OT: building a house

[HuskerPAC]

My wife and I recently purchased a .65 acre lot in a small town in central Nebraska. Our current house in the same town was built in 1977 and my dad and I fully renovated/remodeled it, but I’ve never been involved with a build.

For anyone who has insight…
1) what’s a reasonable $/sq foot cost in central Nebraska? One of my buddies who is a contractor said “$3-400/sq foot would be a good start” and I almost had a stroke.
2) Any recommendations of where to go to get plans/modify plans?
3) Any absolute “do’s or don’ts” when making plans and when starting to build?
4) Any recommendations for contractors in the Grand Island area?

Thanks.

 

[Tonkasker]

My wife and I recently purchased a .65 acre lot in a small town in central Nebraska. Our current house in the same town was built in 1977 and my dad and I fully renovated/remodeled it, but I’ve never been involved with a build.

For anyone who has insight…
1) what’s a reasonable $/sq foot cost in central Nebraska? One of my buddies who is a contractor said “$3-400/sq foot would be a good start” and I almost had a stroke.
2) Any recommendations of where to go to get plans/modify plans?
3) Any absolute “do’s or don’ts” when making plans and when starting to build?
4) Any recommendations for contractors in the Grand Island area?

Thanks.

Homebuilder here. Happy to take this to the dms if you want to discuss further

1. Pick one builder and be upfront about your budget. $/sf is mostly bogus without knowing what you want. Make a list of needs and wants. Agree to cost-plus (12-13% if you can). We can build a simple house around $350/foot but if you want a lot of custom carpentry or cabinetry that can creep up. If you don't seem like a total lunatic client that should be agreeable. A one man show is a good way to get some value. We get beat by guys doing it themselves running projects at 10% occasionally
2. I would work with an actual architect. If thats not feasible there are some that sell ready made plans you can get engineered. Builders are a great resource for guiding you through that if you want. I can send you a few we work with up here that are semi-ready made. Those online plans websites are mostly garbage unless you're building a barndo or slab house.
3. Build to slightly under your budget. There will be cost overruns. The more you press on your builder during the bid phase the more cost overruns there will be. Ask lots of clarifying questions about the bid. Most show up before framing starts.

Absolute musts
- Running tubing for in-floor heat even if you don't buy a boiler
- blown in batt insulation. No spray foam
- sound walls and ceilings
- mudroom
- even if you don't finish the basement (its pretty easy to do yourself) have them hang drywall on the ceiling. Such a pain in the ass

 

[HuskerPAC]

Homebuilder here. Happy to take this to the dms if you want to discuss further

1. Pick one builder and be upfront about your budget. $/sf is mostly bogus without knowing what you want. Make a list of needs and wants. Agree to cost-plus (12-13% if you can). We can build a simple house around $350/foot but if you want a lot of custom carpentry or cabinetry that can creep up.
2. I would work with an actual architect. If thats not feasible there are some that sell ready made plans you can get engineered. Builders are a great resource for guiding you through that if you want. I can send you a few we work with up here that are semi-ready made. Those online plans websites are mostly garbage unless you're building a barndo or slab house.
3. Build to slightly under your budget. There will be cost overruns. The more you press on your builder during the bid phase the more cost overruns there will be. Ask lots of clarifying questions about the bid. Most show up before framing starts.

Absolute musts
- Running tubing for in-floor heat even if you don't buy a boiler
- blown in batt insulation. No spray foam
- sound walls and ceilings
- mudroom
- even if you don't finish the basement (its pretty easy to do yourself) have them hang drywall on the ceiling. Such a pain in the ass

That $350/sq foot for a simple house terrifies me. You don’t end up with much for square foot before you’re at $1mil and I think that’s nuts in a small town.

 

[HuskerHusaria]

In house plumbing >>

 

[Tonkasker]

That $350/sq foot for a simple house terrifies me. You don’t end up with much for square foot before you’re at $1mil and I think that’s nuts in a small town.

Again, i don't have a great idea of what you want to build. Covid and the low interest rate HELOC frenzy about that time made custom work really expensive. Cabinets especially. if you're fine with box cabinets and mdf trim you might be able to get that down around $300/ft. I don't have a good idea of what it costs out there honestly. My market is second to chicago in the midwest for cost

Its really sad in my opinion. In the old days before it turned into a commodities business you could build a 4,000 house sub $800k. Makes me sick to walk through pre-war houses and imagine what it would cost to build

 

[betsch]

If you have a basement, for the stairs going down, make them wide and make a big landing at the bottom so there is plenty of room to move furniture, treadmills, and whatever else you want down there so it fits. It was one of the smartest things I did when we built.

 

[TampaBaySkers]

My wife and I recently purchased a .65 acre lot in a small town in central Nebraska. Our current house in the same town was built in 1977 and my dad and I fully renovated/remodeled it, but I’ve never been involved with a build.

For anyone who has insight…
1) what’s a reasonable $/sq foot cost in central Nebraska? One of my buddies who is a contractor said “$3-400/sq foot would be a good start” and I almost had a stroke.
2) Any recommendations of where to go to get plans/modify plans?
3) Any absolute “do’s or don’ts” when making plans and when starting to build?
4) Any recommendations for contractors in the Grand Island area?

Thanks.

