Building in NorthCal! "Updated with new pics 10/2"

[ProfJohn]

Whoa, awesome!!! I think 1200+ sq ft may be a little big for what we can accomplish this year (both from time and $$) but can we swap some notes on PM tomorrow? I think what we build this year will not be on the lake side and, given the location of the hill and road/driveway, you may have some additional thoughts about layout. I'm trying to cobble together some property lines and topo maps between now and then to give you an idea.

I love having someone to throw new ideas around with!! Excited!

Here is the key!!!!

You build the house as I designed, but you leave the upstairs unfinished. Just rough walls with insulation on the outside. Call them "attic" space etc etc.

And then you finish them when you have time and money.

I came super close to designing and building my own, but didn't have time due to tax credit deadline.

But essentially a square house might cost $50,000 to build and adding that unfinished second floor may only add another $10,000 to the cost etc etc. The expensive stuff is all the flooring, fixtures, bathroom stuff etc etc and the time to finish it all out.

Find someone who has built a house and see what they say about this idea.

 

[ProfJohn]

Last idea before I go off and kill people online...

You could design and build a house that is premade for expansion.

So this year you build living, kitchen and bedroom.

Then next year you add on a new larger masterbedroom suite. Then next year you add two more bedrooms and convert the orginal living room into a dining room etc etc.

That way you can build on the lake view side that you want, but don't put yourself in a position when you are 'stuck' with a small house.

 

[Nik]

I'll congratulate you and cheer you on in your venture until I hear you say Hella...

 

[AreaCode707]

ProfJohn, would you be open to chatting about is the overall goal and modifying the plans you put together? We'd like to do a cohesive architectural style for all structures on the property, something that's a mix of Californian and Tuscan. That will go for the main house and small house, and all barns and outbuildings. I'd like to keep the rooflines interesting even if it gets a bit more expensive.

Our initial goal is to build something that's quite small, on purpose since it will later be used as a guest house. Later we'd like to build something on the lake that's bigger, and I have a couple of particular specs I want to use in that design based on how we like to live and what our goals are.

 

[ProfJohn]

sure we can chat.

I have been doing this for fun for years and years. Wanted to go to school for it but there are so few places to study arch that I could never do it.

 

[Kelvrick]

I read the title, saw the date and was thinking to myself, How the hell did I miss this thread for an entire year?!

So when are you actually coming back to Cali? I'd love to get together some time. I think I only actually met you two or three times but you gave me the best memory to come from anandtech.

EDIT: That looks like a great property. When are you going to start construction? I would think labor is pretty cheap now. How much of the work do you guys plan on doing yourselves?

 

[ProfJohn]

BTW I am doing my house Tuscan style.

The colors and textures are amazing

 

[AreaCode707]

I read the title, saw the date and was thinking to myself, How the hell did I miss this thread for an entire year?!

So when are you actually coming back to Cali? I'd love to get together some time. I think I only actually met you two or three times but you gave me the best memory to come from anandtech.

EDIT: That looks like a great property. When are you going to start construction? I would think labor is pretty cheap now. How much of the work do you guys plan on doing yourselves?

Hanging out in Ukiah this week, that's how I got the pics. Taking off on Sunday and should be coming through the 20/I-5 interchange around 10am if you're really bored with nothing better to do. You still in Sac area?

We'll be back through briefly in Feb, and hoping to be back regularly by next winter. Would love to hang out with you and the ladyfriend sometime!

I don't know that I'll be all that useful on doing the house work but LB is a good mason and has accomplished everything he's set his mind to, so I think he'll do a lot of the actual wall work. We'll probably hire out the prep and the roof and hire some help for the walls. Could take longer and hire out less if we wanted to, but I don't want to spend another full winter in Seattle.

 

[Kelvrick]

Hanging out in Ukiah this week, that's how I got the pics. Taking off on Sunday and should be coming through the 20/I-5 interchange around 10am if you're really bored with nothing better to do. You still in Sac area?

We'll be back through briefly in Feb, and hoping to be back regularly by next winter. Would love to hang out with you and the ladyfriend sometime!

I don't know that I'll be all that useful on doing the house work but LB is a good mason and has accomplished everything he's set his mind to, so I think he'll do a lot of the actual wall work. We'll probably hire out the prep and the roof and hire some help for the walls. Could take longer and hire out less if we wanted to, but I don't want to spend another full winter in Seattle.

Starting 1/3, it was 60 hour weeks for me. I don't know how you did that for years. I completely veg out for a week after 5 months of it. I'll probably be in the office tomorrow at 10. If 20/5 wasn't an hour away, I'd sneak out for a slightly longer than usual lunch.

So you guys anticipate finishing construction before the end of winter? It has been pretty wet out here, is the forecast different for the ukiah area?

 

[Kalvin00]

Neato. I grew up mere minutes away from your property there

And I mean that..probably less than 1 mile away..

 

[AreaCode707]

Neato. I grew up mere minutes away from your property there

Yeah, you and I have talked a few times before. I love Ukiah but IIRC you were still a high school student last time we talked and (understandably) didn't quite feel the same. Where are you now?

