BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to
build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has
anyone in the group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity. You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the general
I hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia turned out to be
way overextended financially from previous projects, and could not
line up the subs I wanted, and was teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a
settlement of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but the
builder's license bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction bond) and
my bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid and the slabs
poured, hired a project manager to oversee the subs on salary and
bonus, and completed the house just a hair over budget. I had to be on
the site for about an hour at 6:30 AM just about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick fireplaces,
nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and another 3,000 square
feet finished in the basement. I looked it up on Zillow early last
year and it was valued at more than $1.5 million. The "crash" of the
real estate market apparently hit Northern Virginia hard, because when
I looked it up on Zillow earlier this evening, it was valued at about
$1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it was the
one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it - nice
builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years later for
$160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and change. Not bad, and
the blue spruce trees I planted there in the mid-1970s are at least 40
feet tall and full triple wides.

Again, you are telling lies. You can't prove either home was owned by
you and that the "big house" was built for or by you.


Awww, I'm supposed to be concerned about proving things to right-wing
trash like you?

Please.

Boater wrote:
BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to
build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has
anyone in the group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity. You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the general
I hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia turned out to be
way overextended financially from previous projects, and could not
line up the subs I wanted, and was teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a
settlement of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but the
builder's license bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction bond)
and my bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid and the
slabs poured, hired a project manager to oversee the subs on salary
and bonus, and completed the house just a hair over budget. I had to
be on the site for about an hour at 6:30 AM just about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick fireplaces,
nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and another 3,000 square
feet finished in the basement. I looked it up on Zillow early last
year and it was valued at more than $1.5 million. The "crash" of the
real estate market apparently hit Northern Virginia hard, because
when I looked it up on Zillow earlier this evening, it was valued at
about $1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it was
the one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it - nice
builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years later for
$160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and change. Not bad, and
the blue spruce trees I planted there in the mid-1970s are at least
40 feet tall and full triple wides.

Again, you are telling lies. You can't prove either home was owned by
you and that the "big house" was built for or by you.


Awww, I'm supposed to be concerned about proving things to right-wing
trash like you?

Please.

You are seeking acceptance from some here in the group. However you feel
that you need to puff up your life's accomplishments to gain that
acceptance rather than just being a normal guy. Your outrageous claims
draw many to analyze your alleged accomplishments. Those who do the
analysis have actually done what you claim to have done and immediately
call bull****.

I just think it hillarious that all of Harry's personal info is being posted
here, like a flag waving in the breeze. No one would care if he weren't such
an asshole. Of course he spins it like he wanted it this way, but he's
cowering in the basement like a little pussy, hoping he didn't **** someone
off *too* badly. g

--Mike

"BAR" wrote in message
...
Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to
build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has anyone
in the group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity. You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the general I
hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia turned out to be way
overextended financially from previous projects, and could not line up
the subs I wanted, and was teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a settlement
of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but the builder's license
bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction bond) and my
bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid and the slabs poured,
hired a project manager to oversee the subs on salary and bonus, and
completed the house just a hair over budget. I had to be on the site for
about an hour at 6:30 AM just about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick fireplaces,
nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and another 3,000 square feet
finished in the basement. I looked it up on Zillow early last year and it
was valued at more than $1.5 million. The "crash" of the real estate
market apparently hit Northern Virginia hard, because when I looked it up
on Zillow earlier this evening, it was valued at about $1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it was the
one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it - nice
builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years later for
$160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and change. Not bad, and the
blue spruce trees I planted there in the mid-1970s are at least 40 feet
tall and full triple wides.

Again, you are telling lies. You can't prove either home was owned by you
and that the "big house" was built for or by you.

BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to
build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has
anyone in the group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity. You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the
general I hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia turned
out to be way overextended financially from previous projects, and
could not line up the subs I wanted, and was teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a
settlement of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but the
builder's license bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction bond)
and my bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid and the
slabs poured, hired a project manager to oversee the subs on salary
and bonus, and completed the house just a hair over budget. I had to
be on the site for about an hour at 6:30 AM just about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick fireplaces,
nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and another 3,000 square
feet finished in the basement. I looked it up on Zillow early last
year and it was valued at more than $1.5 million. The "crash" of the
real estate market apparently hit Northern Virginia hard, because
when I looked it up on Zillow earlier this evening, it was valued at
about $1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it was
the one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it - nice
builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years later for
$160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and change. Not bad,
and the blue spruce trees I planted there in the mid-1970s are at
least 40 feet tall and full triple wides.

Again, you are telling lies. You can't prove either home was owned by
you and that the "big house" was built for or by you.


Awww, I'm supposed to be concerned about proving things to right-wing
trash like you?

Please.

You are seeking acceptance from some here in the group.

Nope. I don't give a **** what you or your enablers here think. Not a
whit. Nada. Zip. You, Herring, DK, Loogy, Ruptured Pontoon, Reggie, et
cetera, are nothing more than the dog**** one must step over when out
for a walk. There are fewer than a half dozen posters here I consider
decent human beings, but I doubt I'll ever meet more than one or two of
them in person because of distances.

On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to build
a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has anyone in the
group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yep.

Don't do it.

