Anyone ever build your own house?
 

Curious to see how ambitious you all are. My wife and I built this house by ourselves. We spent nights, weekends, and holidays working on it. We hired someone to do the excavation, and hired a crane operator to land the ridge beams. Everything else you see was done by the two of us. All inspections passed the first time. Let's see what you got.
http://www.ddturner.com/house.jpg

Built three cabins when I was 12. No pics, though. Nice house- what're you going to do for an encore? Dig a sub-basement?

Built a small log cabin in my 30's. Hard work, glad I did it, and I still own and go there. Labor of love for sure...

1987 - Built my cabin overlooking Lake Cle Elum. Had a contractor frame it, I took 2 weeks off work and was one of his crew. Did everything else myself.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291698554.jpg


2005-2007: Current house on 3 acres - Had Contractor get the roof on and exteriors doors and window. I took over, subbed out insulation, drywall, rough elect, rough plumbing, painting and did the rest myself. I did the siding, installed cabinets, finish plumb and electrical, All trim,



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291698848.jpg

Geees, Bob...nice job.... 19 motorcycles...Really ?

Yup - just finishing up mine. Bought 160 acres of raw land, lived in 5th wheel (35' Alfa Gold) for 2 years, 2 months and 22 days while we built the house. It took this long because my job demanded several trips to the field sometimes as far away as Siberia, and 60+ hour weeks for 9 months, oh and the worst winter on record in 2008 - 2009. We also didn't get started for the first 5 months. Oh, and much to my wife's chagrin, racing took priority over house construction for 3 summers.

We are living in the house now and are finishing up some of the details like trim, doors, etc.

Next fall I am going to build the new road in.


Breaking Ground - I did my own dirt work:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291727996.jpg

Standing up the exterior walls:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291728158.jpg

Interior Walls:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291728312.jpg

Rafters and Strapping:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291728445.jpg

Oh yah, and somewhere in here, I built this car:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249870789.jpg

And this engine with some help:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1243617873.jpg

Roof done and Siding in progress:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291728550.jpg

Lots of Blood, Sweat and Tears in this one... oh, and the coveted vageen collection is just off to the east...

My wife and I did the same. It took about 3 years, nights and weekends.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291731512.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291731535.jpg
Here we designed, acid etched and installed a glazing wall.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291731619.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291731634.jpg

Not a house, but my dad and I are currently clearing trees to put a metal building in the middle of a forest. We'll contract out the foundation and frame....then do electrical and the other minor stuff ourselves.

OK. I feel lame now. I've built 5 houses of my own (and hundreds for work) as the GC in the past 15 years, but subbed out all the work.

My hats off to you guys!

Built 3 house with my dad over my late teens and early 20's.
I've gutted and rebuilt more houses than I can remember, filipping and rentals.
Totally rebuilt present house and same time added a 22'x26' attached garage.
Built my 1600sq/ft with 12' ceiling heated man cave, a steel sided pole barn all by myself.

Trying to talk the wife into cutting a lot off our property and building one more house and shop...could pocket I nice piece a change by selling this house and building another. But she's lived in construction for most our married life and convincing her to do it again will be a hard sell.

I do everything, but if there is a next time I'll sub out the drywall.

Wow, this is hard to believe. Completely built this house by 4 hands? How long did it take you guys?

I had to scan these photos so I don't know how they'll turn out (started the house in 1985)
We dug the cellar hole and had the concrete work hired out
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291748429.jpg

Then we cut the logs and I hauled them to the mill
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291748617.jpg

We decked the cellar over and lived in it for several years
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291749059.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291748708.jpg

Originally we were going to do a stick house but decided on a log home. I hauled it from Maine. That's me on the ridge and my neighbors helping
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291748872.jpg

Even built the kichen cabinets
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291749262.jpg

Ended up with this (1991)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291749331.jpg

Owner/Builder
 

I built my current home. My wife & I decided on the style, had custom plans done, and I built it as GC doing as much of the work as I could, shopped most of the materials, chose subs, did the scheduling, and as much of anything else that I could. I did this after I retired & was on the job site every day. I really don't see how I could have done it while working. Maybe I could have, but it was a lot easier when I as available every day. I'm really happy with the quality of construction and things like doors, hardware, etc. When I had the choice of doing something at a standard level or spending a few $'s or more time to get more quality, I went for the later.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291749944.jpg

You guys are some talented SOB's...I mean I do some *****, work hard, manage the farm and my business, but, wow.

I admire the people and skill it takes to accomplish what you folks have done.

Thanks......Was 19 m/c's when I started here in about 2005, later got to 22 and sold a few to build the house....Dropped to 13 and now at 16 with 5 snowmobiles and 2 longhoods.......A disease I tell you!

Very impressive!

We almost bought a 3500 sqft house this year that required full gutting. I came to my senses and realized we'd never finish.

I have doubled the size of my garage and done a kitchen remodel with load wall removal but that took me way too long. I guess I'm too easily distracted once the newness wears off.

