So your in the planing stages of building a house...On a budget

[YeLLowBoaT]

What features would you want to see?
Here is what I have in mind already...
3 bed, 2 - 2.5 bath 1300-1500 sqft
3 car garage, atleast a 20x 20 shop( wood working) basement( unfinished have to dig down 4 ft for frost anyways) stucco, comp roof...

[Jbb]

What features would you want to see?
1300-1500 sqft
....per floor?

[NashvilleBound]

I dont know where your building that but I would check out www.frankbetz.com for plans. You might see something that your not thinking of.
1500sf here with average trim and hardwood finished is about $100k..... lots of variables.... but that would be close. That is a pretty small place..........

[Sportin' Wood]

Since your building "size wise" I would go for a tankless water heater to save space.

[YeLLowBoaT]

....per floor?
don't need a big house... I need a big garage/ shop ;)
I'm also thinking about using foam insulated forms( IE walls are foam then concrete.) I've actaully done some of that, kind of hard if you ever want to remodel, but still being able to build a house in less then a week( walls up, roof sheeted) with 3 guys is pretty damn nice.
I should also note that when I say building a house, I litterly mean I will be building the house. I will sub out some stuff ( like foundations, maybe some framing if I choose to stick build it)

[djunkie]

....per floor?
Shit, I'm under 1000 sq.ft. TOTAL!!!!!!!!!!:( :(

[HM]

Sounds like you are building a houseboat since you are in the planing stage.

[Sleek-Jet]

Since I've started cooking and actually seem to be good at it and enjoy doing it, I'd like to have a nice 6 burner cook top and a staked stove/broiler on one wall... an open kitchen/dinning room/living room floor plan, with the master off one end and the other two bedrooms on the other. No vaulted ceilings and a simple ranch style architecture should keep the costs down.
The concrete/foam walls are wicked efficient, very high R value.

[rocket98]

Since I've started cooking and actually seem to be good at it and enjoy doing it, I'd like to have a nice 6 burner cook top and a staked stove/broiler on one wall... an open kitchen/dinning room/living room floor plan, with the master off one end and the other two bedrooms on the other. No vaulted ceilings and a simple ranch style architecture should keep the costs down.
The concrete/foam walls are wicked efficient, very high R value.
Check goggle for Rasta-block. Easy to work with and easy to set.

[Run_em_Hard]

Make sure you get water, gas, and sewer to the shop;)

[MR.rvrluvr]

dont forget you want lots of 220 in the shop.....also nice to pre plum air lines thru the rafters for the compressor......makes for a clean finish..

[SB]

At least 2 secret passageways, one leading to a secret room.
A fireman's pole to slide down from the 2nd story.
Slides going from the upstairs into the pool.
A moat, drawbridge optional.
Upstairs balcony/observatory with telescope.
Skip the fireplace.
Skip the formal dining area.

[ChumpChange]

Another feature I'd like is the glassless shower. The whole bathroom is tiled and the whole floor a drain.
As cool as this idea is (Our Havasu house had a giant shower that was glassless) it is really cold in the winter time. The glass being there is good for those really cold mornings. Of course, if you run the heater in your house, it might not be as bad.
Chump "Too cheap to run the heater" Change :D

[socalmoney]

I know I am going to sound like a tree hugger but I think this is important. You are planning to build a structure that could potentially stand and serve for 100+ years. Given our current energy crisis, I would suggest building this structure as green as possible. Invest now so you can save later.
Are you in a situation where you could be "off the grid". You never know what tomorrow brings. I for one don't want to rely on utility companies to survive. Consider PreFab construction. Fast build time, lots of flexibility in design and not too pricey. Consider the orientation of the house on the lot so you can take advantage of passive heating etc. Look into solar, lots of rebates right now. Look into rain collection for use as gray water for toilets and watering.
If I had the bucks, I would build this house.
http://www.livinghomes.net/primer.html
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41825&stc=1&d=1193262670
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41826&stc=1&d=1193262700
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41827&stc=1&d=1193262724

[YeLLowBoaT]

I actaully like house from the "modern movement", but I don't think it would fit in the woods.
I guess I should have said that the house is on ~ 5 acres with a stream runing thru it, lots of pine trees... etc. The good news is its got water, power and sewer run in the street that can be tapped into( custom home track about 1/4 mile up ths street was required to put it in.) Log cabin is out do to zoning.

