A great challenge awaits you. Perhaps the greatest adventure of your life. You are preparing to build your own house and you have chosen a house building kit to do it. Congratulations!
I chose the word “adventure” because that’s what it’s going to be. Lots of twists and turns will pepper your journey. A great trip awaits you. Keep your eyes open and prepare for surprises and you will enjoy it as the experience you always hoped home building would be.
Stick Built House Construction Kit – The Owner-Builder’s Choice
I like the home’s choice of kit for the very involved homebuilder. Whether you’re physically involved with personal work or limited to significant hands-on management, kit (or packaged) houses provide many benefits.
So that you know what to expect, I’ll describe the build process for you.
Let’s divide it into phases. We will assume that you have already made the preparations to get to the point of building your house. Now what?
PHASE ONE: Site Preparation and Foundation Construction
Before your kit arrives, you have a lot of work to do. In this initial phase of construction, you’ll be leading excavators, foundation contractors, plumbers, electricians, and maybe well drillers. Build your foundation to exacting specifications so your home kit wall sections fit together perfectly.
Trenching for power and sewer lines, or excavation of septic tanks and leach lines, and coordination with foundation contractors are accomplished in this initial phase.
PHASE TWO: Deliveries, framing and mechanical roughing
During phase one, you must schedule and coordinate the delivery of your package of materials for the home kit. It is best to receive delivery in phase two. Otherwise, the materials will only get in the way and may need to be moved. You don’t want to have to do that.
You and your framing team will first complete the subfloor system. Underground work includes plumbing, air conditioning, and electrical. Then it’s time to erect the frame and roof rafters for the house. Most kit house companies provide frame walls with panels and ceiling joists to make this process relatively quick. You will enjoy the visual progress.
PHASE THREE: Mechanics and completion of the shell
Once the structure is inspected, your next job is to close up the house. This will involve installing windows and doors, lots of plumbing and electrical work, insulation, and drywall.
Exterior finish will include roof work, siding, and trim. From the outside, your home will appear to be almost complete, but inside it’s actually just getting started. The house can now be “locked” and secure.
FOUR PHASES: Molding work and interior finishes
Phase four is where you really make it your home. All doors are hung, cabinets, vanities, countertops and appliances are installed, trim is mounted, tubs, sinks, toilets and tubs are placed. Much of the painting happens now.
You will really feel that you are making progress in this phase, but it will take time. Floor coverings like carpet, tile, linoleum, and wood will make it feel like home, but you have to be patient. Never attempt to move during this phase…even if your bathroom and kitchen are functional.
PHASE FIVE: The “Punch Lists”
What is a “hit list”? Well, it’s all the “little things” that need to be done before the house is 100% complete.
They are time consuming things like; remaining bathroom mirror to hang, trim and shelving in cabinets, second coat of paint, shelving in laundry room and pantry, adding missing door knobs, replacing faulty hose faucet, building stairways and porches, staining the trim, fixing leaks, fixing electrical boxes that are shorting out…the list can be long.
My advice is to complete the items on these lists before you move in! You can often get a Certificate of Occupancy before these things are completed, but they will end up undone and become a pain point for you if you don’t complete them first.
Are you ready?
Your home kit package has saved you a lot of shopping, organizing, decision-making, and delivery hassle. And it has simplified and reduced framing labor and costs. However, the construction process remains the same.
You should expect your home construction project to take 6-9 months. You’ll be directing traffic, getting your hands dirty, solving problems, redoing steps, experiencing delays, and replacing workers from time to time.
However, despite all the unforeseen, it should be the time of your life and worth every moment! Each phase brings new joys and brings you closer to your ultimate success. In the end, you will have the house of your dreams.
By all means… prepare well, learn all you can, and jump in with both feet!
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