Anyone here managed the build of their own house/shop?

[Cooter]

do we have any land surveyors on here? We're interested in a lot but the wife doesn't like the utility lines that run in the very back of the property. It's the big metal towers but they are literally pretty far back. the lot is about 1.5 acres(don't remember exactly).

The seller doesn't have a survey and I'd like to know where the property lines are before having to shell out $600-700 bucks only to find out I don't like the layout.

just do a real property search at the county clerk. a lot of counties have the info available online. you can look at the survey drawings

[GeorgeG.]

do we have any land surveyors on here? We're interested in a lot but the wife doesn't like the utility lines that run in the very back of the property. It's the big metal towers but they are literally pretty far back. the lot is about 1.5 acres(don't remember exactly).

The seller doesn't have a survey and I'd like to know where the property lines are before having to shell out $600-700 bucks only to find out I don't like the layout.

[fordracing19]

Housing Sub-contractors are some of the biggest overpaid lowlifes on the planet.

If they can fuck it up or rip you off, they will find a way.

Agreed

[32vfromhell]

Housing Sub-contractors are some of the biggest overpaid lowlifes on the planet.

If they can fuck it up or rip you off, they will find a way.

[GeorgeG.]

Yeah, I don't see Vertnut on here much anymore. He definitely seemed knowledgeable from his posts.

I came across a sign while scouting the dove fields near Pilot Point...

CJ Custom Homes, anyone heard of them?

[Nash B.]

Denton. I had to spend 2 days picking out tile, trim, and paint because it took them so long to get from the initial selections to actually using them that the tiles I'd chosen were supposedly no longer available. Of course, the second day was a complete waste because the woman who was supposed to track the changes didn't, and somehow they managed to find enough of the original tile to use it.

[ceyko]

That's who I went with and I had nothing but trouble with them. I signed the contract with them in August 2012, purchased the land in October after their bank dragged their feet for a month and a half, and moved in the day before last Thanksgiving. They had great service until shortly after the contract was signed. Then it got hard to contact them, they missed deadline after deadline (self-imposed, for the most part), shoddy work that had to be redone multiple times, and they didn't seem to know how to document or track changes correctly.

Just curious what area? I know they've...made some changes (due to problems) and can believe what you're saying. Was going to ask my buddy about whatever area (don't need town or anything) you ended up in.

For the record, I get nothing and can give nothing if someone chooses Tilson. They seem to have good standard features...etc

[8mpg]

Wasn't there a builder on the boards? I think it was vertnut, but I could be wrong. Haven't seen him post in a while.

Hes a builder in Ellis County... I have never met him but talked with him about building a house over PMs. He has been a great deal of info.

[Nash B.]

Just FYI another builder..

https://www.tilsonhome.com/

...I have a buddy that builds for them and I think they'd be worth a look. Custom homes with several plans. They have a set of model homes in McKinney just north of 75/380. Build on your own lot.

That's who I went with and I had nothing but trouble with them. I signed the contract with them in August 2012, purchased the land in October after their bank dragged their feet for a month and a half, and moved in the day before last Thanksgiving. They had great service until shortly after the contract was signed. Then it got hard to contact them, they missed deadline after deadline (self-imposed, for the most part), shoddy work that had to be redone multiple times, and they didn't seem to know how to document or track changes correctly.

[racrguy]

Wasn't there a builder on the boards? I think it was vertnut, but I could be wrong. Haven't seen him post in a while.

[ceyko]

Just FYI another builder..

https://www.tilsonhome.com/

...I have a buddy that builds for them and I think they'd be worth a look. Custom homes with several plans. They have a set of model homes in McKinney just north of 75/380. Build on your own lot.

[GeorgeG.]

Thanks...I'll check him out.

So question for the masses... I plan to meet with this builder in the next few days. If we like his plans and decide to use him, we could use one of the lots he has. But, if we decide to buy our own lot and use him as our builder, how is the cost of the build figured up when the builder doesn't include the lot?

For example, let's say the going rate it $100 - $125/sq foot...doesn't that include the lot? How do we figure the cost per sq foot if we have our own lot?

[ceyko]

Don't know anything about that builder. James Cooley built a lot of the houses in our area. SIPs, geothermal, post tension slab, plenty of piers...etc.

Only problem I've found is the PEX piping was run poorly. Now that the house is 14 years old we're seeing problems with pin holes - which causes a lot of damage.

[GeorgeG.]

Plan A is no longer an option. That house sold a couple of weeks ago.

So, Plan B it is! While we're excited that we get to build a house to our liking, we're very nervous since we're dealing with something that will cost a ton of money and should last us forever.

I have decided I'm not going to attempt to GC it....I'll stick with what I'm good at and building a house isn't it. We hope to have a lot secured within the next month or so. Hopefully during this time we meet with a few builders.

Anyone in that area familiar with William Taylor custom homes? http://www.williamtaylorhomes.com/

[Baron Von Crowder]

I suppose if I am looking at builders, I wont choose Doug Parr Custom Homes.