1st of many house building questions. Help please

frazzlehead · #61 08/11/06, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancraft

They come and build the building on site. I will have to add flooring, interior walls, insulation, electric, plumbing, etc. I don't have to build the actual building.

Well, that's not so bad then, eh!

Were it me, I'd find someone to help me with the electrical (there is a lot of grunt work involved that anyone can do - I did it! - but it's nice to have someone who knows what they're doing help plan the layout and circuits. I found a neighbour willing to help, and a friendly electrician to check things out at the end before inspection.

Plumbing is not my idea of fun, so I have a plumber who did all that stuff for me.

Walls, floors, tile, bathroom fixtures ... that is the fun stuff! And since you already have a place to live you'll be able to work in the house and not worry about getting sawdust in your bed (I have that problem).

Good luck! Start a blog so we can follow along!

papaw · #62 08/12/06, 08:09 AM

Read up here:

http://www.countryplans.com

AND ... ask LOTS of questions .......

mkh100 · #63 08/18/06, 07:25 PM

OK,

I am a long time learker on this forum but when I read some of the comments on this thread I was really shocked and had to join and get my $.02 in. First anyone who has discouraged this woman should be ashamed of themselves, it is against the spirit of this site and indeed I might say against the spirit of this country to tell her she can't do it. Even most of the electrical can be safely installed by her with little risk. In order to do it there is a good deal to learn but any person of average intelligence can pull it off. Im only average myself and I have done it. With that off my chest let me see if I can help at all.

Your first question was regarding flooring. I need you to confirm what you mean, the building should have a 3/4 inch plywood subfloor in it when they finish the shell....they almost have to because usually the walls rest on the subfloor and it has to be put in first. Specify untreated wood ! on top of that you simply lay your finished flooring it can be:

other hardwood (expensive and a little difficult)

tile (requires cement backer board to be screwed or nailed to the subfloor then mortar applied with a trowel and tile laid, then grouted, backbreaking but doable and not rocket science)

Lynoleum (actually this is sheet vinyl, but still often called lynoleum) (to install it you will cut it to fit with a razor knife, spread mastic on the floor and stick it down.

Laminate Hardwood flooring.....this is a personnal favorite, (with the newest stuff you just lay the first piece down then snap the next into it with a hammer . you will need a jigsaw at least to cut it (about $35 for a cheap one, spend a bit more if you can and get a good one) you notch out your doors and corners and such with the saw. you can lay this for as little as $1.50 or so a foot sometimes cheaper.

2. you might not want to actually hook up the electrical service but you can pull the wires and set the receptacle boxes and etc... find a local electrician through Habitat or your church or whatever and get them to walk you through it. I would say that basic residential electrical is about 90% grunt work and about 10% knowledge and skill. That said if there was one area to call in a pro this is where I would spend the money......there is a problem that you dont know when your doing it wrong and fixing it later can cost a lot more than paying to do it right the first time. I bet you could get that house roughed in for $1000 plus materials of about $300 or so. after the walls are up and finished you have to add receptacles, switches, fixtures etc... keep it simple and you could do this for $200 or more your service panel and breakers will run a couple hundred itself.

like someone said use pvc for the plumbing and do it yourself. Actually most codes require CPVC for in wall residential construction but its basically the same just different glue for our purposes. for waste lines its regular sch 40 pvc you gotta hand it so that it drops 1/4 inch per foot. Easiest way to insure this is a transit if in ground or a level if it hangs under your floor. For example if you have a 2 foot level duct tape a 1/2 inch piece of scrap to one end and use that to keep your pipe drop correct......S$#& flows downhill ...... there are a lot of good books on this, practice is cheap and it makes perfect. whats more before you close in the walls all the supply lines and waste lines will be tested and if its wrong its prettty simple to rip parts out and do it over.......Rough in materials for this maybe $300 .........GO FOR IT

3. the foundation is gonna be a back breaker but if you can dig the hole, handle the dry concrete, add water, mix, and get the concrete in the hole you can do this part too. the technical part is keeping the tops all level. see if the home depot carries the cardboard forms that are suitable for your plan. you dig a hole place the cardboard tube in it and get it level with the other tubes your gonna pour, install re-bar as needed (consult your plan specs) you can cut the re-bar with a metal cut off blade and a circular saw., tie your re-bar together with metal wire you buy at home depot.....then mix and dump the concrete. There are alternative ways to do it like pouring adequate base in the ground and building up with concrete block but I think that would add complexity.

