Commercial_Case_7475 t1_j4nboz5 wrote on January 16, 2023 at 10:43 PM

I happen to be a carpenter so I'm in a somewhat unique situation, but I have found that I am able to build my own house for a fraction of the cost of buying something. I have had to do literally everything myself, which is a lot of work, but it has saved me tens of thousands. I am building my house on a slab that I poured with my friends in my town, and using rough sawn lumber and traditional methods to keep costs low and increase strength/durability of the house. Using trusted practices/materials like rough sawn boards, nails, tar paper, tin roofing, cheap insulation, rustic flooring, wood stove for heat; all these things will save you tons of money in the end and honestly create a very cozy home.

FoxRepresentative700 t1_j4o7xiw wrote on January 17, 2023 at 2:30 AM

this is exactly the reason why i got into the trades after spending/wasting my time at college (although i don’t regret the path i took, it’s brought me here)

i knew i always enjoyed working with my hands and honestly i just needed a job, i wasn’t using my degree and thought learning a trade is a valuable and honorable skill. I never could accept the reality in which i would pay someone to do something that i could do myself (landscaping, automotive, repairs). I had 0 experience in carpentry/building but the idea was that “one day i’ll be able to build my own house”— it’s been 6 years and honestly if i had the land i could do it all myself, minus the electrical and all that (which i’d love to learn)

that being said, it was the best decision i ever made. i love this profession, there’s a never ending wealth of knowledge.

fond_of_you t1_j4o0ytx wrote on January 17, 2023 at 1:41 AM

Did you do a frost resistant lab? Or how deep did you dig to pour it?

Commercial_Case_7475 t1_j4o1uzy wrote on January 17, 2023 at 1:48 AM

I did a floating/Alaskan slab. It was about half the price of doing stem walls, maybe even a third of the price (about 10k$). Leveled my gradually sloping site with 7 loads of crushed stone, tamped each layer, the poured a slab on top with tons of rebar.