Because homes and contractors can be confusing, we try to answer all building questions that come to us at Armchair Builder. We recently received a question from a new home owner in Illinois regarding settlement and a high water table. This new owner is concerned that a high water table may be causing the foundation […]
Builder Gross Margins and Owner Builder Savings
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Owner-Builder
January 14, 2016 One of the big motivations for people to build their own home is to save money. After all, it’s a big time commitment and there are some risks involved. I mean sure, you get a sense of pride from building the family’s dream home and you get exactly what you want but […]
Liability Considerations for Owner Builders to Consider When Hiring
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Owner builders thinking of tackling their own new home should be very careful when hiring workers. Whether the worker is considered a contractor or an employee has major ramifications for the owner. If the worker is considered to be an employee by law, the owner builder will be required to withhold payroll taxes, carry workman’s […]
House Plan Selection…A Builder’s Perspective
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Selecting the house plan to build your new home can be an exciting process. Finally you have the opportunity to create the home of your dreams that matches your family’s lifestyle. Besides square footage, the number of bedrooms and an inspiring design, there are some additional items you should consider when selecting the plans to […]
When Should Home Inspector Check My New Home?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Owner-Builder
People that are having a new home built frequently pay a home inspector to come out and look for any possible areas of concern. I think this is a good idea even if you are working as an owner-builder. My feeling is, the more eyes you have looking at a product for quality, the better the final […]
General Contract Your Own Home Projects
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Some builders like to make it sound impossible for people to build their own projects. I suppose it’s natural to want to protect their livelihood. But the truth is, the average person can take on the general contractor role to remodel a kitchen, basement, or even build a new home from the ground up. There […]
Evaluating Land for Building
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
It’s important to carefully evaluate land before making an offer for purchase to build your dream home. You don’t want to end up with an asset that is a hassle, doesn’t meet your building requirements or that causes you unforeseen expenses. As a home builder, I have a checklist that I go through prior […]
Do Owner Builders Do All the Physical Labor?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
What do people mean when they say owner builder or build your own house? Does this translate into swinging a hammer and physically building the home yourself or is this more about managing trade contractors? Actually, both of these are correct. When you take on a project to build a new home without a general […]
Important Considerations for Home Additions
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Home Addition, Owner-Builder
As your family’s needs change, your home needs to change as well. Maybe a new baby is on the way and a second bathroom or third bedroom is needed. If you’ve already finished your basement or don’t have a basement, you may have decided that putting a new addition onto your home is the best […]
Efficient Ways to Add Living Space
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Basement Finish, Owner-Builder
There a several good options available to those wanting to add space to their existing home. But which is the most cost efficient? Here we take a look at some of the more popular ways to add living space and discuss the relative costs of each. The most cost effective way to add space to […]
