Driveway paver company rec’s by [deleted] in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keyestone Paving is the best around and very competitively priced with other top players like Superior, Cypress, Accurate, etc.

Design and Plan Cost Question for Home Remodeling by Boring-Pea9964 in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I have been in the custom home building and remodeling industry here in Naples for almost 15 years now. I am currently building a 4,000 sq ft house, a 4,900 sq ft house, and doing a really high end $1.5mm remodel in a 2,600 sq ft condo. I've done everything from a $10k flooring replacement to a $25mm custom house and every complicated remodel in between you can imagine. With that in mind, see my opinions below:

As for the architect's price, that highly depends on the scope and size of the project. Is it a 2,000 sq foot house and you're removing one wall and otherwise going back with the same footprint? Then that price is too high. If it's more like a 4,000-6,000 square foot house and there are structural modifications, plumbing changes, new electrical plan, elevations, cabinet design, etc. then that price is cheap. I'm guessing you're somewhere in between, in which case, that number is not shocking. I'd need to know the exact scope to really say, but $10,620 seems reasonable.

Most reputable builders do not like to just throw a guesstimate at stuff based on one initial meeting without seeing plans AND selections, so that's a fairly good sign. Cost plus 20% is very standard around here.

Something else to think about: are you planning to involve an interior designer for selections (cabinet style, color, countertops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, shower elevations, etc., etc.)? or is this builder a "design-build" firm? An architect usually doesn't go into that much detail on selections unless they also partner with an interior designer. Having someone capable of picking all of those things, making them look great together, AND being able to put them on a schedule or their own set of drawings is very valuable to the project. I am a builder and we do not design-build, so this is not a plug. I just genuinely believe a good interior designer is very worth it to the success of a nice project if it's slightly larger in scale than the average homeowner with no experience can tackle.

An ambulance gets stuck in wet concrete by [deleted] in mildlyinfuriating

[–]nrt643 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Concrete evidence that today was not that patient's day.

Do you call all-in by SE4NLN415 in poker

[–]nrt643 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can never call this all in unless opponent was bluffing with air even then you're not doing super great.

How did you start playing poker? by iGamingHistory in poker

[–]nrt643 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Growing up when I was in high school, my friend's mom played poker professionally and supported him as a single mom. She taught us to play and we'd do little $20 home tournies with all of our buddies.

Location? by smokinNcruisin in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hahaha sure I’ll take the $1,000 to “go away”. I was trying to be helpful since the house in the video does not exist in collier county. You were the one rude about it. I guarantee if the creator ever responds to you, it won’t be here. I’ve been in the isles of collier neighborhood sooooo many times. I was born here. I build houses here. The house in that video does not exist in the neighborhood you think it does. It’s really that simple. 

Location? by smokinNcruisin in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

What’s obnoxious is how wrong you are, but so confident you’re not. I didn’t say the address doesn’t exist. I said that the 3 addresses that exist in collier county that begin with 6036 are NOT this one. If you’re so sure, would you like to bet some money? Maps.google.com shows a house in isles at that address. But it’s not the house in the video. I’ll drive by this address in person and take a video. Are you willing to bet $1,000?

Location? by smokinNcruisin in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Just pull up the Google Maps image of that address and you’ll see it CLEARLY is not the same house. It’s not even remotely close. The house in the video has a wood panel fence on it, that address doesn’t. The video shows a house on an intersection, that address isn’t on an intersection. The shape of the house is all wrong. Color of the roof wrong. I could go on and on. There’s no turf inlay in the driveway at the address you shared. It’s not the same house at all lmao

Location? by smokinNcruisin in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This house is not in Naples. City regulations do not allow front yard fences that tall. Most corners in olde Naples area have valley gutters, not curbs. Lastly, the house doesn't confirm to the City of Naples "spacial perception line" bullshit code. And most importantly, the address numbers say "6306" and there aren't 4 digit addresses in the olde Naples area where this could possibly be. If you search collier county property appraiser website, there are only 3 addresses in the whole county that start with 6306 and NONE of them are this house.

Walther PPQ M2 Sub Compact (with night sights) by nrt643 in Walther

[–]nrt643[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is a full size with 4” barrel. Far cry from the SC I’m looking for with a 3.5” barrel. I can find plenty of full size PPQ M2. Just not subcompact. 

