Anybody with experiences in builder/owner. I can be my own contractor in N.M.so I will be one.?
Question:What to look for with banks, subcontractors, best materials:adobe, concrete,etc
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Answers:
You can find a lot of contractor legal agreements on the site listed below. If you act as the main contractor, you will still need waiver of liens from subcontractors, agreements, liability insurance etc. Hope this bit of information also helps you in building your home!
Just a piece of advice..unless you know what you're doing don't do it ...you'll be very sorry in the end. You need to know building codes and proper construction in order to supervise your own building subcontracting...or you may end up with shoddy work and a poorly built home and owe alot of money.
I am a Realtor/Broker in Florida. Here are some suggestions:
(a) MOST IMPORTANT of all - remember your EXIT. By that I mean, there will come a time you want/need to sell, or pass your home on later to your family. Owner/builders may not know, or intentionally plan to avoid pulling permits. It is actually quite easy to get away with not pulling permits for interior changes, but in the end - it might come back to haunt you as a bad decision.
Un-Permitted changes will not be reflected in the records on file with your local tax collector and there have been the odd occasion where sellers in Florida were forced to remove all un-Permitted changes before a sale was allowed.
Making your home just the way you want it is the best reason for building instead of buying an existing structure. However, if you build one that is too unique, if you ever need to sell later, your unique stamp might make it too hard for someone else to visualize themselves living in it - thus making it harder to sell.
All this is to say - consider your exit as you enter the process.
(b) Find a local Contractor you can use as a Consultant. Just like the shows on the DIY Network channel on TV, home owners are the muscle and crew of all the home improvements, but they have access to a Contractor who guides them on the how - when needed. Sometimes there are tricks of the trade that save $$$ later. For example - it is one thing to build a wall, but if you did not know you should also caulk it - then later you spend mega $$$ in excessive electrical costs due to inadequate insulation etc.
(c) Consider purchasing a kit home. There are many manufacturers of home kits ranging from concrete walls, SIP (Steel Insulated Panels), wood frame etc. These homes are then sent to your site with assembly instructions. They go up fast, need minimal man-power, cost less because you spend less in man-power and building time, and come with ALL the pieces, removing guess work. Best of all, they come with full access to the kit originators which are qualified contractors and architects who are now just a phone call away.
Hope this helps. All the best in this exciting adventure.
I have helped many owner/builder clients with their projects. It is a good way to save some money as I'm sure you know also a good way to waste money if you are not prepared to do the job. Your first step is to purchase or have working blueprints of project drawn up. These will be needed to aquire loan from the bank and material list from local lumber yard and quotes from subcontractors. (lets everyone know what your building) I'm not being a smart *** many people try to get this info without having on paper exactly what they want, it's very hard to do that. The other thing you'll need for the bank (and subcontractors) is job "specifications" this is basically a list of what you want to be included in your project that may or may not be included in the aforementioned blueprints. You will want to present the bank with blueprints,specifications,a schedule for completion,budget for construction, (the latter two must be obtained or comprised by you with the help of suppliers and subcontractors) As far as what materials to use in your project that is driven by what you want (ie styles,overall cost,energy efficiency,etc...) your architect or designer can help you there when you began your prints. Also you'll need to find a bank that is okay with "owner/builder" projects (not all of them are set up to deal with you) this will drastically affect how they organize the payouts of construction loan, which is very crucial to cash flow throughout the project. Which means, very crucial to the success of the project. If you can find someone in your area to who offers construction manangement service, a contract with them really helps with the lending institution. They will also prepare these items I mentioned for you. All that said, I must conclude with this is how it's done in my area, all municipalities, banks, subcontractor, suppliers,architects,designers and owner/builders are different this may not apply to your area. good luck, feel free to email if any further questions.
also remember any subcontractor you may hire to do work needs to provide proof of proper insurance and lisence required for work and follow all local guidelines regarding permits etc..
,i know a few things i sold modular homes. you definitely want to go with architectural shingles on your roof they look one hundred percent better than roofing shingles. You definitely don't want to go with obs board you want to use plywood and now a day they have mold resistant i cant stress how important that is i lived in a house with black mold and it is a killer windows double Paine Anderson is a good brand.i guess that's about all i can really advise you on
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