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dadiOH

wrote:
Hello everyone,

We are looking to build a 3000 sq ft home in Fl. 4-5 bedrooms 3
baths. We are looking at some of the owner builder programs. Does
anyone have any advice on cost and how to go about hiring subs,
making sure work is done right?
About how much would a project like this cost?

As others indicate, cost depends on what you want. It also depends on
where in Florida you are...SE or SW are going to be a bunch more than
Polk County where I am. What I did a dozen years ago...

1. Buy land
2. Rough out floor plan
3. Refine plans via architect or "home designer". The latter are
basically specialized and knowledgable draftsmen and are what I used.
They can also tell you what trades you'll need and can probably make
recommendations.

4. When I had the needed plans I started talking to the various trade
contractors to get bids. I also talked to generals.

5. I can get along OK in wood but had zero experience with concrete
which is what most Florida houses are so I hired a general to act as a
construction manager through "dry in". He was to come everyday to
check work, act as liason between me and subs, pass payments from me
to them etc. I used some of his subs - slab/block/framer/plumber -
and his trade accounts; i.e., subs told him what they needed, he
ordered from supplier; supplier billed him, he gave me bill, I paid
him, he paid supplier. It worked out fine, saved me some on the
materials and didn't have to set up accounts with the suppliers (or
COD). I paid him a flat fee...IIRC, $5000. In hindsight, I think I
over paid him (at that time) by $1000-1500.

__________________

Being your own general can save you a bunch. To get to dry in cost me
around $25 sq.ft in 1996 (figure about 35% more now). That got me a
shell...textured drywall inside and all built in electrical (fans,
cans), insert fire place, HW heater, gas, 2 heat pumps, bare concrete
block exterior, tar paper on roof. Adding stucco, tile roof, paint
inside and out was around another $5.00 sq.ft. Total was at least 40%
less than if I had hired a general. Building out the inside also
saved a bunch...total overall (inside/outside) would be 1/2 or less
than the lowest complete builder bid.

Downside is that you are totally responsible...if something gets
screwed up it is your fault and you have to fix/get it fixed..
_________________

SUBS

Finding subs isn't hard...the yellow pages are full of them. Finding
good ones is harder. You have to assess them the same way you do
anyone else...can you communicate with them?...do they behave and
operate in a professional manner?...license and insurance up to
date?...stable?...been in business for some years?

Ask around too. No, not your neighbors but at stock houses. Need an
electrician? Go to an electrical supply place, skip over the fixture
showroom and talk to the order counter guys...they know who is good
and who is a flake.

Get several bids from each trade so you get an idea what is a going
price. Some - like slab guys - will give you a per square foot price
over a phone for labor, you can compute concrete costs by figuring
square yards and calling a supplier.

The building inspector will assure that the subs' work meets code.
That doesn't mean it is good; however, any sub that has been in
business for a few years will probably be doing decent work. Your
eyes will tell you too. BTW, never let a sub work on your
money...NEVER pay in advance.

Once you have your subs lined up, they will tell you what needs to be
done before they can do their thing. For example, the plumber has to
do his initial work after footers and foundation/fill but before slab.
________________

SUBS YOU'LL NEED

Concrete - may or may not do site prep and footers. If not, you'll
need a tractor man to scrape off the overburden and a layout man to do
footers.

Block

Fill

Plumber

Framer

HVAC

Electrician

Roofer

Drywall

Stucco

Painter

Finish carpenter

Others?
_______________

RANDOM THOUGHTS

To me, the two most important things in a house are the bottom and the
top...the foundation/slab and the roof. Don't skimp on either.

There are two types of slabs generally used in Florida. One
incorporates footers - the slab support - in the slab itself by having
it thicker around the perimeter. The other involves digging a trench,
pouring separate footers then the slab (after adding any needed block
and fill as foundation). The slab can be "fiber cement" (has
fiberglass) or use steel. I still know very little about concrete but
I prefer separate footers and slab. And steel. As many footers as
possible, lots of steel. If any fill is needed before pouring the
slab accept nothing other than clean fill free of organic material and
the fill needs to be VERY well compacted.

Builders here abouts generally use 1/2" (7/16") flakeboard as roof
sheathing. I prefer plywood. If you are going to have a tile roof -
worthwhile IMO - I'd certainly go to 3/4 ply.

The simplest shape to build is a rectangle. Any inside corners mean a
valley on the roof. Valleys are a PITA particularly if there are any
trees dropping debris on the roof. Built out wall areas may need a
separate little roof- probably cheaper to push the whole wall out.

Florida has hurricanes. Any gable ends provide more wind resistance,
IMO, the best Florida roofs are hip roofs. If you are going to have
tile, make the pitch 5:12.

Floridians seem to have a love affair with small, two story, roofed
entrance porches. With columns yet! Not cheap to build and look
preposterous IMO, YMMV.

The roof is about the most expensive thing. Definitely is if you use
tile. The cheapest way to frame the roof is with trusses. Trusses
means that the attic area in unuseable. The alternative is "stick
built". Don't know how much more it would cost but wish I had used
it.

Try to plan space sizes to fit material sizes. If you want to save
$$, eschew stuff like tray ceilings, crown molding, etc. If you want
something other than flat ceilings, consider scissor trusses for the
roof. Instead of a horizontal bottom they have a bottom that slopes
up (at a lesser pitch than the roof) which can give you a sloping
ceiling in parts of the inside.

Windows will cost somewhere between Ouch and MY GAWD! Cheapest are
single pane (PGT is a decent brand). If you are located where the
climate is pretty mild - neither super hot nor cold - you might
consider them. You can mitigate the heat transfer through them with
shade outside, drapes inside.

If you get stuck, there are all sorts of people - architects,
engineers - that you can pay for hourly info/advice.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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