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27 Aug ’14
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Speed I would also add that any job that you hire out you should do yourself so that you understand exactly what you're paying for. Some people have time, some people have money. Personally, even if it's cheaper for me to have someone else do it, I'll do it (or at least try) for the first time so that I learn something.
I'll admit this can often mean that your final quality isn't 100% what it would have been had the job been done by someone with more experience, but as long as you learn, you're progressing.
Congrats Gravel! Now for the fun part...
6 Oct ’15
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Thanks Speed "whoot" ... is that how you do it? I am old, don't get you modern hippies 
There are a lot of reasons we are building our own...but we are hiring out some of the big stuff where it makes sense...I have some wild deals from some great folks.
For us it is many things...most are equal in importance: save money, get what we want for function and layout and materials, be green, minimize future fuel and maintenance bills, have a house with little to no VOCs, to know that it is built better than the proverbial 'brick **** house", being good to the environment, being away from cit-I-dots...and there is something for the kids and grand kids to say...hey, the old man built that...pretty much the same reasons as you.
As for so called trespassing...people know if they own the land or not, if it ain't their land they are well aware of it...but we have to legally post the land anyhow. I have had the land a long time, when I was younger I was not very nice to trespassers and got known as the cranky guy on the road...after a while there wasn't really any issues outside of deer season that is. I have had an attempted break in at my barn, they tried to beat a pad lock off with a pipe, but they didn't get in. I have had a shovel, ax, rake come up gone when I left them out one night...they were fiberglass handles to...growl...the State Police called it a 'crime of opportunity'.
We will see what happens in the spring when the blocks start going up...I think it would be very bold of someone to drive through my gate and come back the 1/4 mile plus...its posted, it's private property, they weren't invited, it's a construction site..I better practice my happy face...Sometimes when I am out there I chain and lock and gait just to be sure no one wonders down.
Can't wait to be out there and have dog again.
15 Feb ’12
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we had someone on our property at 2 am one night, called 911, the first question they asked me is your property posted, I was not a happy camper
6 Oct ’15
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...wow...safety of the citizen should come first...sort out the particulars once you have the 'all clear'...
6 Feb ’13
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@icanreachit The whole reply you made was spot on. I look back at my build thread sometimes and becomes apparent how many things i didn't get quite right. A LOT! I'm sure an experienced pro would have gotten better results...lol. But i keep fixing and tuning and slowly everything keeps getting better and better. My goal was to not mess up anything to big..and so far its been details. Now i'm to the point the point where i cannot really afford any help (out of money) so thats that lol. I think that when you do stuff like this to you get more respect from and understand contractors more, things like weather /temp, where as someone who has no idea is just like why is this not done yesterday and for almost free? . I find the same thing when people complain how much good organic food is ... have they ever tried growing food..do they know the risk/work associated...i appreciate it (like building ) b/c i've done it and know how much work/art their is to it.
@gravel-road WHOOT! I'm not sure Im a hippie ..Im sure I float in that pool sometimes depending on definition...parents were back to landers. Dad long hair ..built our house we grew up in etc. I def understand hiring out things ... we hired out a lot of help on a previous build, still ended up doing more then i wanted on that one lol. You will no doubt get the respect our your grandkids...that's grampa's house ... he built it...with his own hands.
6 Oct ’15
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Hey Speed,
We are hiring a company in to do the truss's, sheathing, metal roof...no way I can swing that from a time and labor perspective.
Also, a good friend who is a mason will be there with me on the block/concrete work and can get a grunt to mix for us and another mason to pound it out sooner rather than later...I can only lift so many 10 inch blocks so high for so long.
Trying to balance what we pro's we bring in with what we do...at least I am not paying a construction manager..HA..what a waste.
Heck, you know it will take three times as long as I think and twice the money I budget...but be built ten times better than anything else...like the guy at the ZBA said...your building a commercial style building to live in...pretty much...and I thought we were building a fall out shelter...who knew???
Don't worry Speed...I will pay you for coming over and stacking block...all those 5 cent cans add up 
...the only thing cheap now a days is me...I prefer frugal though.
Still debating wood stove vs coal stove...I hate this...not really any good stoves that burn both and I read something that the EPA or Fed stopped them from be built for dual fuel a whiles back. I know some people will toss a few scoops of coal in wood stove to get more heat and a longer burn...but there are safety issues with that depending on what the stove is made of and how it's put together.
...wife won't let me put in one of each...so...we have to decide...got a few months yet.
15 Feb ’12
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Gravel Road said
...wow...safety of the citizen should come first...sort out the particulars once you have the 'all clear'...
yeah, property has to be posted to be considered trespassing, I have a lot of friends that are LEO and they were all shocked that they even asked that, that is for the responding officer to determine not the 911 operator
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