3-400? In Nebraska ? What? I’ve seen some big beautiful custom Mediterranean homes for less (including the land)

 

[Mavsker]

In house plumbing >>

Definitely on the wish list for my next shack

 

[HuskerPAC]

3-400? In Nebraska ? What? I’ve seen some big beautiful custom Mediterranean homes for less (including the land)

That’s my hope is that it was just a skyrocket quote.

 

[Mavsker]

Definitely find a contractor that will do cost plus
$350/sq ft seems pretty damn high to me
Family member had a pretty nice house built at around $250/sq ft recently

 

[Cash68847]

My wife and I recently purchased a .65 acre lot in a small town in central Nebraska. Our current house in the same town was built in 1977 and my dad and I fully renovated/remodeled it, but I’ve never been involved with a build.

For anyone who has insight…
1) what’s a reasonable $/sq foot cost in central Nebraska? One of my buddies who is a contractor said “$3-400/sq foot would be a good start” and I almost had a stroke.
2) Any recommendations of where to go to get plans/modify plans?
3) Any absolute “do’s or don’ts” when making plans and when starting to build?
4) Any recommendations for contractors in the Grand Island area?

Thanks.

I remember the good ole days from 2000-2010 when you could build a house for 100 bucks a sq foot. The 350 plus is ridiculous. You see little cracker box houses selling for 300-400 k now in Nebraska.

 

[Frogsker30]

I remember the good ole days from 2000-2010 when you could build a house for 100 bucks a sq foot. The 350 plus is ridiculous. You see little cracker box houses selling for 300-400 k now in Nebraska.

House down the street from me is a quarter size of my house. 2 bed 1 bath 800sqft no garage sold for the exact price my current house sold at in 2020. And that is 3 beds 2 bath 2 car garage and 2800sft (finished basement and attic/loft)

 

[HashtagGBR]

Construction people just raping people nowadays, shits wild.

 

[HashtagGBR]

I’ll say this… don’t go local, find a company out of Lincoln or Omaha and you’ll save 200k.

 

[BillButtlicker]

$350 gets you a lot of above builder grade finishes.

Pick a basic floor plan and roof type… lower the $/sf

Pick a more custom floor plan+ finishes… you’ll be at $350/sf

Just choose less than you can afford and it’ll be good

 

[TampaBaySkers]

House down the street from me is a quarter size of my house. 2 bed 1 bath 800sqft no garage sold for the exact price my current house sold at in 2020. And that is 3 beds 2 bath 2 car garage and 2800sft (finished basement and attic/loft)

Massively overpaying for a 800 sq ft home is financial suicide. You’d be much better off renting and investing the difference and wait for prices to correct like the they have in these markets…

The bigger cities or counties with the biggest price drops of mid-tier single-family homes from their peaks (year of peak):

1. Oakland, CA: -25% (2022)
2. Austin, TX: -24% (2022)
3. New Orleans, LA: -19% (2022)
4. Manhattan (New York County), NY: -16% (2020)
5. Lee County (Cape Coral, Fort Myers), FL: -16% (2022)
6. Sarasota County, FL: -16% (2022)
7. San Francisco, CA: -15% (2022)
8. Birmingham, AL: -14% (2022)
9. Washington, DC: -13% (2022)
10. Contra Costa County (SF Bay Area), CA: -12% (2022)
11. Denver, CO: -11% (2022)
12. Collier County (Naples), FL: -11% (2024)
13. St. Petersburg, FL: -11% (2024)
14. Phoenix, AZ: -10% (2024)

 

[Pipe Line]

If you have a basement, for the stairs going down, make them wide and make a big landing at the bottom so there is plenty of room to move furniture, treadmills, and whatever else you want down there so it fits. It was one of the smartest things I did when we built.

If my wife and I ever build, this is on my list. My basement is dry walled going down the stairs into the first 6 feet or so, laundry room a quick left, actual basement to the right, random stripper pole also to the right that has been framed and dry walled, and getting anything down there of significance is a nightmare

 

[Cornicator]

One word OP:

Bidet

 

[Tezzer]

I wish we could build for $350/sq ft where I live. Prices are insane everywhere.

 

[Lfaller23]

Homebuilder here. Happy to take this to the dms if you want to discuss further

1. Pick one builder and be upfront about your budget. $/sf is mostly bogus without knowing what you want. Make a list of needs and wants. Agree to cost-plus (12-13% if you can). We can build a simple house around $350/foot but if you want a lot of custom carpentry or cabinetry that can creep up. If you don't seem like a total lunatic client that should be agreeable. A one man show is a good way to get some value. We get beat by guys doing it themselves running projects at 10% occasionally
2. I would work with an actual architect. If thats not feasible there are some that sell ready made plans you can get engineered. Builders are a great resource for guiding you through that if you want. I can send you a few we work with up here that are semi-ready made. Those online plans websites are mostly garbage unless you're building a barndo or slab house.
3. Build to slightly under your budget. There will be cost overruns. The more you press on your builder during the bid phase the more cost overruns there will be. Ask lots of clarifying questions about the bid. Most show up before framing starts.

Absolute musts
- Running tubing for in-floor heat even if you don't buy a boiler
- blown in batt insulation. No spray foam
- sound walls and ceilings
- mudroom
- even if you don't finish the basement (its pretty easy to do yourself) have them hang drywall on the ceiling. Such a pain in the ass

Why put the lid in the basement if not finishing? Kills all your access and if you decided to rock the basement you’re drywaller is going to do it anyway.