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We have a lot in lower HPP and have a pretty good idea of the type of house and how we want it configured, but have no plans drawn.
Not looking for anything extravagant, just a simple, well built home. Post and pier. Approx 1200 square feet. Budget is a major consideration (of course).
It would be great to hear from someone who was very happy with their builder.
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Try Don DeCleene 989-8601
Assume the best and ask questions.
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You could start with one of the lumber yards.
I have always used Argus and they have stock plans and material packages.They probably have referrals for builders.
http://www.argusbuildingsupply.com/
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I'll tell you right now from experience Russell Cruz is the best you will get. He works through Argus. Call Argus to get his number. I built 3 houses with him and it's always the same. 7:30-3:30 and they are done in 5-7 working days. House dry, tin, windows and trim...ready for plumbing and electric when they leave. Between $10-12/square foot. No risk of rip off. No down payment BS
1,000 square foot house, $12,000 and dry in 5 working days. Probably about $15,000 in materials and for $27,000 you have a dry house built to code ready for plumbing, electric and drywall.
All 3 houses were the same. The dude is good, has a passion for it and has done it a long time. You will not go wrong.
He's not a contractor, but 20 years, he knows code and can troubleshoot when your job (as every building job does) runs into that "inspector rejects this or that" type stuff.
Can't recommend him enough.
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If I can make another suggestion it would be this...
Hire a draftsman (don't have any to recommend) to draw the plans. Much cheaper than the "package" house plans and you get exactly what you want. Also, think in terms of 4s and 8s. House dimensions of 24 x 32, or 32 x 48. You get the point. Once you start adding corners, hips, and odd sizes you run into cost over-runs.
Also, get a good draftsman. 99% of the plans I've seen are overbuilt. For example, you don't need 4x12s 90% of the time when you can legally use 4x10s and stuff like that. BTW, most draftsman like to overbuild the foundation. I saved 20-30% on the foundation by cutting sizes. Still meets code and you can use smaller lumber. Don't try to build a spaceship, it will cost you in the end. Can't stress that enough.
Also, with Russell, the foundation is extra. He doesn't do slab pours and that will cost you 8-10/sq ft extra (another 12,000 or so if you pour a slab). Since you mentioned post and pier, that's the way to go. Much cheaper, better with ventilation, storage and insects. He charges extra to build the boxes for the sheer walls on the foundation. Usually, will cost you $1,000 to get the foundation (post and pier) then off to the races.
Good luck. I can talk for hours about the whole process, having gone through the owner-builder process 3 times.
What I've found is nobody wants to listen. Everybody asks for advice, then decides they know what they know and make the same mistakes (usually involves going for less money bids, paying down payments, getting ripped off and, just as bad, the 3 month framing project that gets rejected during inspection).
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Not to be argumentative but by all my experience post and pier is not cheaper than a slab. The concrete bill itself might be less if that is all you compare but you still have the expense of posts, girders, floor joists, sub floor and labor to add in on a raised floor design. Those factors make slabs less expensive not more. That doesn't mean concrete slabs are better for your purposes.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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Rob, thanks, I'll give Don a call. Good point about slab/post and pier. I guess the ultimate would be a slab WITH a raised floor design. Doubt we could afford that though.
Obie, good idea, thanks. We'll check them out.
Mindful, loved your suggestions. My only concern is how we would get the rest of the house finished. And one thing I know is I DON'T know anything... so I could LISTEN for hours! Thank you.
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I hear your point, but I have found slabs to be 5-10,000 more to build.
Anyway, owner-builder versus contractor is a big cost difference.
Contractor will cost 100-150 per sq foot. I built all 3 houses as owner builder for 70-80 per sq foot, all in. In the middle of that price range, saved $50,000 on an 1,100 square foot house.
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1. I'm told that current code requires a continuous concrete shear corner (4' each side and 19" tall) for post-n-pier construction.
2. Slab with embedded plumbing has always seemed like a bad idea to me.
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i sure wouldn't want to live on a slab in a tropical climate. ever wonder why people have built 'up' for hundreds of years here?
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