DuckSouth.com

Ok so let me start by saying that I am not looking for a home builder one of my best friends has built tons of houses and has offered to help me plus most of my friends are subs, so I am just seek yalls opinion on...

Build vs Buy

I have been quoted by several home builders $80ft to build a house. Every house I look at buying they are wayyyy to steep on them, some wanting 106+ft on a 10-15year old house. I have looked at a few forclosures and they dont want to get right on the money with them and they come with no disclosures so you could be buying a ticking time bomb. It seems that all the home owners bought when the market was booming and now that its all but gone they are still looking to get boom price. I was wondering if I am looking in the wrong spots or what? Give me a yalls opinion.

I am picky on what I need as far as house/lot wise
1-Have to be able to put boat/4wheeler trailer in back yard.
2-Have to have garage
These are a must.

Thanks
Brett

Just buy my house. its in your price range and has more than enough space for you and all your crap. I'm being serious. You would, however, have to transition from "Brandon Proper" to a Madisonite

I would but I have no business up in Madison county. Not bashing just saying no friends or family up there.

make sure the builder is quoting you with lot included.
might make a difference...esp depending on what neighborhoods.

I am prob going to buy the lot myself.

also, you get what you pay for. if you are trying to go cheap with everything you may end up with a house that you will have to put more money into in the long run. cheap carpet, appliances, fixtures, garage doors, toilets, hvac units, water heaters, etc. do not last long.

we tried this route w. a cabin one time and ended up basicly redoing ALOT of things, when we coulda just come out and done it right the first time.

if you trust your builder you should be in good shape.
good luck.

Honestly I would build. Get exactly what you want man, Then you know you have no problems rather then buying a older house and having to change things or fix things.
I will build our next house. We were happy being 1st time buyers and now im pissed I ever did it. Had great neighboors at 1st then it went down the drain. So get something you will be 100% happy with. If you buy a used make sure your 95% happy on it. Only something small you would need to do to make it complete

$80/sqft is CHEAP! I would request a detailed list of finishes he is proposing in that $80. I had mine built 3 yrs ago on property I already owned, and $80 wouldn't touch it, and we went relatively cheap. I'd be willing to bet you that he is not including any type of earthwork in that.

I would build rather than buy either way, just don't think you're gonna get much for $80.

$100 a square is what its going to cost for a decent finished house

sunnylab wrote:also, you get what you pay for. if you are trying to go cheap with everything you may end up with a house that you will have to put more money into in the long run. cheap carpet, appliances, fixtures, garage doors, toilets, hvac units, water heaters, etc. do not last long.

we tried this route w. a cabin one time and ended up basicly redoing ALOT of things, when we coulda just come out and done it right the first time.

if you trust your builder you should be in good shape.
good luck.

Not going cheap at all on appliances or any of that. Not looking to take the cheap route either just thinking more bang for my buck!

Im no builder but i see cost sheets all the time in my work.
I'd be leary of $80/SF. A good custom house in my neck of the woods is gonna cost north of $100/SF all day long. Sometimes well north of $100. I know there are builders in Jackson hungry for work but they gotta cut corners somewhere or use cheap materials for $80 to come out.

I'm with you TODO...I'd be leary myself. I look at appraisals and cost analysis' and reconstruction cost all day everyday. $80/sq/ft would make a homebuilder cut any little corner he could to turn some slight profit. $80/ft leaves not alot of room for error or unexpected costs. Some of the lowest quality spec homes I see are bumping $100/ft by builders that are just trying to keep cash flow moving and not too worried about making much off of it.

I think we are talking about 2 different estimates here.

he was quoted HOUSE ONLY, if i understand correctly.

Ok...well a lot adds anywhere from $12-$20 a sq ft difference on price...most likely in the $13-16 range which will bring you to about $95/ft

Yes if I had the lot... and I'm not trying to build a marble counter top legacy or reunion house I'm talk bout a normal middle of the line house.