Questions are encouraged at Home Builder Assist. Our team of Construction Consultants want to help in any way possible. If there is another question you would like answered that you don't see below, feel free to call us.
Don't be surprised, but some have saved around 40% over hiring a general contractor. Reasonably, an owner-builder can save anywhere from $15,000 to over $175,000. The exact amount will depend on the size, location and upgrades included in your floor plan. Another large factor of saving money is how much of the work the owner builder will personally perform. Saving on labor costs is a big deal. But even if you don't want to swing a hammer at all, you can expect to save about 20% over what a general contractor would charge, since they of course have to add a profit into their bill.
The vast majority of owner-builders have no construction experience. They rely on the tools, knowledge and expertise offered by Home Builder Assist to complete the project on-time and within budget.
A significant amount of time and effort will be devoted to the construction project. The Home Builder Assist system is in place to help. You will most likely touch the project daily. This could mean a five minute phone call to confirm the sub-contractor is coming or even thirty minutes of calls to schedule next weeks work. If you are the hands-on type, then being present when the sub-contractor are working may be what you prefer.
Good question, but very hard to answer with accuracy. It partially depends on the floor plan and square footage of your custom home. Weather plays a part. Sub-contractor availability also makes an impact on your schedule. However, the single biggest factor is how much of the work you intend on doing yourself.
Simple rule of thumb is $4.00 per square foot of any covered area. There is also a more detailed answer which you can read here.