So I guess you have to choose what's more important. Your custom house or your wife? Choose wisely.:wink:
I am considering buying a lot and building a custom house, pointers?
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So I guess you have to choose what's more important. Your custom house or your wife? Choose wisely.:wink:
Your experience tallies with what I have been finding while exploring the possibility of an extensive expansion/remodel of our present house.
In my area (Northern Los Angeles county) paying a general contractor to build a home in the 3-4 thousand square foot size range with all the expected high quality level appointments runs about $150-$160 per square foot or so, plus land of course.
If one can general it themselves without screwing up too badly, $120 per square foot builds a nice house indeed, at least here.
You heard right, but it's not as chicken little as the media might make it sound. There is one builder in the central valley that tore down their model homes, b/c nobody was buying. They shut it all down and it was cheaper to just get out.
i haven't heard of any other builder doing tear-downs of unfinished homes, either.
i found this thread to be very interesting... lots of good - and varied - feedback / heads-up issues for folks considering building as the op is.
Consider some of these 2nd homes instead:
Barron's cover story : Bargain Hideaways
This one reduced from US$ 11.4M to US$ 9.6M. It's a steal! Buy it.
Or try this one, quoting from the article:
It's always nice to not disturb your current living conditions and go buy a second home. You can sink US$ 5M into renovating it over 3 years and never be in a rush to move in. After that's done, look for a $20M home while living in the $3M + $5M one.
Barron's cover story : Bargain Hideaways
This one reduced from US$ 11.4M to US$ 9.6M. It's a steal! Buy it.
Or try this one, quoting from the article:
Only US$ 3.3M. You can buy it with pocket change! Go for it.
It's always nice to not disturb your current living conditions and go buy a second home. You can sink US$ 5M into renovating it over 3 years and never be in a rush to move in. After that's done, look for a $20M home while living in the $3M + $5M one.
There have been a few developers that have made the news tearing down incomplete homes, most recently in Victorville between here a Vegas.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-victorville-homes-demolished,0,4154575.story
But that's Victorville, where land is ass cheap, and demand has dropped to zero. I have not seen anything like that in "the city".
i think that's the same story referred to by the op, though i'm not sure. reading your post, i did a quick google and can see that it's being proposed / considered in other areas across the country, as well.
hal
As an architect I can't imagine building a $1M plus home that hasn't been designed for the way I live. A good architect will walk you through the process, step by step, steering you clear of problems, design your dream home to fit your lifestyle, save you thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars on construction and yes, we've had to do a little marriage counselling on occasion 
If you buy a set of plans, it's not a custom home.
A custom home designed by an architect will take into account the positives and negatives of your lot; views, orientation, solar potential, value vs. quality, potential noise just to name a few things.
Here's the most important thing people overlook when they are building a home. Square footage. How big do you really need to build. If you can shave 10% of the floor area through good design (which is easy to do), you will have saved every penny and more that you've paid a professional. I've seen so many homes get built from standard plans that are 10, 20 sometimes 50% bigger than they should be. The point is, design to fit your lifestyle.
Every custom home I've designed has been appraised after it's complete at a value that is higher than the owners expected and higher than the cost of construction + my fee's.
Here's one simple thought that I tell every residential client I work with. Tell yourself that this is not the last custom home you will build. It makes the decision making process incredibly easier because you won't agonize over every detail thinking that it has to be perfect. First instincts are almost always correct.
If you buy a set of plans, it's not a custom home.
A custom home designed by an architect will take into account the positives and negatives of your lot; views, orientation, solar potential, value vs. quality, potential noise just to name a few things.
Here's the most important thing people overlook when they are building a home. Square footage. How big do you really need to build. If you can shave 10% of the floor area through good design (which is easy to do), you will have saved every penny and more that you've paid a professional. I've seen so many homes get built from standard plans that are 10, 20 sometimes 50% bigger than they should be. The point is, design to fit your lifestyle.
Every custom home I've designed has been appraised after it's complete at a value that is higher than the owners expected and higher than the cost of construction + my fee's.
Here's one simple thought that I tell every residential client I work with. Tell yourself that this is not the last custom home you will build. It makes the decision making process incredibly easier because you won't agonize over every detail thinking that it has to be perfect. First instincts are almost always correct.
I suspect it's the exposure to lawsuits by nearby land owners and even squatters who might be injured that is the kicker.
agreed... + financial / tax benefits.
Make sure whoever is enforcing the building codes in the area is communicating with the zoning department. Sometimes people may get approvals from one department and still be in violation with another. I see it every day.
My supervisor was installing a patio cover and it took almost 4 months to clear plan check with building and safety and regional planning, and he even knew the plan checker. I can only imagine a 5k sqft home could take even longer.
My supervisor was installing a patio cover and it took almost 4 months to clear plan check with building and safety and regional planning, and he even knew the plan checker. I can only imagine a 5k sqft home could take even longer.
wife and I decided to buy an existing home instead, the lots that are for sale are going to be messy as the owner is in CH11...We found a house we really like, probably going to go with it for now, but checking it out for the 3rd time tomorrow. Thank you all for your comments
Ski_Banker
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9 days and some NSX Prime recommendations, and now you're gonna buy a spec home. Very decisive! Can't you afford a custom built home somewhere anymore? You had the $/sq ft. figure reasonably pegged so why the change of heart?
did you want to compare W2's or something? Because that is the feeling I get here.
Edit: p.s. there are no other lots available in the area we want to live in OTHER than the one's that are in Chapter 11. To answer your original question.
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Whatever you do, try not to end up like this:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124390425824574861.html?mg=com-wsj#printMode
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124390425824574861.html?mg=com-wsj#printMode
of course...
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Wow, you’re looking at a lot of regulation. Do you have the option of getting a little further out of town? If for some reason I decided to build and live in a house shaped like a giant ass, no one would stop me.:biggrin:
Anyway, congrats and good luck with the new home. Post pics!:smile:
Anyway, congrats and good luck with the new home. Post pics!:smile:
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