All Forum Posts by: Ryan Normand

Yes, true... That's a good call out. My cabinet guy uses adjustable height toe kick boxes so we just account for that difference when setting the boxes :)

The reason I don't like running flooring underneath is because it makes it harder to replace the floors later on down the road. Also, it pins the flooring down which is a big no-no for floating floors.

But I guess if you're shelling out the $$$ for wide plank wood you probably aren't planning on replacing it anytime soon haha so the points above don't really apply. 

Intalling cabinets first is usually easier but you can do it the other way around, too, as long as your flooring guy knows where the cabinets are going to go.

Most cabinet guys prefer to put their boxes directly on the subfloor, regardless of what order your doing things in (unless the cabinets are on legs, then you run the flooring underneath, obviously).

No. Home inspectors just go through the house and look for any and all issues, then write them up in a report so the buyer is aware of them. A scope of work document is more applicable to agreements with contractors, since contractors are the ones who actually perform the "work" and fix the issues. Theoretically you could use your home inspection report the foundation for your SoW, but you don't have to.

Is it 2 separate units, one for each side? And are they package units, mini splits, or split systems? What brand and seer rating are you getting quoted for? These are things that will impact the price and you should definitely clarify them before you sign any contract. IMO $9k is in the right ballpark especially if youre getting brand name units... but it's always best to get multiple bids before choosing one. 

FYI new energy efficiency regulations are rolling out in 2023, and that will make new HVAC systems more expensive for consumers. That may be part of the reason the numbers you're seeing now are higher than they have been in the past.

Then a better question to start with would be "What's the average cost/sf for new construction?". With that information you can then adjust based on your design's location, size, complexity, and finishes, subtract off what you think your materials savings are, and then voila, there's your estimated labor cost.

The cost/sf question gets asked all the time on the BP forums so there are already a bunch of responses out there. Keep in mind cost/sf varies GREATLY based on a number of factors so unless you're getting bids based on your city-approved drawings, these numbers should only be used as "ballpark estimates" for analysis purposes. 

Just gonna chime in here since I couldn't ignore the subtext of the paragraph above. I could be reading this wrong, but the way this is phrased kind of implies you're only seeking a GC to act as a proxy while you (or your client? I'm not clear on that relationship) performs the materials sourcing and labor sourcing (i.e. subcontracting) which usually fall under the care of a license/bonded/insured GC in order to circumvent the limits that are placed on unlicensed owner-builders. 

If this is the case, you're going to be walking a very fine line between what you're legally allowed to do as an unlicensed entity, even if a GC does agree to put their name on the permits. I think @Bruce Woodruff and @Matthew Paul have already done a good job explaining why this isn't a good idea and why most, if not all, GCs will not be interested in participating.

In an attempt to answer your original question, according to GlassDoor the average annual pay for a construction PM (sounds like that's more or less what you're looking for?) is about $130k, or $63/hr, which sounds about right to me. Expect to pay even more if you're hiring them as a contractor/consultant rather than an employee. How many hours it takes is going to depend entirely on the details of the project and how well all of the players involved (including you and your client) work together.

If you're really trying to do this at scale and build "unlimited" houses, ditch the bring-your-own-materials plan and start building excellent relationships with contractors, subcontractors, and govt. building departments in the areas you want to build. That way all you do is watch other people do the heavy lifting while you cash the big checks.

Too much to unpack here for a single forum response. but you can start by looking into some of the new and unique building technologies that are out there such as modular homes and 3d printed homes. Personally, I don't think either of those technologies are even remotely ready to replace traditional wood framed houses yet... traditional framed houses are fast, cheap, simple, durable (if built correctly and well maintained), easy to modify/remodel, all of the trades are already trained to work on them, etc. Nonetheless, you still might find it interesting to learn about the new technologies on the horizon.

If you want to know about new high-end building technologies, go check out Matt Risinger's channel on YouTube. A lot of his videos talk about sealing the envelope of the home, which is going to fix a lot of your pest problems and also boost energy efficiency while you're at it.

Just keep in mind all of these things come with a price tag. You can save a little by simplifying your deign and reducing square footage, but at the end of the day, quality construction takes time and costs money. No getting around that. Like the that one saying saying goes "You can have it done fast, you can have it done cheap, and you can have it done well. Those are your three options, and you only get to pick two."

LVP if you want to prioritize water resistance. Laminate if you want to prioritize scratch resistance or if you want a more realistic wood look.

Both are good all-around options, but have their pros and cons. LVP has the upper hand when it comes to moisture, but in my experience I've found that it scratches easier than laminate. It also has a kind of plastic-ish look and feel, which some people don't like. Laminate looks a little more like real wood and tends to be tougher against scratches. Some companies are  even selling "waterproof" laminates these days. I've heard good reviews but personally I would still be hesitant to install a wood based flooring product in a bathroom.

Whatever you do, stay away from the super cheap stuff. It's cheap for a reason.

It's going to depend. The contractors on this forum are going to need more information to give you a more precise answer. 

What kind of foundation is it? Pier and beam, slab on grade, etc.? What is the extent of the damage and can you include any pictures? You mentioned it had been repaired in the past... what exactly did they do to repair it and was the repair actually permanent or just a "band-aid" solution?

In construction, there's rarely a problem that can't be fixed... most everything is just a matter of time and money. How much time and money is largely going to depend on the answers to the questions above.

Thanks for sharing! When did this all take place? What are your thoughts on flipping in the current Phoenix market?