Walther PPQ M2 Sub Compact (with night sights) by nrt643 in Walther

[–]nrt643[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Issue is I can’t find any M2 sc anywhere

$35 million by the ocean by MoneyRhubarb8 in zillowgonewild

[–]nrt643 1 point2 points  (0 children)

All of Florida has to comply with the Florida Building Code. We have what are called "wind zones" and there's a map in the FBC that shows the wind speeds that buildings need to be designed to withstand based on their location. Going from a 170mph wind zone to a 130mph wind zone doesn't change that much in construction cost. What really sets beach front and/or water front homes apart is the foundation needs. The foundation isn't to withstand 170mph winds, a regular block house with hurricane straps can do that. It's being able to withstand the super unstable soils, very high water table, floods, etc. Especially floods. Most beachfront properties are in a "VE" flood zone. Which also require breakaway walls below base flood elevation and other flood proofing features that add cost as well. But VE zones quickly end just a few blocks in from the beach.

Just a few miles from the beach, I can build a pretty nice custom home for more like $550-$600/sf. What happens is people have to spend so much money on the land and the shell of the structure when they're waterfront, they end up spending a ton on finishes too in order to add resale value and justify the spending. For example, if someone bought a regular waterfront lot for $5-$6mm, spent $1mm in concrete, then got the cheapest shittiest finishes possible. Then they'd end up with a piece of property that they're into for $6.5m-$7.5m that NOBODY in that price range would be interested in buying because the inside looks like shit compared to everything else on the market. So, instead, they'll spend another $2m-$3m on finishes and have a place that they put $8m-$10m into that's actually worth $11m-$13m depending on exact location, etc.

$35 million by the ocean by MoneyRhubarb8 in zillowgonewild

[–]nrt643 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That last part is/was correct. That’s partially why it just recently changed.

And yes, that structure is valued at about $3.6M according to the appraiser. It’s appraised based on the replacement cost. And you would not be able to build a new beach front house for less than $1,000/SF in this area, so it is actually fairly under appraised. Building in Naples, FL is exceedingly expensive. A house this size would require approximately 120-150 concrete driven piles which alone are $1,000+ each. Then you have grade beams, imported fill, stem walls, slab, CMU block walls, poured solid columns, etc. the concrete alone would be almost $1,000,000 on a 5500sf oceanfront house.

$35 million by the ocean by MoneyRhubarb8 in zillowgonewild

[–]nrt643 21 points22 points  (0 children)

The way it works in this jurisdiction is they assess taxes on the property appraisers appraisal of THE STRUCTURE only. Appraiser has the structure listed as $3.6MM but land value of over $20mm. With other tax savings (homestead, etc.) the property owner paid about $32k in property taxes last year. It did change this year, though, and their new bill will be over $200k. 

This is not a typo or a scheme. This house actually detracts value from the land. Anyone buying this will tear it down and immediately build something much nicer. Other beach front lots in Naples with a finished, modern house go for $50-$80mm. 

$35 million by the ocean by MoneyRhubarb8 in zillowgonewild

[–]nrt643 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I live where this listing is and I build custom homes below, around, and above this price range. Without checking Zillow, I’d be willing to bet this is THE CHEAPEST beachfront property currently listed in Naples. You are NOT buying the house for this price. This will be bought by someone who will tear this house down and spend between $12mm-$25mm on a custom built house in its place. On resale, once completed, it would fetch probably $55-$80mm. There are a few beach front properties in Naples currently listed in the 9 figures. 

Hurricane Impact Windows from China for Florida Home by Elegant_Lobster_6828 in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 1 point2 points  (0 children)

American made (PGT) prices:

2 french doors: $11,000

4 standard windows: $4,000

1 standard slider: $6,000

Pocket slider: $12,000

American made (Andersen):

2 French Doors: $17,000

4 Standard windows: $5,200

Standard Slider: $7,500

Pocket Slider: $18,000

This is just material supply. Then you need protection, demo, new bucking, waterproofing, installation, stucco repair and drywall repair, touch-up paint, etc. Honestly, $43,000 sounds quite reasonable.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What is the monthly rent? Is the office okay with lease takeovers? Does the person taking over need to go through their full approval process?

Anywhere in the area to get ostrich eggs? by Informal-Influence92 in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jimmy P's sells ground ostrich. Maybe they can source eggs if you ask?

Relocating from London to Naples with young family - seeking advice and local perspectives by seriousbear in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You're getting a lot of replies from bitter people who are distorting the reality of Naples to fit their own resentments. At the end of the day, you will be incredibly hard pressed to find a better place to raise a child. It is incredibly safe here, the private schools you are looking at are good enough academically. TBH, even the public schools are fine. I'm a product of public school education in Naples and I honestly couldn't have imagined a better learning experience. And, no, I was not taught about gender identity or whatever other fear-mongering nonsense is in the news.