I'm a general contractor of 40 years and have built every part of anything except schools, hospitals and anything it takes an engineering license to build like roads and bridges.

My wife did come on one room addition job and we framed it the 2 of us. But, I've never built a whole house. You guys are awesome.

i am absolutely STUNNED!!

you guys are amazing. if i showed you the sawhorses and chicken coop i built, you would invade my home and confiscate my tool belt.

well done!

unclebill..you make me miss my fisheye lens :( sick photo!

Wow, you guys are some serious craftsmen(and women it seems).

I have a lot of tools but they don't seem to make the job turn out much better for me. Some people have a gift for that type of work.....I don't.:(

On the side, I run a business in which we purchase homes and apartments and rent them out. I have 33 rental apartments, 4 homes, and one condo, a total of $4.5 million invested. We closed today on one other condo, and I think we will close on another condo next week. I'm not wealthy, but I'm getting there. I still prefer 928's-

EVERYONE who has "built" their own home tells me they will NEVER EVER do it again! From my work with GC's on my apartment complexes I can tell you that I certainly will never build a house! Holy ben-wa balls Batman...this is a BAD IDEA! Buy a house that you like and then make cosmetic changes. If you try to build a house you are just a masochist! Go to a leather shop and buy a leather body harness, and a whip or some chains or something....hand them to your wife and let her beat the crap out of you with them! It will be easier than building a house I think!

N!

Actually I could build a house again, but since the one I have is my house through and through, I don't intend to or need to. I found it wasn't difficult. Before I retired my job involved managing contracts, which also called for me to create and implement budgets, manage people, meet deadlines, quotas, benchmarks, etc., etc. I found building the house a pleasure, even if it involved working with subs, suppliers, THE COUNTY BUILDING DEPARTMENT, and so on. The work I did was fun and physical and different from the work I did before retiring. Because I was accustomed to a lot more grief, the process wasn't bad at all.

Started by building a 24'x32' pole barn to store my tools/supplies. - 3 months, only me and my generator.

Waited 4 years to start the house. Oh yea...threw a divorce in there for good measure. Re-marry.
1-1/2 days for hired excavation.
2 weekends to frame up and pour footers.
6 weekends to lay approx. 1250 blocks for foundation/piers.
Added drainage, back-filled and let sit until following spring.
Early April, working off a generator, start framing.
Framing/getting it closed in took all summer. Let sit until next spring.
Early April, start again. Installed windows, plumbing, electrical/electrical service. Inspections done, start drywall. About 140 4x8 sheets later, drywall pretty much done.
Basic structure pretty much done at that point. Spent the next 3-4 years finishing the inside. It really never ends. We added the garage/entrance after we moved into the house.
If I ever do it again, it will be half the size, and one level.

Norm was correct for most people..
But my buddy Floyd wasn't most people, he build at least 3 homes...

Here is the one he was building when he passed....
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771569.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771701.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771768.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771826.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771910.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291771997.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291772084.jpg
He also build garages with each house, build them 1st so he would have a shop to work out of and secured storage.. He cheated on this one, as he knew he didn't have a lot of time...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291772351.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291772544.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291772650.jpg

I would build another house, but only if this one burned down.
I put up a 28'x56' garage 3 yrs. ago. (still need to side it) Wish i'd built it 30 years ago.

Didn't build from scratch, bought a small cabin on a lake in central Vermont, it used to be a girls summer camp...

Before:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291773286.jpg

after:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291773309.jpg

entrance:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291773343.jpg

my bro contemplating the entry from garage to house:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291773473.jpg

RacerBVD-Dude- you DA MAN!

That house is outstanding! I stand aside. I bow down to you! my 21 X 20 garage is an embarrassment! Folks, I can't hang in this group. These people have a lot more $ than I do!

What happened? Did the house get finished?

N!

Here is some more handi-work that my wife and I accomplished
The front doors were made from oak
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291776272.jpg
We built and installed the kitchen cabinets
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291776359.jpg
And this is the island
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291776402.jpg

I worked as a high school shop teacher for 30 years and bought and renovated numerous rental properties over the years. I finally built a house about 8 yrs ago. I acted as GC.The house turned out beautifully. My wife has now started to remind me that the best work I do is write checks.

man, i feel like i live in a shack now. nice job boys and girls, such talent here.

Front doors are fantastic...

What's up with the wall cabinets? Different heights and depths... is there a reason? I see where the hood is and the where the refigerator goes, but...

Probably so they can get wrapped with crown. Deeper cabinets must be taller so the crown installs correctly on the shallower/shorter cabinets.

Yes that is right, the different heights for visual impact and the different depths to accomodate the crown mouldings
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291842907.jpg

Here is my current house.

House pictures by rditech - Photobucket


Bought house. Ripped back to shell. Did all plumbing, electrical, flooring, tiling, cabinet,doors and even art work.

Cabinet/furniture maker and builder by trade. 8 years of after work and weekends.

Nice work from all!

Ryan