Build or Buy Existing Home?

[Royall]

John, is that house going on the 14th Ave. Lot?

Royall

What goes around comes around!

[Rose C]

John, when you say "turnkey" does that include driveway, septic, power hookup, fridge, etc? I'm just trying to get a feel for the per square foot price when having a contractor do the building.

Rose C

[John S Rabi]

Royall: No, a nice 3BD/2BA+Garage will go on the 14th Avenue lot. I am thinking about building two vacation cottages in Royal Hawaiian Estates.
Rose: That price included clearing the lot, cess pool, catchment system and everything in the house but appliances.

John S. Rabi
ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,R
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
808.327.3185


Edited by - John S Rabi on 02/27/2006 20:48:30

[Rose C]

Does it generally get less expensive when you have more square footage?

Rose C

[Carey]

Rose, The exteriour framing is a good chunk of your house framing costs, and is spread out over the whole house in a sq. ft. price, so the larger the house, the less the exterior costs per sq ft. But you can make your sq ft price actually cost more in a larger house by purchaseing higher end subfloor, flooring, roofing, wall treatments, windows, doors, trim moulding, cabinetry & fixtures.
There is no pat answer to your question, this really is a 'depends on...' situation.
Aloha, Carey

[John S Rabi]

The catchment system, cess pool and lot clearing are the same regardless of the size of the house. It seems builders are starting to bid at $130/sq.ft. for a basic home now.

John S. Rabi
ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,R
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
808.327.3185

[Carey]

John, The water, waste system & lot clearing can definately change per house size (esp. lot clearing ....if it is done for the house pad). If the house is on a lot with septic requirements, the field line size is based on the # of bedrooms, so a larger house would add on to your costs. Even your water & electric supply system should be sized to the house. A thousand gal. catchemnt may be fine for a 'normal' house, but end up way undersized in an 8 bedroom house.....if both are to be occupied to capacity.
Aloha, Carey

[John S Rabi]

Though I have built homes as small as 1,200 sf and as large as 2,500 sf, I always cleared the same sized area (about half of the one acre lot) and I always put in a 10,000 gallon catchment system. So far I have been approved for cesspools all the time. The size of the cesspool has been the same for all the homes, regardless of the size. (BTW, you can't have more than five bedrooms on one waste system.) It's safe to say my cost was the same for these items for all homes I built so far. (I am on the seventh home now.)

John S. Rabi
ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,R
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
808.327.3185

[Carey]

John, We had a lot much closer to the ocean than any of yours, hence the septic & well inputing ....there are public buildings & larger homes in the county that are on septic....including many of the churches, Mauna Loa factory is not even on county sewer. If you have a larger house, as you have stated, over 5 bedrooms, your waste system will cost much more. Of course, a 6+ bedroom home would be much larger than 2,500ft, but they are build in this county.
Since you have agreed with this, lets drop this.
Aloha, Carey

[Cindy V]

Hey who did you use for catchment/ recomendations?

Maholo

ps. we are building because we wanted a sep. ohana for my elderly mom coming with, so to get what we wanted we're building.