get the apples to apples bid I mentioned in my last post in this thread. When I meet to discuss their quote I ask about reliable subcontractors in the area and every time I've asked I get a good list the Lumber Company is willing to stake their reputation on. It's easy to see if the same sub comes-up from all the lumber companies but as others have mentioned you need to physically visit their work site, etc. I remember when building my last home and had a $12K delta just in the window schedule, same windows just differing mark-up at the local level.

I've rambled enough so I'll sign-off......................

 

[JimRB]

In Georgia pines and even cedars will rot in a few years. I think I cleaned one fence line about 5 years ago. I kicked over the last of the stumps which included some cedars last weekend.

My parents came over for dinner last weekend. My wife's friend's mother tagged along She is 92. My dad is 87 and used a walker that day. He did not want to go up my front steps which has 7" rise and 11" run. 8 steps. He wanted to use the garage entrance which has 5 steps but a 7"rise, 9" run. The garage stairs has a railing on one side and a wall on the other to hang on to. So I had to clean out my mess in the garage so he could negotiate with the walker. Our house has 36" bedroom doors but a 28" bathroom door. In his house the 24" doors are 23" wide. I can ride his wheelchair through the doors barely. The wheelchair is wider when he is in it and cannot fit through the door. They chiseled the trim of the door frame so the wheelchair could get in. No door either as the door makes the opening too narrow. I hope that 28" bathroom door does not come back to haunt me as I get old.

Wow a rambling note just to suggest just because you are able to get through a 18" doorway does not mean that your house guests will be able to. Another thing to consider is no one believes they will die, be injured or handicapped. But it does happen and not always to you but sometimes to someone in your family or friends.

My bank made me get a builder. He was OK but not nearly as fussy as me. We (me, a skilled and fussy friend and a helper) spent 6 man days doing framing punch list. The folks that did the siding did a fair job, not a great job. I have fixed some screw ups but I still have more things to fix. Building a house can be fun or not. Of the subs my builder got, the plumber, foundation, grading, HVAC and septic and drywall were great. Framer was good. Siding, not so good. Roofer OK. I did electrical, tile, carpentry, hardwood flooring and paint. I can't complain about my work except I did not do a great job hanging the cabinets. Being my own electrical guy let me get commercial spec receptacles and switches. To me that meant receptacles and switches that are not flimsy $1 each items. I built 13 years ago so cheap switches might be a bit more these days.
;-)

 

[extrakt0r]

LOL seriously. I get the point on the doors in the house. Since people seem to not want to move on, let me be ridiculous and say that I will not allow any fat or cripple people in my house with my 24" doors.

Next subject please! :mur:

 

[twinjayhawks]

LOL seriously. I get the point on the doors in the house. Since people seem to not want to move on, let me be ridiculous and say that I will not allow any fat or cripple people in my house with my 24" doors.

Next subject please! :mur:

Sounds like you have it all figured out then... So why did you ask for advice?

Don't ask for advice then be critical when you get it. That is the definition of arrogant...

 

[extrakt0r]

^ seriously?

At least 5 people have said the same thing about the doors now. I have taken the advice as best a person can. Apparently people want to just zone in on one thing, and nothing else.

There gets to be a point where listening to the same advice over and over again, only written a different way is no longer productive. Thus the need to move on.

If you think I am arrogant, then don't post/read in my thread anymore. I feel I have been more than accommodating to peoples advice thus far.

 

[twinjayhawks]

^ seriously?

At least 5 people have said the same thing about the doors now. I have taken the advice as best a person can. Apparently people want to just zone in on one thing, and nothing else.

There gets to be a point where listening to the same advice over and over again, only written a different way is no longer productive. Thus the need to move on.

If you think I am arrogant, then don't post/read in my thread anymore. I feel I have been more than accommodating to peoples advice thus far.

Your right... arrogant was not the right word for you.

Nothing more to see here for me.