How could this be done for less?

[catherine]

You know how they have segments on The Today Show where someone comes out with a $1000 outfit and then they have a $100 copy?

This house & dock on a lake is probably a ton of money, but theoretically, couldn't it be done cheaper? It's just a house and a dock.

What do you think? How do you make a gorgeous home like this, energy-effitcient and all, on the cheap?

http://inhabitat.com/gorgeous-pond-house-is-a-zero-energy-dream-house-retreat-in-louisiana/the-pond-house-at-ten-oaks-farm-by-michael-holly-4/

Any suggestions?

[sweetana3]

1. Find cheap land.
2. Build it yourself or do as much as possible to eliminate all markups and profit margins added by contractors.
3. Eliminate all the fancy design elements and use standard sized building materials that are locally sourced.
4. Build the smallest footprint that is possible.
5. Have the knowledge and skills to determine necessity from desire in choice of design, material, etc.

[Tenngal]

where I live (about 25 miles west of Chattanooga) it is just about impossible to do your own home building.

You have to use a certified contractor to get a building permit.

Pass all the stages of inspection to be approved.

Pass all the above to get electric.

[Mary B.]

where I live (about 25 miles west of Chattanooga) it is just about impossible to do your own home building.

You have to use a certified contractor to get a building permit.

Pass all the stages of inspection to be approved.

Pass all the above to get electric.

Interesting! Where I live, you certainly have to get a building permit, pass all stages of inspection to get the building approved, plus pass electrical inspection which is separate, but there is no requirement that you get a certified contractor to get a building permit. Owner-built homes are not the most common option, certainly, but they're still possible. Seems a pity that this isn't possible elsewhere.

[JaneV2.0]

What a gorgeous house! Thanks for posting.

[razz]

I suspect that legal restriction is more true than rare today. An architectural drawing signed by both the architect and engineer is mandatory in most situations.

I deliberately avoided buying a home that a private party had renovated or finished as previous house inspections with DH who was very knowledgeable about such things had found so many deficits due to lack of knowledge or sheer incompetence. That does not mean that every contractor is any better but an established contractor with homes that testify to a long history of quality are my choice. This means that building with the hope of later selling something done on the cheap may be a poor investment.


where I live (about 25 miles west of Chattanooga) it is just about impossible to do your own home building.

You have to use a certified contractor to get a building permit.

Pass all the stages of inspection to be approved.

Pass all the above to get electric.

[iris lilies]

I dont see where in the article it gives the entire cost of the project. This house is heavy on state of the art energy efficient systems, and those are not cheap.

If I were interested in cheap $per sq foot and cheap $ maintenance, I would go to a temperate climate and find rural property. The less radical the temperature outdoors fewer btus are needed to heat and cool. "Rural" because taxes would presumably be low, as would purchase price.

I think Spartana's trick of living in a California ski mountain town durng spring and summer and fall, then renting out the place in a few winter months, is very smart. The temperature when you live there in those months is moderate.

I would not build a new structure. For those who are ecologically minded, the earth's resources are heavily taxed by new construction, there is nothing eco friendly about building new. This like others are exercises in vanity and ego. doesnt mean its not pretty, however!

[iris lilies]

1. Find cheap land.
2. Build it yourself or do as much as possible to eliminate all markups and profit margins added by contractors.
3. Eliminate all the fancy design elements and use standard sized building materials that are locally sourced.
4. Build the smallest footprint that is possible.
5. Have the knowledge and skills to determine necessity from desire in choice of design, material, etc.

also, what she says.

[catherine]

I think Spartana's trick of living in a California ski mountain town durng spring and summer and fall, then renting out the place in a few winter months, is very smart. The temperature when you live there in those months is moderate.



That's exactly what I wanted to do... live in a VT ski town in the summer and a NJ beach town in the winter and then rent each out in the peak seasons while I enjoyed the off-seasons in both places.

For this to be possible, we'd have to pare down belongings drastically to be able to store/transport our stuff every six months. But if we were lucky and didn't hit a recession that drove vacationers away, we could live pretty cheaply.

[iris lilies]

That's exactly what I wanted to do... live in a VT ski town in the summer and a NJ beach town in the winter and then rent each out in the peak seasons while I enjoyed the off-seasons in both places.

For this to be possible, we'd have to pare down belongings drastically to be able to store/transport our stuff every six months. But if we were lucky and didn't hit a recession that drove vacationers away, we could live pretty cheaply.
That sounds fun!

[Chicken lady]

Well, before we had a floor in this house years ago, we had an awesome playset, three kids, and guy who installed floors who was going to have to take care of his 7 y.o. For her entire spring break. She was charming and we got a great deal on that.

pond was dug by a guy who owned his own equipment, kept it parked here off and on for months, and worked when he felt like it.

On the addition, framing was done by a father and son team when they didn't have other work.

we put the windows in ourselves.

siding and trim was bought in random lengths in bulk. I found a great coupon for the paint. We now have a new saw, a planer, and sore backs. ;)

Still not cheap.