Hi Keith, we finished our home in August in Central Utah. I want to thank you for your help! I’ve watched most every episode of your videos in the process of our build. You are truly serving others. I would love to have you come by anytime if you are in the area. We built a 3000 square foot rambler with a full basement. Lots of challenges along the way but our home turned out the way we wanted it to. You are the best!
We built in a major metro area suburb in 2022 and finding framers was tough. The framers we hired realized that they underbid the job after about 80% of completion and rather than renegotiating, they packed up and left using other excuses. We deducted two days of pay for our inconvenience. Luckily my contractor had people he could call to bail us out and finish the framing, including myself and my recently retired brother-in-law. I was in a panic since untreated wood framing isn't robust enough to withstand exposure to the elements for a year or longer in a wet environment. This set us back two months. Foundation contractors were abundant enough in my area. If you plan on building with a small contractor, or DYI good luck. Labor is hard to find compared to a decade ago, at least around here. It seems too many young people don't like physical labor or think their peers will look down upon them for having what they think is a menial job.
My plan is to bring a dozen donuts or a couple of large pizzas to the nearest concrete plant and lumber yard and ask the guys behind the counter if they have any recommendations of crews they work with regularly.
Hi Keith! very helpful content. I wonder who is going to dig trench for foundation and utility? foundation sub or plumbing sub or excavation(grading) sub?
I need help finding software to calculate building cost. I want something that just ask for simple plug ins and then it spits out what the cost should be. Is there anything like this available???
Hello Keith, if the build is in a metro area where there is a relative abundance of such subcontractors, would you go with the company where the owner takes on projects but farms the actual work out to hired hands? Or would you go with an owner-operator where the owner does the work him/herself with the assistance of an assistant? Thanks for taking time to address my question.
I would take a builder who does some of the work, and typically something big like framing, excavation, foundation work. I have a lot of reasons for this, but mainly it forces the builder on the site a lot more.
@Howtobuildyourownhome Hi there! Love the detailed information that you provide for everyone! Great value! Would love to join your live stream on Thursdays..what time?
