HOW TO DESIGN AND BUILD YOUR OWN CUSTOM HOME
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Is designing and building your own custom home one of the items on your bucket list? It was the top item on our list.
In fact, a couple of years ago, my wife and I decided to go ahead with our dream. This is the house that we designed and built.
The idea may sound overwhelming, but we took a logical, step-by-step process that helped us reach our goal.
Each step was bite-sized and doable, and we are here to help you through the same process and achieve the same dream.
The format is going to be a series of free, weekly blog posts and videos along with some painless homework assignments.
The first series of blog posts/videos will help you act as your own Architect.
The next set will help you act as your own General Contractor.
The next set will focus on going through the process as more of a business…an extremely profitable ‘side-hustle’.
Hi, my name is Steve Workman. Although this was the first house that I built for myself and my own family, I have been involved professionally in the homebuilding industry for the last fifty years.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture, I’ve worked primarily as a Residential Designer. I have had a varied career, also working as a Production Manager for a regional homebuilder and a Project Manager for a commercial real estate developer. In addition, I have worked as a framing carpenter, done land acquisition work for a billionaire investor, performed feasibility studies and inspections for a construction lender, and worked as an Owner’s Rep on construction projects for a foreign embassy. I have had both my Virginia State Class ‘A’ Contractor and Real Estate Sales licenses.
I am currently at the stage of my career when I find myself looking back to see how much of an impact I’ve made in life and how I could have helped more people.
To be completely transparent, I’ve done some work that I’m proud of, but could have accomplished more.
I have realized that my scattered resume has given me a unique talent…a working knowledge of just about every step of the home building process.
That’s why I am putting together this series of free blog posts and videos…to help as many people as possible obtain their dream.
The plan is to come out with a new post on the ‘design-build’ process once a week in a logical sequence to walk you through the steps.
I am also planning to post other blog posts/videos randomly throughout the week on subjects such as ‘Infill Development’, writing Proformas, Feasibility Studies, Budgets, etc.
Please sign up for my mailing list to get this more detailed information on both new blog posts and YouTube videos as they come out. (We promise to keep your information private and safe.)
* Other topics on the agenda:
* Structuring all this as a ‘side hustle’…(or full-time business.)
* Spec vs. Custom design and building a house that sells. Design for the demographic instead of for specific people.
* ‘Build for Rent’ single family design
* Drawing your own set of plans, beginning with ‘old school’ pencil and paper techniques, and moving on to modern CAD and Sketchup 3D software
* Please note that all conversations will reference both Imperial and Metric measurements.
* Vernacular and Haptic design considerations.
* Stealthy design – secret stairways and hidden rooms.
* also…I plan to sprinkle in a couple of ‘Purple Cow’ projects, just to keep things fun. 🙂
