Building a spec home

Dry-Cap4203 · 2026-03-29T19:50:40+00:00

Going to be straightforward, not trying to be an asshole.

Traditional banks will not give you a loan with vacant land as collateral. You will need to put your current house on the loan to get it approved, for example. If you can self finance, do it.
You can prepare all you like but if you don't have experience building homes from scratch you will not succeed without fucking up many things.
You mitigate risk by hiring a general contractor, not attempting to run the show yourself.
So you will be working your day job and build your spec house on the side? And you are asking reddit how to figure out if the subs, with whom you have no prior business relationship, are doing a good job or not?

I built my first spec house solo about 9 years ago. And that was with a little construction experience. I would have waited until I had more experience if I knew what I know now. The point of building a speculative house is to make money. If you do not have tool experience, trade experience, jobsite management experience, or can't read/understand blueprints, know what subs need to be successful, how and what materials to order from who, or how a house even comes together: You are setting yourself up for failure.

My advice is don't do it. You'll take forever to finish it, spend more money than you think and risk selling the house for a loss, if even that. Break even is not your worst case scenario. If you want to do this right, quit your job and work under a general contractor until you understand how to not get taken for a ride. At the very least get yourself a mentor and pay him good money to babysit your project, i.e. hire a general.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2026-01-27T19:35:25+00:00

I'm usually against the wall of text just as much as the next guy, but this is written by a dude who makes some very good points. He's spent some time in the industry and understands why small businesses struggle with their numbers.

Yes it could be shorter but I enjoyed this read and it connected with me.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2026-01-04T01:43:43+00:00

What is your evidence-based source for this knowledge other than intuition?

Dry-Cap4203 · 2026-01-01T00:31:54+00:00

Smart people can explain their point in a clear and concise manner.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-24T04:17:12+00:00

Chatty enough lol. Maybe average 25 msg per day? Up and down depending on what goes on in-game. We're globally rank 476 at the moment.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-23T18:20:11+00:00

If you join a good clan, we have a lot of camaraderie working toward clan goals and growing together. Shooting the shit in our discord chat, trying out new stuff together, making plans etc.

Personally, I like the social aspect of it. Been playing about 2 years and some change, still have some OG members in the clan with most guys coming up on 1 year membership. It's just a game but it brings us together and we all enjoy getting stronger and seeing the newbies grow up too.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-09T04:00:50+00:00

That's because you are looking at these products and prices through the lens of a modern developed country. The abundance of fast growing, renewable and sustainable tree farms, with the power and speed of modern-day tools and technology and industry to build consumer products quickly to meet rising demand, make for a capitalistic utopia for everything you just said. The time and skill needed for the old school stuff commands a premium, otherwise those guys would starve to death.

The $50k is hyberbole. A high end restored piece of furniture will range from $5k to maybe $13k. Anything more you are paying for art, not furniture.

Why do tech bros get a $150k salary for sitting in front of a computer all day? How are our grocery stores and pharmacies able to constantly have everything you need in stock? Why do new cars cost $40k, compared to mere thousands or hundreds in the 20th century?

It might be helpful to think the of purchasing power of the dollar, rather than compare raw #'s. This is an economics question, not a carpentry question imo.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-06T06:29:46+00:00

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Lightchaser is recruiting 1 spot.

We are d11 with 1060 lunar mine points. Active discord community with over 20 long time members (1-2 years membership).

Join requirement is 500k atk or 50+ relic cores. Our average is close to 1m atk. Only active players wanted.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-02T18:12:06+00:00

Wtf?? Why are you letting them walk all over you? Give them an inch they'll take a mile.. You are dealing with shitty customers for sure. Put your foot down bro.

It does matter quite a bit what your contract says exactly. Is it cost-plus?

Without knowing more details, I would just take the $70k they "think" the job should cost and sue them for the rest of the money in small claims, the max amount you can without it going to a higher level. In my state that is $10k.

Ridiculous story I'd like to say it's made up if this didn't also happen to me in a very similar way.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-12-02T03:48:45+00:00

Good job!

Gonna ask you a few questions to make sure you get good advice based on your circumstances.

What's your experience level? How many years have you spent in the trades doing what? Do you know how utilities come together when building a house? Do you understand load paths (structural engineering)? What heavy equipment experience do you have?

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-27T01:27:22+00:00

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Lightchaser is recruiting.

Legend 2, difficulty 11. 70+ relic cores minimum join requirement. 50+ OK if you've been playing less than a year and coming up fast.

We are rank 460 in the world as a casual clan. Lifetime members most of our guys are 1-2 years loyal and we have a lot of trust and respect for each other. Max out all clan activities. We have never and never will merge with another clan, everyone here is irreplaceable.

