I’ve been a fan of your book and website for many years. Thanks for the great resource! Christopher in San Diego, CA

Doug's Forum Posts: 0
Journal Entries: 3
Interview Answers: 36




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Approvals

Posted to Millerbuild by Doug in Carstairs, AB on 8/22/2010

Yahoo! We are finally underway. Bank has given us their blessing!

It has been very busy since our last post. All the information has been given to the county for the building-permit application. I had to get the surveyors out to the property a week and a half ago to get some elevations the county required. In order to do the survey, we needed to get some of the brush knocked down. We phoned a bunch of landscaping companies; no luck in having someone out! We took the bull by the horns and rented a brush mower, bought a gas weed whacker, and went to town one evening. The mosquitoes were bad, and the work was tough, but we got it done. The surveyors did their work in the pouring rain the next day and we had the survey by last Tuesday. This was turned in to the county, and our foundation permit should be ready for pickup.

The same day of the survey I had expected to get my building permit for the 1,200-square-foot shop. We did not realize a development permit was required first because of its oversize and height. It would not have changed my mind, as there are not significant costs to go bigger, and we would lose all the extra space by going to the maximum-permitted size of 861 square feet. This wrinkle may hurt the cost savings of getting all the work on the house done at the same time as the shop.

The excavator we are planning on using showed up during our clearing. We should have excavation started in a week's time. The cribber is up for after the long weekend. I will attempt to get all the site work done early. There are few of the trades we are planning on doing ourselves with some assistance. It encompasses water/sewer/telephone/power and septic, and represents a major cost center. The work is somewhat off of the critical path, and I have experience with it through my employment.

For work coming up, we will be pursuing the engineer for our final septic design. This is a required component of the septic application as well as my site-work progress. Material will get ordered within a week for the site work except the septic system. The quotes for the cribbing material and excavating need to be fine tuned; this should be resolved by mid next week. The development of our contract/purchase-order paperwork will be done today. The schedule also needs to be updated for the banking delays.

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Main Floor

Budgeting

Posted to Millerbuild by Doug in Carstairs, AB on 7/10/2010

A month after closing the sale on the property, we are very close to finishing the budgeting process. We have a number of straggling prices to pursue; they are anticipated next week. Now we have to finalize all the documentation for the bank, submit, and cross our fingers.

With a bit of luck and lots of effort, we should get this out to the bank next week. Time marches on, and if we get approval we need to get this project underway. Snow flies here around September and sticks by November with frost setting in the ground at the same time. We can get the foundation in before a BP is issued, with some risk on our part, so this should help us with the schedule.

New rules for septic systems came in late last year, so we are dealing with some additional costs. Not a huge deal, but it means due diligence on our part to comply with the new regs. From preliminary phone calls we are dealing with a pressure system. I may post a few questions in the forums about this.

Getting Started

Posted to Millerbuild by Doug in Carstairs, AB on 6/6/2010

Just picked up the plans from the architect on Friday, and we are closing on the acreage June 10th. My wife and I have been going to countless subdivisions in the area looking for trades, and having lots of luck. We find them working late on Fridays and Saturdays, so we figure we have the "keeners". Lost of good, free advice, and they have been quite friendly. We need to work on finding more exterior trades, and plumbers/HVAC, but it will come with effort. We have yet to reference the yellow pages. We don't plan on it.

We will be giving out the drawings and scopes of work next week, for pricing, hopefully complete in a couple of weeks. I think my initial budget may be slightly low. My biggest concern with this is the bank will not want to see a low budget, as they told me they will use the higher of the appraised value compared to my budget. They do want the down payment up front for the completed value + land, quite a sum.

Next week is busy, as we also need to get our septic documentation in order. This needs to be submitted with our BP application. Testing will be required, so this will take some time to line up.

I have nearly completed my schedule, at least 16 hours worth of my time. It is very optimistic right now, but I am thinking it will take another four months past what the schedule says for completion.

Any words of advice for getting great deals on the initial framing package, including trusses?

Photos

Entry looking east

Mark's Forum Posts: 19 Journal Entries: 29 Interview Answers: 69 Average Forum Rating: 3.25 Mark's Selected Image 6/28/2010

Get at least three or four quotes on everything that you will be purchasing and subcontracting. Mark

Doug's Forum Posts: 0 Journal Entries: 3 Interview Answers: 36 Image from Doug's blog 7/9/2010

Thanks Mark. I have three or four quotes for each of the trades and material packages up to framing. I have found, at least around here, that most tradesmen are working as subcontractors for larger contractors. It makes it real easy to find someone to do the work, but typically the company they sub to does the material takeoff, and gives the tradesmen a per foot payment. This means I need to do the takeoff, or find a supplier to do it for me. Not wanting to pay for any more material than required, I'd like to do my own takeoff.