Possible you can share some cost estimates or good contractors you've found so far in this process? Be big help!
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Possible you can share some cost estimates or good contractors you've found so far in this process? Be big help!
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Looking good!
I'm curious how you made out on the insurance front. Getting course of construction coverage was a struggle, when I shopped around for it. And shockingly expensive.
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As someone who's never seen a house built from scratch, I'm really enjoying the progression. And the level of thought put into each item!
I could see myself going completely insane doing this, essentially needing to understand the engineering fundamentals of every single piece and the quality of every single item. I'm enjoying it from the sidelines!
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So far, I haven't really used too many contractors, as I plan to do a bunch of the work going forward myself, but the ones I can recommend without issue would be:Originally Posted by ragu
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Bear Excavation - They stripped and sloped my entire land and build the pad for the house. Were a pleasure to work with. Let me drive their compactor (and paid me for my time) and the crew guys were awesome. Total cost for half my lot that I am developing now, took about 3 weeks, was $23k
I had a guy who built my septic field and water line, I am not so sure I would use him again in the future. The work was done quick, using quality components, but too many red flags, so I won't recommend on here unless someone really wants to know. This was $32k, includes septic tank/field/pressure tank/well pump, waterline to house, excavation for my electrical cable, basically everything to get water and sewer in the house, minus pipes to connect to the sewer.
The building shell is being done by Integrity Structures, but it's actually subcontractors who are doing the work. I don't know their company name or anything, but awesome guys as well.
The only other guy who has impressed me so far, and I will be going with for my concrete, is Brad Carroll from Rocky View Concrete. Guy is super knowledgeable and shared so much advice with me the very first time we spoke, that I knew he was the one I would want to use. These are per sqf numbers he gave me:
-All in right from recycled concrete to the finished product will be $10.50 - $11 per sq ft.
-Just pump place and finish, and supply of concrete will be approx $6.50 per sq ft
I got insurance, $9700 for 18 months through Mammoth Insurance, James Clark is the man. He was awesome and got me a few quotes. Other company that got me a quote was Apollo insurance, but James got more coverage for same price, so I went with Mammoth.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Keep in mind, this ISN'T how most homes are built, so don't learn too muchThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Yes it sucks and a challenge, and you have to learn the tricks of each trade if you plan on doing these things, and all the code requirements for your specific region. Let's just say YouTube is fantastic to learn a topic. Watch a ton of videos on the same topic and you pickup a bit from every one, and at the end you have a pretty good idea on how to proceed. Most contractors won't tell you anything as they want to get paid and do the job for you, and charge you up the ass for it, so if you are willing to learn and are curious enough, anything is possible. DIYChatroom site is also great for random questions, as lots of guys on there are pros who are bored in the evening and reply to DYI folks on how shit should be done.
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Just posting some pics. Roof all covered up and construction crew that built the whole place has left. New roofing guy will show up sometime to do the metal roof and his crew or someone else to install everything else, namely doors, house wrap, garage doors and a new interior stair as the one they installed was 6 inches too long.
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Looking great sir! I love ranchers like this... We are actually getting ready to list our acreage for sale soon. Making a move back home to the South Similkameen in BC. Your type of house is something I would want!
Last edited by tirebob; 09-30-2022 at 02:18 PM.
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Wait what? What's happening to your store then??This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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I have been working from home for well over 2 years now so I will continue to do what I do remotely and just come back to Cowtown periodically as required... But, sorry I was not looking to thread highjack! Just expressing my love for the rancher type houses and nthat I want one haha!This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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Well no-one working on my house this week, so I started doing the shit I need to do, which is plumbing. Took me nearly 3 full days, but I finally dug up the required trench, and laid out the pipe to make sure I got the right slope. Let me tell you, digging inside of a house is a major pita, especially when you are dealing with rock hard clay base, a little Kubota tractor with a backhoe that only rotates 45 degrees off center in either direction...and a trench that has 45 degree angles all the time. At times my tractor was basically hanging over a trench, surprised I didn't roll it or drop it in the hole.
Right now it looks like a giant mess, but once plumbing is done and all is back filled + topped with gravel, it will all look pretty.
Brought over $1800 worth of pipe and fittings. Pipe is solid core for anyone in the know and curious.
Laid out the pipe to get a general idea of the route and marked the ground for digging
Let the digging begin! I could have made this much simpler on myself, but I chose the hard route, hence the deeper trench. Oh well.
Digging in every direction that I can as I can based on how i can position my tractor. Some walls were cut out, but since they are not load bearing it's not a problem. The construction crew cut one out for me, I cut the other as I went diagonal. Can see the support beams still in place and intact over the screw piles.
Making progress. Pipe is laid inside just to check slope. Using a laser level to verify consistent downwards slope across the entire length.
The trench is fully dug up.
The top end of the pipe (with an outdoor cleanout already roughed in.
The bottom end with the stub-out to the septic tank (it's much deeper than picture leads on believe. Total drop from top to bottom is 20 inches.
Final result
Got a 5 day weekend coming up, plan is to get all the measurements in, all the pipes glued, bedded and call the inspector for sometime next week if all goes well. Doing most of the plumbing just on the spot as I get there, as I tried planning and well, sometimes you have to make things work on the spot as you are dealing with multiple dimensions of pipe drop ect, so I gave up and will do each section one at a time, starting from the very top and work my way down until I can tie into the septic.
That's all for now. Long days and lots of work, but making slow progress.
Last edited by eblend; 10-04-2022 at 09:43 PM.
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Are you doing anything to protect your lines from freezing?This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteWell no-one working on my house this week, so I started doing the shit I need to do, which is plumbing. Took me nearly 3 full days, but I finally dug up the required trench, and laid out the pipe to make sure I got the right slope. Let me tell you, digging inside of a house is a major pita, especially when you are dealing with rock hard clay base, a little Kubota tractor with a backhoe that only rotates 45 degrees off center in either direction...and a trench that has 45 degree angles all the time. At times my tractor was basically hanging over a trench, surprised I didn't roll it or drop it in the hole.
Right now it looks like a giant mess, but once plumbing is done and all is back filled + topped with gravel, it will all look pretty.
Brought over $1800 worth of pipe and fittings. Pipe is solid core for anyone in the know and curious.
Laid out the pipe to get a general idea of the route and marked the ground for digging
Let the digging begin! I could have made this much simpler on myself, but I chose the hard route, hence the deeper trench. Oh well.
Digging in every direction that I can as I can based on how i can position my tractor. Some walls were cut out, but since they are not load bearing it's not a problem. The construction crew cut one out for me, I cut the other as I went diagonal. Can see the support beams still in place and intact over the screw piles.
Making progress. Pipe is laid inside just to check slope. Using a laser level to verify consistent downwards slope across the entire length.
The trench is fully dug up.
The top end of the pipe (with an outdoor cleanout already roughed in.
The bottom end with the stub-out to the septic tank (it's much deeper than picture leads on believe. Total drop from top to bottom is 20 inches.
Final result
Got a 5 day weekend coming up, plan is to get all the measurements in, all the pipes glued, bedded and call the inspector for sometime next week if all goes well. Doing most of the plumbing just on the spot as I get there, as I tried planning and well, sometimes you have to make things work on the spot as you are dealing with multiple dimensions of pipe drop ect, so I gave up and will do each section one at a time, starting from the very top and work my way down until I can tie into the septic.
That's all for now. Long days and lots of work, but making slow progress.
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This thread rules. Interesting content.
89coupe, why would he? the house/dirt is insulation, all basement lines are just in the dirt...
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Basically what JFuckinC said, the house is the insulation. From my understanding the earth below the house does not freeze. Also, these are sewage pipes, which only carry water for a brief moment before they are empty again as the water flows into the septic tank. The only line in the whole house that is berried hella deep (10') is the main water line, as it holds water and needs to be below frost line. Even the line that carried "water" to the septic field is not very deep. From what I have been explained, the water is pumped to the septic field, and then once the pump stops pumping, the remaining water flows back into the tank, therefore it never freezes. All water lines within the house will be in the walls/conditioned space and not under ground.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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My understanding of frost line in Alberta is 3 meters, anything above that runs the risk of freezing.
Since he doesn’t have a basement I would be worried.
Maybe I’m wrong?
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It's somewhere between 5 and 7 feet. Under the house doesn't need to be that deep because its protected by the house above.
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It's between 2-3 meters on open land, if there isn't a big, comfy, warm house insulating the ground from the cold.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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How does the frost line transition at the edge of the house? Is it an angle or depth? Genuinely curious.
I like neat cars.
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I don't know but I'd assume it's a steep angular gradient.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The House sitting on a shit tonne of piles virtually eliminates his risks of frost heaving, etc.
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Interesting, reason I ask is I know of a lot of homes that have experienced burst sump pumps caused by freezing over a cold winter snap.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Also plumbers never like to run lines on exterior walls, regardless of how much insulation you add.
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i wonder if the burst pump is more of an issue of cold air coming back into it from the outside?This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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