Lol
build a house for $30k
If I get a lot in the city and build to code, how much house can you get for $30k? A dog house?
Hoping for over 750 square feet, no frills. Would like it to be decent enough and big enough to not be dehumanizing. 2 bed 1 bath, kitchen and living room. I was thinking a square house about 30x30 or 28x28 might be simple enough. Could consider just 1 bedroom if that helps. Could probably do pier and beam if that is cheaper.
It's sort of a charity project, so don't laugh too hard. I expect $30k might be a difficult budget to operate under, that's why I am looking to you guys to determine feasibility.
Hoping for over 750 square feet, no frills. Would like it to be decent enough and big enough to not be dehumanizing. 2 bed 1 bath, kitchen and living room. I was thinking a square house about 30x30 or 28x28 might be simple enough. Could consider just 1 bedroom if that helps. Could probably do pier and beam if that is cheaper.
It's sort of a charity project, so don't laugh too hard. I expect $30k might be a difficult budget to operate under, that's why I am looking to you guys to determine feasibility.
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I built an 1800 square foot home for around 55000 in material. I already had land, and labor was free or on the barter system (fellow contractors). $30,000 might be possible, but only under the same conditions.BugmanBCE said:If I get a lot in the city and build to code, how much house can you get for $30k? A dog house? Hoping for over 750 square feet, no frills. Would like it to be decent enough and big enough to not be dehumanizing. 2 bed 1 bath, kitchen and living room. I was thinking a square house about 30x30 or 28x28 might be simple enough. Could consider just 1 bedroom if that helps. Could probably do pier and beam if that is cheaper. It's sort of a charity project, so don't laugh too hard. I expect $30k might be a difficult budget to operate under, that's why I am looking to you guys to determine feasibility.
You may be able to buy a nice used single-wide for that, along with a small lot.
Jeez, even at 750 sq. ft. you are still talking under $50.00/sq. ft.
I don't see it happening without divine intervention.
Andy.
I don't see it happening without divine intervention.
Andy.
So I'm guessing that would roughly cover material cost and that's it.
Maybe materials. what's your climate?
Trench footing, slab, 8" rock Face block made with water stop illegal masons cash,no furring, just paint CMUs Plastic windows, 30'x 24' for cheap garage trusses build just the full bath, stub in the 1/2 bath for later. Stain the concrete, buy rugs, Cheap tile in the baths and kitchen. Oversized gas hot water heater and pex radient floor heat? two window AC units mounted in dummy window openings. Omit most of the trim, dumpster dive the cabinets, fiberglass drywall ceiling interior walls 2"x3" studs maybe to save an inch of room?
Plan, plan and plan again the baths and kitchen to cheap out on wiring and plumbing runs. plumbers get 3k$ just to tap the sewer here, city gets more on top, water meter fees.... hook up on gas and power $$$
Hurricane Zoning regs? might run up structural tie costs and shingle costs window specs?
A hillbilly tin or shingle roof on vented sleepers over the layer of sheating nailed to the trusses would really cut down on heat soak during the long sticky Gulf summers for ~1000.00$ extra.
All towns here use Building codes that have minimun sizes of bedrooms, baths and entry #, even minimun size of windows to floor space %, roofing types allowed. A lot with out room for a future garage would be silly...
Plan, plan and plan again the baths and kitchen to cheap out on wiring and plumbing runs. plumbers get 3k$ just to tap the sewer here, city gets more on top, water meter fees.... hook up on gas and power $$$
Hurricane Zoning regs? might run up structural tie costs and shingle costs window specs?
A hillbilly tin or shingle roof on vented sleepers over the layer of sheating nailed to the trusses would really cut down on heat soak during the long sticky Gulf summers for ~1000.00$ extra.
All towns here use Building codes that have minimun sizes of bedrooms, baths and entry #, even minimun size of windows to floor space %, roofing types allowed. A lot with out room for a future garage would be silly...
It could be possible if you ignore building codes.
bvllsh!t
Joasis was talking once about building a monster for someone and the starting price before extras was $75/sqft (NOT possible around here unless you want to work for free). I think Joasis knows what's possible in his area. Take away labour and $35-$50/sqft is possible
Joasis was talking once about building a monster for someone and the starting price before extras was $75/sqft (NOT possible around here unless you want to work for free). I think Joasis knows what's possible in his area. Take away labour and $35-$50/sqft is possible
Draw up a set of plans and start pricing them. Price per sqft means nothing, it's not even worth talking about. Add up every piece of material for the project. All fixtures, all mechanicals. Then add up all the labor that you will have to pay for outside of sweat equity and favors. That's the only way you will be able to know if this is feasible.
