Help!! Looking for a builder!! Rotunda West!! (custom home, tile)

[yellowsky]

RexLan, do you have a ball park figure for putting in a stem wall that is say, three feet above the fill on a 1600 sq ft house?

[mr&mrssunshine]

a good ball park figure ,dependent on factors is around $4-6k

[RexLan]

Originally Posted by yellowsky

RexLan, do you have a ball park figure for putting in a stem wall that is say, three feet above the fill on a 1600 sq ft house?

Typically about $2,500 - $3,000 per course of block; however, I doubt the county would permit it unless necessary due to a low lot and it it a total waste of money to go much beyond FEMA. It would also be unsightly and the association may not approve it. The county will only permit 1' of fill on native soil and the remainder will require stem wall for the building pad and pool if needed with proper slopes dependent on you lot. The stem wall is there to contain the fill and nothing more.

Follow the FEMA guidelines and build 6" above the elevation. Most of Rotonda is 10' ... some is 8'

[RexLan]

Originally Posted by k9coach

I would like to learn more about this. Can someone explain further why it is impractical to build up a lot and what that process would entail beyond using fill? I apologize for my ignorance.

Impractical because of cost and it is not necessary.

County will allow 1' of fill to be placed on native ground. Building pad is requited to be at FEMA elevation with is 10' for the most part in Rotonda. Reputable builders add 6". If you require 3' of fill to get your site to grade then you will require stem walls (concrete block and footer) to contain the fill under the building pad.

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by yellowsky

RexLan, do you have a ball park figure for putting in a stem wall that is say, three feet above the fill on a 1600 sq ft house?

36" / 8" block = 4.5 course stemwall

4.5 x $2,500 = $11,250

That doesn't include the pool stem wall, which would add another $4,000, give or take ($1,000 per course)

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by sunbunny1

We found a lot in Pine Valley that has a BFE of 10'6".

Hi sunbunny- we are Edgewater Homes. I would be glad to provide you a list of references to call. I'm not familiar with Capitol builders, but Hamsher is also good. We have a home going up in Pine Valley, where is your lot?

[yellowsky]

Thanks for all of the information. Very informative.

[mr&mrssunshine]

I've looked at quite a few homes round here.
I can confirm Edgewater do indeed do nice work, Hamsher are pretty good too, there is also a guy called Brian Gonsalves, Brigon Homes, does very nice stuff.

I look at homes with a very critical eye (my own included)and gthese guys stack up...... there are also a couple of companies that do 'style' very well but the substance is lacking....ie fancy ceilings etc, but basic cabinets, 2cm granite in bathrooms, one home I found tiles not running square to a wall....its all down to supervision and quality of labor.

some companies use all subs. if you screw people down on price they do the same on their subs and work standards drop...also if companies grow too quickly they often lose touch with the important things.............thats why going for one of the smaller names doesn't hurt, sometimes the personal touch and quality is better.

if cost is your overall factor , go with Adams...about as basic as you can get, BUT if you have a bigger budget then definitely look to get what you are paying for.

AND make sure you feel like your builder is interested in YOU, I've built homes from small 600 ft apartments to a $5m 9000 sq ft mansion....each gets the same attention because to the customer its possibly the biggest purchase in their lives.

I had the misfortune to once work for the biggest builder in the UK...it was all about £££££ and shareholders......they refereed to clients as 'profit completions' !!!! WT? , there mantra was keep expectations low then they wont be disappointed ! and they rushed people in as quick as possible, then dealt with problems (slowly) afterwards. they made have made millions but their quality was awful...

[beachbum wannabe]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

You should consider building with a higher elevation than currently required from FEMA (for flood). This is because FEMA is supposed to be revising flood maps in next few years. They might raise the required elevation which would then cause your flood insurance to be thousands of dollars per year (possibly thousands per month!). The big increase in insurance applies for homes that are below the FEMA required elevation. Maybe your new home meets the elevation today, but in 2016 if FEMA changes the maps, the same home could be too low.

Also consider a hip roof to help protect from high winds/hurricanes. The hip roof is a savings on windstorm insurance over a gabled roof.

Very Good Advice!

[beachbum wannabe]

Originally Posted by mr&mrssunshine

I've looked at quite a few homes round here.
I can confirm Edgewater do indeed do nice work, Hamsher are pretty good too, there is also a guy called Brian Gonsalves, Brigon Homes, does very nice stuff.

I look at homes with a very critical eye (my own included)and gthese guys stack up...... there are also a couple of companies that do 'style' very well but the substance is lacking....ie fancy ceilings etc, but basic cabinets, 2cm granite in bathrooms, one home I found tiles not running square to a wall....its all down to supervision and quality of labor.

some companies use all subs. if you screw people down on price they do the same on their subs and work standards drop...also if companies grow too quickly they often lose touch with the important things.............thats why going for one of the smaller names doesn't hurt, sometimes the personal touch and quality is better.

if cost is your overall factor , go with Adams...about as basic as you can get, BUT if you have a bigger budget then definitely look to get what you are paying for.

AND make sure you feel like your builder is interested in YOU, I've built homes from small 600 ft apartments to a $5m 9000 sq ft mansion....each gets the same attention because to the customer its possibly the biggest purchase in their lives.

I had the misfortune to once work for the biggest builder in the UK...it was all about £££££ and shareholders......they refereed to clients as 'profit completions' !!!! WT? , there mantra was keep expectations low then they wont be disappointed ! and they rushed people in as quick as possible, then dealt with problems (slowly) afterwards. they made have made millions but their quality was awful...

Sounds like Dean Custom Homes,stay away!