Ahh, the best part... No curbs, no street parking....
And I guarantee there's no radical approach angle from the street to the driveway and vice versa either! :thumbsup:cheers
Ahh, the best part... No curbs, no street parking....
Thank you for all the great comments. The process started 3 years ago when I bought the property with an old style ranch house - the demo was fun, I did it myself. The land is 1.25 acres, which in CA is a rarity. The day I closed escrow, I cut down 42 trees ( It drove my liberal/environmental neighbor nuts) which were all seeded by a variety of bird crap.
The process started with cutting the hill to expand the flat area. 1200 linear feet of retaining walls (Avg of 7.5 Feet tall) later, we started the build process. From the get-go, I knew I was going to be my own General Contractor, mostly to avoid stupidity and delays and aside from the fire department slowing me down by approximately six months, everything else has been an incredibly efficient process.
To date, I have 63 Concrete trucks (9.5 yards each) in footings, grout fill, slabs, pilasters etc. While the worsening economy saddens me, the cost of building a house dropped by approximately 40%. Negotiating material prices has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I did my homework and bought primarily from publicly traded companies. Why, because the majority list their inventory supplies.
The worst part were the subs that thought they could come up and overbid. Boy were they wrong. Anyways more later.
Maybe I missed it, but what city is it in? We have been looking at a couple locations here in Laguna Niguel with 10+ acres 2.1 miles from the ocean with views. Talked to the builder last week that built our current house 6 years ago, and you're right building costs are way down. Cost of land is also way down. Seems like a good time.
Very nice HHGT! And I agree about the land thing. I am from Texas and it has always bothered me. It's nice to have some breathing space.
I have 2 neighbors. Both separated by locked friendship gates.:biggrin
The day I closed escrow, I cut down 42 trees ( It drove my liberal/environmental neighbor nuts) which were all seeded by a variety of bird crap.
To cut any tree with a trunk larger than 6" in diameter needs government approval! I know of someone that did it without, he was fined $1000 per tree and had to buy new ones to replace the ones he cut down! CaliFoolnia!
Have you placed the Gatling Guns yet?
To cut any tree with a trunk larger than 6" in diameter needs government approval! I know of someone that did it without, he was fined $1000 per tree and had to buy new ones to replace the ones he cut down! CaliFoolnia!
:rofl:rofl:roflI have 2 neighbors. Both separated by locked friendship gates.:biggrin
This evidently true in at least SOME areas here in Washington, too - even if YOU origionally planted the darn tree yourself!!! 'Never heard the likes of it. And to top that - THE STATE CLAIMS TO ACTUALLY OWN THE RAIN THAT FALLS ON ONE'S OWN PROPERTY AS WELL. Technically it supposedly can CHARGE a person for every barrel of rain water one collects! (But you can betcher last dollar one CANNOT sue the state if/when "IT'S" water floods one's house...)
'Land of the free in NAME only. :mad
I never removed the trees from the property, I brought in the largest tree grinder/mulcher I could rent and recycled the trees. They are technically still there.