Building a house takes many things– tools, patience, several cases of beer, and most importantly, a plan. In the last couple of years I’ve worked with a number of tradesmen and contractors, and even though I only threatened to bury one of them in the backyard once, I still recommend that anyone undertaking a project like this has an understanding of what it really…
What affordable options are out there in the Kenyan market? The model that a prospective home owner chooses – from a detached house to a high-rise apartment – depends on a number of factors, which include but are not limited to taste, preferences and available funds. However, each of the housing models has special requirements in terms of special planning and…
LaMar Alexander had the perfect life before things came crashing down around him and he had to find a new way of living. Sometimes it’s the things that life throws at us that make us into who we are actually meant to become. Such is certainly the case for LaMar. Read his story down below of how he went from a normal life to homelessness, then to off-grid self…
Custom building is all about the details. You literally need to think about every aspect of functionality for your style of living. For our custom build, now that the roof is done, we have the electrician starting to mount and cut outlet boxes, install recessed lighting cans, and run the hard wires to where the electrical panel is located, and to all devices…
The simple life is slower and you have to get used to things taking more time, but when you do, it s bliss. In the morning I make tea, usually ginger. Then depending on the season I make juice from the oranges, pears, pomegranates or grapefruits that grow nearby. I feed the wild kittens. They keep other creatures away, they re very useful and so cute. I try to…
Accurately estimating home-construction costs requires using the blueprints for your new home. Estimating the cost of building a new home helps plan for the features you want, while staying within your basic budget. American home-building calculations exclude the property price, planters, driveway, sidewalks and landscaping around the property. The estimate also…
Photo 1: The foundation. PHOTOS: MATT SCANLON The four of us spent that December 25 in quiet celebration. The next day came the party. Fifty-six people arrived to help us bring in the season, and to run their hands over the shapes and marvel at the expansiveness of the space. They discovered what Juliet and I had years earlier: a dome makes people stand in wonderment…
Find out how much modular homes really cost to build. Watch our informative video on price per square foot costs for a prefab home. When asking how much a modular home will cost to build, many different sources will give you many different answers. Some companies will tell you that they can build you a home for as low as $35 per square foot, but what they are…
The recent post on passive houses sparked an interesting discussion about the costs of ultra-efficient homes. Passive houses are meant to be affordable — that is, the incremental construction costs pay back in energy savings in a fairly short time period — but those relative cost calculations really only apply in a European context. Germany, the birthplace of…
To get high end finishes you want now but cannot afford, just phase them in over time. Plan your ideal finishes but break the work (and expense) down into stages. You can finish a kitchen without cabinet knobs and pulls and install them next year, or paint the countertop backsplashes and tile it later. Despite over 30 years of home building experience, there…
In the last decade the cost of building or buying a home has increased dramatically in Costa Rica. Why? The country is more developed than its neighbors so prices and the standard of living are higher. Also the price of building materials has risen significantly. So, the question is whether an affordable method of building homes exists for budget-minded retirees…
Designing and building your own home using shipping containers can be a fun and financially rewarding experience. As the cost of housing and building materials continues to increase, and the concept of up-cycling is more readily embraced, people all over the world are turning to the humble shipping container to cut their building costs. Not only are shipping…
The thought of building a brand-new home for the family can seem financially out of reach for many homeowners, which is why finding dependable and affordable house plans is such an integral part of the process. Just as purchasing an existing home without breaking the bank is about studying the landscape and building a reasonable list of wants and needs based…
Are you considering major renovations or an addition to your home? Do you spend weekends wandering models in new home communities? You may be surprised to hear that building a new custom home where you currently live can be an affordable or even a cost effective option. Renovations Major renovations to your home may result in very costly unforeseen expenses…
If you own your own home site (in Central Florida), or are considering purchasing a home site, Florida home builder Showcase Homes brings the same great attention to detail and professional services to building one of our homes on your lot. One of the premier builders in Central Florida, Showcase Homes has nearly 50 years of dedicated home-building experience…
There is not enough affordable housing in the United States. For every 100 extremely low income households, there are only 29 adequate, affordable, and available rental units. That means two parents who both work minimum-wage jobs might wait years to find a safe, affordable place to live with their two kids. With such high demand, why aren’t developers racing…
1. STAKING THE LOT This is when you will decide where on your lot your house will be located and what position you would like it to be in. Stakes are then driven into the ground to indicate this. It’s wise to have a surveyor do this for you because they know the codes and restrictions for the area you are building in. 2. CLEARING, ROUGH GRADING & EXCAVATING…
So you think you’re pretty handy, huh? You have fixed some plumbing problems and serviced your air conditioner, and now you’re ready for a larger project like laying tile, putting on a new roof or building your own fence. More power to you. Be careful! Sometimes DIY projects gone bad can cost more than just hiring out from the start. General Do-It-Yourself Tips…
Many people who want to construct a new home often wonder exactly how much a new home costs to build or how much new home construction costs per square foot – but this is not an easy question to answer. There are many factors and steps to consider when estimating new home construction costs. So, let’s break down the process piece by piece to help give you a framework…
Robert and Samantha Garlow built Shedsistence themselves on a low budget and penned an informative e-book about the process (Credit: Robert and Samantha Garlow) We cover a lot of tiny houses here at New Atlas, but what s it actually like to build your own and live in it, day to day. Read on as we chat with the creators of the Shedsistence tiny house, Robert and…
Building a home from the ground up can be one of the most rewarding experiences for a family to undertake. Living in a new home that has never been occupied by another resident gives a feeling like no other. But times are tough, and building a house can be expensive. Use the tips in this article to save as much money as possible while building the home of your…
As Anne and Kevin Boyce’s children grew, the Falls Church couple recognized that their beloved home seemed to shrink and their hilly, nearly nonexistent yard didn’t offer space for outdoor play. Like many local buyers, they wanted to stay in their neighborhood, where they have friends and participate in community activities throughout the year, but they couldn’t…
Know what to expect before you finance a new construction home. A lot of patience is required to navigate the process of finding the right builder, obtaining a construction loan, and having your home built. Here is a step-by-step guide to financing new construction, as well as answers to a few commonly asked questions about new construction loans. Find a great…
More than two dozen American flags provided a patriotic backdrop Thursday as Northwest suburban high school students, police, firefighters and other volunteers began building a house in Spring Grove for a military veteran and his family. Tony Chobanov of Naperville, an Army specialist who served tours of combat duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, expressed gratitude…
