New house build: ideas and advice

[HiDesertELR]

If you can get the CAD (.dwg file extension) files from the builder, let me know, I'd do some minor changes for you a burrito and some firewood. When I saw what they wanted to make those changes I almost choked.

Designing your own house and trying to make it everything you'll ever want and need is a daunting task, kudos for taking it on. My only advice is to plan on being flexible with your expectations, and know it'll always be a work on progress. Get your family used to the smell of sawdust and paint

 

[rjacobs]

Figured I would update this thread since I got a bunch of great advice in it.

Well my wife and I closed on the house today... Its been a long frustrating process. Still have a few things that the builder needs to clean up that we found AFTER we closed... but shouldnt be a big issue getting them taken care of. These is the highlights...



Walk in the door and we have an office to the left


And the dining room is to the right.


Walk in further and the stairs going upstairs are on the left. Then the living room opens up to the left.


Kitchen to the right


Have a large kitchen table nook off the kitchen


And a buffet that leads into the dining room. The pantry is also off of the small hallway the buffet is in.



Have a mud bench just inside the entry to the garage. Laundry is just beyond.


Master Bedroom(gotta get a shorter downrod for the fan... and balance the thing).


Coffee bar at the entrance to the master bath. Master closet to the right. There is a second walk in closet in the master also, its much smaller... so its mine obviously.



Master bath



Upstairs has a game room and theater. 18x20 game room and 12x18 theater.



And a 3 car garage.

 

[want2learn]

Wow....congratulations.
Your home looks absolutely spectacular

 

[Jscb1b]

Good looking home!

 

[BytorJr]

Very nice sir. I'd love to build my own. I have several plans my father drew up (their first house of which the plans were recently updated for my sister who chose not to build). Must be quite satisfying...congrats!!!

 

[pmclaine]

Figured I would update this thread since I got a bunch of great advice in it.

Well my wife and I closed on the house today... Its been a long frustrating process. Still have a few things that the builder needs to clean up that we found AFTER we closed... but shouldnt be a big issue getting them taken care of. These is the highlights...



Walk in the door and we have an office to the left


And the dining room is to the right.


Walk in further and the stairs going upstairs are on the left. Then the living room opens up to the left.


Kitchen to the right


Have a large kitchen table nook off the kitchen


And a buffet that leads into the dining room. The pantry is also off of the small hallway the buffet is in.



Have a mud bench just inside the entry to the garage. Laundry is just beyond.


Master Bedroom(gotta get a shorter downrod for the fan... and balance the thing).


Coffee bar at the entrance to the master bath. Master closet to the right. There is a second walk in closet in the master also, its much smaller... so its mine obviously.



Master bath



Upstairs has a game room and theater. 18x20 game room and 12x18 theater.



And a 3 car garage.

Looks fantastic. I hope it brings you a lot of happiness.

You know you love your place when you can go on vacation and when you get back home, even knowing you are soon returning to work, you feel "just right" in your home.

I hope you get that.

 

[308pirate]

I would not consider any new build where the entire structure wasn't made of reinforced concrete and cinder block.

Hurricane proof, tornado proof, and damned near fire (and gunfire) proof.

 

[RyanScott]

Are cinder blocks still available anywhere in the US? You can’t get them in the PNW, they aren’t up to code for building anything occupied.

 

[pmclaine]

Are cinder blocks still available anywhere in the US? You can’t get them in the PNW, they aren’t up to code for building anything occupied.

Far as I know.

Frequently see them used for wall with intent a more aesthetic veneer will hide them.

See the occasional house made entirely of them but they are older.

Dont see why a properly built block house with concrete fill wouldnt be structurally sound except in the possible case you use chinese or inferior blocks that decay due to poor manufacture.

 

[RyanScott]

I’m in the masonry business that’s why I ask. A cinder block is pressed fly ash, a concrete block is up to 2.5% fly ash (from memory). Masonry is great, it stops bullets. The stone on my house breaks at 38,000 PSI.

