too damn early

"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
11/30/2016 at 09:28 • Filed to: None

I was hired by a builder to do drawings for an addition. Hes been setting meetings and cancelling them for about the last 2 MONTHS. Finally he said he could meet but it would have to be 6:30am. At least he paid me what he owed me to date, but not what he was supposed to pay me to get the next phase going.

the starting point:

Proposed:

DISCUSSION (7)

S65 > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/30/2016 at 09:32

hey that looks good, send caffeine

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/30/2016 at 09:36

Could be worse, could have a whole bunch of gables on it.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/30/2016 at 09:41

Unless the addition addresses some sort of obsolescence of the property, for instance a lack of a garage, additions to a home are probably the worst way to spend money on a home. Owners typically spend 2 - 3 times what the improvements add to the value of the home. The last appraisal I did where the owners were adding a family room & master suite, they were spending $80K, with the added value being about $25 - $30K. Color me surprised that a builder is less than prompt on payment.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
11/30/2016 at 09:49

they own the house and like the neighborhood. the addition is an in-law suite for an aging parent. the garage, unfortunately is going to push the project over budget and is getting cut

smobgirl > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
11/30/2016 at 09:54

Had a little laugh about your comment. My house has an addition from 1921 and the copy of the permit I found at the library put the cost then at $1,000. It added the kitchen and bathroom, which was actually still fairly forward thinking since indoor plumbing still wasn’t available here when it was built. I wish I could find sales documents that old to see how the cost/value compared.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/30/2016 at 10:11

I see more additions that can function as an In-Law suite. Ideally, such additions should be easily converted to a family room/bedroom area. It is amazing to me that people will consult professionals in many fields, such as finance & insurance, but rarely when it comes to their most valuable possesion, which is their home. Too many people think HGTV is their best resource when planning a major home improvement. Guys are especially surprised when a $50K+ outbuilding adds a fraction of that cost to the value of a property.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
11/30/2016 at 11:02

The home owner is also getting a nice wood shop in the basement. The suite is pretty large. It would take a bit of work to get it to blend in to the rest of the house but it wouldn’t be impossible