CAT | Owner-Builder
Owner-Builders Around the World
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Believe it or not, 80% of the homes built in Austria are built by owner-builders. Ireland is at the 50% mark. In fact, most of Europe is at or above 50%. So where does the U.S. stand? Approximately 30% of the homes built here are by owner-builders. So why is there such a big difference […]
Charlotte Builder Offering Assistance to Owner Builders
4 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Owner-Builder
A builder in North Carolina is offering several different packages for owner builders to choose from when building their new home. Hester Homes has a division called “Build a Little” that allows customers to take on some of the general contractor tasks. Essentially, each customer can choose a level of involvement based on their experience […]
Cost to Add a New Owner-Built Bathroom
13 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Bath Remodel, Owner-Builder
I’m in the process of converting a closet into a full bathroom for a customer. The question I get on a daily basis about virtually all possible new home projects is… “How much would this cost?” Because remodeling is so dependent on your existing conditions I first like to meet with the mechanical trades to […]
What is it with all the Home Building terms?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
When I started building homes sixteen years ago, I was amazed at all the crazy lingo. From fascias to base plates to frieze boards, it seemed the terms were endless. I think the most difficult thing about learning the building business, or any new topic for that matter, is the long list of terms and […]
Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part II
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Kitchen Remodel, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
In the last post (Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part I) we talked about all the necessary steps to tackle before you start demolition/construction of your new kitchen remodel. Here we will discuss demolition, construction, scheduling, and how to minimize the affects of construction on the rest of your home. Demolition: Once we have our materials, we […]
Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part I
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Kitchen Remodel, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
I am about to finish up a kitchen remodel in my own home so I thought I would share my checklist with you while it’s fresh on my mind. Anyone can take charge of their own kitchen remodel as an owner-builder. You will just need to be thorough in your planning and follow my checklist […]
Save Money and Get What You Want, Become an Owner-Builder
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Build a New Home So, you have a particular new home project in mind but you’re not sure how to get it done. You can hire a general contractor or home builder to handle all the details but you have received several bids and don’t like the prices. You have visited the local home builders […]
What is an Owner-Builder?
8 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
An owner-builder is anyone who decides to take control of their building and renovation projects by taking on the role of the general contractor. The term general contractor sounds scary, but it’s just another phrase for having overall responsibility for the outcome of your project. This would include quality, budget, schedule,…etc. So, in taking on […]
Welcome to Armchair Builder
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Fix it!, Owner-Builder
Hi there! I would like to personally welcome you to our new blog. I am a home builder, otherwise known as a general contractor. Over the years, I have noticed my customers getting more and more involved. One day it occurred to me…why shouldn’t they get paid for the time they spend on their new […]
