Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 25, 1990 TAG: 9003310054
SECTION: TODAY'S HOME PAGE: TH4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: David Meador
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"There are over 2,000 items that go into a typical house," says Steve Strauss, president of the Roanoke Valley Home Builders Association. And selecting each item often involves dozens of choices.
To prove the point, Strauss stands and unfurls a computer printout that drops to the floor - 15 pages of items that must be selected either by builder or homeowner. There are the fun decisions like choosing cabinets and carpeting, flooring and wall coverings. But there are also decisions about nails and glue and roofing felt and plywood and light switches and door knobs and wiring and insulation, the not-so-fun decisions that are just as important.
Of course, before you even begin to make decisions about what goes into the house, you have a number of major decisions staring you in the face. The first is to decide how much you want to spend. A more difficult question is determining how much house you can build for what you want to spend.
It is very difficult to place a figure on the cost per square foot of building a house, said Strauss. For rough estimates, you might try a figure like $75 per square foot, but that cost can vary greatly, depending upon the style of house and the amenities. And, square footage costs vary greatly from room-to-room. Larger kitchens and baths will cost considerably more (maybe four times as much) as increasing the size of a bedroom, for example. Cabinetry, tile and plumbing fixtures are expensive items.
Of course, it is much easier to get a handle on costs if you build a house similar to one already constructed by a local builder.
Deciding where to build, in-town or out-of-town, on your land or on land owned by the builder, on an improved or unimproved lot (a lot without roads, water and sewerage) will influence the cost of construction and also the style house you build.
A well-designed house will fit the terrain where it will be built. And if you choose to build in a development, there may be guidelines governing the size or style of the house you can construct, as well as regulations governing things like landscaping.
If you have a choice when sitting the house, orient it to take advantage of views, the position of the sun and prevailing wind patterns. If possible, it makes sense to position living areas where they will receive heat from the sun during the winter - a southern orientation. Bedrooms might be located on the colder north side of the house.
You might also want to preserve as many trees as possible on the north and west sides of the house to serve as a windbreak.
By choosing a site suitable to your house design (or by designing a house that suits your site), you can avoid expensive excavations and design modifications.
Once you know where you will build, you can a make a final decision on the house design. In addition to budget considerations, that depends upon your lifestyle, said Strauss. Do you have children? Do you want a house without stairs? Do you entertain frequently? What hobbies do you need to plan for?
And there's what Strauss calls "flair for life," the hardtop or convertible decision, the special touches in a house that are an expression of one's personal tastes and interests.
"Flair" can add considerably to the cost of construction. "If your budget is limited, you need to balance flair versus living space," said Strauss. Nooks and crannies, angles, circle windows, steep-pitched roofs add to the cost. "If a couple is looking for the most house for the money, I would recommend a two-story colonial," he said. For the same square-footage, a one-story ranch-style houses tend to be more expensive because there is more roof and more foundation.
Next is the big decision about how to get the house built. Should you hire a contractor, serve as your own general contractor and subcontract out the work, or should you build the house yourself. Your decision will depend upon your budget, your free time, your knowledge of building and your capacity for stress. Keep in mind that banks may be reluctant to give construction loans to an individual n ot registered as a contractor.
Before you begin construction, come to firm decisions about the components of flooring, cabinetry, tile and wall coverings and resist the temptation to make changes along the way. Make your changes before construction begins because changes during construction can drive up costs dramatically.
Budget for some extras; there will be things that you need that you didn't even know existed, and if you are doing the choosing, You will occasionally encounter the irresistible tendency to upgrade a purchase. To paraphrase Adlai Stevenson, "A hundred dollars here and a hundred dollars there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money."
An experienced builder can lead you through the maze of decisions and help you know how to economize without causing the quality of the house to suffer. Here are some suggestions on how you might trim costs:
Build square instead of using angles; corners, curves and angles drive up the cost.
Build two-stories instead of one for the same square footage.
Work with an architect or builder who can help you choose where to economize. Some components can be upgraded later without sacrificing quality construction for the present.
Use standard-size windows and stock millwork for trim around interior windows and doors.
Arrange plumbing back-to-back or above and below. For example, the wash room might back up to the kitchen or bath, or the downstairs bathroom might be placed directly below the upper level bathroom.
Build only what you need.
When cutting costs, don't skimp on these items:
Look for high quality in the items you use everyday, such as faucets and appliances, but that doesn't necessarily mean buying the most expensive.
Don't cut down on the amount of insulation installed in walls and ceiling or under flooring.
Be generous with wiring. Upgrading later, after walls and ceilings are installed, is much more expensive than running extra wire during construction.
Choose siding, not only for its aesthetics, but for practical application. Siding that comes in 4x8-foot sheets can be installed quickly on rectangular surfaces. If your house has lots of angles and windows, board siding may be more economical, because waste is minimized. No-maintenance exteriors, like vinyl or aluminum, can save money in the long-term.
Build a solid foundation and make sure drainage is away from the house. Use a sealer on the foundation's exterior to keep out moisture and a moisture barrier beneath poured concrete floors.
House Beautiful magazine offers these tips on common pitfalls that can be avoided by careful planning:
1. Place gas, water and sewer lines away from the driveway; it is easier to dig dirt than asphalt.
2. Drainage should direct water away from the house.
3. Use kiln-dried spruce or fir for framing; be sure to check for level and plumb, especially around window and door openings.
4. Use 15-pound felt as an underlayment before applying roofing; otherwise, exposed sheeting may warp and shift from exposure to moisture. Space roofing nails no more than 6 inches apart.
5. Level floors and cover them with underlayment; a resin-coated paper should be used under wood flooring; set nails at every floor joist to eliminate squeaks.
6. Use a sealer/primer on drywall or woodwork; unsealed, drywall will absorb water from latex paint too readily, and wood fibers will stand up and separate.
7. Install enough electrical circuits to accommodate present and future needs.
8. Test plumbing pipes, connections and valves before installing wallboard; use protective plates at studs to protect pipes from being punctured by nails during the installation of wallboard.
9. Heating ducts should be well insulated and cracks taped to prevent air leaks.
10. Have building inspections done before covering up anything that needs to be checked by the inspector.
by CNB