4. If your building post and pier and the stump isnt where you need a post you might be able to grind it flush to the ground and leave it.... years ago that is what they would probably do, consult the plan and check the layout then run that idea by your building inspector. A better idea is to get the guys that install your septic tank to take it out, they will be there anyway and they can use excavated dirt from your septic tank to backfill it perhaps.

5. rent a drywall ceiling jack from home depot....I want to say they are about $75 a week but you need to check locally. with it you extend the arms you and the girls place the sheet on it .....they stand back and you turn a wheel to raise and hold the drywall in place. it may mean more tapeing but I recommend 4X8 sheets as they are easier to manage than 4x12's code likely requires 5/8th on the ceiling to prevent sagging and for some fire resistance. I dont like to nail ceilings or really any drywall, I find that screws are easier and hold a lot better. you can buy a really nifty bit that will turn any decent little drill into a nice one at a time drywall screwdriver that makes it hard to overdrive the screws. or for about $100 or so you can buy an actual drywall fastener.

Get this book first "Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House" by Larry Haun, he has many other usefull titles if you do a google search. I would recommend you read it before you go any further I understand what you are saying about the financing but this book will help you understand the entire construction process and may aid you in your plans or help you modify them to suit your needs.

Taunton Press prints Haun's books and most of there titles fill a cool niche between novice and experienced builder you can find many titles in the bookrack near the pro desk or near the exit of most home depots.

just so you know I have built my own house from digging the footer to nailing on the last shingle, before Georgia made its recent changes to Contractor Licensing I took and passed ICC exam for General Building Contractor in the Loundes (sp) County, thats the valdosta area. I know a bit of what I'm talking.

You may have to find local experts to help you out her and there. I went and worked on several Habitat Projects before I worked up the courage to try building my own house. Be creative, be determined, be carefull.and go fulfill your dreams.

God bless you and yours
Mike

RandB · #64 08/19/06, 10:43 AM

Sandra,
hope this works out and you can get that building. I can see entirely where you are coming from, it would be very difficult for one woman to build something entirely on her own! Some people may here may think it is expensive, but it is sure cheaper than a conventional house!! Good thinking on your part to find this option, and maybe it will get those inspector-types off your case. If you get it, try to post some pictures on how things go.
Do you know, do Home Depots all over the US offer these, or just in the south? It might be something we would want to consider, someday.

CatsPaw · #65 08/19/06, 01:32 PM

MKH100...just thought I'd say that's it's a good thing nobody on this thread has tried to discourage her from building her house. Nothing wrong with a reality check to make sure somebody doesn't get themselves in over there head. It's responses like these that allow people to get a real understand of something before they start. It wouldn't be the first time I've been called in to take over when some homeowner got in to deep.

The average home 1400-1800 sq ft is going to take about 2000 ft of 12-2, 1000 ft of 14-2, plus the additional 10-2, 10-3, service entrance wire, URM if you're going to pay for underground yourself, telephone wire or cat5, staples, wire nuts, 1, 2, and 3 gang boxes, etc.

At a sale price of $85 for a 250 ft of 12-2, $2.50 a ft for Al 4/0,4/0,2/0 URM, plus the super high price of every other kind of copper wire, I doubt a two story house can be wired for $300 in materials plus a couple of hundred extra (material-wise.)

Average home will need about $1500 in materials. Typical pro job to wire a house $4000 - $7000 depending on what special things you do.

I certainly would save the $1000 in labor by pulling myself and have a nice contractor inspect it for me. I'm betting a couple hundred would get somebody to give you an hour or so to pick their brain before starting, then a good code check when it's done.

Rough-in plumbing will run way more than a couple of hundred dollars. It never seems like it will when you price the materials. Just wait 'til you start adding it up.

Highly recommend a dimpler (refered to above) and a battery drill for drywall.

5/8" on ceiling when trusses or ceiling joists are 24" o.c. ...1/2" @ 16" o.c. When using trusses 24" o.c. it is now recommended that you don't screw within about a foot or so of the edge at a wall. Truss lift is a prime source of cracks at corners. The wall panels hold the edge up.

'course home building can fill volumes.