And elsewhere. I had a former teammate who made a fortune in Oregon building dry shell vacation homes.
- Thread starter SKing
- Start date
Construction Buffs - familiar with this??
Glad to have you back sking. Before i retired in 2004 one of my last projects was a small apartment building with spancrete, the spancrete people did the panel lifting with their crane and was very fast very, all i had to do was a tie/in slab and the rest of forming was done the conventional way..concrete all pumped in.. but i never built in d.r.
When you make a decision on construction methods the size of your project is going to dictate pretty much that you go with blocks and conc forming for structural slabs.
I will recommend that you buy,instead of build....even i with construction experience will do the buy,cuz..contrary to what people tell you, you can find better deals..like i told you before.. line up an investor that you can work with and put a dollar deal that give you a cap on interest. If you go d/pesos you are going to find a protection clause for devaluation factored in the contract.
When you make a decision on construction methods the size of your project is going to dictate pretty much that you go with blocks and conc forming for structural slabs.
I will recommend that you buy,instead of build....even i with construction experience will do the buy,cuz..contrary to what people tell you, you can find better deals..like i told you before.. line up an investor that you can work with and put a dollar deal that give you a cap on interest. If you go d/pesos you are going to find a protection clause for devaluation factored in the contract.
Shalena, you will pay 2-3 times the original cost of the house anywhere.My first property was $80 in NYC and the amortized payout over 30 years was about $240K. don't look at the long term payment but the monthly payments and see if you can prepay a little each year,that will lower your overall cost and build up equity,especially if you do not plan on spending the rest of your life in the house
Just updating in case anyone is in my same situation. Stuck between building and buying.
Spoke with dv8's cu?ada, very nice lady that speaks perfect English. Called her just for her advice and some current prices on building.
Current prices are 18,000rd/m2-24,000rd/m2 which is what was already quoted. She said depending on if I would change the house that I am going to buy because of course some remodelization (is that a word I just made up?) may not be able to be done and I cannot make the house bigger without going into the yard (that would take out on of the biggest reasons that I like the house). Also, you never know how an already built house was built....you might not even know that about a house you are building. Pluses to building of course is basically, you get exactly (somewhat) what you want. And she says it is cheaper, of course, than financing an already built home.
So actually, thats just more of the same now that I read it LOL
Still don't know what to do, guess it'll be a split second decision in August.
I have hit the wall with the Overtime, but still earn pretty good.
We'll see....
SHALENA
Spoke with dv8's cu?ada, very nice lady that speaks perfect English. Called her just for her advice and some current prices on building.
Current prices are 18,000rd/m2-24,000rd/m2 which is what was already quoted. She said depending on if I would change the house that I am going to buy because of course some remodelization (is that a word I just made up?) may not be able to be done and I cannot make the house bigger without going into the yard (that would take out on of the biggest reasons that I like the house). Also, you never know how an already built house was built....you might not even know that about a house you are building. Pluses to building of course is basically, you get exactly (somewhat) what you want. And she says it is cheaper, of course, than financing an already built home.
So actually, thats just more of the same now that I read it LOL
Still don't know what to do, guess it'll be a split second decision in August.
I have hit the wall with the Overtime, but still earn pretty good.
We'll see....
SHALENA
Personally, as a single woman, I would never built. I can't even fix a curtain rod on wall straight (I tried 
), why would a built the walls to hang them on ?
We are almost finish building our family house in my country of origin (that is my with my mother and my close family on the ground ), I would NEVER do it again. Why ? Just a pain in the ass. Now, if I had a husband who knew something about it and on the ground, that's a different story.
I do my best to keep my sanity even if it cost a little more.
), why would a built the walls to hang them on ? We are almost finish building our family house in my country of origin (that is my with my mother and my close family on the ground ), I would NEVER do it again. Why ? Just a pain in the ass. Now, if I had a husband who knew something about it and on the ground, that's a different story.
I do my best to keep my sanity even if it cost a little more.
I'll be your "Marido", you pay for the construction.
I built CEDIMAT!
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I built CEDIMAT!
