OzKit Homes Newsletter
Why a Kit Home
With so many decisions, to make thinking about building a new home can be an exciting but daunting prospect. Wouldn't it be nice if you could buy your new Home and have everything delivered to the building site, ready for assembly? You can. Just buy a kit home. Kit homes can be anything from a basic starter home, to a million-dollar showplace. All kits arrive in pieces that need to be assembled by the contractor or the owner builder.
DOING IT YOURSELF
Building any home can be a satisfying although
stressful, challenge but building a kit home can make the process a little easier because
the basic plans and many technical details already
have been worked out by the kit manufacturer.
The more work you decide to do yourself, the
more money you can potentially save. Learning
as much as possible about every aspect of your
kit-home project before you begin can save you
a lot of anguish later on when construction
is underway. If you have time, and are self-reliant,
patient and a fast learner, you may he able
to do much (or all) of the work yourself. If
not, you will probably need some help. If you've
got some construction knowledge and ability,
virtually all kits homes can be built by an
owner builder. Kit homes usually go up fairly
quickly, especially if they are assembled by
a professional builder.
COST CONSIDERATIONS
Because each kit-home project is unique, costs
will vary depending on what is, and is not included
in the package and how much of the work you
are willing to do yourself. As a general rule,
a kit home package will be roughly half the
total cost of the finished home. It is important
to remember that the kit home price is for the
supply of specified materials only, and doesn’t
included labour, land and utilities.
Kit Home Consideration
- If you decide to assemble a kit home, you will have to convince your mortgage lender that you are capable of successfully completing the project.
- Expect to spend up to a year building and finishing a kit home yourself.
- If you hire a contractor to build your kit home, choose someone who has experience with a factory-built home.
- If you want to be directly involved in the construction of your kit home but don't feel competent to manage the entire project, consider hiring yourself out to your contractor as a worker.
- Significant differences exist between various kit-home packages; read the specifications and the contract carefully so you know exactly what you are getting.
- Some local jurisdictions may require stamped or approved house plans; be sure your kit-home manufacturer can supply them if required.
- Start the building permit process three to six months in advance of your project to minimize last-minute delays in your schedule. In some locations, you may have to educate the local zoning administrator or building inspector about your kit home before you obtain a permit.
- Shipping costs; the closer you are to a kit home manufacturer, the lower the cost of transport will be.
- Be prepared for your kit's arrival
- Provide space to safely store and protect your kit's components from the weather.
- Arrange the components in a logical order for easier construction flow
The above information has been taken from: www.motherearthnews.com