The Clarks Build a House

Yesterday we had the lot cleared. They found three snakes. One of them was about 6′ long. Yikes! We left up some trees in the front thatI would like to save but may need to come down eventually, and we have trees along the rear property line. Behind us is approx. 98 acres of ag preserve (from what we have been told. I have not yet researched to verify). When you are standing where the back porch will be, it is so peaceful. You can’t see the neighbors, only grass and trees. Our foundation will start about where the big bush is in the middle of the first picture. It is a full walk out from the rear and the east side of the basement. Next week our foundation starts!

Yes, I realize the floor plan has backwards text. However, this is how the house actually sits. We had to reverse it from the prints, so I reversed the image here so you get a true view of what it will look like.

Word of advice…if you are trying to do a house for a low set cost…build UP, not OUT!

We chose a rancher with a two car, side entry garage, front and back porches. We do have a small second floor that the architect refers to as a “bonus” area. ( I still haven’t figured out the whole “bonus” thing. It’s not like they threw it in for free?!?) The exterior resembles a country/cape cod house, with a 12/12 roof pitch (did I write that properly?) Our foundation footprint is rather large, with multiple off sets. So, the major costs-foundation, framing, rafters, are much higher than your typical square house. I found out that to build the same amount of square footage on say… a 40′ x 40′ foundation and compensate for the square footage by adding an additional floor is cheaper…WAY cheaper, than to build the same amount of sq ft on a 60′ x 80′ foundation. Go figure.  Just like shoe shopping, I  always manage to pick out the most expensive pair…

You think getting a house mortgage is challenging? Try getting a building loan! Very few banks are willing to put money up for a loan for something that doesn’t exist yet. Typically, you will need to successfully build ten homes before bankers greet you and your building project with open arms. This is why so many people buy lots and then have builders come in and put up the house. It’s just so much easier to get financing. After an extensive report to the bank, listing all our subs, pricing, options…iq’s, height, weight…just kidding on the last three, the bank gave s our loan.

Well, anyone that knows me knows I love a challenge. So, here we go!

We’re so excited! After months of planning and discussing whether we should just buy a pre-built house or build our own, it is time to start on our house building adventure (off to see the wizard…)

Then came the hard part-finding the right lot. It is really hard to find a nice, affordable, buildable lot without a builder tie-in, but we finally managed to find the perfect one for us. There are nice neighbors, the land perced and we were able to install a well.

Here’s our dream lot: