Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 23
  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Clark, CO.
    Posts
    587

    Default

    My experience with modulars is in fixing them. In theory a climate controlled area with workers who care would turn out a great product but the reality is that the workers are probably underpayed and couldn't care less. I am a general contractor and every one of the home's i build is far superior to a modular just because I care.
    That being said, there are plenty of carpenters and general contractors who don't care and are just out to make a buck.
    Ask around your area and you will find the names of the local contractors who will go out of their way to make sure you get more than what you are asking for. Try to find one who does start to finish. A lot of the time you will get a better product from someone who has more invested in the project.
    Function before fashion!

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    We looked at the place with the modular yesterday. The property is awesome, including lots of work he did making trails through the woods, etc. The shop is very nice, but no electrical. The house was nice, but unsure about modular. We have explored the option of building on property with our mortgage banker and that may be the way we go. We need to keep looking around and see what we find, and decide which route to go.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    So, looking at the property with the modular, we walked away feeling unsure. The house is nice, but we're really concerned about not appreciating like a house would. I sensed a lot of hesitation from my wife on the floor plan and she talked a lot about what she wants. My thinking at this point is that we should consider getting land and doing new construction. We discussed this idea and she is totally on board...she's been scouring the internet for floor plans that have elements she wants. We looked at a couple good property candidates Sunday and it looks like we can find a good 5 acre wooded property for the price we would be willing to pay. My friend that we will work with on the mortgage already referred us to a builder and we've talked rough numbers...sounds like we can get the size house we want within our budget.

    So, thoughts on septic...aerobic vs non-aerobic? Thoughts on utilities...all electric vs electric plus propane? If we build, we definitely want a wood stove, whether it be free standing or insert...thoughts there on good brands and things you've experienced?

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    Here are a couple pictures of properties we looked at Sunday. Both of these are 5 acres total, in a little different areas out where we are looking. It seems like we can probably find a fairly wooded lot, in that size, for the price we want to pay.








  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Clark, CO.
    Posts
    587

    Default

    Just based on the pics i would probably go for the second pic. It appears to be a more wooded lot than the first and even though there is an over head power line it looks like it is on the property line so it wouldn't be a problem.
    As far as wood stoves go i have a hearthstone. Love it.
    Septic is easy if you have enough room. I would just do a standard leach field and not do a mound system but this depends on your soils test.
    I personally like electric with propane but this is a topic for debate as to which is actually more efficient. I went with staple up radiant floor heating just for supplemental heat when it gets below zero. The rest of the time my woodstove does all the heating and my boiler just keeps the water hot.
    Function before fashion!

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    Cool, I'll check out the hearthstone.

    Anyone have experience doing concrete floors versus tile, carpet or wood?

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Austin
    Posts
    2,164

    Default

    If there's a way to get a feel for what's happening or going to happen on the lots around those plots it helps. Plans are always subject to change though so making sure your area is remote enough if you want that is important. More tree'd is always good. The second lot looks cleared for a building area and driveway if you would want to develop in that area. Costs like septic, water, driveway, etc will add up. Anywhere you can save is a good thing.

    Pick your wish list and find a builder who will do the plans or works with someone who can do the drawings. Once you're in for however many of hundreds of thousands it's small potatoes and worth the cost. One benefit of having the builder involved with the plans is he can't come back later and claim the plans are wrong or they don't take something into consideration.

    We did concrete floors. Had carpet in the last house and with dogs I don't miss it for a second. At the same time, there's no place for dirt and hair to hide. We got a vacuum robot that does a good job of clearing the hair tumbleweeds that gather. Unless you go pier and beam the slab is required. Sub-flooring + tile, wood or carpet are just additional costs. They also pretty much require trim which adds more cost (granted it's not much) but also require periodic cleaning. Keep it functional and simple and you can keep costs and upkeep down.

    Vermont Castings makes great wood stoves. Nice feature is being able to load more wood from the flip-up top griddle. We did electric for everything except the stove which is on propane tank. Would have been smart to have the grill on the same tank but we didn't plan that one out. No big deal.

    Septic will depend on the test digs. We had to do aerobic. It's a little more expensive since it requires a maintenance contract with licensed septic business where we are.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    How did you finish your concrete floors and how do you like them?

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Austin
    Posts
    2,164

    Default

    They're only sealed. We love them. There's an irregular pattern from the pouring/finishing process that we think is attractive and helps hide small amounts of dirt or chips/stains that happen occasionally. it can be a little unnerving to hear dirt or pebbles caught on the bottom of a shoe but it's only a floor.

    Stained concrete can be attractive but it can also wear in traffic areas. We went with the lowest maintenance choices whenever possible. We'll have to reseal sometime but other than moving furniture it's not difficult...from what I've been told. Haven't had to do it yet.

    There are also a few lines scored to help reduce cracking. They don't eliminate cracks but they do collect dirt. When we get around to cleaning them out I'm sure it will be kinda gross.

    A pic, sorry for the gratuitous dog shot:
    Last edited by Salty87; 12-29-2014 at 03:15 PM.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Posts
    2,508

    Default

    I like the way that looks...so that is just natural concrete color, right? I've read about adding a colorant to the concrete itself. Do you have any pics of the kitchen? That's one aspect that we're trying to decide upon to see if we can blend the style we want with concrete floors.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •