There is a local guy who has been building new houses on my street the
last couple of years (tears down the old 1kft2 cottages and puts up
3.4kft2 new ones). He is a stickler on all the details. I have spent
time with him on site, and have myself done interior trim, restoration,
rebuilding, etc. on new and older houses. All the contractors use
"guest workers" and he watches them like a hawk, and makes sure it is
done right. When I have worked with these guys I have been a PITA too,
but get good results.
Foundation and frame are the keys -- if the foundation is not level,
square, solid nothing else will be. The frame needs to be level, plumb,
square as do all interior frames, doors, windows, etc. (and properly
dimensioned). Every night you go around with the plan, a tape, and a
level and make sure the day's work was done properly. If not, next
morning Jose gets to redo it (they do learn quickly as they are paid by
the job). You also check the lumber that is delivered, make sure it is
good stuff. Make the vendor take it back if not good, give you credit
or replacement. [Materials is a cut-throat business, lots of
competition, do not let them off easily. Get to know your sales guy and
make him perform.] OSB is OK for sheathing but ply is better. Decking
should be T&G ply, glued and nailed or screwed (this adds some work and
cost but will insure the floor is tight and does not squeak). Check
rough stairs closely (glue on these too). Make sure the walls are
straight, no warps, twists, bows, etc. -- this raises hell with
cabinets, doors, tile, trim, etc.
After the house is closed in then you watch the electricians and
plumbers closely. A master should check all the work that the "guest
workers" do, and you check him. If it is not right, it gets redone to
spec (you would be surprised how many of the trades are "smarter" than
the architects or the owner or builder). Pay close attention to where
outlets and switches are and what wires run where. It is hard to fix
once the sheetrock is up.
The rest of it is fairly easy. On bathrooms go with cement board, not
greenboard (sheetrock) if codes allows it. Might cost a little bit
more, but it will last forever. Thinset for tiles, not adhesive. Check
the trim guys to make sure their joints are tight and fit right.
Painters can make up for some but the work should be good to begin
with. Check installed door frames for good door fit (uniform gaps).
Use quality hardware in your cabinets if you have site-built cabs. Most
cabinets today are expensive and cheaply made though they might "look"
nice. Site-built stuff is a similar cost and should be better if you
get a good carpenter (here the "guest workers" seem to do well, I think
there is some pride in craftsmanship). Here is where you want to
focus. Choke on the cost and go with stone or dense plastic for
countertops, use quality fixtures and sinks and appliances. These will
have the highest payback when you go to sell, and will last well. You
will enjoy them.
Quality materials costs add only a small fraction to the total cost, and
will last much longer than cheap stuff. Get to know your buidling
inspector. He can be a total PITA and your best friend too. DO NOT go
cheap on stuff. If you can't do it right and well, don't do it at all.
Expect your budget to have some overruns. If you are buying an
already-built house, you're on your own. I would find some that are a
couple years old by the same builder, go look at them and talk to the
owners. Also find some that are currently under construction and check
them closely. Don't fall in love with how the house "looks." Paint and
stuff can cover up a lot of faults.
One other thing - if you are building on your own, you might look into
hiring a construction manager rather than a builder, and doing your own
general contracting and bill paying. The CM can ride herd while you
deal with GM issues. Around us there are some of these guys who are
school teachers, they get off work at 3:30-4 or so, go to the job site
and kick around an hour or two, stop by in the morning. I talked to
one, he charges $25k as his fee (on a say $250-350k construction cost)
and guarantees the work. Being a GM can be a pain, but you can also
save a lot ($75-100k on a $500k house). Your costs will of course vary
by your situation, but these are some guidelines. You also need to have
the job scheduled well, trades and materials lined up -- time is money.
I see my buddy get a house from teardown to move-in in 4 months, while
others on the street are still half done with guys coming and going
randomly and not a lot happening.
--R
Potter, Tom E wrote:
Give up. I don't think it has as much to do with the quality of material
as it does with the quality of the workmanship. You will NEVER get a
well-constructed house unless YOU supervise EVERY aspect of the build.
Every builder I know hires teams of illegal aliens to do the
construction. I do not think any of them know how to use a square or
level.
When I was a teenager, I worked for a builder who demanded quality work.
If a wall was not within 1/8 inch of being square and plumb, he made you
tear it out and rebuild it on your own time. I have NOT seen such
quality work since.
Tom Potter
