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Basement or 1 1/2 storywith Shed Dormers

Charles K
last month

I'm trying to get a general idea of projected costs of building a main floor with a second level (1 1/2 story) where ceiling is vaulted to allow a second floor and slab. Larger shed dormers to allow for more space.


The second option would be the same look (looks like 1 1/2 story, but just using roofing trusses and then adding a basement downstairs.


Details

1. rectangle, 30' x 45', just a box, 8/12 pitch except shed dormers (3/12)

2. Walkout Basement would be likely be partial, extra 800 ft2 with slab for remainder of building

full bath whether upstairs example or downstairs example (FYI concrete is $179 per yard) with basement walls 10 ft high

3. There will not be an upstairs AND and basement, I will not have both

4. Two extra rooms if upstairs or downstairs, plus exercise room and storage still about 800 ft2 finished

5. Will use Ductless heating cooling downstairs, but may do HVAC if I don't do basement. If adding ductwork, etc. causes costs to sore due to added complexity, I'd just do ductless upstairs

6. One room in both scenarios is a recording studio so a lot of soundproofing, sound decoupling, and venting for fresh air will be needed

7. 2x6 construction of walls with highest rating insulation and basement would be sound proofed as much as possible by decoupling basement ceiling from the floor joists of main level and insulation.

would do traditional pour basement downstairs.

8. I will have subcontractors preparing lot and pouring foundation.

9. I'll be doing all the plumbing for flooring in basement and all work except for preparing and pouring concrete.

10. I will do all the work upstairs from beginning to end except the framing.

11. I'll do all the siding ( vertical board/baton style) with Hardy boards. Framers will do the windows including windows in basement if we go basement route.

12. Upstairs would be hardwood flooring and basement flooring would be some tile like floor (both mid-grade

13. Water heater will be in basement or on second floor.

14. Everything else will be of similar finished materials so those would be comparable.


I hope that I've been specific enough to answer questions for helping you give me an idea of the costs between the two. If you have other questions, feel free to ask.


Comments (8)

  • millworkman
    last month

    Very much location dependent. Description alone will make it a crap shoot guess. What is the roof pitch as that will effect the pricing for the material? Windows? Doors? Best bet is ask locally honestly.

  • PRO
    Mark Bischak, Architect
    last month

    Consider contacting a local residential architect to help you determining the best way to meet your nees and respond to your site. You provide a lot of information, but the answer is probably not that simple; and an experienced architect can offer ideas you have not thought of.

  • PRO
    Minardi
    last month

    Low end, $350 a square. High end, there is no limit. "Simple" looking things are the most complex, and most expensive.

  • apple_pie_order
    last month

    Three comments:


    1- The more corners, the more expensive. Dormers add corners. They also have complicated acoustics.


    2- Cost of digging a basement space depends a lot on local conditions (soil, drainage, etc.) In my area, you'd have to blast out the granite, so there aren't any basements.


    3- You may want to consult a pro before designing the recording studio. Good acoustics and sound insulation are best designed in advance, not retrofitted.

  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    29 days ago

    MY first question is what are your actual skills to even begin to think you can do all of this. As for the rest we have no idea what your lot is , where you live and your style. Choosing flooring is way down the list .

  • Charles K
    Original Author
    29 days ago

    I do have the necessary skills to do the vast majority of the work. I've been turning properties for years now, but never new construction (well, I helped build my teenage home, but like a typical teen, I didn't pay attention to my Dad and older brother so I didn't learn much).


    @apple_pie_order There are 4 corners not including windows and exterior doors. I'll test a lot before purchasing it to confirm we can do a basement. Basements are very common here so I don't expect this to be a big issue, though there are places here that are very rocky.


