General

First you need to find a bunch of trees. Cut them down. Make the wood.... A lot of work ahead of you.

Yep

It's all about location: location, location, location...and gumdrops: gumdrops, gumdrops, gumdrops.
image

The easiest process would be to find a builder. Many will have their models for you to walk through and upgrades to add on. Build on their lots or your own land. We nearly went this route but building one takes a minimum of 6 months for a 3-4 bedroom house and our lease was going to be up, so just bought something that was already there where we wanted to be.

First step would be to find a half way descent or better builder. Alot of builders nowadays use cheap and thin materials which in any diaster will be destroyed easy, and in case of fire more stuff will burn up and faster. Many construction will say i have such and such experience but they don't know anything, there's alot of those in my area and residents are stupid enough to keep buying their services. Also be aware of the neighborhood and close neighbors how they act and such, you don't wanna be next to someone who wants trouble, not necessary violent but other ways.

Rest of the steps you will have to get from someone else, i am in the dark.

I got you on a skid of those A framez

It's true some low end builders use crappy materials. The house I'm renting currently is a lower end build, built 4 yrs ago and stuff is noticeably decaying and falling apart, warping, etc. It's all been well kept too. The house we're buying was graded on some "quality of building materials" scale when we appraised it and it rated very high. Comparing the two it's fairly easy for me to see the difference now. You might want to ask around on your local facebook buy/sell pages and see what people think of local builders and quality offered.

Beware supper crapty home builders. Here in WI we got the miracle homes quack. He runs ads about how he's a Christian builder. http://miraclehomebuilders.com

Just insulate a shipping container

@darkslime I'm actually searching for naked property right now I can afford and have enough money left over to build and essentially self sustaining house of 3-4 storage containers. That's actually the plan.

Looking specifically at Suffolk Country NY. North Shore. Would like a decent property lot but i would trade some space for a nicer town, closer to railroads, better schools ect. Would like to have at least .20 acres. Budget after closing closts on my house, getting my sister her cut and taking care of a few outstanding debts we should be looking at around 200-225. Great land is the priority as not every ammentity must be hooked up to the house in year one and I would imagine that this house would eventually become a guest house/pool house and build a genuinely full size home down the line afternoon living RE good life of having everything paid up on the front end and be able to squirrel away man many dollars no matter what kind of work I end up doing.

Prime wrote:

I have a client that sells international shipping containers out of port of Milwaukee and Chicago. If you don't have any local connections I can inquire and see if there's any ability to either send units to you or if they have connections to a yard near you and can do a yard swap.

That would be awesome. Though I'm not there yet. First I need to weigh the cost of using one of these companies that prefabs the containers off site and cranes them in, does all the utility hookups/roof and solar and all that versus outsourcing the containers and having it privately built by a contractor. Price won't necessarily be the determining factor as the guys who do this every day are far more familiar than a guy who takes it on because of opportunity but doesn't have any experience in outside the box house building.

I've got to take a trip out to Suffolk county and visit the village and town halls to find out what the codes are and rules and regulations and such and see what towns will/won't allow what.

I've got a lot of work to do but I don't make enough loot going back two years worth of w2s that any coop or condo board will approve even if I would be paying cash money, and I don't can any to buy some craphole house that someone else couldn't be bothered to fix up. So this seems like the most reasonable way to go. Kind of get everything I'd want and need to be set up. Lots of due diligence left to be done so any and all info will be appreciated

I'd open the floor up to anyone whose done additions, remodeled kitchens, bathrooms, heaters, boilers, windows, patios, porches, pools, detached garages or whatever. All of that will be great insight and info for me to have moving forward.

@SirConnery if you wanted to find out what the basic price structures are on 20 foot, 40 foot and whatever other oddball sizes they may come in would help me get a better idea what I'm looking at. Might end up having you over to the new place for a seafood dinner if you play your cards right. Particularly one trip containers and if they mention anything over the industry standard 8 feet high realm. That would be kinda awesome.

Not sure where you're located or building exactly but I know someone who builds homes out of the shipping containers.

I'd imagine a shipping container would be really cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

darkslime wrote:

International shipping containers often come with insulation, hardwood floors, and electricity already installed. Just add drywall and cut to spec.

They get well insulated with a heating and air unit aswell. They stay a lot warmer in the winter then a home of built right.

I built my own house.

If you can't or won't, then you need to find a lender if first if you don't have the cash. Then just find a reputable builder, many of them will be able to help you build out exactly what you want. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions. One thing I recommend, overkill on insulation. My house effectively has over 8 inches of exterior insulating material. More than is rated by an R value. My electric bills for keeping a ~1450sq ft house at 68-72 degrees year round is rarely more than $110 a month. It's an all electric house as well.

Also, tankless water heaters are epic, but would recommend getting a dedicated unit to place near the shower.

darkslime wrote:

Would be using really good insulation on the interior and exterior as well as putting in a central air/heating system. Not everything has to Be done year one and year two but some things like this can save you a fortune in operational cost so id like Likely prioritize them.

@Demonis well definitely have to talk when I get a little further along

When I get fed up with all the technology and drama of real life I'm gonna move to rural Alaska and build me a log cabin.