All Forum Posts by: Kevin M.

@Russell Brazil

I found the modular home business to be much like the car dealership business.  In my former life, I worked in the affordable housing industry.  In our ongoing quest to get costs down, my CEO pushed me to investigate the modular option.  After meeting with and analyzing over a dozen different companies and their options, we came to the conclusion that we could stick build for the same price and have an equal or superior product.  

Many of the companies out there play games in their pricing advertisements, excluding various portions of a complete home in an attempt to present a more attractive offer.  If you aren't comfortable with putting together a construction budget, you'll want someone who is to help you in the analysis.  

Where modulars win are in three categories:  harsh weather environments (which we don't have in the mid-Atlantic), design fees (by reusing the same design over and over again), and cost predictability (a normal builder will price a new design a bit higher to hedge against the unknown).  

To avoid the "modular drama" associated with the sale, I prefer the stick build option with an already completed design purchased from a local A/E or even one of the online dealers. If you team up with a good GC, he/she could help you sort through design options out there to pick an affordable layout.  Early contractor involvement should give you a better product for comparable cost.

Hey Chip,  good question!  You're in good company in your quest to balance money savings with pounds of ibuprofen consumption.  There's a whole slew of forum posts and even some shameless contractor bashing sessions on the subject.

General Contracting and it's frustrations is such a common thread, that I recently started a blog hoping to share some of the insights I've gathered over my last 20 years in the construction industry.  Check it out, maybe it will be of some use to you.  If there are any specific topics or GC questions you might have, feel free to throw them my way. I'll do my best to answer them objectively.

 https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/7377/blog_post...

Good luck.  Many of days I've looked myself in the mirror and said "there's got to be an easier way to make money than this" 

Build your own....

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/maintenance-and-r...

http://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/make-your-own-van...

Got no skills?  I bet you can find a handyman that could give you something to break free of the dreaded Lowes/HomeDepot style.

Sometimes stair cases are just tough.  Rebuilding them often bumps you quite a distance from that $500 mark, but could still be worth it in the long run.  If you want to send me a picture and/or a sketch I'll take a look at it to see if I can come up with any ideas. No promises but sometimes it helps to have a fresh look.

Are the stairs code compliant?  (Max 8" rise, min 11" tread depth). Are the handrails compliant with current code?  (Continuous, returned to wall at top and bottom, fully secured, no gaps in ballasts greater than 4", etc).  Are all your "bedrooms" equipped with 2 means of egress? (Note there is a minimum window size in the code).  Are all of your smoke alarms interconnected?  One in every bedroom, one just outside every bedroom, one on every floor?  Are your GFI receptacles up to code? (Within 6' of water, all countertops, and bathrooms).  What about your arc fault breakers for living rooms and bedrooms?  And your tamper resistant receptacles?  

Most of these are requirements for new permits and codes but can be a go to source of exposure in the event that something tragic happens.  It would behoove any landlord to become familiar with the egress and electrical chapters of their local code book.  If you're  a DIYer, to bring the average home into compliance with what I rattled off above will probably cost less than $500.  Pretty cheap insurance from where I sit.

So @Patrick M.  Are you in a rural location where everyone has septic systems and leach fields or in an urban environment where human "product" is dealt with elsewhere?

If rural, well a damaged sewer pipe isn't much different than a leach field.

If you're in an urban environment, your authority having jurisdiction would likely not take too kindly to a business decision to "let it ride".  As a Real Estate professional you could be putting your business into a precarious position of liability.  Some jurisdictions get quite fussy about leaking sewer pipes and their effect on the nearby water sources...I save the "war" story for another day.

Now that it's known, I'd fix it.  If the plumber used the jetting method of clearing the piping, it's probably worse now than the original camera images.  Every time you jet the pipes, you'll run the risk of greater deterioration.

Now for the positive, your 7-15k estimate can likely be improved.  An experienced plumber can get pretty close to locating the damage with the camera, excavate the specific locations and install a repair.   Fairly cheap option (excavation is the expensive part).  Alternative two could be to install an inner lining to the existing pipe.  There are some pros that specialize in this. Unfortunately they usually know that they are saving you a ton of money, so they charge for it.  Since you're not in a hurry, you might could convince one of them to cut you a better deal if they can work you in during a downtime.  

Good luck.  

Welcome Brian, Smithfield is a nice refuge from all the hustle and bustle across the river.

Kudos for your persistence and realism! The eastern VA area is ripe with opportunity, I wish you the best.

If there's anything you think I can be helpful with, just drop me a note and I'll try my best.  

Nat,

Did the "contractor" use tile backer?  From the pictures it looks like they laid it directly over the subfloor.  I don't see any spacers used either ( another indication of amateur workmanship).  Tile can move like that if you walk on it before the thin set is hardened but you would see the movement follow the traffic pattern.  Unless you had a dance dance revolution competition in the first 12 hours after they set the tile, they're just rookies.  

You can probably salvage the tile materials if you're careful.  Not sure how much money you sank into the tile, but at least you can have that.  A careful carpenter usually can pop the tiles up and clean the backs off for reuse.  

Sorry about your luck, new subcontractors are hit or miss.  Hope your next one has some talent.

I've built a couple of projects in Portsmouth, VA Beach, and the eastern shore. Multi-family residential construction square foot costs were $75-95.

J. Scott was spot on.  After the downturn end economy, several of those jurisdictions restructured their permitting and inspections process, significantly increasing fees, subbing out inspections, and last minute imposition of right-of-way improvements ( roadway improvements, etc.). So some lengthy conversations with the local Authorities is a great idea.  Local contractors should also be familiar with the new norms as well.

Re: existing utilities. You could try calling miss utility for your property, that would give you an idea of what services are in the area. I think it's 811 in VA