While we all love the idea of building our own homes, sometimes we don’t have the skillset, or desire, to do such a thing. Others of us must continue to work for the first few years while we pay off of the purchase of the land and allow the plantings to take root, and still others of us have a passion for old details that cannot be recreated in today’s environment. Many of us face building without the craftsmen that once lived where we are to support our efforts. Thus, here are a few architectural alternatives for your consideration.
First, for the person with a passion for old houses:
Most countries have at least one and sometimes many organizations that advocate the preservation of historic houses. Many of these organizations wish to save pretty old houses that are threatened by being in the wrong place - surrounded by development and losing the battle of survival. In America, both the National Trust for Historic Presevation and even This Old House Journal routinely list old houses that will be razed and that deserve saving. Most of the houses are free, or nearly free. If you are a) close to any of the old houses and b) can afford the cost of a house mover (Budget about $50 k for the first 1000SF and then and $30k for each additional 1000 SF) and a contractor to build a new foundation and lay out plumbing and electrical, you can have a “new” old home in less than 2 months time in many cases.
Second, if you love old details but want to build a new place, consider salvage. Architectural salvage is often expensive, especially in large boutique cities like Richmond or Santa Fe, where there is an architectural style that predominates, and therefore competition for the materials... the architectural salvage yards price accordingly. But now that Habitat for Humanity and other such organizations are working towards an economy of true recycling, many contractors are bringing their outlets the beautiful and still functional pieces they are removing from high-end homes during renovations. So, architectural pieces are being offered up at much more affordable prices… and your purchase supports the work of building homes for deserving members in your community. Ultra high-end locations have the most luxurious materials. In Vail, for example, it’s even possible to find gilded gold sinks at the Habitat outlet (the selection varies, based on who just renovated their house)! If money is not an issue, you love luxury goods, and still want to make a difference, it’s best to plan a shopping trip and bring a trailer, and visit several locations that have the level of detail you desire.
The last alternative I can offer up here is prefabricated housing. While I do not in any way advocate for the incredibly cost- and energy- inefficient mobile home market, there are now viable alternatives being offered by log cabin companies that are true log cabins, small, affordable, and easy enough to install with a dedicated group of friends. Do yourself a favor though, make sure that you have a contractor involved, as the building codes in the US, and probably everywhere else now, have very stringent rules for the safety and welfare of those occupants in residential structures, and if your county or town requires a permit, they can deny your occupancy and make you tear all or parts of the house down and start over if you do not follow these rules.
