Building a home (Baltimore: renting, new house, to buy)

[WUPWUP]

Has anyone who has done this before give us some advice? We're wondering if its an option for us to buy a lot/tear down and find a builder to build a new house. Our budget is about $3-400K.

- We have flexibility in terms of time - we have a 2.5 yr old so we're not limited by wanting to move before the school year etc. We're renting right now so we are not in a hurry to move in.
- We want a new house but don't like the developments by big builders where the houses are close together.
- We're thinking of getting a lot or a tear-down in a good location and building.
- we have some construction experience - we can do cosmetic stuff (paint etc.), put up dry wall, put in a wood floor, do some tiling, do some plumbing hookup if needed, but would only do it if it cuts our costs substantially, my husband & I both have full time jobs. - We're looking for info on which builders are good, how long it takes, price ranges etc.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Marilyn Emery]

It depends alot on where you are thinking of building. There are areas of the state where you can't even get a building lot for under $400. Then you will have to add the cost of permits, building etc.

[PenguinSix]

Where are you going to be working / where do you want to be living? Urban, suburban, rural?

In some areas the crazy zoning requirements will make you consider suicide as an option.

[TeamBenya]

It's absolutely possible, it all depends on where you want to live! I would caution against tear-downs for this this reason:

Depending on the age of the house, there could be environmental concerns (asbestos, lead paint) that could require costly oversight and removal by the county in order to get the permits needed to do so. In addition, the value of the land it sits on is reduced by the cost of tear-down and removal of the previous structure, so you will likely be paying tens of thousands out of pocket before you can even get your permits in place to build new.

There are several locations in Southern Maryland where you can purchase 3+ acre lots that are ready to build, and the total cost from start to finish can keep you under $300k! It really all depends on how big of a house you want. at $300k, you would be looking at roughly a 3 bed 2.5 bath rambler with unfinished basement on 3 acres of land. If you wanted a bigger home, the price would obviously increase. If you would like, I could send you a link to a website that outlines lot locations in Southern Maryland where you could do something like this.

[gottogetfishing]

I am in the midst of building in cecil County. I'm acting as the owner?general contractor. I'd be happy to offer any help I can. It can be landmine. However, my experiences have been, for the most part very fun and rewarding. Like you, I don't like developments. And, I'm builidng on 7.25 acres which was quite afforable compared to some ther locations in the state. In case you don't know, Cecil County is close to the delaware border, about 1hour south fo Philadelphia and I hour north of Baltimore. I think you may find some real bargains in this county as far as land prices go. And, I feel fairly certain you could build a unique home on that land within your budget if you can perform some of the carpentry or finishing.