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Ozarker
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2014 20:37
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Yes, I'm new. my first post
There is nothing like building your own home and the pride of ownership. Not everyone can do that.
I was just thinking that in the fair weather months, there might be a solution to help others and have a vacation at the same time.
I was active with Habitat for Humanity, so I stealing the idea of volunteers traveling to a build site.
While you might get some to volunteer under certain circumstances, an owner could pay for some labor, and keep, meals and a place to stay for a group to do a build. If we can build a 3 bdr in 3 days we could build a tiny house in 3 days!
Even if there was an experience crew that got paid, an owner could do better on site in a short period of time rather than hiring locals that can be hard to find for small jobs during the construction seasons.
I could pitch in next year, it will take some time to set some parameters, materials on hand, coordination if permits are involved, etc. but I bet there are lots of folks who could use some help and can't go a general contractor route. I'd consider it a vacation and since I'm retired I guess I have the time, LOL.
Any suggestions, comments, ideas or other remarks?
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Ozarker
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2014 22:32
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29 views and no response tells me I may have done something wrong.
I do see the commercial side offering plans, etc. is this idea stepping on any toes of commercial builders? Excuse if it does, thought of helping as neighbors do.
I'm also seeing a more rustic flavor here as opposed to tiny homes, I like it, but maybe we have more weekenders than homesteaders, don't know.
Let me know if I messed up, thanks. 
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Don_P
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2014 22:46
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I was a travelling contractor for about 12 years back when codes were much more lenient, even at that I ended up having to get licensed in 4 states and ran under radar in a few others. That is a good bit harder to do nowadays and the fines can be pretty severe. In some states if you contract to do work, even if you do not call or consider yourself the GC, they consider you the GC and will prosecute as if you are contracting without a license. The definition of a contract is simply offer and acceptance, a very broad brush with which to be tarred. It's kind of funny, back in the day I needed to be pretty familiar with 3 model codes and state variations. Now there is one model code with individual state variations but there is still no reciprocity between states. I don't agree with our system of licensure, just a warning to tread carefully.
In disaster relief work they sometimes streamline the process although that takes a good bit of the vacation aspect out of it.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2014 23:37
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Ozarker, people don't visit this site daily. I may, but most, a day or 2. I just seen your post. I would of considered it at one point. I did hire a builder, who was semi retired, I paid him $40 an hour. It took us 9 days with about 6-7 hours a day max. His bones and joints were too sore by then and so was mine. We had a dried in shell in 9 days. Just 2 of us. I had a hard time finding anyone. Fortunately I kind of knew this guy. And enjoyed being on site, especially when changes were made to the design.
I'm certain you could find someone who would like to have help in building a shell.
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ChuckDynasty
Member
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2014 10:48
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Here is a group build workshop in VT
http://www.vermonttinyhouses.com/tiny-house-workshops.html
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Ozarker
Member
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2014 18:51
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Okay, great, I didn't mess up really badly.
In about every state there are exceptions to contracting and agency law issues, it falls under non-profit corporations and associations, where a group cam volunteer and receive contributions or minimal expenses as the indemnification of expenses. This is how H for H and other housing non-profits operate. It's not that codes don't have to be met, but the workers are exempt and liability coverage is limited, the owner builds as the general contractor. A homeowner can avoid many of the contracting issues. However, electrical, plumbing, HVAC may require a contractor to sign off on the work.
Yes, there needs to be planning and coordination for such regulated areas, someone can guide the homeowner through those requirements prior to setting up the build.
This may not be for everyone, just thinking that, according to "Tiny Homes" another site, most owners are single women 50+ years old who are single. No, I'm not getting ideas, just that such folks probably can't build a place and many are stressed economically to get it done.
Just an idea, I just need an excuse for a vacation.
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travcojim
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2014 09:04
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Sounds like a good plan to me, I would let someone stay on my property and help me get a place in the dry. I am leaning towards a pole cabin but just never have the time to get started. Arkansas Ozarks here...
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countryred
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2014 11:07
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Welcome to the site............
Sounds like a good plan Ozarker. The good news is building codes in our cabin area are pretty simple. Just about the only thing to have to have signed off on is septic.
Our plan is to have someone put us up a shell and we will finish 90 % of the inside ourselves. We would be more the homesteader than a weekender, since it would be a permanent residence.
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Snuffy
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# Posted: 17 Aug 2014 12:15
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Ozarker, I am interested in this idea. I too am retired. We own property in Ozark Co, Mo. I plan on building there soon and would welcome the opportunity to help out someone else in exchange for the experience. Maybe those of us with property in that neck of the woods could swap labor, etc. That could be a start on your idea. I could donate a week here and there throughout the year.
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