    A music friend of mine is a pro studio design engineer. We're going to exchange services so that the cost of design is reasonable otherwise I cound't afford it. We've already discussed ceiling height, room shape and angles, decoupling with materials and placement of sound absorption, sound diffusion, traps, monitors, etc. so that's already taken care of and ready to go since we'll be doing it in the basement. We just have to adjust a bit for the basement ceiling height disparity vs. our original plans. We would like 14 ft. ceilings, but will have to settle for 10 ft and adjust accordingly. Once the basement design is done, he and I will finalize the plans before building.


    I have several close friends who are plumbers, electricians, framers, and my best friend is a GC. He'll be guiding me through the process and helping me as needed. I'm building debt free so I'm giving myself an 18 month to two year window to complete. It's 1340 ft2 main level and unsure still on the basement size. It will Likely be around 800 ft2, but maybe the full 1340 ft2. It all depends on cost and I have a specific budget I'm trying to stay under.


    We'll quickly build a garage with an in-law apartment above and live on site while the house is built. My friends and I are getting together to build the garage quickly. I've helped them out over the years and they're repaying the favor. His wife (architect) will be approving my plan ideas, and helping me if needed. I'm pretty anal about quality work and no shortcuts so that's another reason I'm doing most of the work. I just don't like the shoddy work I see others do.


    My friend's costs are $145/ft2 here for spec build minus property costs (about $30 - 50k for a nicer acre lot, cleared, etc.). That's with them subbing out several things. I'll be doing most of the work myself. I forgot to mention that I'll sub out roofing as I'm getting too old to do that any longer and want it up fast. I don't want to risk falling or hurting myself. I'll let the younger guys do that. We also going to do ICF so I'm taking an onsite course to get certified in ICF in a couple of months. I'll have a small crew of friends helping. Once the lot is prepared and basement slab is poured, cured a couple of weeks, we'll do the basement walls ICF vs. traditional poured. Let that set a few weeks and then pour the main level ICFs. I expenses quoted out and is reasonable for 6 in ICF.


    Minardi mentioned $350/ft2 and beyond. We're in a smaller town (40k people) middle Tennessee an hour outside of Nashville so even the most extravagantly designed homes are much, much less than $350. I'll hopefully be between $135 - 160/ft2 not including lot costs and prep work. I could see that expense in some places in the US. and, I believe your idea of simple and mine are grossly different. When I say simple I do really mean simple so board and baton fiber cement siding mid-grade flooring, fixtures, etc. There will be some things like coffered ceiling, arts and crafts trim, etc. but I do that all myself and I have access to a lot of wholesalers in my area of the country so materials are less here than many places in the US. The windows are larger so those costs are more, but everything like the roof is 8/12 gable, 4 sides rectangle, three slide out doors and 13 windows. No bay windows. Roof will hopefully be stainless steal, but it will depend on costs. It does have a wrap around porch so that's an added cost, but not that much. Our budget is our budget. I'm not an emotional person and my wife is practical so we value nice, but simple. We're not buying a $4k refrigerator when a $1,8K one will do. We'll have a $100 ceiling fan vs. $450 ceiling fan, a $150 kitchen faucet vs. $600 faucet. I hand make my railing, newel posts, trim and plan on making the front entry doors, etc. We're designing for efficiency, with an arts and crafts look. It will look very nice on the inside, but I'm custom doing all the woodwork, trim, casing so it may look like it was expensive, but the cost is just in time/labor. With no construction loan, time doesn't hurt me. It's a smaller house to retire in when we retire an a few years that's large enough to have family over. Since we've decided on a basement, I'm working on the plans so the software can generate a materials list. I'll then price out every item to get a detailed cost analysis.



  • dan1888
    26 days ago

    You have a lot of resources. The structure is a box. Start drawing on graph paper. Post some layouts of interior rooms. Let us know the location for climate. Directional orientation. Lot size. When you have nailed down the design, Draw it to scale using STAEDTLER 18" x 24" Vellum Paper With Title Block (10 ct) Delivery or Pickup Near Me - Instacart You can get prints and show it to your friend's wife. I'd go with the basement version.