im 40 y old and for videos like this is the reason i thank the invention of the internet.. so thoughtful, feels like im back in college listening to my teachers.. i can listen to you all day, thanks for sharing.. im a big fan
As an electrician, I try to convince customers that installing extra empty conduits for stuff they want in the future is a really good idea. Some refuse, some get it.
I was so happy to find out the somewhat older home I bought had empty conduits installed when I wanted to run Cat6 throughout my house! It made it so much easier.
HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical aspects during design are things many home builders don't consider up front. A design with input from ALL those subs _in the same room_ *during* design can save thousands and also avoid conflicts during construction. The plumber can look at a design and usually suggest areas for simplification and areas of importance (e.g. DWV routing). Same for the HVAC. The electrical typically goes beyond outlets and panel sizing, but also may involve home automation, solar, alarm systems, etc. Even items like a sprinkler system can have a payoff in 3-5 years if designed in.
Scott please make more of these, I can listen to you for hours. I'm from the Caribbean but my next trip to the states, I have to get to Oregon, say thank you in person and shake your hand.
I tried to stay close to the comp, but with energy costs down here in Texas, I opted for 2X6 wall joists and have been happily rewarded for that choice.
At different times in his life my dad was a carpenter, contractor and a realtor. He gave the same advice as you just did. Which confirms my opinion that education is important, but not as valuable as experience! 🙂 Thanks for the great videos!
As a builder myself, you couldn't have explained all of this any better. I have incorporated majority of the points mentioned in describing the process for all of my custom builds. I Love the channel!
No less than I'd expect from the Essential Craftsman. One day soon, I'll drive through Roseburg Oregon, and I'll heartily shake your hand. This may be the most thoughtful video in your series. P.S. My brother wears his "Essential Craftsman" hoodie to work every day at his Sears Hometown (he's the owner), despite his "Meh" reaction (he'd never heard of you) to receiving it at Christmas. He wears it EVERY DAY. I assume he finally discovered your channel, but don't care enough to ask him. He's a craftsman too, but he's a prick.
Can I just say, as a carpenter from the uk, you are honestly the only person on TH-cam that I watch and genuinely take note! It’s mainly on integrity and willingness to learn. You remind me of my old project manager who would NEVER be pissed off no matter how much I messed up. Really pragmatic guy. Made me who I am today. I partly watch you because it reminds me of him but that is such a compliment as he was such a nice and clever guy. Thank you for your videos I wish I could spend a day working with you but il have to settle for you tube 👍🏻
Spot on. If you plan to build, listen to Scott. We built in 2001-2002 and everything he says here was exactly true, 2,000 miles away. I designed the house--dreamed about it for 10 years, planned it for 2 or 3, drew the plans myself, tried to foresee every issue, and as Scott said, "lived in" the house on paper for months, checking function and practicality. Good thing, too, because we caught a lot of errors. The only design regrets are the placement of a few light switches because our traffic patterns ended up different than we anticipated, too few closets (at least for us packrats), and one room a bit too rectangular. We took the plans to an architect before shopping for a general contractor, who affirmed our work. Completion through framing indeed cost 20% of the total, and drywall came halfway, accompanied by a big delay due to wet weather. We have 39 windows (rural property), but none are big expensive units and most are sized alike, which saved framing cost. We did save a lot of money by keeping an interesting but simple roof and keeping interior floors, finish and trim modest (while most homes in our area are so extravagant that the paint and trim subcontractors were taken aback by what we DIDN'T want). We spent more in the kitchen, as it's the important work area. In total, we thought like Scott speaks, going for square footage rather than luxury, and we came in for about $10 per square foot less than anyone expected we could, a savings of some $34,000. Coolest part of all, the downstairs "core" area of the design is nearly identical to the house my dad designed and had built in 1964. The builder then thought it was unorthodox, but everyone who saw it loved it. I think of him many times when I approach the staircase, and I'm glad he spent his last years here. He didn't get to spend enough time in his 60s dream home.
For being "only a carpenter", you hit the nail on the head (just noticed that pun as I re-read this post). Thank you so much for mentioning the importance of getting a design professional involved. And early on. I have been designing custom homes (hundreds) for the majority of the past 30 years, and it still amazes me how many people don't realize the value that we provide. And that was a really great breakdown of the variables involved in both design and construction. It is always a joy to work with contractors like yourself that have a true understanding of the building process. I always remind my clients that building your new home or office, etc is a PROCESS, not and EVENT. Patience. And a huge AMEN on the value of square footage vs the finishes. I have been working with a couple this past couple of months, and have finally convinced them that they should trim back the amenities for now and get the space they want and need. I have extolled that virtue for many years. You can change counter tops, carpets, etc in the years to come as they wear out or styles change, but adding more space to your home or building is a much more involved and expensive undertaking. Really great video. Thanks again. Rob
Focusing tip: If you're shooting a scene where you're talking to the camera, turn auto-focus off, pre-focus to where you'll be sitting, and then start recording. You'll remain in the focal plane as long as you're not moving towards or away from the camera much, and the camera won't be hunting and potentially miss focus anymore. Side note: A smaller aperture (higher f-stop) will give you a deeper focal plane (more depth of field) and greater latitude to move toward or away from the camera while remaining in focus. But it also lets less light in, so the image may be grainier.
