Custom building your home-OT

[bradleysnana]

OK, so this is not Disney related, however, if you stretch, it could be. I am looking for ways to save money to pay for trips to Disney so everything I do is related to Disney. I am being relocated to the Birmingham area and I am currently looking for areas to move to and houses for sale. I know that generally, having a home custom built is more expensive, but I wonder if it would really be more expensive if I built it exactly like I wanted and did not pay for extras that I do not want. Does anyone have an idea how building a custom home works and about how much it would be for a 2,000-2,500 sq ft home with a basement?

 

[Not so Dumbo]

It depends on where you are going to build. If in a preplanned neighborhood, then some of them require you to use their builder and others do not. Some of them will let you choose which grade of materials you want and save the cost difference and also you can save money if you know a plumber or other contractor that would work for less than the builder has figured into the building cost for that part of the job. If you are handy, then you could act as your own subcontractor and hire your own plumber, electrician, drywaller, ect. and also do some of your own work. Cost of a custom home varies depending on what houses in that area are going for. For example around here, a 2,000-2,500 sq ft home would go for between $220,000 and $320,000 depending on the grade of materials and other details.

 

[pamluvsdisney]

HI welcome to the Birmingham area,

I live in Alabaster which is about 20 miles south of Bham. I can't really help with the cost of your home, but if you are not going to buy in a preplanned neighborhood then finding affordable land is going to be hard to find. My brother in law is a log home builder and he has been looking for land for a couple years for himself. They have had a hard time, but maybe they are too picky. I don't know.

I don't know what area around Bham you would be working, but oops I was going to mention the traffic, but then I saw you are from Atlanta. I suppose our rush hour would be a breeze compared to what you are used to.

Alabaster/Pelham/Helena are nice but growing rapidly.
Trussville is NE of Bham and it is a growing area too.

Hope you find what you are looking for!
Pam