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:01:47 -0500, BAR wrote:

Boater wrote:
BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
BAR wrote:
Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III,
Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market
to build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor.
Has anyone in the group done this and do they have any words of
advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity.
You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the
general I hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia
turned out to be way overextended financially from previous
projects, and could not line up the subs I wanted, and was
teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a
settlement of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but
the builder's license bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction
bond) and my bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid
and the slabs poured, hired a project manager to oversee the subs
on salary and bonus, and completed the house just a hair over
budget. I had to be on the site for about an hour at 6:30 AM just
about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick
fireplaces, nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and
another 3,000 square feet finished in the basement. I looked it
up on Zillow early last year and it was valued at more than $1.5
million. The "crash" of the real estate market apparently hit
Northern Virginia hard, because when I looked it up on Zillow
earlier this evening, it was valued at about $1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it
was the one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it
- nice builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years
later for $160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and
change. Not bad, and the blue spruce trees I planted there in the
mid-1970s are at least 40 feet tall and full triple wides.

Again, you are telling lies. You can't prove either home was owned
by you and that the "big house" was built for or by you.


Awww, I'm supposed to be concerned about proving things to
right-wing trash like you?

Please.

You are seeking acceptance from some here in the group.

Nope. I don't give a **** what you or your enablers here think. Not a
whit. Nada. Zip. You, Herring, DK, Loogy, Ruptured Pontoon, Reggie,
et cetera, are nothing more than the dog**** one must step over when
out for a walk. There are fewer than a half dozen posters here I
consider decent human beings, but I doubt I'll ever meet more than
one or two of them in person because of distances.

Tom, Richard and Gene are who you seek approval and acceptance from
and who have all shunned you for your abhorrent behavior.

Wrong again, schitt-for-brains.

Harry, you know I am right.

You probably should have added Gunner to that last list.
--
** Good Day! **

John H

Boater wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq. wrote:
Boater wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq. wrote:
Boater wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq. wrote:

Harry,
You did tell us your acted as your GC on your present house. Did
you do as much work on the NV house as your current house?

Reggie:

You aren't going to be contracting your own new house. Move on.

I am entertaining the idea.


You don't have the balls to do it. But if you did, it would be
entertaining...for us.

Harry I guess the GC'ing on your Northern Va. house didn't work out
well, and that is why you didn't GC your real home.


Your guess would be...wrong.

Well tell us about you great experience GC'ing your NVa home. Why
didn't you do your own home?

Boater wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to
build a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has
anyone in the group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yes, with three houses and two workshops. Not only was I General
Contractor, I was also 50% of the labor.

Your only real savings, in this market, will be sweat equity. You can
buy cheaper than you can build.... you just have to find an equally
desperate mortgagee and mortgagor.... or you could do it the seat
equity route, if you have the cash, tools, and a desire to make it
happen.

No bank is going to let *you* (as their mortgagor) serve as General
Contractor unless you hold a contractor's license.

Advice? You're crazy to even attempt it...... uh, but wasn't I
thinking about adding on to the workshop.....

.... Oh, never mind......


It's an incredible burner of time. I had to do it because the general I
hired to build a custom home in Northern Virginia turned out to be way
overextended financially from previous projects, and could not line up
the subs I wanted, and was teetering.

Took the builder to court, had a civil jury trial, and won a settlement
of more than $100,000. Never collected anything but the builder's
license bond from the state.

With the help of the lumberyard (who issued the construction bond) and
my bank, I took over when the foundation had been laid and the slabs
poured, hired a project manager to oversee the subs on salary and bonus,
and completed the house just a hair over budget. I had to be on the site
for about an hour at 6:30 AM just about every morning.

It was a huge house, ultra modern, with four full brick fireplaces,
nearly 4000 square feet on the main level, and another 3,000 square feet
finished in the basement. I looked it up on Zillow early last year and
it was valued at more than $1.5 million. The "crash" of the real estate
market apparently hit Northern Virginia hard, because when I looked it
up on Zillow earlier this evening, it was valued at about $1.1 million.

Just checked the second house I owned in Northern Virgina...it was the
one we sold to build the custom house. I paid $87k for it - nice
builder's subdivision house - and sold it about five years later for
$160,000, I think. Zillow has it at $600,000 and change. Not bad, and
the blue spruce trees I planted there in the mid-1970s are at least 40
feet tall and full triple wides.

Nice story, and pictures?

Tom Francis wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to build
a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has anyone in the
group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yep.

Don't do it.

I don't know, Harry was very successful GC'ing his N. VA home.

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:44:06 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

Tom Francis wrote:
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:03:49 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq."
wrote:

We are thinking about using this downturn in the housing market to build
a new home, and acting as our own General Contractor. Has anyone in the
group done this and do they have any words of advice?

Yep.

Don't do it.

I don't know, Harry was very successful GC'ing his N. VA home.

That's Harry. Harry is successful at everything he attempts.

He's the Leonardo DaVinci of modern times. To date, Harry has proven
extensive knowledge of a whole host of subjects including, of all
things, opera. I mean roof loads, foundations, plumbing, electrical -
he's got the knowledge base - apparently.

So it follows that Harry would be the General Contractor for his own
home - he has nothing but time on his hands (as is obvious by the
number of posts just yesterday) which is a key element in being a GC
for your own home.

It's hard for the rest of us mere mortals to understand that.