| If you are going to build your own home and | | | | floor would be stacked on top of the first |
| want to get more for | | | | floor and utilizing |
| | | | |
| your money, consider a two story home. There | | | | the same foundation walls. If both style |
| are major parts of | | | | homes have a full |
| | | | |
| the construction process that can save you | | | | basement its easy to see that the ranch is |
| money over building a | | | | going to cost double |
| | | | |
| ranch style home. The three major areas to | | | | to pour a concrete floor. this cost is |
| cut costs are | | | | usually figured by the |
| | | | |
| excavation, the foundation, and the | | | | square foot.The third major cost saving |
| roof.When excavating for a ranch style home, | | | | phase is the roof system. A two story |
| you are digging a hole | | | | |
| | | | home has half the roof. This means cutting |
| for living space all on one floor. Let's say | | | | the amount of lumber |
| the square footage | | | | |
| | | | in half. If the rafters for this structure |
| of this ranch is 2,000 sq. ft. If this house | | | | are 2x10 or 2x12, this |
| has a full basement | | | | |
| | | | can be quite a savings. Add in for the |
| that's a lot of dirt to be removed to | | | | longer lumber lengths |
| accomodate a foundation. A | | | | |
| | | | needed for steeper pitched roofs like a 10 |
| two story home such as a Colonial or | | | | 12 or 12/12 and the |
| Georgian style with the same | | | | |
| | | | savings become even more substantial. Also, |
| square footage will require half as much | | | | when building this |
| excavation. These style | | | | |
| | | | type of home, only half as much plywood is |
| of homes usually have close to equal the | | | | needed to cover our |
| amount of square feet on | | | | |
| | | | framing. With the rising costs of lumber, |
| both floors. For this phase of construction | | | | this is another good |
| a single story home | | | | |
| | | | reason to go with a two story home. The |
| requires twice the labor and twice the | | | | roofing materials used |
| material to be removed for | | | | |
| | | | is also affected. Again, only half the |
| the foundation. After backfilling the | | | | materials are needed to do |
| foundation, any extra dirt | | | | |
| | | | the job. This is another task that is |
| that can't be spread about the lot, has to | | | | figured by the square foot.There are many |
| be hauled away. This | | | | ways to save money when building your own |
| | | | home. |
| could be a sizable burden to your | | | | |
| construction budget.The foundation is another | | | | These three parts of constructing a home are |
| place to save money on your | | | | the major ways to |
| | | | |
| construction costs. Using the same 2000 sq. | | | | save. If you want more bang for your buck, |
| ft. house as an | | | | consider a two story |
| | | | |
| example, footings and foundation walls must | | | | home.(c) Mike Merisko 2006 Merisko has been |
| be poured to support | | | | a carpenter for 26 years. Most of those years |
| | | | were spent in the homebuilding and remodeling |
| 2000 sq. ft. of deck for the living space. A | | | | industries. He was also in business as a |
| two story would only | | | | carpentry and general contractor. While that |
| | | | is his forte, he also has experience in |
| require enough walls and footings for a 1000 | | | | bridge building, commercial construction, and |
| sq.ft. as the second | | | | exhibit building which is how he earns his |
| | | | living these days. |