From House To Homestead – Update

Hi FHTH Family! I feel I need to be better at writing updates and blog posts in 2024 to keep you updated about what is going on with out exciting acreage build (if you don’t know what I am talking about, here is the announcement!) A few things have changed concerning our plan with the build but we are still very excited to get things started very soon. Let me update you first on what HAS happened up to this point since we purchased.

WE BUILT A ROAD

To move things forward, our RM required we build a road before the approval of anything (we also needed a road to get a land location address and a PO Box to switch our address over to so it had to happen sooner than later). Is there much to say about it, not really, it’s a road but definitely makes it feel more real.

WE PUT IN A WELL

We’ve gotten lots of questions as to why we would go the route of well water verse bringing in city water and to honest, the pros outweigh any potential cons. Installing a well water system is a smart move for many reasons:

1. Sustainability: Well water comes from natural underground sources replenished by rainfall, making it a reliable and sustainable choice.
2. Cost-Efficiency: While there’s an initial investment, the long-term savings on water bills and maintenance costs make it a financially savvy option.
3. Water Quality: Well water is free from the pollutants often found in municipal water supplies, offering clean and fresh water straight from the source.
4. Independence: With well water, you gain control over your water supply, reducing reliance on external infrastructure and ensuring consistent access.

First, you have to locate a water source. Thankfully for us, we found it on the first try and very close to the house. This well is 60ft in the ground and will be a great source for our home and for our garden and other acreage ventures.

WE ARE NOW THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR

You read that right. If you remember, we were planning to go with a builder till lock-up and then we would take over. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the home builder and us agreed it was best to move forward on our own while they navigated a few things within their business. We truly wish them the best and hope things get sorted out in their favour. With that said, we are now managing this build – from start to finish. We have been spending the last few weeks finalizing our build plans with the draftsman and gathering quotes from trades to go back to the bank with for a builders loan. Although this situation isn’t ideal, in the long run, it’ll save us money not having to pay a commission to a builder or general when Brock already understands the home building world and order of operations. While he managed the bank and quotes, I have been working hard going to showrooms, checking out products, and getting each space figured out to help make this process move smoother.

The question I get asked most is what’s our budget and how much does it cost to build a house. To be honest, the budget question is up in the air right now while we finalize quotes from companies and I will be able to update soon but from what we are seeing currently, $180- $197/sq ft is average to build (not through a builder who will raise that with their commission). It comes down to the material, structure, roof pitch, and any other features that can drive up or down the cost.

WHAT’S NEXT?

So what’s next? Once we get our numbers to the bank and get approval of the build and septic plan from the RM/county, it’ll be time to break ground (loud cheering!!). We hope this will be mid April to beginning of May at the latest. In the meantime, I’m continuing to work on friend’s spaces and plan out each space in our home. I appreciate the continued support and love how invested everyone has been in this build and I can’t wait to get started! In a few weeks. I am going to start sharing a little more about the design process and costs so if building a home is in your future, you can be prepared!

If you have questions for the next update, leave them below and I’d love to answer them or include them in the next post! Be sure to follow along on Instagram for the latest updates and sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss anything! Talk soon!