Building a High Desert home, Have Qs (Temecula, Joshua Tree: how much, homes)

[MacJones]

Hi there,

I've been kicking around the idea of buying a lot of land and building a small home (approx. 800/sf) for weekend getaways and such around Joshua Tree/29 Palms.

Wondering just how hard is it to get the proper building permits to build on bare land? Does anyone have any personal experience they can share?

I've read that it can take 6 weeks for just the Fire Dept to approve a permit that will allow me to submit my building plans to the city ... sounds like an absolute runaround. Also wondering approx. how much in building permit fees to city were paid once its all said and done.

Another route I'm thinking about is buying the land and then buying a PreFab home, don't know what permits that would require.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Bluedog21]

Hey, I’m wondering the exact same thing. Did you manage to find any answers? Thanks

[forzalugano]

When you buy land look how far the water, electricity lines are away. Some lots already have water meters, you pay more upfront bit save the time and hassle on the back-end.

Contractors may want on average $150 - $200 a square foot, sub it out yourself I had clients pay $110- $135 to built a pretty nice home. but you should know what your doing.

When you find the lot do your due diligence, check with the building department, call the water and utilities and find the costs. Once in Temecula on rural land we had to pay $14,000 just for a "temporary" pole so we used generators to build the home and run the tools, if the next water meter is way down the road you pay them to bring to that lot, it can get expensive so know what your getting into, infill lots with homes on both sides are usually safer, vs rural raw land.