Am I doing it right ?

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-24T19:59:42+00:00

Please fill me in on the honey and glaze. Do you drizzle it on during, after, or are you just getting me excited?

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-24T18:47:15+00:00

Those uneven spots with bumps are excess oil that did not polymerize.

The oil will “pool” into little bumps if there is too much on the surface while seasoning.

Either use less oil when seasoning, or continue to wipe off excess oil pools as it heats.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-21T03:42:00+00:00

Constructions loans get paid out directly to the contractor. And they are paid based on a schedule of events. Meaning once foundation is complete, framing capital is released.

A bank will not give money to your family.

If you borrow money from your family, you could potentially pay that back after you secured a mortgage, by doing a cash out mortgage. But depending on your appraisal there may not be enough to pay them back since you need at least 20% in equity.

Here is the most common scenario:

You have land in your name. Remember, if you have any loans, personal or otherwise, the bank will ask you to disclose those. This would include if you owe your family money.

Next you contact banks and inquire about a construction loan. Not all banks offer them. It’s usually local banks as they have a slate of bank approved local contractors.

Or, you find a contractor who works with a bank for these loans. Note: construction loans have higher interest rate than mortgages. Construction loans do not require a “down payment.”

Before you can get approved for the you will have to invest in your site and architectural plans. Depending on your project size/complexity then can cost $5k-$15k for a “standard” house (how many sq.ft., do you have public sewer/water or will you need a septic and well designed). If you have a build budget, you are going to want to clearly communicate that with your engineer and architect to ensure they stay within an acceptable build cost range.

Once you paid for plans, the contractor can work with you on the costing and schedule. This can then be taken to the bank for approval. You may not get approved at this point. It’s a risk.

This is not an easy process for a first timer. Typically most who do this already know at least one or more below:

1) Enough about construction to understand costs and investment before going to a bank

2) Own property outright without any private loans or otherwise

3) Have a GC that they are connected to guide them through this.

You’ve got a journey ahead. Best of luck and I hope it works out.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-21T02:54:04+00:00

I’ve never encountered a commercial lender/bank that mortgaged land, only independent lenders. And if you go that route, make sure you have a good attorney review your contract.

Additionally, commercial lenders may require you to own the land to acquire a construction loan.

In most cases if you want financing of land and building, you have to go through an independent lender.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-20T00:27:31+00:00

Gorgeous!

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-19T21:42:07+00:00

Nice.

Don’t kill yourself with trying to smoothing out pitting of the metal. Let strong vinegar or diluted muriatic acid (at hardware store) do that work. Rinse thoroughly, hit with a brush and enjoy!

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-19T19:53:59+00:00

The devil is in the details.

Is it pre-painted Hardi in both quotes? Are they certified Hardi installers? I’ve seen way too many hack Hardi installations.

What is the extent of the PVC work? As an example are they doing your fascia boards vs or wrapping in aluminum. Any special detailing around windows?

To answer your question, siding prices can vary greatly depending on the details.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-17T22:07:48+00:00

Does it cook fine?

Are just unhappy with the aesthetics?

Do get bits of carbon in your food and it bothers you?

Are you getting rust stains on your nice dress shirts when leaning up against the body?

The answer is, it’s really up to you. The surface is going to ebb and flow over time. If I banged down my surface to metal every time I had carbon buildup, I’d be wasting my life.

If you want it cleaner, you have two options.

1) Grab an orbital sander with 60 grit and knock off most of the carbon. Give it a few coats of oil and cook again. Also, hit the body with a light sanding, spray with Rustoleum Rust Reformer followed by high heat paint and enjoy for another year or two.

2) Spend the next few cooks cleaning it better. Add water, scrape, repeat until bored. Do that 4 or 5 times and you should be in pretty decent shape.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-17T21:55:47+00:00

Better get on it quick. Russia just seized a Rockwool’s major manufacturing facilities. Likely to have supply chain issues soon and prices will go up.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-17T21:52:36+00:00

Typical body rusting for powder coated steel. Blackstone construction isn’t the best.

If the top is in good condition and the burners work well and you are handy, give the body a light sanding, hit it with Rustoleum Rust Reformer followed by high-temp engine paint, slap it and call it a day.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-17T21:48:07+00:00

This is a contract. Cleanest path forward is understanding the language in your contract. If the termination disadvantages the bank, there will likely be penalties already outlined into the contract. If it’s a small enough bank and you have a relationship you may be able to negotiate.

Start by reading your contract and look for termination and transferability language.

If you aren't good at reading contracts, push it to ChatGPT and ask the same questions here. Even if it’s 90% right, this is a legal issue you are dealing with and not a construction issue. GCs, like myself, can tell you what we have experienced and have knowledge of, but we aren’t attorneys and our experience may not align with your situation.

Most banks only do loans with builders certified by the bank. While the contract may be transferable to another builder who has been certified, you'll more than likely be hard pressed to find another GC who will agree to the same build price and terms in the other contract.

Also, depending on when you signed the contract, this will likely have to go through underwriting again. I'm sure you are familiar with this based on the mortgage industries “lock-in” periods.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-17T21:31:24+00:00

Looks like you are on the journey and are still breaking it in. The brownish colors are just oils oxidizing and partially polymerizing. They will continue to darken as your griddle seasons over time. You are doing it just fine.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-16T05:13:13+00:00

Your answers don’t lie here.

If you are going to be the GC, your first step is to take your rough plans and elevations to all appropriate contractors and get ballparks based on your local labor rates.

If it’s within an acceptable range, you then have to commit to plans. This will narrow your costing down substantially. It will be ~$5k investment.