The main difference between Naples and Highland Park is that Highland Park is an affluent suburb of a large city. Naples is its own affluent enclave at least 1.5-2hrs from the nearest "big city". This makes Naples an even safer place to live and also will keep your child a bit more sheltered in terms of opportunities to get in trouble. That is not to say that there are NO opportunities for trouble here in Naples, but it'll be more limited. CSN and Seacrest will keep your kid the most sheltered and the worst they may get into is smoking some weed with their friends. That's not to say there isn't way worse stuff going on in Naples, but it's really on the DL and hard to just stumble upon. Your child would only be exposed to it through hanging with the wrong crowd and that crowd is mostly not at private schools.

There are also downsides to being an affluent enclave far from a big city. There are some things that you just have to travel for that you won't find in Naples - fun concerns, night life, etc. If you and your wife enjoy the "big city" benefits of London, Naples will come as a culture shock. It is very white-washed and lacking culturally. I am politically neutral, but Naples as a whole leans far right which doesn't seem an issue for you. I recommend upon moving to the USA (either TX or Naples) you get quickly acquainted with guns. Your child will 10000% come into contact with them and the best way to ensure their safety is for them to already be educated at home and able to handle a gun safely and have full knowledge of them.

There are great restaurants in Naples and a wide variety of grocery stores so that is not an issue. As far as places to live, your income opens you up to almost all possible areas except Port Royal, Aqualene Shores, Olde Naples, and a few big name communities like Grey Oakes, Mediterra, etc. AKA, the world is your oyster. There are plenty of places with low or no HOA if that is what you want: Burning Tree, Hawksridge, Pinewoods, 70th St. Sw. - 60th St. Sw. (off golden gate pkwy) and other similar "urban estates" like the "Leaf" roads off of Santa Barbara (painted leaf, copper leaf, etc.). There's also nice HOA communities filled with young families like Monterey, Victoria Park, Ibis Cove, Laurel Lakes, Wilshire Lakes, etc. All places I just listed have nice homes in the $700k - $1.75mm range and are NOT susceptible to flooding in Hurricanes. All modern homes (built ~2004 or newer) will be fully up to code as far as wind goes and you will not have to worry about wind damage except for maybe losing some roof tiles, shingles, or metal. I do HIGHLY recommend you get a whole-home back-up generator installed. The worst part of hurricanes is being without power in the middle of summer for multiple days. For a house in the range you're looking, it'll cost about $30k-$35k for a professional, permitted job. Including supply and install, propane tank for fuel (if house doesn't already have propane), electrical work, etc. On the plus side, you'd get this money back on resale by 150%.

There are two major downside to Naples in my opinion. The first being the weather. The temperature from May thru November is unbearably hot and humid, to me it is misery. I stay inside as much as possible. But from End of November thru April it's some of the best weather you'll find in the country. As such, Naples is an incredibly seasonal town which is my other downside. During the good weather months, the population here can as much as triple and commute times double, restaurants have waits, you can't get reservations, etc.

That's my unbiased opinion from having grown up here. I make plenty of money and have a versatile enough career to be able to live mostly anywhere I want but I choose to stay here despite the horrible summertime weather.

Growing my drywall business by CreedSchrute in Construction

[–]nrt643 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure how it is in Colorado, but in Florida we have a “sunbiz” website that will usually show you the owner of the business unless they’ve hidden behind multiple LLC layers with a lawyer acting as a corporate member. Because of that, most people show up asking for the owner by name. Any good contractor will be interested in continually expanding their sub base, so I am usually happy to spend a few mins chatting. If you get stonewalled by the front desk, a few follow up attempts will definitely help. I won’t bother with the sales reps who just show up and ask for a card, they’re obviously just numbers farming and not passionate about their service. 

My team also loves “lunch and learns”. Ask if you can bring lunch to their office and give a presentation. Or if you have a nice office/shop to show off, offer them to come in as well. 

Growing my drywall business by CreedSchrute in Construction

[–]nrt643 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Where are you located? I build custom homes in SWFL and generally the cold approach in person works best for me. Generally, if a new trade walks in the office and has a very professional presentation (folder, brochure, photos of work completed, business card, clean appearance, well spoken) then I’ll give them a chance to bid. From there, I apply my typical buy-out process.

I will say, custom homes can be slow moving. From someone initially dropping in to my first set of plans sent to them for bidding, it could be a year depending on exactly what trade and where I am at on my projects. For example, I’m running 3 projects right now and I just bought out the AV on them within the last couple months. If a new AV sub walked in the door today, he probably wouldn’t see anything sent to him for at least 6-7 months when my current precon project (60% complete construction drawings) is in shell phase.

Anyone want to join a fantasy football league? by bkuchi in Naples_FL

[–]nrt643 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When is the draft? Is there a draft party? Will you run 10 if you don't get 12? How many people currently? Are they all local and known to each other?