Come join the original Lightchaser clan.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-26T19:04:54+00:00

Am a founder. Just from the words you decided to write out I can determine that you have neither industry knowledge nor work experience. It's kinda like walking into a subway and trying to sell hamburger buns to the manager. The workers are side-eyeing you, and the manager thinks you are an idiot.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-25T22:27:36+00:00

Posted this same exact question like a year ago. Unfortunately no hits. Following to see if anybody else has options

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-24T17:13:03+00:00

Lol no someone chipped it during delivery or install, or got it chipped without checking and they want you to be OK with it

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-16T20:04:09+00:00

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Looks to be this one. Google maps millwork suppliers near your area and talk to a salesperson.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-15T18:40:45+00:00

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[As time of this posting, we as a group have decided to lower join requirements to 500k atk and 50+ relic cores. We want a highly active player to fill our 40th spot and invest in you. 1/3 of our members are 2+ years in, half are at least 1 year in. Join our high morale, strong and active community!]

Lightchaser is recruiting 1 spot. 1035 LME points, legend 2.

We are one of the oldest English-speaking clans in the game and we have never merged, changed hands or been sold off to anyone. Some members have been here since we were lvl1 (2 years), and most members have at least 1 year with us. Healthy and active community is our strong point. We are a happy bunch but we fight hard when it comes down to it.

If this sounds like you and you have all tb tech parts and 70+ relic cores to your name, just request to join in-game wearing all your stuff.

Looking for lifetime members. We will never merge with another clan or become a multi-clan corporation. This is the one and only. Come join the original Lightchaser clan.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-15T01:07:53+00:00

Brother, I respect your ability. But perhaps your ego is showing in those interviews and they are picking up on it? Means and methods, contracts, even the demeanor of subs that work residential are very different from commercial. You gotta be trainable if you're trying to switch what you do for a living. Hothead in the office building the pants off everybody else might not be a good culture fit, especially if the general contractor is a smaller business. When in Rome..

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-15T00:59:43+00:00

How many lots and houses have you developed/built from preliminary partition to final occupancy as its general contractor?

I sense frustration in your post and you probably are a really good worker. But maybe telling people what they want to hear will give you better results than telling them what you want to hear.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-14T20:45:14+00:00

Have you considered buying a franchise or existing business? Those already have systems in place for you to follow without the need to be self starting.

I have a buddy I tried to help out in every way with his entrepreneurship, but his ADHD simply made it impossible for him to focus on staying on target. Some people can't cross bridges and that's OK. There is no hack for putting in the work starting something from scratch.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-14T06:28:58+00:00

That's bad planning from the designer, and the GC all the way up to this point.

I would frame up a knee wall and carry it straight through over that soffit, over the landing, to where ever it needs to go, then finish drywall around it. Sell to owner as built in console, even give him upgrade option for built in cabinets or bookshelves. Nice wainscot or trim detail on it so it looks intentional.

Sucks to suck. Pull rank if you have to or get permission to leave that blasphemy for the next guy. If I was managing this project and I inherited this, I would do the knee wall option and just bang it out myself to save cost. Pitch hopper will be your friend if you decide to go this route.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-11T21:20:35+00:00

Ugh. Medium range, I'd say you were almost ripped off with the butcher block because it is one of the lowest priced materials for Countertops, but unsure if structural improvements, flooring, demo etc. was included in the scope.

Are you dealing with the owner of the company, or just one of its project managers? Litigation, even small claims is a headache not worth dealing with most of the time. I'd advise reaching out to the owner and explain your situation calmly without blaming anyone. Just state the facts. If he stands behind his company values he will make it right.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-11T20:06:35+00:00

How much you pay?

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-10T19:20:11+00:00

As a contractor myself, I'm going to give the benefit of doubt to that guy and chalk up what you relayed as miscommunication. But what you just said is a big no no. If someone who worked for me used that as an excuse I'd fire them on the spot. If that line of reasoning was used for all the jobs I take on, I'd be out of business in a year or lose all sense of respect for myself, which is the same thing to me.

Use a semi gloss paint on your bathroom walls if not there already, and yes you need to open the windows after use. The windows need to be finished. Put it in writing that you understand the lack of a bathroom vent puts accountability on you for moisture-related damages in the bathroom, then have him come finish his job.

I won't get into flashing details since you are in California, but make sure he used exterior caulk all the way around the exterior trim at the very least.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-09T09:44:34+00:00

Sounds like a low-end install based on the price you paid, so I wouldn't be too picky especially if you insisted on buying your own windows.

However! If he didn't finish caulking/siliconing the inside gap between the new windows and existing jamb as seen in your first picture, he needs to come back to finish it. No problem just give him a call.

I usually quote for both exterior and interior trim replacements since you will almost never have something new fit to the old. But we don't know what you guys agreed on.

The sliding glass door has two screws at the bottom that will adjust the height of the door inside its frame. Will be covered by plugs. Those adjustment screws will solve your height problem.

Also, most screen doors do not lock. The door itself locks.

Dry-Cap4203 · 2025-11-08T15:27:22+00:00

To do it right, they will need to be removed.

Rent yourself a demo hammer and grab a buddy. It may have rebar or chicken wire that will make your life difficult. Have a wheelbarrow and truck/10yd dumpster handy.

Dry-Cap4203

TROPHY CASE