 

[speaksJay]

Did you use someone's help (services/working team)? Looks amazing, bro Like a beginner, I understood that building alone own house it‘ll be impossible for me. But it was my dream from childhood. It was a reason why I started to read a lot about a house building and to watch videos. After a few months I had known the biggest part about the construction process, but still had no practice in it. Accidentally I found a website with Wollongong builders which helped me to build my own house. On their page, I chose a plan for my perfect home, and you have to check it too! This company is directed to house building and I had so good experience talking with their professionals. So now I have the coziest house and the pleasure of living in it!

 

[308pirate]

Dont see why a properly built block house with concrete fill wouldnt be structurally sound except in the possible case you use chinese or inferior blocks that decay due to poor manufacture.

I rode out all the hurricanes that hit PR between 1966 and 1984 in one. They are stout as hell when people who know what they're doing build them.

Depending on which wall it is, it's either reinforced poured concrete or block with rebar and poured concrete in the holes. The roof is poured concrete.

I called them cinder blocks because that's what I've called them all my life. Most likely the houses I lived in were made with concrete blocks. I'm not a mason so YMMV.

 

[RyanScott]

Probably concrete now. This stuff is so much more technical than it used to be but that means the building materials except for wood are getting better rather than worse. Masonry is great for houses. Keeps bullets out...or in.

 

[kabarNC]

ICF is the new cinder block. Going that way with my basement and vault, wish I could afford to go all the way to the ridgeline with it..

 

[RyanScott]

ICF has some significant downsides in cost and thickness. I still like it, but it’s hard to build some things with it competitively.

 

[308pirate]

ICF is the new cinder block. Going that way with my basement and vault, wish I could afford to go all the way to the ridgeline with it..

Luckily insulation isn't needed in the tropics

 

[kabarNC]

ICF has some significant downsides in cost and thickness. I still like it, but it’s hard to build some things with it competitively.

Thickness-as in, it's too thick, or thin? What would you recommend other than ICF for basement walls on a modern house? Not being confrontational, just curious..

 

[RyanScott]

Luckily insulation isn't needed in the tropics

My brother is always bitching that the California energy code requires heating and insulation when most of the low income houses he’s been in for work have all that turned off to save money. Makes sense.

Thickness-as in, it's too thick, or thin? What would you recommend other than ICF for basement walls on a modern house? Not being confrontational, just curious..

Basements are where it shines. It’s pretty easy to end up 16” wide though, sometimes 20” and that can eat up your space. The thickness of a wall doesn’t count in footage that you can sell but on a lot with significant setbacks it can reduce the size of the house you can build. It’s also more expensive than other systems if you have extensive fenestration, curves or angles.

 

[kabarNC]

Makes sense, thanks. We're planning to build a modest house with a walk out basement on our farm here, and there's very few contractors in these rural Carolina areas that build any different than was built in the 60s-70s. Even open cell foam insulation is a novel idea.

I'm not wanting to spend a fortune on a house i can't afford, but i want something a little more than whats popular here.

That's the double edged sword of more relaxed building codes i guess..

My brother is always bitching that the California energy code requires heating and insulation when most of the low income houses he’s been in for work have all that turned off to save money. Makes sense.
Basements are where it shines. It’s pretty easy to end up 16” wide though, sometimes 20” and that can eat up your space. The thickness of a wall doesn’t count in footage that you can sell but on a lot with significant setbacks it can reduce the size of the house you can build. It’s also more expensive than other systems if you have extensive fenestration, curves or angles.

 

[hollowoutadime]

Basement poured walls here. Not that expensive in Ohio. $11/ft for the footing, $50 for an 8" wall, $60 to go to 12" thick. Includes material and labor, not incl rebar.

 

[n2ishun]

. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

So, you get 2 cents per spam post ?
Not a good way to make a living, bloke.

 

[acudaowner]

a secret gun room ? a electronic house protection system crooks can break in but they are not getting out alive .
if they can do this with mud you should be able to top it with real building material + the water feature and nature park running through the house and a fireman's poll into the kitchen . lol send pics .