Anyone built 5000sq ft?

B

bats

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Hi,

just submitted plans on Thursday for house of 5000 sq ft (includes garage). It sounds scary just mentioning the size! Husband wants to move our growing family back to Ireland and we want to build as big as we can now to aviod having to extend in the future.

Just wondered if anyone else had built this big before? Did you have problems with planning?? what build method did you use, block, timber, ICF?? What price per sq ft did you achieve?? What method of heating did you go for?

Any info much appreciated (first time self-builders!)

Cheers

Bats
 
Don't know where the house is, but build costs range from about 130 to 200 per sq ft around ireland. So if that house is in Dublin it could cost you a million.:)

This thread might be of interest.
 
I know its under €100 sq.ft in Kilkenny county. In fact, my brother is currently building an extension for 80eur sq.ft, from a local builder. Thisis not some local newbie, but a builder with decades of experience, with good rep and ALWAYS busy. Theres a lot of competition out there at the moment.
 
Never mind the build cost .........

Will you have to take out a mortgage to heat it in winter ?
 
At that size I'd be looking to maximise insulation properties and passive heating possibilities. And I would certainly try not to be dependent on oil or gas for heating. Find a good architect with an interest in such technologies, is my advice. And it's a big size for a self build, you might consider finding a builder.
 
Very valid points raised above. I've seen some new builds of that scale in recent times and my own feelings would be:

1. Do you really need that much space, what you are proposing is almost 3- 4 times bigger than the average suburban family home. ("grant sized" house was 1350 sq. ft.)

2. The heating and lighting requirements of a building that size are very considerable notwithstanding the ongoing maintenance costs.
 
Having built biggish (but only just over half the 5,000), you have to remember that bigger means more of everything, more paint, more carpet, more patio slabs, more furniture. Every bit bigger you make it means that cost like the above multiply.

I'd have though you'd need to be in the 'money no object' category to build, furnish and maintain that size.
 
To state the obvious - 5000 sq ft is huge! Was recently in a house of 3300sq ft and you would need a massive family to use even that much space!

Don't forget every sq ft needs cleaning!

As regards the 'grant-sized house', in Ireland, you are exempt from stamp duty on a new house under 1350sq ft if you are a first time buyer or owner occupier. The now defunct first time buyer's grant of €3000 was also paid in these circumstances - I assume that's what Carpenter meant?
 
Don't forget they're moving from the States, where 6,000 sq ft is now de rigeur among certain classes. :)

Was in a 6,000 sq. ft. "English Country Cottage" in North Carolina a couple of years back. It was pretty hilarious actually.
 
Another thing to consider if you do go ahead and build that big is the implications if/when you come to sell. A house that size is significantly limiting the potential market, a house that size in the wrong area may be imposible to sell, especially once the energy efficiency ratings come into play.
 
In addition to the posts highlighting maintenance costs, have you considered how much it'll cost to finish the house?
We got a builder's finish, but the amount of work and money tiling, painting, carpets, buying furniture etc... should also be considered.

Building seemed to be the cheap part!

(Opps!, didn't see 's post. Worth repeating anyway :D)
 
extopia said:
Don't forget they're moving from the States, where 6,000 sq ft is now de rigeur among certain classes. :)

Was in a 6,000 sq. ft. "English Country Cottage" in North Carolina a couple of years back. It was pretty hilarious actually.
Click to expand...

Ah So !

Something like this then :

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=238373



If the plan is to live in it "For The Rest of Your Life" then do make certain that you design it with as few steps / stairs as possible. Also, no narrow doors.
 
Janey! If it costs between 130 and 200 per square foot to build a house, our builder must have taken a right hit in selling it to us. Really feel sorry for him now :-S
 
MsGinger said:
As regards the 'grant-sized house', in Ireland, you are exempt from stamp duty on a new house under 1350sq ft if you are a first time buyer or owner occupier. The now defunct first time buyer's grant of €3000 was also paid in these circumstances - I assume that's what Carpenter meant?
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I meant- the area figure is still relevant in that a Floor Area Certificate (for Stamp duty purposes) is still issued based on the magic figure of 125 sq. m.
 
hi Bats

I too have just got planning for 5000sq ft house. We current live in a 1800sq st so i guess we will find a hugh difference. Did you start building yet and did you decide what heating system you will use for that size. I quite like my comfort and heat so i cannot decide what type of system to use for that size of house. Would love to hear how you are getting on with the build?
 
I built a 4500sq foot house.
Self built - direct labour.
cost about 250,000 to build. another 150,000 to decorate.
Remember builders costs only cover the shell - not the decoration.
Use an engineer if you have your own ideas and intuition.

You are right to go big - especially if you can go tall. The space on the ground is very expensive indeed but the the space above is free. For instance site value in South Dublin cost far more than building costs so relatively speaking the cost of extra floors will seem not so big in context.

I found the planners receptive to a big house if its in a new estate of individually built houses, and if you go contermporay.

You will find a lot of miserly people on these boards who will condem you for building a big house. Ignore them. Those people do not believe in living their lives for enjoyment.
 
MsGinger said:
To state the obvious - 5000 sq ft is huge! Was recently in a house of 3300sq ft and you would need a massive family to use even that much space!
Click to expand...


It might be huge in cubic capcaity but small in room numbers if the design is contemporay with few large double height rooms.
 
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