[Dave C]

Lots of attic storage above your shop, preferrably with large/wide stairs....
Pimp out the master bath... If your paying might as well have a nice shitter
Closets... old ladies love closets.
Lots of cabinets in the kitchen.
one of those big tubs... old ladies love those big ass tubs...

[whiteworks]

2 story tilt up 2600 Sq. Ft.
down stairs 14" ceilings minimum roll up doors on both sides "drive thru"
upstairs 3 bed 2.5 bath open floor plan kitchen/liv/dine
on the roof I would make a patio bar/bathroom/BBQ/fire pit/hot tub/horse shoe pit/ pool table/ dart board
centrally located dumb weighter sytem for logistics of Misc. Items.
firemans pole from the 3rd floor. aswell as external staircase
urinals strategly placed.
The more I work on houses the more unnessasery I think they are. personally I would like something like this setup described above except a bit bigger maybe 5000' footprint on the ground and 2500' living space. My wife on the other hand isnt so fond of the living in a tilt up.:D

[socalmoney]

I actaully like house from the "modern movement", but I don't think it would fit in the woods.
I guess I should have said that the house is on ~ 5 acres with a stream runing thru it, lots of pine trees... etc. The good news is its got water, power and sewer run in the street that can be tapped into( custom home track about 1/4 mile up ths street was required to put it in.) Log cabin is out do to zoning.
The woods is the best place for modern, you can have lots of windows and it will still be private.
2 story tilt up 2600 Sq. Ft.
down stairs 14" ceilings minimum roll up doors on both sides "drive thru"
upstairs 3 bed 2.5 bath open floor plan kitchen/liv/dine
on the roof I would make a patio bar/bathroom/BBQ/fire pit/hot tub/horse shoe pit/ pool table/ dart board
centrally located dumb weighter sytem for logistics of Misc. Items.
firemans pole from the 3rd floor. aswell as external staircase
urinals strategly placed.
The more I work on houses the more unnessasery I think they are. personally I would like something like this setup described above except a bit bigger maybe 5000' footprint on the ground and 2500' living space. My wife on the other hand isnt so fond of the living in a tilt up.:D
I have looked into tiltup also. There is a cool house in Venice that is a tiltup but it is hard to find someone who will be willing to take the risk in an otherwise commercial building technique.

[YeLLowBoaT]

2 story tilt up 2600 Sq. Ft.
down stairs 14" ceilings minimum roll up doors on both sides "drive thru"
upstairs 3 bed 2.5 bath open floor plan kitchen/liv/dine
on the roof I would make a patio bar/bathroom/BBQ/fire pit/hot tub/horse shoe pit/ pool table/ dart board
centrally located dumb weighter sytem for logistics of Misc. Items.
firemans pole from the 3rd floor. aswell as external staircase
urinals strategly placed.
The more I work on houses the more unnessasery I think they are. personally I would like something like this setup described above except a bit bigger maybe 5000' footprint on the ground and 2500' living space. My wife on the other hand isnt so fond of the living in a tilt up.:D
14 inch tall ceilings are going to be kind of hard to live in :D
besides 14' ceilings are very $$$$ to build and heat.
I also don't think a modern house would ever pass plane approval stages.( for snow pack and "fitting in")

[Sleek-Jet]

I actaully like house from the "modern movement", but I don't think it would fit in the woods.
I guess I should have said that the house is on ~ 5 acres with a stream runing thru it, lots of pine trees... etc. The good news is its got water, power and sewer run in the street that can be tapped into( custom home track about 1/4 mile up ths street was required to put it in.) Log cabin is out do to zoning.
Make sure you have some defensable space around the house i.e. a fire break. I know everyone likes to have the trees right next to the house, but you are guaranteed to lose it in a fire, and many rural FD's won't even attempt to save a structure that has no fire break, they are more concerned with stopping the forest fire that is about to start.
I'd also put solar on it, no question, even if I had to build a smaller house do to the budget hit of the panels. I'd also design the house passive solar as well, hopefully you have a good southern exposure on the lot (and not just for good satilite reception :D )

[YeLLowBoaT]

Make sure you have some defensable space around the house i.e. a fire break. I know everyone likes to have the trees right next to the house, but you are guaranteed to lose it in a fire, and many rural FD's won't even attempt to save a structure that has no fire break, they are more concerned with stopping the forest fire that is about to start.
I'd also put solar on it, no question, even if I had to build a smaller house do to the budget hit of the panels. I'd also design the house passive solar as well, hopefully you have a good southern exposure on the lot (and not just for good satilite reception :D )
I agree 100% on both. Solar was already on the list, even if I can't spring for them right away it would be nice to have every thing set up and wired for them so all I have to do is install the panels themselfs.