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Guess I've been hesitant because of all of the different opinions and stories and like one poster said "Listening to everybody's advice will drive you crazy!"
But I listen because you guys sometimes bring up things I don't think of. My biggest reservation with the building is the big CHUNKS of money as opposed to buying with one CHUNK (down payment) and then alot of smaller payments, with bigger chunks thrown in towards capital.
Then also I was being very unrealistic with the time frame, wanting (if I chose to build) to finish in 1.5-2 years. I could stretch it to 4. I'm reaaaaaaaaally sick of this OT and its making me grumpy with the patients (it's like a daycare center here with all of the whining and crying)
Still have no idea what I'll do but it's nice to hear what others would do. I really do like the idea of having EXACTLY what I want though, just don't know about the hassle and pain in the assness of the process.
SHALENA
But I listen because you guys sometimes bring up things I don't think of. My biggest reservation with the building is the big CHUNKS of money as opposed to buying with one CHUNK (down payment) and then alot of smaller payments, with bigger chunks thrown in towards capital.
Then also I was being very unrealistic with the time frame, wanting (if I chose to build) to finish in 1.5-2 years. I could stretch it to 4. I'm reaaaaaaaaally sick of this OT and its making me grumpy with the patients (it's like a daycare center here with all of the whining and crying)
Still have no idea what I'll do but it's nice to hear what others would do. I really do like the idea of having EXACTLY what I want though, just don't know about the hassle and pain in the assness of the process.
SHALENA
I built in 2008... I had never built or even designed a bird house before that.
I was so dense, it didn't even frighten me.
I had a very good builder (in Cabrera) and we were sympatico.... my wife, him and me.
I visited every 5 weeks or so in between numerous calls/e-mails.
Surprisingly, I guess, it all turned out..... some on here have seen and stayed in the house - I'm not blowing smoke.
Don't be afraid to build - copy the exiting one if you like it - improve it, and build it better.
BTW, I'm at it again.......... bought land and will build another - bigger, a bit better (I hope)
Keep at it, girl
I was so dense, it didn't even frighten me.
I had a very good builder (in Cabrera) and we were sympatico.... my wife, him and me.
I visited every 5 weeks or so in between numerous calls/e-mails.
Surprisingly, I guess, it all turned out..... some on here have seen and stayed in the house - I'm not blowing smoke.
Don't be afraid to build - copy the exiting one if you like it - improve it, and build it better.
BTW, I'm at it again.......... bought land and will build another - bigger, a bit better (I hope)
Keep at it, girl
May I ask how you did it money wise? Monthly? Or wait until you had a nice size chunk OF $$$ every few months or so?
SHALENA
I had it lined up before I started - it always goes over by a bit.....not too much in my case but I had the brakes on pretty hard in Nov 2008 ( that's when the feces hit the fan for most people)
Better to feed out in chinks IMO, makes for faster work.
The builder is the key.... as CCologne says - Chip / Skip may be a good candidate.
On the hand , with your charms, you'll tame most builders:lick:
we bought. the house is a good, solid construction and an open floor living space. we bought cheap, gringos who owned the house before had a dream of having a little bar... the bathrooms and the kitchen were in horrible shape, we tore everything apart. we also put a new, tall outside wall with a gate and all the jazz. few years later we did the floor.
the only way to buy - if you want to buy - is to find a good deal. sometimes you can. people desperately want to leave, people inherit unwanted stuff, people get into money problems. when you go house hunting take an engineer with you, check how solid the construction is, check if you can build up or extend the place, whether you'd be able to fit in the pool or terrace (if applicable). as liza said: some changes are limited, some can be done at low cost, come can be done but you will pay dearly.
i said in a PM: you can always buy a raw construction too. some folks run out of cash before they are done, the shell stays there for months or years, owners finally break and sell. depending on how well the building was done it may have little damage in the time it was abandoned...
if you want to build i suggest you do it by bigger chunks. first just raw: blocks, cement. it can stay like this for a while with no problems. then do floors, windows, doors, plaster. focus on bathrooms and the kitchen so you can move in immediately. all you will need is a bed to sleep on and few boxes for your stuff. ok, lots of boxes in the third stage do other stuff: furniture, lights, fans, terrace, decoration.
