Today we're going to be talking about three reasons that do-it-yourself homebuilders fail to meet their sustainable goals. Right now you're probably not too sure how to get started designing and constructing your custom Net Zero home or ICF home. Maybe you're thinking it can't be that hard and you'll just figure it out as you go.
The Problems Begin Early--Before You Know It!
Everybody likes saving money, especially when it is significant--such as eliminating your utility bills! Like planting a tree, the best time to start saving money on energy bills and enjoying a comfortable and sustainable home is 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. So you are motivated to start moving dirt yesterday, so you can be in by Christmas.
However, you're probably already learning that high performance homes require different materials, different methods, and different schedules. You're unsure you’ll get the results you want just by changing one or two of these things. And you certainly don't want to get to the end of construction and have to compromise because you ran out of money or it took you six months longer than you were hoping.
You want an ultra-custom, sustainable home so that you can enjoy the fruit of your labor: a home that's healthy for your family, good for the environment, and enjoyable to live in. While most West Michigan builders can deliver a beautiful home; rarely is that home going to be sustainable. You need to work out all these bugs beforehand.
The last thing you want is to overspend on something as costly as a solar array just to make the home efficient, while sacrificing air quality (health) or giving up on the impact to the environment. You're worried that good builders are too expensive or maybe even an unnecessary expense. But here's where you need to be aware of oversimplification.
There are three obstacles that usually stand in your way. Three ways you can get caught and fail to meet your goals.
The first is money, the second is time, and the third is expertise. The three are interrelated, as we will see.
Check out our YouTube video discussing how sustainable home builds FAIL!
The Money Problem
You don't know what you don't know.
You do your work trying to budget and get everything that you need in the budget, but you don't know what you're forgetting to include. You may not know how much time something is going to take you. Did you know that a two-year-old study from the NAHB, concluded that the average cost of a custom home was $644,000 and change.
$644,000!
The Time Problem
Recently a guest post on Green Building Advisor from a Do-It-Yourselfer detailed how he had over 3,000 hours of his own time into the construction of his home.
Think about that. Try finding 3,000 hours of spare time!
A typical 40 hour per week job consumes 2,000 hours a year. So this is 50% more than that, just to try to get it done in one year! More likely the project ran years long. Our own data shows that we have roughly 600 hours just into the management of a new construction project, let alone all the time it takes to actually build.
According to the US Census Bureau, the median salary in East Grand Rapids is north of $80,000. This man took 1.5 years; a value of $90,000 - $120,000. Sure, I bet he saved money on the build; but what about the lost income?
The Expertise Problem
There are very few people that you can talk to to figure out how to do this right. You can't just ask your buddy how he built his green home. There are differences between Net Zero homes and ICF homes that even highly experienced home builders don't even know.
Marketers will make it seem like their one product is all you need to create a sustainable home. (Definitely not true)
You don't have the experience to know when to schedule the blower door test, or when the best time for siding installation is, what sequence to change up to ensure the best air and water management details are implemented.
Preventing Failure
Nobody wants to be the talk of Grand Rapids because their project is running 3 years long, ugly, and over budget. So how can you overcome these hurdles? Here are a few tips:
Money
Start with a good Scope of Work for each Trade and Supplier pricing the job. This Scope ensures everything is accounted for, without overlaps. For instance, it will clearly state who is furnishing and who is installing the water heater. Assemble every cost that you can for your home, then add somewhere in the vicinity of 15% to 20% for a contingency fund. This will ensure the project gets built to your specifications without compromising. And hey, if you come in under budget, bonus!
Time
There is no shortcut here. If your job requires more than 40 hours a week, maybe do it yourself isn't for you. But we have heard of and seen people with 40 hour a week jobs or less successfully build their own custom do it yourself home. Certainly the results are not what could be expected from an established and experienced ICF home and Net Zero home builder.
Expertise
Fortunately, today there are websites like YouTube and Green Building Advisor that you can sort through and glean a lot of information from to learn. We did not have that in the past.
However, these things do take a lot of time, which is one thing they don't make more of. So maybe you need to reconsider the idea that hiring a professional builder is an unnecessary expense.
Wrapping Up
Well, perhaps you've considered these three obstacles, time, money, and expertise; and realize that one of them might be an obstacle for you. Maybe even all of them!
And maybe you don't want to be your own guinea pig. If that describes you, then working with a professional builder who specializes in Net Zero homes, ICF homes, or healthy homes just might be the best decision you've made in a while.
Next month we will consider how you can be involved in the construction of your own home.
Building a Custom ICF Home in Michigan
Wondering what an energy-efficient home costs in West Michigan? We can explain the various factors involved. At R-Value Homes, you benefit from our decades of industry experience. Owner Jake Vierzen has developed deep insights into the overlapping benefits of energy efficiency and custom home design, becoming an expert in ICF home construction. Contact us today!
