Inspired by the spend the $100K thread... building a second home.

[AtlantaBob]

This was inspired by the "what would you do if you had $100K to spend thread." Lots of people were practical saying save or pay down a mortgage, debt, etc. Some of us would buy land out in the country.

If you were suddenly given 3 (rural/mountainous/lake front) acres and $100K to spend on a house (your total budget, mind you) what would you build? This does NOT have to be your main residence, unless you want it to be.

Would you just put up a shell frame of a house and fill it with flat screen TVs? Would you make it your own type of bat-cave/fortress of solitude, or would you make it a invite-all-the-friends-and-family vacation pad that's overflowing with bedrooms, but little else? How rural would you go? One hour drive away from your current house? Somewhere in the middle of Montana? All of the real-life considerations apply -- e.g., if you put it out in the middle of nowhere, it's likely that you won't get to it more than 2 times a year.

Remember, you only have $100K (plus the land) so you have to be relatively frugal.

Just curious.

 

[Ika]

man cave.

 

[Patranus]

Land/Home ownership is a liability not an investment.

I would sell the acres and then pocket the money.

 

[skyking]

I have the lot already, it is a scant block off the ocean. I'd build a concrete 16' first floor garage with a poured slab on top, and build my single story residence on that. From that elevation I get good views of the ocean.
The high garage would accommodate RV parking and also get up high enough for the view. I really don't like multi-story houses so the living space would be just that one floor, with maybe a loft for overflow. It would be set up for hosting, invite all the friends and family.
I would install an inclined platform lift for access.
http://www.garaventalift.com/wheelchair-lifts/

The concrete construction of the first floor, walls and the upper floor would burn up $35,000, leaving 65K to finish what would be a slab-on-grade with a few selected decks. I would do all the work with the exception of the flatwork and I'd need help with the tall wall forms.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Build a house out of bud light.

 

[MetalMat]

Build a house out of bud light.

Hahaha

 

[AreaCode707]

This is the view from the 20 acre property we're purchasing:

I'm at work right now so I don't have immediate access to the floorplans for the house we're putting on it. Unfortunately I think we'll be exceeding your $100k threshold.

 

[DrPizza]

100k? I'd build one hell of a nice house. It'd probably take a good 3 years for me to complete it though. That's 100k in materials, because I don't think there are any components that I or my sons couldn't do. And, I'm pretty good at finding quality components that aren't charged a premium because of a particular brand name. i.e. I can get the kitchen cabinets custom made from the local Amish. They can meet or exceed the quality of most brands on the market for a fraction of the price.

 

[edro]

Party barn and pond.

 

[Firsttime]

If I'm not bothering with a cement foundation I can do it all myself. So for 100k I could build a pretty decent cabin. Probably an open 1st floor centered around a nice wood stove. With a room or two off on the side, then a loft style second floor. Then the rest would go into self sufficiency stuff, solar powered shit, gardening stuff, and guns to kill animals with. Obviously this needs to be really far away from anyone who would stick their nose into my business. Just me and the supermodel wife.

 

[Ika]

This is the view from the 20 acre property we're purchasing:

I'm at work right now so I don't have immediate access to the floorplans for the house we're putting on it. Unfortunately I think we'll be exceeding your $100k threshold.

nice view! Is that ocean water or a lake? and is the pic taken on ground level?

 

[PingSpike]

Land/Home ownership is a liability not an investment.

I would sell the acres and then pocket the money.

Pretty much agree. I don't want additional property, only maybe improvements to my current one or perhaps I'd move to a better one instead.

 

[AreaCode707]

nice view! Is that ocean water or a lake? and is the pic taken on ground level?

Lake, and yeah, I took the shot standing on the dirt where the house will be someday. The view will be even nicer when we take a few live oaks down and build the house up.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Well, I'd probably sell the land, and use the proceeds to buy more ...Ideally 40-50 wooded acres. Then I'd build an inexpensive 2-3 bedroom ranch house/cottage with a basement and if there's any money leftover a garage/pole barn with room for at least 2 cars, snowmobiles, and a small workshop....