the only way to buy - if you want to buy - is to find a good deal. sometimes you can. people desperately want to leave, people inherit unwanted stuff, people get into money problems. when you go house hunting take an engineer with you, check how solid the construction is, check if you can build up or extend the place, whether you'd be able to fit in the pool or terrace (if applicable). as liza said: some changes are limited, some can be done at low cost, come can be done but you will pay dearly.
i said in a PM: you can always buy a raw construction too. some folks run out of cash before they are done, the shell stays there for months or years, owners finally break and sell. depending on how well the building was done it may have little damage in the time it was abandoned...
if you want to build i suggest you do it by bigger chunks. first just raw: blocks, cement. it can stay like this for a while with no problems. then do floors, windows, doors, plaster. focus on bathrooms and the kitchen so you can move in immediately. all you will need is a bed to sleep on and few boxes for your stuff. ok, lots of boxes
in the third stage do other stuff: furniture, lights, fans, terrace, decoration.There must be some reason you want to start building before you have all the money lined up, but I obviously missed it.
On first blush, that sounds more chancy to me. If something were to happen that you could not finish it, wouldn't it be difficult to get your money back out? If it's a finished house, you would have something more marketable. And a place for you to live, rather than having to have another place to live during years of construction.
On first blush, that sounds more chancy to me. If something were to happen that you could not finish it, wouldn't it be difficult to get your money back out? If it's a finished house, you would have something more marketable. And a place for you to live, rather than having to have another place to live during years of construction.
yes. the realty market is based on opportunities: when one gains, other one meets the loss.
constructing, even with the good flow of money is still, say, 4-6 months of work, including all the waiting. in professional sense (for the cement to set), in terms of weather (pouring cement roof is best done in nice sunny conditions) and in terms of pure reality (delays, we lost this, this broke, we don't have that, come again tomorrow).
the first stage of construction is relatively cheap and very fast. and the shell will last. you are right to point that this is a sensitive stage. dominicans say "solar con mejora" (land with some sort of a building, an "improvement") and at this moment it's more like "solar con peora" (a land with crap on it). they key is, i think, in moving to the second stage as fast as you can. but the finish is expensive. this is why many people go slow. they do one floor (level) at a time.
in any case, the end decision is up to shalena. i say, girl, just wait and save, save, save. whatever you will go for you will need as much cold hard cash as you can produce.
we bought. the house is a good, solid construction and an open floor living space. we bought cheap, gringos who owned the house before had a dream of having a little bar... the bathrooms and the kitchen were in horrible shape, we tore everything apart. we also put a new, tall outside wall with a gate and all the jazz. few years later we did the floor.
the only way to buy - if you want to buy - is to find a good deal. sometimes you can. people desperately want to leave, people inherit unwanted stuff, people get into money problems. when you go house hunting take an engineer with you, check how solid the construction is, check if you can build up or extend the place, whether you'd be able to fit in the pool or terrace (if applicable). as liza said: some changes are limited, some can be done at low cost, come can be done but you will pay dearly.
i said in a PM: you can always buy a raw construction too. some folks run out of cash before they are done, the shell stays there for months or years, owners finally break and sell. depending on how well the building was done it may have little damage in the time it was abandoned...
if you want to build i suggest you do it by bigger chunks. first just raw: blocks, cement. it can stay like this for a while with no problems. then do floors, windows, doors, plaster. focus on bathrooms and the kitchen so you can move in immediately. all you will need is a bed to sleep on and few boxes for your stuff. ok, lots of boxes
Shalena has kids, it's terrible living in a partially finished house, especially with kids. I've renovated three houses while living in them and I would not recommend it unless single.
If this is where I wanted to live for at least a long period of time (or forever) then I would build. Get exactly what you want instead of changing something someone else wanted. Renovations also can bring some unwanted and costly surprises. While it may be a inconvenience building what you want remember in the end you get what you wanted. Building one's "dream home" in the end is worth the inconvenience.