Any contractor or home builders on here?

[Bandit]

Any contractors or home builders on here? I'm looking for some advice, or anyone who may have experience with Viceroy homes or Jaywest in Calgary?

Im looking at building a house this summer, and found myself looking at the viceroy prefabs. They kinda appeal to me over a modular, as I can order the package to just get me to the lockup stage, and allow me to finish the interior at my leisure. I am not a framer, but used to do drywall, insulating etc, and have friends and family that are tradespeople for the rest. I'm looking to do as much as I can myself to keep the costs down.

I was just curious if anyone has any experience with these viceroy homes? Are they a good value for what they cost? This is the model I was looking at :



I like the fact that all the design and engineering is included for any changes and modifications you want to make, for both the house and basement structure, and that when it is delivered, everything is there, no running back and forth to town for stuff. And everything is panelized, so it goes up pretty quick. Also, the materiels seem pretty nice. All plywood, no osb, hardyboard siding, decent asphalt shingles. I have got a price quote from them for the package, and would like to know if it is comparable to going with a builder. What does it cost roughly a sqft to bring a house like this to the lockup stage?

 

[ferniesnow]

They kinda appeal to me over a modular

No kidding! Nice looking house for a start to a home!
I have built several "panelized houses" for my family and would recommend that process. Generally, the quality control is good and it doesn't take a magician to put them together. I love the fact that you aren't into vinyl siding.

I don't have prices for you but I would think you are saving money and everything you doo yourself, you will save money. It may take longer unless you have a lot of spare time or put your nose to the grind stone for 6 months. I started my houses in May (when the frost left the ground) and was moved in for Xmas. One of them, everything was finished and the table was set for move in day. Others not so much finished but that was my choice.

Good luck and enjoy the process.....

 

[TylerG]

I know Tko Sled Ed is a home builder, but he's from the Stony Plain area, he owns Fox Maple Homes, beautiful work he does!

 

[Bandit]

Thanks for the responses. It's nice to have someone with real world experience with these kit homes speak up.

I'm not completely sold on the hardiboard siding yet, been looking into another product called apex siding. They have a distributor in Calgary, hoping to make it down and check it out too.

These viceroy homes have a pretty considerable discount right now till the end of 2013, and I'm thinking about putting a deposit down on a house package. For the package, it's approaching the six figure mark, but that includes the design plans for both the house and basement, and any changes you want to make are included, the building materials for the house, the hardiboard siding, windows, doors, and roofing, and delivery to my place which is a couple hours north of Edmonton. Sound reasonable?

 

[ferniesnow]

Thanks for the responses. It's nice to have someone with real world experience with these kit homes speak up.

I'm not completely sold on the hardiboard siding yet, been looking into another product called apex siding. They have a distributor in Calgary, hoping to make it down and check it out too.

These viceroy homes have a pretty considerable discount right now till the end of 2013, and I'm thinking about putting a deposit down on a house package. For the package, it's approaching the six figure mark, but that includes the design plans for both the house and basement, and any changes you want to make are included, the building materials for the house, the hardiboard siding, windows, doors, and roofing, and delivery to my place which is a couple hours north of Edmonton. Sound reasonable?

Personally, I don't like Hardy board and I used CanExcel. A painted fibre board and it has stood up well. Anything would be better than vinyl, IMHO. My pricing is from 10 years ago and for 2000 sq.ft. my package price and delivery from Lloydminster to BC was $90G's. That was with a metal roof and the more expensive siding, wood baseboard/trim, no floor coverings, basement finish, all vaulted ceilings, sky lights, etc.

 

[Bandit]

Really makes me wish I had built 10yrs ago, lol! Unfortunately I'm finding it isn't cheap to build in Alberta right now, that's why im considering this route do I can do most of it myself. I'm fortunate that I work a week on week off schedule, and am home in the evenings as well, and have a residence on site already.

Some of the modular house I looked at were pushing $300,000 for 1700sgft and you still need to put it on a basement, and that was nothing fancy for a house. There were some others I have found for less, but they were pretty cheap looking inside and out. I'm figuring doing most of the work myself and being smart when shopping for interior finishing I should be able to build this place for 300 to 350k. I'll be able to do my own basement, and have some equipment, so excavating will not cost anything either. Same for the septic field, will be just materials.

 

[ferniesnow]

Really makes me wish I had built 10yrs ago, lol! Unfortunately I'm finding it isn't cheap to build in Alberta right now, that's why im considering this route do I can do most of it myself. I'm fortunate that I work a week on week off schedule, and am home in the evenings as well, and have a residence on site already.

Some of the modular house I looked at were pushing $300,000 for 1700sgft and you still need to put it on a basement, and that was nothing fancy for a house. There were some others I have found for less, but they were pretty cheap looking inside and out. I'm figuring doing most of the work myself and being smart when shopping for interior finishing I should be able to build this place for 300 to 350k. I'll be able to do my own basement, and have some equipment, so excavating will not cost anything either. Same for the septic field, will be just materials.

Sounds like you have it figured out. Good luck and happy planning.....

 

[puddle]

If you are serious about different types of siding and don't want to entertain cement fibre siding, then I would suggest Smart Lap siding and Smart Trim LP Building Products | LP SmartSide Trim & Siding Family
With 2 coats of paint (any colour of your choice) your paint is guaranteed for 25 yrs. I've used it for 12yrs on many custom homes/cabins around Red Deer and Sylvan Lake and have NEVER had a problem.
If you interested, pm me and I'll send you some photos.

 

[Bandit]

Hmmn, I'm going to have to look into both of those sidings a little more. My neigbor put the hardiboard on his place, and while it appears to be a nice product, it was very pricey and labor intensive to do.

 

[mick]

Keep looking, There are better options available. If you want just to lock up, that is easy to deal with yourself.

 

[tater]

Masonry or stucco is best for outside finishing. It's maint free and lasts forever. Hardy board is nice. But no way I'm gonna re caulk that chit every 4-5 years. As for finished house cost most builders I work with are in the $185-215 a sq ft range.

 

[deaner]

I would recommend staying away from the viceroy packages from what I have heard. Youre farther ahead to just frame it up yourself, or shop around for a framer that will work for a reasonable amount. The neighbor next to us is building a very similar house to what we are planning on building and he was warned not to use the viceroy package. He went ahead with it and admitted once it was done that he would have been way farther ahead just to stick frame it. But....maybe it was just because of the style of house? I dont know.

 

[Bandit]

Hmmnnn, that's some food for thought.