How much construction industry experience did you have before you owner-built? |
| 4-5 |
|
How many finished levels in your most recent owner-built house? |
| Two |
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What type of construction? |
| Conventional framing |
|
House style? |
| Other |
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How much did you save altogether vs. appraised or street value? |
| 25% - 30% |
|
How many hours did you spend as a couple, counting planning and construction? |
| > 1,000 hrs. |
|
Were you working when you owner-built? |
| Both working |
|
Who took primary responsibility in your family for the work? |
| Husband primary |
|
What trades did you do yourself? |
| Slab prep, waterproofing, some grading, pour footings, framing, plumbing, electrical. |
|
How much did you save on the trades you did yourself? |
| $30,000 - $50,000 |
|
How long did your self-work trades take? |
| >1,000 hours |
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How many bids did you get for each subcontracted trade, on average? |
| Three |
|
Did you get bids from generals? |
| One |
|
Have you had it appraised? |
| Yes |
|
Was yours a starter, step-up, custom, or dream home? |
| Custom |
|
Did you get materials separate from labor on any of the trades? |
| 50% - 60% |
|
Did you have contract problems? |
| None at all |
|
Did you get liened by anybody? |
| No liens |
|
What percentage of O-B's do you think get liened? |
| 10% - 15% |
|
How much time did it take to construct? |
| More than ten months |
|
How many trades were involved on your job? |
| 10 - 15 |
|
What time of year did you start? |
| August |
|
Did you get a construction loan without a contractor? |
| Yes |
|
Do you have a step-up strategy? |
| No |
|
How much combined time did you spend planning? |
| 400 - 500 hours |
|
How many times are you planning to do this? |
| One time total |
|
Are you organized? |
| Very |
|
Are you a good shopper? |
| Good shopper |
|
Did you use a designer, architect, stock plan? |
| Designed My Own |
|
Did you get a bad surprise on property taxes? |
| No - I expected the tax assessment I got |
|
Were utility costs in the new house a surprise? |
| About what I expected |
|
Did you have any problems getting your building permit? |
| No problems as an owner-builder |
|
Did you hire anybody from out of town? |
| Two trades |
|
Did you buy any materials from out of town? |
| For two trades |
|
How many books about contracting or the trades will you read when you owner-build? |
| One |
|
How many finished levels in your future owner-built house? |
| Two |
|
What type of construction are you planning? |
| Conventional |
|
Planned house style? |
| Other |
|
How much do you plan to save altogether vs. appraised value? |
| 45% - 50% |
|
How many hours do you project spending as a couple, counting planning and construction? |
| > 1,000 hrs. |
|
Will you be working when you owner-build? |
| Both working |
|
Who will take primary responsibility in your family for the work? |
| Husband primary |
|
Will your project be a starter, step-up, custom, or dream home? |
| Custom |
|
Will you get comparison bids from general contractors? |
| No |
|
What percentage of the time do you think O-B's get liened by subs or vendors? |
| 1% - 5% |
|
What time of year will you start? |
| May |
|
How much combined time will you spend planning? |
| 100 - 200 hours |
|
How many times are you planning to do this? |
| One time total |
|
Are you organized? |
| Very |
|
Are you a good shopper? |
| Good shopper |
|
What is the average General Contractor estimate to build your plans? |
| $225 - $250 |
|
What is the average monthly maintenance cost of the house you'll be leaving? |
| $100 - $200 |
|
What is the average monthly utility cost in your current home? |
| $100 - $150 |
|
Will you incorporate active solar panels (PV) into your home? |
| No |
|
Will you build in town or in the country? |
| Rural |
|
What's the population of the community where you will build? |
| <50,000 |
|
How much calendar time will there be from when you first did some written planning to groundbreaking? |
| Six to 12 months |
|
Do you know your credit score? |
| Yes |
|
How many houses have you owned prior to this one? |
| None |
|
What will you choose for wall insulation? |
| Fiberglass batts |
|
What will be the R-value of your walls? |
| R-14 |
|
How much construction industry experience will you have before you owner-build? |
| 4-5 |
|
Do you plan to use any personal friends as subs? |
| One |
|
How many houses have you built, remodeled or added on to as an owner-builder? |
| One |
|
How many children do you have? |
| One |
|
How many children will be living at home when you owner-build? |
| One |
|
How many bedrooms are you planning on? |
| Three |
|
How many bathrooms are you planning on? |
| 2-3 |
|
How many air conditioning units will you include in your owner-built house? |
| Two compressors |
|
If stick-built, will you use 2x4 or 2x6 framing? |
| 2x6 |
|
How many tools do you own? |
| $1,000 - $2,000 |
|
Do you have experience using spreadsheets for budgeting or scheduling? |
| A hundred times |
|
Is your occupation "blue collar" or "white collar"? |
| White collar |
|
Will you take pictures of the job when you owner-built? |
| Will use a digital camera regularly |
|
Do you own a truck? |
| Yes |
|
How many covered vehicle spaces will you provide in your owner-built house? |
| Two |
|
How much personal use do you make of the Internet? |
| 1-5 hours |
|
What are the most helpful websites for your owner-builder project? |
| ownerbuilderbook.com |
|
Why are you considering owner-building? |
|
Save money.
Great experience. |
|
Do you have a step-up strategy? |
| No |
|