 

[Kalvin00]

Yeah, you and I have talked a few times before. I love Ukiah but IIRC you were still a high school student last time we talked and (understandably) didn't quite feel the same. Where are you now?

How in the fuck do you remember that? I Feel like i've never talked to you before in my life. LOL.

I live in Sonoma co. now..

edit: oooh, now i see, you changed your name..or something.

 

[AreaCode707]

How in the fuck do you remember that? I Feel like i've never talked to you before in my life. LOL.

I live in Sonoma co. now..

edit: oooh, now i see, you changed your name..or something.

Well, it's not like I run into a lot of other native Ukiahans. Sonoma for college? SRJC or other?

 

[alkemyst]

Here is the key!!!!

You build the house as I designed, but you leave the upstairs unfinished. Just rough walls with insulation on the outside. Call them "attic" space etc etc.

And then you finish them when you have time and money.

I came super close to designing and building my own, but didn't have time due to tax credit deadline.

But essentially a square house might cost $50,000 to build and adding that unfinished second floor may only add another $10,000 to the cost etc etc. The expensive stuff is all the flooring, fixtures, bathroom stuff etc etc and the time to finish it all out.

Find someone who has built a house and see what they say about this idea.

building a house for $50/sq ft is going to be pushing it. In a loft setup the upstairs area is usually just drywall and trim. Most don't put bathrooms or plumbing up.

Personally lofts look cool, but if you have your full time sleeping up there and only a ladder to get you up, you will probably find yourself making arrangements downstairs.

The plans in the OP are a two bedroom setup which is surprising for many small sq ft homes.

 

[ProfJohn]

Fun stuff!

Updated house plan for you enjoyment.

Thoughts and feedback are very welcome.
First floor:
Ignore the strange walls in the living area they are due to my cheap ass program not allowing me to draw invisible walls.

Second floor:

View of house from the front:
Cheap program wouldn't let me make the porch stucco.

Back of house

And finally an inside view of living room/kitchen.
The picture doesn't show it but the kitchen island would have an extended bar on the side where the stools are located so you can use that area for eating.

 

[Dubb]

I don't know whether I should start with the code violations, the incorrect historical proportions, or the spatial inefficiencies.

...I don't mean to be rude, prof John, a lot of people spend their whole lives learning this stuff and still don't do very well at it.

I would highly suggest to anyone thinking of designing / building a custom house: At least talk to a competent professional.

 

[AreaCode707]

I don't know whether I should start with the code violations, the incorrect historical proportions, or the spatial inefficiencies.

...I don't mean to be rude, prof John, a lot of people spend their whole lives learning this stuff and still don't do very well at it.

I would highly suggest to anyone thinking of designing / building a custom house: At least talk to a competent professional.

I don't know about all that, but I do know I can't afford anything anywhere near that scale; the rooflines alone would put me over budget. I think I may stick to something along the lines of my original design, after talking to a drafter and contractor.

 

[ProfJohn]

I don't know whether I should start with the code violations, the incorrect historical proportions, or the spatial inefficiencies.

...I don't mean to be rude, prof John, a lot of people spend their whole lives learning this stuff and still don't do very well at it.

I would highly suggest to anyone thinking of designing / building a custom house: At least talk to a competent professional.

The whole point of this was to come up with some concepts and ideas.

Things you like things you don't like etc etc.

There is no place for a water heater or laundry room etc etc etc. It is certainly not meant to be a finished house. But more of a starting point.

 

[AreaCode707]

10/2/11 Update
Work is underway, thought I'd share some pics. Didn't wind up going with the cob house idea after all since we don't have the time to do the work ourselves and labor would have been too expensive.

Final design is a single story 2br/2bth with a nice big living area and kitchen. It is build into the hill so there will be a 6' high storage area under most of the house. We'll be putting in an outdoor kitchen/dining/entertaining area as well.

Construction was delayed due a boundary line dispute that we resolved amicably. Hoped to be further along than this by now but things happen.

Pics of progress

So far the dirt work and retaining walls are done, and footers are being poured this week.

 

[Locut0s]

Sweet

 

[AreaCode707]

I love this place in the evenings...

 

[Locut0s]

I love this place in the evenings...

Very nice. I'm jelly.

But standing water + country = mosquito bite city D: Though maybe it's not as bad there? I know in Canada in the summer out east it's REALLY bad!

 

[AreaCode707]

The mosquitos can get pretty bad around here too. We'd like surface the pond and turn it into a natural swimming pool. Add a filter, some kind of fountain to keep the water moving, plants around the edges that will help keep it clean and throw in some mosquito eating fish.

 

[Locut0s]

The mosquitos can get pretty bad around here too. We'd like surface the pond and turn it into a natural swimming pool. Add a filter, some kind of fountain to keep the water moving, plants around the edges that will help keep it clean and throw in some mosquito eating fish.

Good idea. Mosquitoes seem to love me more than most. If there are any in the area the seek me out first

 

[ProfJohn]

All that talk about building a tiny house and you chicken out and go for a normal house???

Am so heart broke