Or, if the 3 acres was close enough to work, that I could live there full time, I'd spend the 100K building a 2 car garage attached to a ranch house with a big kitchen, big living room, 2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms on the ground floor. The basement would be finished to have a bathroom, bedroom, and a home theater (approx 20 feed wide by 30 or so feet long) as well as the unfinished laundry area.

I'd build it with a steeply pitched roof, and build a proper staircase to get to the unfinished attic. The attic of the house and garage could be finished into living space if I ever needed more room down the road ... but not initially....

Then I'd sell my current house, and live mortgage free ....

 

[AreaCode707]

Well, I'd probably sell the land, and use the proceeds to buy more ...Ideally 40-50 wooded acres. Then I'd build an inexpensive 2-3 bedroom ranch house/cottage with a basement and if there's any money leftover a garage/pole barn with room for at least 2 cars, snowmobiles, and a small workshop....

Or, if the 3 acres was close enough to work, that I could live there full time, I'd spend the 100K building a 2 car garage attached to a ranch house with a big kitchen, big living room, 2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms on the ground floor. The basement would be finished to have a bathroom, bedroom, and a home theater (approx 20 feed wide by 30 or so feet long) as well as the unfinished laundry area.

I'd build it with a steeply pitched roof, and build a proper staircase to get to the unfinished attic. The attic of the house and garage could be finished into living space if I ever needed more room down the road ... but not initially....

Then I'd sell my current house, and live mortgage free ....

Your username is at odds with your plans.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Your username is at odds with your plans.

Well, one thing's for sure ... the land would be in an unincorporated area, and I would have a fire pit in the back yard for bonfires

That's one thing I don't ever want to give up!

 

[spidey07]

I would build something on a nice lake nearby to use as a weekend getaway home. Log cabin with a boat dock.

 

[AreaCode707]

Well, one thing's for sure ... the land would be in an unincorporated area, and I would have a fire pit in the back yard for bonfires

That's one thing I don't ever want to give up!

Our current house is in unincorporated county. We had the high school youth group over for a Christmas party and they very much liked the 30+ foot bonfire my husband made. When I was a teen in Mendocino County our youth leaders used to do grease bombs in their horse arena.

 

[oogabooga]

It'd be pretty sparse for me. I'd built it to accommodate multiple families so it'd have more bedrooms, but nothing particularly impressive about each room. A larger living room, a patio, outdoor BBQ, and hopefully : a jacuzzi somewhere. I imagine just that would break the 100k threshold though.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Our current house is in unincorporated county. We had the high school youth group over for a Christmas party and they very much liked the 30+ foot bonfire my husband made. When I was a teen in Mendocino County our youth leaders used to do grease bombs in their horse arena.

Nice ...
My house is on a small lot (under 1/4 acre), my fire pit is only like 4 feet in diameter ... big enough for small bonfires ... It gets a lot of use
I'd like a bigger lot, but the reality is, A small ranch house (my current home is about 900 sq foot, with another 900 sq feet in the basement, about 400 of it finished currently) on a small lot where I live ... can be had for under 200K (assuming needs some work), a similar house on 2 or 3 acres of land near where I live, would go for 400K+ .. and it's simply outside of what I'd spend on a house....


For 30+ foot bonfires I have to go to my grandmother's house .... she's on an acre and a half up in NE Wisconsin (Door County Peninsula))

 

[AtlantaBob]

Well, one thing's for sure ... the land would be in an unincorporated area, and I would have a fire pit in the back yard for bonfires

That's one thing I don't ever want to give up!

Yeah, that does sound like a good thing. You can always go a LOT more interesting things when you don't have to deal with building code folks....

Anyhow, thanks to everyone who contributed to the thread -- as someone who got a random degree in Architectural History/Theory, I'm always interested in what people would like in their own little enclave.