[MADDOG355]

I have been thinking of starting a home build next summer myself, So I am very interested in this subject.
I have noticed there is hardly any solar stuff in this area. Is there a reason for that?
And how much trouble is it for a newbie to do the foam insulated form walls? I don't think we have anyone in my area that does that, Plus I really want to do as much of this as I can.

[YeLLowBoaT]

I have been thinking of starting a home build next summer myself, So I am very interested in this subject.
I have noticed there is hardly any solar stuff in this area. Is there a reason for that?
And how much trouble is it for a newbie to do the foam insulated form walls? I don't think we have anyone in my area that does that, Plus I really want to do as much of this as I can.
it depends on the product, for houses with 90 degree corners its no biggy, funky angles its a PITA. standard sized 4 or 6 corner houses are very easy.( I've got a uncle that in OR that builds them as they can't get skilled labor to stick build houses)
I've worked with 2 product in the past, one was simlar to cinder blocks that interlocked with a key way. it was litterly like legos. just had to remember to put in your hangers and bar. Cut with a cross cut saw( standard hand saw) the other was from a company in washington that made parts to your plans. basicly 4' wide 8' tall 8" wide panels that had a cavity in the middle, they had to be glude with a what ammounted to a really big hot glue gun. A little harder, but not much.
check your local codes as many areas do not allow them.
My understanding( from a uncle that builds with them) is it cost about the same as stick building. More material cost, but less labor. I know last time I was up there, 4 of us took a bare slab and had it built, trusted, sheeted, doors/windows in, rough electrical and plumbing done in less then a week. this was about 1200 sqft, 6 coner track house that was 2 bed 2 bath.

[MADDOG355]

check your local codes as many areas do not allow them.
Any idea why?

[OutCole'd]

Huge crown moulding, some real nice base boards and door casings & a cool chair rail.:D :D

[YeLLowBoaT]

Huge crown moulding, some real nice base boards and door casings & a cool chair rail.:D :D
um no...but I'm sure me installing a bunch of that crap is going to pay for part of the house. :) I always love when people that have 8' ceilings want 8-10" base and the largest crown they see at home depot... oh yeah they live in a ranch house... I turn down that shit. I won't be known as the guy that made your house look like shit.

[YeLLowBoaT]

Any idea why?
if your like CA, the manufactors have not givin a kick back yet. :)
My honest guess is that they are relativly new( atleast for home construction in the US), and the people that approve things like this have no exp with them. Hell some places in CA just now approved the use of pex... its been on the market for a long time now.

[jimslade]

if your like CA, the manufactors have not givin a kick back yet. :)
My honest guess is that they are relativly new( atleast for home construction in the US), and the people that approve things like this have no exp with them. Hell some places in CA just now approved the use of pex... its been on the market for a long time now.
Most areas will accept ICF houses. They are so over engineered that the inspectors and Ins. co. love them. I just started to build my house. I'm using NUDURA, Its the strongest block out there. I had to do a 1 day course to buy their product. It was very helpful. I designed a simple elevated ranch style house. Its a 3200 square ft bungalow with some vaulted areas. Its only a two car garage, I'm building a 5000 square ft shop, also out of Nudura. I like Nudura because the blocks come in 8' lengths and lock together. They are the only manufacturer that has this detail. I think its patented. Its about $3.50 a sq. ft. for the product up here in Canada. This includes your brick ledge or your T joints. I'm building My house on 12 acres I just bought. Friday the excavator is digging the footings. I and my oldest son are the main builders. We may have other contractors involved, but I doubt this. I am very fussy(read perfectionist). If you want I will post pictures when I start and let you know any problems you may encounter. This is my first build from start to finish. I have had experience in small renovations before but never anything like this. After doing the course I felt very comfortable doing a job of this magnitude. Good luck with process. The biggest frustration you will find is dealing with the local government. Most of them are children(read petty) trapped in an adult body.
Jim

[socalmoney]

I and my oldest son are the main builders. We may have other contractors involved, but I doubt this. I am very fussy(read perfectionist). If you want I will post pictures when I start and let you know any problems you may encounter. This is my first build from start to finish.
I would love to see pics. I am very interested in ICF.