Hell, around here, I'd burn half that just on plans, engineering, permits, and sewer, water, and electrical hook-ups.
I'm just finishing up the plumbing and electrical on a 700 s.f. M-I-L for a guy. He's gonna be into it for about 75k. At least. And he did all the framing with himself and one other guy. But he's doing tile and radiant and a couple other upgrades, so even without, I can't see him coming in for less than 50.
By the way, this is a good example of why pricing is not discussed too often around here. It's just all over the place, and too many variables.
I'm just finishing up the plumbing and electrical on a 700 s.f. M-I-L for a guy. He's gonna be into it for about 75k. At least. And he did all the framing with himself and one other guy. But he's doing tile and radiant and a couple other upgrades, so even without, I can't see him coming in for less than 50.
By the way, this is a good example of why pricing is not discussed too often around here. It's just all over the place, and too many variables.
I can get material for 25 to 30 a sq ft around here.
With all of the magazine and online articles of people building smaller in this day and age of McMansions, wouldn't this be at least feasible?
Granted, it will be bare bones and won't have all the fancy upgrades like radiant heat and granite tops and all that jazz. And since he mentioned "charity" the labor costs would be based on pretty much MEPs, the things that a specialized pro should do. Even then, some costs can be cut by self-performing the less intricate details (running wires, nailing on boxes).
And it's all totally dependent on the OP's location and land availability, etc, etc.
I think it would be worth it to price it out with low-end finishes and basic building materials and see what you come up with.
The OP should have the other details in front of him to see if this can actually happen. It might make for a feel-good story.
My one piece of advice would be to think ahead about ease of adding on for future owners.
Keep it as simple as possible and it may gain traction.
Granted, it will be bare bones and won't have all the fancy upgrades like radiant heat and granite tops and all that jazz. And since he mentioned "charity" the labor costs would be based on pretty much MEPs, the things that a specialized pro should do. Even then, some costs can be cut by self-performing the less intricate details (running wires, nailing on boxes).
And it's all totally dependent on the OP's location and land availability, etc, etc.
I think it would be worth it to price it out with low-end finishes and basic building materials and see what you come up with.
The OP should have the other details in front of him to see if this can actually happen. It might make for a feel-good story.
My one piece of advice would be to think ahead about ease of adding on for future owners.
Keep it as simple as possible and it may gain traction.
You mentioned it was a charity project - does this mean free labor? If you took labor out of the equation, did some serious bargain shopping at Re-Store, Home Depot clearance, etc you could probably squeak it out.
Just keep it simple, and keep labor to a bare-bones minimum...nothing wrong with going with a slab, and keep it 24' wide to save on trusses. nothing fancy at all, I think you'll be surprised...everyone everywhere thinks it's a billion dollars to build anything, but if you seriously keep it simple, it's possible to come in close to $30k in materials and basics in labor...start hiring out stuff? boom goes the budget...people are expensive! Watch the plans, have the kitchen and single bathroom back to back to run minimal water & drain lines, it all adds up! Watch sales, maybe check with your suppliers, I have a supplier that will sell me 'oops' windows at $40 each...that's how you do it...plan the kitchen to use stock size formica c-tops...stuff like that.
My plumber would eat that up with one HO meeting! Gawd damn plumbers are like proctologists!
I've bought stuff at HH re-store a few times as well and it's pretty cheap. You can buy door slabs for $10, exterior doors for under $100, cabinetry etc...for 50% or less of new.
And furnace? How about a wood stove? Or if you're in a warmer climate, window bangers instead of central air. I lived in a 24x 32 house and it only had 5 windows. The "big window" would be maybe $700, the other 4 $200-$300 each and that's for low E double pane vinyl plain Jane windows.
i know i could build a liveable cottage with no real insulation, no running water or septic for $30k, Bug may be able to do better in his area
And furnace? How about a wood stove? Or if you're in a warmer climate, window bangers instead of central air. I lived in a 24x 32 house and it only had 5 windows. The "big window" would be maybe $700, the other 4 $200-$300 each and that's for low E double pane vinyl plain Jane windows.
i know i could build a liveable cottage with no real insulation, no running water or septic for $30k, Bug may be able to do better in his area
No offense but when you're going in for the cheapest you're kind of known as "the cheap guy" so anyone reputable that isn't willing to give to this charity probable wouldn't be willing to work on that charity.
Initial thought is shell only, around here, its not even that.
Initial thought is shell only, around here, its not even that.
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