Cob: finishing projects, truths about owner-builders

[D.J. Henman]

Amanda,

Amanda Peck wrote:.......... snipped...

> I'm delighted to see people on this list start with "Oh, wow, free 
> house" then go through the soul-searching, the planning and the building.

Why are you delighted that people are deluding themselves?  That's a 
little rash perhaps.  But, assume that they quit work, or don't seek 
gainful employment, to build the house, then they would loose those 
wages which they would otherwise have earned.   This lost wages is the 
cost of  labor for building the structures.   In some cases it would be 
cheaper to hire someone to build it for you.  Though one would miss a 
lot of the fun, pain, joy and drudgery incurred in building a structure. 
Additionally, the cost of the land is a factor, as a house can't be 
built in the sky yet.   Not to mention the cost of fixtures, pipes, 
plumbing, wires, wiring, sewers, etc.

I think it would be better to let people know the real cost, that 
letting them think that it'll be free.  Now the cost of the soil is low, 
but you have to own the land, and if not you might have to import the 
right soil at a probably low cost of it plus, there will be a 
transportation cost.

The best situation is  when people approach each project with a 
realistic idea of what they are about to encounter so as to not be 
discouraged by finding out that there are real costs and time and labor 
constraints, not to mention potential governmental, i.e., building 
regulations, problems which must be dealt with in one way or another.

Darel