The economy sucks, you’re scared crapless.
“Aw Heck, let’s wait a few more years.”
Hey, with all the bad news, who could blame you for wanting to once again put off your homebuilding dreams? I mean, why should you risk it with the housing market the way it is? No one would blame you for waiting, right?
Really, it’s not your fault if you feel a bit worried. Sure, you want to remodel or build a new home, but there is enough bad news out there to send the Titanic to new lows. And everyone seems to be jumping on board (oops, shall we say, jumping overboard?) But, should you pull up your oars? Ride it out and wait for sunnier days and calmer waters?
Let’s take a look at some facts …
Building Your Dream Without a GC
Smart? Or Suicidal?
More than one way to skin a cat
I guess you could make a case for the notion that no one does anything of any significance completely alone. Building a home is certainly a significant endeavor and it is NEVER done completely alone. Could you make your windows for instance? (I didn’t think so.)
I’ve often said that building a home is a fluid process. So many people are involved and there are so many variables that things can and do go wrong from time to time. Still, many people have succeeded beautifully … with the right help. But, what about you?
Before you take the plunge, before you decide how you’re going to build or remodel, be certain you’re not setting yourself up for failure! Consider the amount and type of help that will benefit you the most. Should you turn your project over to a General Contractor?
Okay, I’ve got an insiders' secret they don’t want you to know …
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21 Quick Considerations before buying
That Perfect Parcel
Building your dream home begins with locating and purchasing a piece of land that is perfect for you.
I’ve put together this list because I have found so many people that have come to me for help AFTER their purchase complaining their options are limited. They often can’t build the home they wanted, don't have the value they expected, or many times find they are not able to act as their own builders.
This is not intended to be a complete, end-all list. There simply is no way to cover every contingency and scenario. It will, however, provide you with great insight into what you need to be watchful of.
So, now for the list!
Building your dream home is great
But how much will your
SWEAT EQUITY really save?
25%, 30%, 40% or more? What can you honestly save by building your own home?
Sometimes these claims seem outrageous, don't they? But, at the same time, if you're really thinking about building your own home, you certainly want to believe them!
Personally, I've heard almost every imaginable claim. But, claims are claims, and often we need to look behind those claims for the truth.
Ahhh, the truth! How do we find the truth? Perhaps a more enlightening question for me to ask you is do you really want to KNOW the truth? This question isn't as silly as it might sound. I've helped dozens and dozens of families build their own home and I've interviewed perhaps hundreds more over the years and among the truths I've discovered is that ...
People don't always want the truth ... Incredible? Read on ...
If walls could talk, they'd ask for a commission check!
Well, okay, the good walls would. The others? Did you know that in most homes nearly 50% of the energy is lost through the walls? And if the windows are not efficient and mounted correctly, that number gets even worse!
The buzz word lately has been "wall systems". A good wall system costs more but, it just could be worth the extra up-front money if you're going to be building a home. Are you willing to invest a little more if you can be assured that your walls will "pay you back"?
When you design YOUR home, how much are you willing to loan your walls on the promise of complete repayment plus interest?
Do you have what it takes to
build your own home?
7 Critical questions for you to answer
First, I ask you, how long have you been dreaming of building your own home? What's holding you back from moving forward? Are you unsure of where to begin? Do you wonder who can be trusted for help?
What an amazing accomplishment it would be to be your own general contractor and build your own home. But, sadly, it can also seem to be out of your reach.
For certain, there's no way I can know what your particular issue or need is because it's unique to you. What I really want to do is offer you some guidelines that I guarantee will move you along towards a decision. A decision that rings true for you.
Now for those questions!
It's lean, it's mean ...
Yep, I built it GREEN!
Lately, green building is all the rage. From office buildings, to shopping centers, to residential construction, so-called "green building" has been getting a lot of attention.
Should you build a "green home"? No, no ... I'm not talking about a green house! ;-) Yes, in years past, using the word "green" when you spoke of building conjured up ideas about tomatoes, exotic plants and flowers and such.
If you want to answer the question of whether building a "green" home is for you, you must know what it means and what the benefits are. Does it save you money? Does it protect your health? Does it save the earth?
There are some excellent reasons to build green, but first ...
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