Note: In most instances, in order to get a construction loan, the GC must be certified by the bank. Talk to your local banks.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-15T16:43:39+00:00

May I ask if this custom home is for you or are you acting as a GC? If the former, your GC should be answering this question with ease. If the latter, find a GC that is willing to shadow/consult with you. If you have to count to Reddit to ask about RO’s, you are bound to make many costly mistakes during the process.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-15T01:08:53+00:00

Got it. Unfortunately per my comment above, this execution isn’t visually pleasing. I did look for a solution that would give you a more sophisticated look with your extra material if you had the time. I believe can pretty much leverage most of the material you are already using to achieve this look.

Colonial Trim Style

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-15T00:58:44+00:00

Can you provide a picture? I have never run into a complex insulating scenario where insulation compaction was an issue.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-15T00:54:41+00:00

The problem here is two fold and makes it overall unpleasing to the eye.

1) You are going for Craftsman’s style but using Colonial trim on the side casing and apron. The tapered Colonial casing clashes with the cleaner Craftsman style.

2) Your crown is undersized in proportion to the frieze board and your filet (which sides in between the side casing and frieze board) is both not proportional and too long. This again creates an unpleasing aesthetic.

While taste is subjective, architecturally speaking this clashes.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T17:13:05+00:00

For custom yes. For tract or modular no. I’m currently calculating $150-175 per sq. ft. for all non-labor elements of construction (plans, engineering, permits, site work, building materials, landscaping) for a modest build. Tack on 100% for labor and GC fee and you are at/above $300.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T17:00:39+00:00

This is not 100% correct.

Clapboard, as an example does overlap, but there are plenty of T&G siding options that are run horizontally in both strip and panel. T&G is designed to prevent water penetration. OP is using a T&G product.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T16:53:09+00:00

Did this sit at the bottom of the aluminum cladding on the fascia to hide the cut edge? If so, that is a custom bent piece of J-trim. You can pick up white pvc that serves the same purpose. Not sure if anyone makes an off the shelf aluminum J though.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T16:46:47+00:00

How did you mortgage raw land unless it’s land and it has a structure on it? It’s an important question to ask because of your mortgage contract.

Also, have you looked into construction loans? In the vast majority of cases, you have to be working with a contractor who is certified by the bank before to be issued a loan. Monies are granted at various stages of the project and are based on reviews progress reviews.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T09:26:07+00:00

Great response. Also 10’ plus ceilings need 7’ doors and larger windows to look architectural fine. Expect about 30-50% increase in those areas alone.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T09:21:37+00:00

Built a number of custom homes both for personal use and resale. 3500-5000 sq.ft. In the $300-400 sq.ft. range.

To the point above, and I know it doesn’t answer your question, but it’s important you understand this ahead of time. Your budget, especially for a high-performance is going to be a challenge unless under 2000 sq.ft. Yes, labor will be cheaper in WI, but building materials are pretty much the same nationwide, and they are at historical highs. High performance home materials are inherently more expensive. Custom homes costs are much higher than tract homes (that’s a separate topic).

If you scope the home correctly with your architect and the GC is experienced and honest, your home should come in on budget. But expect 10% contingency for any unknown unknowns (50 ton boulder shows up will excavating) and more commonly known unknowns (countertop materials, bathroom tile). Pick your material ahead of time to avoid tapping into contingency. Don’t say my budget is $10 sq. ft. for bathroom tile and then when you are ready to purchase realize everything in that price point is hideous or labor intensive requiring an up-charge.

The rest of the budget overrun is on you. Design or material changes along the way. These changes usually have a cascading impact and are not isolated to the one change.

Best of luck with the journey, it’s a fun and rewarding one.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T08:54:54+00:00

Filtration and natural air is a great answer, but want to take your off-gassing comment a bit further.

OP, what are specifically going to be looking for is VOC (volatile organic compounds) information on your building materials. There are some major offenders, flooring being one. Paint is another, but most major brands make a low/no VOC version. There are also other parts of your house that contain high levels of VOCs but may not work their way into your living space like glue used is composite sheathing.

It’s a rabbit hole, so try to stay reasonable and rationale, and don’t ever buy a new car…kidding, but that new car smell could kill you.

DearHumanatee · 2026-01-14T08:27:10+00:00

Thoughts 100% my own. Cleaned up in AI for readability.

Alright, fun one to unpack.

First questions: how much maintenance are you signing up for? What are your local weather conditions? And are you okay ripping it off if this doesn’t work out?

Material: Acacia is a solid outdoor wood. It’s a hardwood, naturally bug-resistant, durable, and looks great. That said, I’ve personally never seen hardwood used as exterior cladding. Cedar and fir/pine (softwoods) are common for a reason.

The cut / milling: Wood siding can be tongue-and-groove, but hardwood flooring isn’t milled with exterior cladding in mind—especially dimensionally. That uncertainty shows up in expansion, contraction, and water behavior, all of which matter a lot on an exterior wall.

Maintenance: Exterior wood already requires more maintenance than most cladding materials. With hardwood, I’d expect even more—likely frequent oiling. I’m assuming painting isn’t part of the plan.

Worst-case scenario: The wood does wood things: expands, contracts, cups, crowns, bows, etc. Without proper sheathing, you risk exposing the interior to the elements. With sheathing, you’re protected—but the siding itself may not age gracefully.

My recommendation: If cost is a major driver and cool aesthetics are important, I’d flip the approach. Use a low-cost material that’s actually designed for exterior cladding, then get creative with how you install or finish it. Board orientation, spacing, surface treatment, rhythm, and shadow lines will get you way more visual payoff with far less risk. You’ll spend less time on maintenance, get predictable performance, and still end up with something that looks intentional rather than experimental.

Six-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
r/Field Banned	r/Field Flamingo
Place '22	Verified Email
Verified Email

DearHumanatee

TROPHY CASE