 |
Stick Built Home in Modoc County CalforniaBuying or building a stick built home is definitely one of the most traditional methods of getting the custom country home you desire. Although custom homes are a little more expensive and take longer to construct than manufactured housing, they are the only option according to some tastes. Custom homes generally cost from $40 to $50 per square foot more than a manufactured home. Deciding to build a stick built home raises numerous questions and hopefully this site will answer some of them for you.
You've seen the term stick built home used frequently throughout this website, so here's an attempt to clarify the term. Stick built home is a synonym for a site built home of traditional wood-frame construction. Primarily people associated with the manufactured or mobile home industry (dealers, contractors or owners) use the term stick built home. It is used to signify difference between homes built off-site and those built on-site. The term is normally used sort of tongue-in-cheek and I've never heard it used derisively. I suppose that in earlier years when mobile homes were constructed of lightweight materials and to somewhat lower standards than traditional stick built homes, the term signified better quality housing. Modular homes fall somewhere in the middle between stick built homes and manufactured homes. The only difference between a stick built home and a modular home is that the modular home is built off-site. Today, all three types of homes, stick built, manufactured and modular are built to the same standards and use basically the same materials. The following paragraphs are meant to explain, in general terms, the steps required to construct a stick built home. Adequate shelter is one of any society's most basic needs, and can be traced almost as far back as mankind itself. Basic shelter or housing has evolved from the lean-tos of primitive man to today’s 3-bedroom/2-bath stick built homes in modern subdivisions. Modern housing sizes range from small utility or studio apartments to elaborate mansions containing tens of thousands of square feet. Architectural styles also differ throughout the nation, from sprawling suburban ranch homes in the southwest to the colonial style homes of New England, and almost everywhere in-between. Construction materials used for homes vary from brick and masonry to wood frame and stucco. Homes using steel framed construction are gaining some popularity in this country, especially in the face of increasingly higher costs for wood materials. Alternative materials such as used rubber tires and bales of straw have even been employed in home construction with some success. Perhaps the biggest boom in the American housing industry occurred at the close of World War II. GIs returning home by the thousands were all looking for a home to settle in so they could catch up on lost time and start a new life. Homebuilders all over the nation capitalized on this and most metropolitan areas started to expand rapidly. There are numerous pros and cons about the quality of these rapidly built homes, but the materials used were predominately wood and brick/masonry. Most of the homes built during this time were sturdy enough that they are still occupied today. The steps in constructing a home with any material are basically the same. The home site is surveyed and mapped out and the home dimensions are transferred to the earth surface for builders' reference. The foundation is constructed, generally either a concrete slab or a concrete/masonry perimeter foundation. Next walls are erected, either of a wood framework or brick or concrete blocks. Openings are left in the wall structures to accommodate windows and doors, and the roof is framed. Then the walls and roof are covered, usually sheetrock and texture coating on the interior and wood or wood/stucco on the exterior. Weather protection is added to the roof exterior with shingles, tile or metal. While the home is still in the framing stage, plumbing, electrical heating and cooling systems are added. The last steps are cosmetic with trim and painting, fixture and appliance installation and floor covering. The stick built home is probably the most common type of construction in this area of the country. Our discussion in these paragraphs will be on site built homes in Modoc County, California, primarily in the Alturas area. A lot of newer homes in Modoc County are manufactured homes, but the custom home building industry is alive and well here. Manufactured homes are usually selected by homeowners simply because they are a little cheaper and the time between contract signing and move-in is shorter. Homes available for sale here still contain a substantial number of traditionally built homes, although supply is still a little short. However, if you have some patience, your country dream home will probably come on the market. The other option is to build your own country dream home. There's still enough open space in Modoc County that great building sites are abundant. Many, if not most, of the sites available are considered view sites, with views of open space, forests or mountains, including famed Mount Shasta. If you've decided that creating your own dream home is what you want, read on for a brief description of the stick built home construction picture in Modoc County. Once you've purchased your building site property, the next task is to plan the new construction in detail. If you’ve got the financing, and you want someone else to sweat the details out until you move into your new stick built home, arrange with a local residential general contractor to complete the construction. (I recommend some local stick built home building services on this page) If, on the other hand, you decide to act as your own general contractor (referred to as owner/builder), you will have to pull all necessary resources together to complete the job. The owner/builder option for constructing a stick built home is not for the squeamish, as there are a lot of responsibilities and headaches involved. You have to identify and negotiate with all the required sub-contractors and ensure that all building materials are delivered to the site on time. If you are financing your construction, you also have to negotiate with the lender to ensure that all bills are paid on time. Most contractors and building material providers require an up-front deposit and then percentages with the completion of certain construction milestones (usually two or three payments). The final payments are due at the building inspector’s final sign-off on the permit. The building permit process becomes one of the big responsibilities for an owner/builder. Modoc County’s building permit requirements, processes and fees are about the same as anywhere else. However, due to the relatively slow building market here compared to areas like Placer, Sacramento or San Diego counties, you shouldn’t get stuck in red tape and bureaucracy. In 2005, Placer issued 4,894 building permits worth $1.2B to Modoc’s 24 worth $3.2M, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In Modoc County you will deal with two or three people, often personally, during the entire process. If you go through a general contractor for construction of your new stick built home, the building permit process is their responsibility and fees are included in the cost. As owner/builder, it’s your responsibility. Anyone planning construction here, from minor remodeling to building a new stick built home, barn, shed, shop or garage should let common-sense guide them. Modoc County does not require permits or inspection for any structure less than 120 square feet with no electrical nor plumbing installed. For anything else a building permit is required. Modoc County’s Building Inspectors are generally eager to explain building techniques and tips to any do-it-yourselfer. The building inspection process serves only to protect the consumer and homeowner. Once construction is complete and the permit is signed off, your new stick built home is complete! All you have to do now is move into your country home! This page contains stick built home building services in Modoc County. If you have questions on a stick built home that we haven’t answered, please contact us .
More Modoc Country Living...
Return to Modoc Country Living Home Page
|
