| 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 |
| |
| What type of construction? |
| | Conventional framing |
| |
| House style? |
| | Other |
| |
| 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 |
| |
| 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 |
| |