Anyone ever build your own house?

[Red88Carrera]

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.

[Jagshund]

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?

[Drdogface]

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...

[LakeCleElum]

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.




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,

[Drdogface]

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

[unclebilly]

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:



Standing up the exterior walls:



Interior Walls:



Rafters and Strapping:



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



And this engine with some help:



Roof done and Siding in progress:



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

[gruppe75]

My wife and I did the same. It took about 3 years, nights and weekends.

Here we designed, acid etched and installed a glazing wall.

[patssle]

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.

[A930Rocket]

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!

[Mark Henry]

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.

[rnln]

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

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

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.

[pete3799]

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


Then we cut the logs and I hauled them to the mill


We decked the cellar over and lived in it for several years



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


Even built the kichen cabinets


Ended up with this (1991)

[Evans, Marv]

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.

[Seahawk]

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.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by Drdogface

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

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!

[David]

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.

[Zeke]

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.

[vash]

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!

[vash]

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

[Oh Haha]

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.