Any of you build your own home?

Hey Guys, something a little lighter. Just wondering if any of you guys have built your own homes since a lot of you have a vast knowledge of construction. If so, post em up!

Here’s mine, still not finished yet, but getting there.

It’s beautiful.

Rhodes island Greece

home.jpg

I moved to a mobile home and built my first house when I was 23; it was a 5 year project all while holding a full time job.

I did everything except the electrical and plumbing rough-in, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and concrete floor in basement and garage.

Thats a beaut Wayne!
Where did you come up with design?

Built a number of homes and renovated many more but never built my own from ground up.

I am in the process of finishing up the complete build out/renovation of the loft I live in here in downtown Bmore.
3700 sq. ft. with great city views

Its part of a 66K 4 story warehouse from 1904 I’m part owner of.
My other 4 partners also live in lofts here and we rent out about 20
some studios to artists, woodworkers etc.
Before we bought it 14 years ago a bunch of different businesses had used it.
I love city life! :slight_smile:

Nice Thomas. I love the City too but I can’t do the property taxes. That is why I’m a county man.

Thanks Nick! Means a lot coming form you.

Thanks Thomas, I designed it, it’s pretty basic, however it took me 19 revisions before I got to what’s there now. The plans that I submitted for the building permit were very different from what’s there now. Thankfully the building inspector and I have always had a great relationship and he didn’t ever bother me about it. I always just wanted to build a simple English cottage looking home with some Greek elements to it, so that’s what I came up with.

Do you have any pictures of the warehouse? I think it’s so cool when people honor historical architecture by making practical use of it rather than tear it down.

The other two houses posted in this thread are very nice, it’s great so see all the regional differences in architecture, design and materials. Hope there are some more coming to this thread!

I like a lot of ventilation.

Looks really good Wayne.

They all look great. Frank what do you keep in there?

Chickens

I kinda figured it wasn’t the wife and kids. :smiley:

I’ll get some pics together next couple days Wayne!

Ok here are a few shots of the warehouse, we bought it about 14 years ago for a song, was a scary street back then.

It’s a total of 66 thousand sq.ft. built around 1904 with a couple back building added in the 20’s and 30’s. There is an older section made of stone that goes back to the 1840’s. Back then there was the Albion Brewery, a beer garden and brewmasters house on the site. Underground there are 2 large stone vaulted rooms where they lagered the beer.

Many many companies have used the building. telephone, industrial equipment, marine upholstery etc.
We purchased it from a shade and blind manufacturer who pretty much just wanted to get rid of it.

The area is transforming rapidly after declining for decades.
In the past 5 years about 50 million in new buildings or massive renovations have happened. Another large warehouse was redone into an arts high school, a subsidized artist housing building built and others…
And thats just in 4 blocks on our street as it’s only 4 blocks long.

Many houses in the neighborhood are being gut/renovated.
I never expected it but somehow my partners and I would up
being coming mini developers and instigators in this rebirth.
It’s actually occurring in a wider area here and shows no signs
of slowing unless the economy tanks again.

We helped get it going but I also realise we are very, very lucky.

1st pic is our building, we have yet to restore the facade.
2nd is the Baltimore Design School across the street.
3rd are some new townhomes built a couple years ago. Look like they belong in Venice Beach!

Here are a few more.

First a shot of what we call the courtyard but is really a loading dock in the middle of the buildings.

2nd is inside one of the 2 back buildings where they manufactured industrial equipment

Last is inside my place of dining room table, windows face south with great city views!

Thats awesome Thomas! I love the interior of your home; the high ceilings, the brick and the transom windows are amazing. Do you have an elevator to get to your portion of the building? The art studio was done nicely as well. The town homes are a little contemporary for me, but oh well, whatever brings more people to your area is good for you. Gentrification is the early investors dream. Thanks for sharing your story and pictures, sounds like a very exciting adventure. I wish I had 1/100th of the storage space that you have, lol.

Thanks Wayne, I love living here.
Lots of blood, sweat and tears but it was worth it to get to this point!

Did all the wiring myself, plumbing done with a great master plumber, put in the windows, doors, walls etc. etc. with various friends and helpers.

Elevator you bet, 5000 lbs. capacity, 8’ square. You could drive a mini cooper into it.
Funny you mention the storage, the older I get the less stuff I want to have.
I just keep paring things down to just what I need.

I know what you mean about the townhomes, they are completely different from anything else around. But the same company that did them also renovated all the slumlord properties across the street, see below.
Not bad eh?

I agree about less stuff. :slight_smile:

Very nice looking building, Thomas! I’m glad it worked out for you guys. :smiley:

Thanks Larry!
Hoping we can spruce up the facade in the coming years.
It used to have much larger windows in the front.

Trust me, I’m a minimilist as well, however 10 years in the construction industry acquires a lot of staging, trailers and equipment… It’s too valuable to get rid of and not worth enough to sell, if you know what i mean.