[mxbundy]

What do you guys think of SIP panels? SIP stands for structural insulated panels. They are basically prefabbed exterior walls (also are used for the roof sheathing)that have the exterior and interior finishes bonded to a structural foam core. Have seen a few model homes built with them and they look just like traditional stick houses.
The R value is the best available, the house is basically a igloo cooler when finished. I was looking at them in Colorado so they are engineered for snow loads.

[Run_em_Hard]

I know I am going to sound like a tree hugger but I think this is important. You are planning to build a structure that could potentially stand and serve for 100+ years. Given our current energy crisis, I would suggest building this structure as green as possible. Invest now so you can save later.
Are you in a situation where you could be "off the grid". You never know what tomorrow brings. I for one don't want to rely on utility companies to survive. Consider PreFab construction. Fast build time, lots of flexibility in design and not too pricey. Consider the orientation of the house on the lot so you can take advantage of passive heating etc. Look into solar, lots of rebates right now. Look into rain collection for use as gray water for toilets and watering.
I would have to agree with alot that you are saying. When I build a house it will have solar and rain water collection. Being able to completely live "off the grid" is something that people should reallly think about. You just never know what is going to happen.

[jimslade]

What do you guys think of SIP panels? SIP stands for structural insulated panels. They are basically prefabbed exterior walls (also are used for the roof sheathing)that have the exterior and interior finishes bonded to a structural foam core. Have seen a few model homes built with them and they look just like traditional stick houses.
The R value is the best available, the house is basically a igloo cooler when finished. I was looking at them in Colorado so they are engineered for snow loads.
SIPS is a good product if you have no worries of wood rot or termites. They assemble really fast and make a quiet house. Not as strong as ICF but are a great alternative.

[jimslade]

I would love to see pics. I am very interested in ICF.
I will post over the next couple of months. I'm still tweeking my final design.

[socalmoney]

SIPS is a good product if you have no worries of wood rot or termites. They assemble really fast and make a quiet house. Not as strong as ICF but are a great alternative.
I have been looking at SIPs a lot also. I like this stuff a lot. Great product.
Check out some of these houses built with SIPs.
http://www.cleverhomes.net/
$

[canuck1]

ICF is very expensive when compaired to regular building practices regaurdless of what the salesmen tell you. SIPS is great when building stuff for other people....

[jimslade]

ICF is very expensive when compaired to regular building practices regaurdless of what the salesmen tell you. SIPS is great when building stuff for other people.... Sorry not true! the labor savings is huge. I just watched a basement built in icf and spoke to the owner. He told me the cost including labor was 28,000. if he built it as a concrete wall or block it would cost him 2,000 less. The difference is he has an insulated basement for 2 grand more. The savings in Hvac would payback in a few short years. If you build yourself the time and labour savings is well worth it. Stick framing is old tech. Most carpenters hate the stuff because they are out of a job. Windproof and earthquake resistant. I like it. Its hard to burn through concrete.

[canuck1]

Sorry not true! the labor savings is huge. I just watched a basement built in icf and spoke to the owner. He told me the cost including labor was 28,000. if he built it as a concrete wall or block it would cost him 2,000 less. The difference is he has an insulated basement for 2 grand more. The savings in Hvac would payback in a few short years. If you build yourself the time and labour savings is well worth it. Stick framing is old tech. Most carpenters hate the stuff because they are out of a job. Windproof and earthquake resistant. I like it. Its hard to burn through concrete.
I guess the 85+ places that I used it on last year don't qualify me to make that statement......:rolleyes: The cost of the block alone is more than the labor and supplies to crib and frame and insulate a regular basement.
I never said it was a bad product, it just isn't as cheap as you state

[jimslade]

I guess the 85+ places that I used it on last year don't qualify me to make that statement......:rolleyes: The cost of the block alone is more than the labor and supplies to crib and frame and insulate a regular basement.
I never said it was a bad product, it just isn't as cheap as you state
What block do you use? How much do you pay?

[jimslade]

Silence to a question speaks volumes. 85 times? Please don't shame Canada with your hot air. Weeks a year? 1 week minimum per pour, per level. Lots of blowing smoke here. I have been researching ICF for years and costs. Some are expensive, most are not. What is your cost per square ft.? Rebar? concrete per cubic yard?