Anyone O-B'ing?

By Michael in New Berlin, WI on 4/2/2006

Just curious if anyone in Wisconsin has actually gone through the process or is in the process. I would be interested to hear any comments.

Thanks.

By Thomas in East Troy, WI on 4/3/2006

Well, let's say I'm giving the O-B process some very serious thought. Currently reading The Owner-Builder Book and registered today, looking for more info. Purchased land about a year ago, been working with a few builders on and off since then. Finally selected a small, high-quality custom home builder a few months back. They knew what our budget was from day one (and I reminded them regularly). After spending weeks and weeks with them finalizing plans and making many preliminary selections (flooring, cabinet styles, etc.), they finally came back with a 'pretty firm' price $120,000 over our budget.

How that evolved I don't know... and they don't know either. But it's out of control. And I can certainly tell you there is no way I can afford to build a $195 per-square-foot house. So now we are looking at other options... of which O-B is my preferred choice. I am SURE I can do a good job, but not sure I have the time (unless I decide I want to spread the planning phase out over 12 - 18 months).

Tom

By Lisa in Onalaska, WI on 2/20/2007

We are starting the O-B process over by La Crosse. Good friends of ours are also planning to owner-build at the same time we are. We both own our lots and are in the planning stage -- hoping to build next spring. We are interested in hearing from anyone at least kind of "local" (within a four-state radius:) who has gone through the process or in the midst of it.

By Craig in Green Bay, WI on 3/8/2007

I built two and half  years ago and it was great. I used O-B books and CD's. Study, study, and study more. Then plan, plan, plan, and plan more. It worked out great.
 
I'm looking at doing it again later this year. You must have the time to do this. I didn't do any construction work myself.

We started Aug 15th and moved in Dec 1st. And during that time I shut down all the work when I was on vacation for two weeks in September (except the basement pour). BUT IT TAKES TIME. I was on site every day except the two weeks.

I've sent some pics in the attached pdf file.

Craig
Reply...

By Chad in Oak Creek, WI on 4/27/2007

Craig,

My wife and I are beginning to look at O-B'ing our own house. We have not even picked out land yet, but are looking in the Racine County area. We have been looking at  several plans we like online and I was wondering if you have any advice on this. Did you purchase plans already done or work with a designer/architect? Any other advice you feel like sending our way would be greatly appreciated.

Chad

Reply...

By Craig in Green Bay, WI on 4/29/2007

Chad,

We used parts of different plans we liked, went to a lot of Showcase homes (we made notes on likes and dislikes, room sizes, max. and min. etc.) plus our own ideas. I put it on paper approximately and then I took it to a designer/architect (side job); she put it on a CAD system. We had at least a half dozen redraws before the final. Only one change, a small change order, on site. (Paper changes are inexpensive.)

All our time was spent up front. We did the main floor first then we had plans for a walkout or two-story; this gave us more flexibility on lot purchase.

Reply...

By Chad in Oak Creek, WI on 4/29/2007

Craig,

Thank you for the feedback. We are in the process of just looking through a ton of plans and gathering the ones that we like. Our plan is then to probably speak to a designer/architect and have something drawn up that we like. If you wouldn't mind sharing the information, what did you end up as a per square foot finish cost on your build?

Chad


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By Jeff in Hartland, WI on 4/20/2008

Another late response. My wife and I will be doing the owner-builder thing on a lot we bought last year in Hartland. We're a good way  through the planning process. We hired a designer, completed the plans, got bids from three different contractors, and have gotten bids from about 60% of the subs.

Our current house is on the market (for about 30 days now), and with any luck it will sell soon (we are supposed to see our first offer -- a cash offer -- tomorrow).

Once we make it through the financing process, I'll start posting more regularly.