Planning my escape..Building in Port Charlotte (Sarasota: for sale, real estate) - Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte - Florida (FL) -Charlotte County - City-Data Forum

LUCIANDEMARCO · 12-02-2009, 05:32 PM

`Hey everybody I been following the threads for awhile. First time post. I from new jersey but I got my plans I be down soon. Coming for a visit in 3 weeks!!! I recently bought my lot in port charlotte. I am looking for a general contractor who is willing to help me get my house built in stages. My idea is basically I need a 16 ft. x 68 ft. concrete house shell put up with a slab and shed roof, on a 85 x 140 lot plus all septic and utility hookups. So that I could come down and finish it myself. Anybody interested or know anybody I would love some advice. I have my architectural and site plans (preliminary) available with more detailed specs to anybody who might be interested.

Thanks

FLBob · 12-02-2009, 07:20 PM

Your plans will need to be engineered for wind loads and lift. We do things a little bit different here because of the issue of tropical storms.
I've used Gulf Coast Drafting in Port Charlotte, Greg is very good and can help get your plans ready for bids and engineered for permitting.
The building department will allow owner builder, but you need to sign an affidavit stating that you intend to live in the house.
Wayne Wacky (seriously) is a very good carpenter and is a licensed GC.
The Charlotte County building department has a list of licensed contractors available online. Be sure to use licensed contractors, and get permits.

mrcoolmrcool28 · 12-02-2009, 07:23 PM

We're jealous!! We bought a lot in Port Charlotte last spring and it's still empty. :-(

LUCIANDEMARCO · 12-02-2009, 08:25 PM

Yea I was reading your posts earlier. I am still planning , but not sure how to go about things. I 've been speaking to a couple of contractors and architects. Some are positive about the idea of building. But some are extremely negative, one contractor I spoke with said I was crazy for trying to build something in Port Charlotte. Anyway I will be making a trip in 3 weeks to go speak with building department about impact fees, utility connections, etc.

geos · 12-03-2009, 11:57 AM

Look into this fiberglass shell. NO maintenance, low cost, quick construction, hurricane proof, tornado proof, bullet proof: Welcome to Composite Building Systems, Inc - The Shape of the Future

Dreamy46 · 12-03-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUCIANDEMARCO

Yea I was reading your posts earlier. I am still planning , but not sure how to go about things. I 've been speaking to a couple of contractors and architects. Some are positive about the idea of building. But some are extremely negative, one contractor I spoke with said I was crazy for trying to build something in Port Charlotte. Anyway I will be making a trip in 3 weeks to go speak with building department about impact fees, utility connections, etc.

Please share with us what exactly his negative reasons were?

LUCIANDEMARCO · 12-03-2009, 01:07 PM

basically he told me that between the cost of impact fees from the county utility hookups. I would have to put down more money to build a 1,100 sq ft. house than I would to buy a 2,200 sq ft. house. He was very negative individual pertaining to the idea of building in the area. Which seems to make sense to me but I hoping to get my building shell complete while I am still working up in NJ

SoFLGal · 12-03-2009, 01:31 PM

I would probably agree with the contractor, for the most part. Just be careful that you don't spend more money building the home than it's worth. With all the foreclosures in the area it's bringing the prices down. I would venture to guess that you can't build a house right now for anywhere near what you could pick up a comparable home already built. Hence the extreme lack of building permits in both Charlotte and Sarasota county. If I remember right, Sarasota county's permitting is more expensive than Charlotte county.

geos · 12-03-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

I would probably agree with the contractor, for the most part. Just be careful that you don't spend more money building the home than it's worth. With all the foreclosures in the area it's bringing the prices down. I would venture to guess that you can't build a house right now for anywhere near what you could pick up a comparable home already built. Hence the extreme lack of building permits in both Charlotte and Sarasota county.

I'll echo that. You can get a 1000sqft fixer for $30k! New construction is easily 2-3x even with a fiberglass shell.

Dreamy46 · 12-03-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUCIANDEMARCO

basically he told me that between the cost of impact fees from the county utility hookups. I would have to put down more money to build a 1,100 sq ft. house than I would to buy a 2,200 sq ft. house. He was very negative individual pertaining to the idea of building in the area. Which seems to make sense to me but I hoping to get my building shell complete while I am still working up in NJ

You should actually be thankful that he was so negative, which equated to being truthful.

I talked to a builder in 2007 about building a house (not in Fl.) and he never uttered a single negative about doing so, but after studying what SoFlGal mentioned, which is what if I had to put a for sale sign in front after I was finished, I concluded that I would be horribly underwater and couldn't possibly sell it for what I could buy someone else's mistake for. I then bailed on the deal on that premise. The builder then tried to revive the deal by telling me he talked to his favorite real estate agent about my fears and stated her opinion was that I was completely wrong.

In hindsight, two years later, any questions on who was wrong?

Again, you should appreciate the honesty when someone who could make money off of you is giving you straight talk and saving you from yourself.