We bought a section - We actually saw this land on the internet

[pleccy2000]

That's a tricky one to answer. We couldn't have bought our home to be in the location we wanted on the size plot we have for what we're spending.

So it sounds like it was cheaper to buy land + build a house rather than just purchase a normal property. That has got me thinking now....!

I was looking at that a1 homes website and you can get a house built for $50-$100k dollars - that's about £40k? Seems good value!

There must be laods of other costs? for example - what about making that land in to a garden with grass, fences, pathways etc after the house is built? What about 'joining' your house to a road? Getting all the utilites attache to your house? I guess the government need to create a new address for you and assign a house number etc...

[Sam B]

Hmmm, I'm not sure that it usually is cheaper to buy a plot of land and build your own. It certainly won't be for us. You do it more to get the house of your dreams in the location of your choice I think.

[Dave in NZ]

Hmmm, I'm not sure that it usually is cheaper to buy a plot of land and build your own. It certainly won't be for us. You do it more to get the house of your dreams in the location of your choice I think.

This is a very difficult question to answer as it all depends on what you want to put into your house.
The house we are having built is going to have everything we want in it ( Double glazing, air filtration,solar panels etc)
To get a house of the same size and standard in Auckland North Shore would cost an absolute fortune. When our house is built we can add on at least $300 K to the price immediately. I would say to get the house exactly the way you want it, it would be cheaper than buying the equivalent. Also do not forget, not many houses already built have double glazing, Sufficient insulation( Although that is improving) Solar panels, adequate heating systems ( With good insulation, heating should not be too much of a problem)

Dave and Caroline

[Lupin]

So it sounds like it was cheaper to buy land + build a house rather than just purchase a normal property. That has got me thinking now....!

I was looking at that a1 homes website and you can get a house built for $50-$100k dollars - that's about £40k? Seems good value!

There must be laods of other costs? for example - what about making that land in to a garden with grass, fences, pathways etc after the house is built? What about 'joining' your house to a road? Getting all the utilites attache to your house? I guess the government need to create a new address for you and assign a house number etc...

Pleccy, I thikn you might be looking at the kitset price there. The build price is about 2.5 times the kitset price (ish).

Other costs for us included

• rainwater tanks, filter, UV treatment
• waste water treatment (better than septic tank)
• track to house (from road to land was included in land purchase)
• connecting electricity
• connecting phone
• heating
• fencing (land is well fenced with sheep grade but we're dividing it up)
• shedding
• floor covering (not included in A1 price)
• landscaping and plants

The build will cost us about what the house will be worth but there weren't any houses in this price bracket there.

[marcia]

Looks great Lupin, the land and views are amazing.

Couldn't quite make it out on your plans - but hope your 'house' toilet (I still call ours the downstairs loo - even though we are on one level - derrrrrrrr!) has a hand basin in it!! This was a real bug bear of mine when we were looking at houses, the estate agents couldn't understand my moans, they'd say but theres a sink in the bathroom next door, yep but you still have to open the toilet door with dirty hands to go next door, and what if someone else in in there - well you could use the kitchen sink -NOOOOOOOOOOO!!

So i hope you've managed to squeeze one in!!

[nickydwuk]

Pleccy, I thikn you might be looking at the kitset price there. The build price is about 2.5 times the kitset price (ish).

Other costs for us included

• rainwater tanks, filter, UV treatment
• waste water treatment (better than septic tank)
• track to house (from road to land was included in land purchase)
• connecting electricity
• connecting phone
• heating
• fencing (land is well fenced with sheep grade but we're dividing it up)
• shedding
• floor covering (not included in A1 price)
• landscaping and plants

The build will cost us about what the house will be worth but there weren't any houses in this price bracket there.

When you say the build price is 2.5 the kitset price do you mean that for example if the kitset is $70k then the total build including the kitset is $175k or is that just the cost to build and the kitset price is on top?

[swissmissdesigner]

Lupin77: Can you just clarify the total cost of this A1 home?
I am wondering....
Thanks a lot!

Anna

[Lupin]

It is a totally flat paddock with two Totara trees but it has gorgeous views and is bordered on two sides by bush. The vendor invited us up for morning tea and when I got out the car she threw her arms around me and declared herself thrilled and excited for us. I believed her She is a wonderful person

[Lupin]

The next bit was S-L-O-W. Getting the plans modified and drawn up, the company franchise being sold and various other complications meant I don't think we got our permit for another 3 months or so. In the mean time we set to getting the track to where we wanted to site the house done (by a 'colourful local character and his wife' team, lol!), getting electricity from the roadside to our house site and deciding on water tanks (rain water collection with buried tanks, various filters and UV), etc, etc. One can easily get choice fatigue doing this sort of project, as I realised one day stood in the field with visiting in-laws chewing over the dilemma of where to site it and me thinking I no longer cared where the house went, I just wanted to go to the beach The vendors were true to their word and had a sterling job done on the access track (with a little help from our youngest, lol) and even put a gate in for us.

[willsken]

Lupin I'm so glad it's all through. It's a fantastic spot and you will surely be very happy there.

Sorry to hi jack but our land went through this week after a nearly 2 year wait. We know how happy you feel! Have a frozen banana or 2!