One thing I want to point out: I love that you make a point of saying it's the house you and Nate are working on. I've worked for a father/son company for a while now--my boss is your age, his son is a few years older than Nate--and in 2018 it's a special thing to see, and rarer everyday.
As somebody who has been in the business for a LONG time, let me tell you...this guy knows what he's talking about. Listen to him. If this was a meeting of seasoned homebuilding professionals (which as far as I know, it could be), everybody in the room would be nodding their heads and half of them would be thinking, 'Why didn't I think of that?'
I have a strong gut feeling that Ec will have several offers on this house before it's even finished based solely on his knowledge and character. You are the exact type of contractor that everyone would love to have the pleasure to work with that unfortunately, seem to be so hard to find these days. A true diamond in the rough. Thank you. And you make pretty darn good TH-cam videos too. 😉
I love your attitude and demeanor. I'm in the process of designing a house and I find myself attacked by everyone I know saying it's too much of a feat, however your opinions have given me the confidence I needed to push on. I'm by no means a competent contractor or architect, but I know what I want and I know what I can afford. Every video you post has so little bias that I can't help but take it as objective truth on how to build wisely and correctly
This may have been the best video in the series so far. Your insight into these matters go far beyond how to build it and those observations are priceless.
Man there are many great carpenters/ craftsmen out there but I’m sure few are as good teachers as you are. Keep up the good work, you’re an asset to the TH-cam community.
I am an architect and I couldn't agree with you more. Just one more potential big expense - changes mid-stream. When my house clients (the well-heeled ones anyway) ask what they can do to help I tell them "go to Europe for 6 months, you'll save a fortune".
I was born in Condon. I will be retiring from my career in May of this year. I have a lot of carpenter/remodeler/contractor experience and when I go visit my birthplace plan on swinging by to shake your hand and buy you lunch or dinner. Thank you very much for putting this and all you r other videos out. I understand and appreciate the work that takes.
This is an EXCELLENT educational video! I know from watching this video, that your knowledge was earned, learned, acquired and experienced by many years of building/construction. This puts you at the head of your class. Your profession, you're sharing with viewers regarding this 'spec house', was my first 16 years of my (47+years) construction career. I must echo everything you said in this video. Because of it's educational value, anyone....a 2-3 three year 'just getting started' builder....someone thinking of getting into this profession....carpenter (for houses).....designer.....draftsman....architect....civil engineer of site designs....and anyone needing a home built should put this video on their "must watch list". Those percentages you quoted at various construction stages are almost "spot on!" Your advice is better than a college professor could ever hope to share with students.....because you have his (and your) knowledge, and your experience and common sense! ....13
I know that you are speaking very literally about building a house here, but I am loving what you have to say about design! I'm a designer/producer by profession and more often than not, design is just viewed as making something look pretty. It's SO much more than that! Whether building a house, website, company, or whatever, design is critical because it's how we interact with the world around us, and making that process a better one. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience, your videos and instruction are fantastic!
I suffered the pain of cost climbing, the weather being foul, pumping out the founds before building and some additions. All are now in the past BUT the design, was not changed, came out just as I had discussed, drawn, planned and dreamed. The hiccups that came up were discussed , that was talking and listening to the onsite team. It Sounded very like the opening comments of this down to earth talk from a man who listens, remembers, and has the ability to tell the story. A wise head on younger shoulders. Keep it up.. love them all.
Many thanks for your videos. I'm never going to build house as you are doing, but I always enjoy watching an essential craftsman ply his/her trade. I am frequently delighted by the subtle skills and knowledge that a master-of-the-craft, any craft, knows how to use. And your explanations of what you are doing, as well as why you are doing it, are excellent. Keep up the good work.
i wish you were my dad. Im having to learn all of the carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and building skills on my own now. Thank you for your channel and all your hard work that youve invested into teaching people like me.
Another tip is to have a really good idea of what you want before you start designing a house. Unless of course money is no object to you. I designed a home for a couple who had recently (within a week of coming to me) decided to build their own home. We ended up going through 17 iterations before settling on a design they liked. Then after approving the design they made another change after trusses had been ordered. Which all in all came out to a $100,000 change order. This was nothing for them but it just goes to show you need to really think about what you would like to have in a home before moving forward. As for the the video, it was great! This channel tied with one other for my favorite channel. Very informative, very straight forward, and not one ounce of B.S. as far as I can tell. Keep it up Scott!! Love the videos!
I have been building custom homes in New jersey for about 25 years and now I am building log cabin style homes in upstate NY. I am enjoying your series and seeing how it is done on the other side of the country.
8:40 100% agree with you. I just quoted a basement reno. Customer wanted a fancy drop ceiling. $2800 in materials and $600 labour. I don't take comission on material. He still wanted a discount on my $600 labour and didn't hire me because I was "too expensive"...
5 stars. You may not consider yourself an expert, but I think you could teach a thing or two to plenty of architects, IMO. It's precisely the fact that you're a carpenter that makes your perspective so valuable and so down to earth. I've seen too many architects (I've 20 yrs in the biz) making the easy look byzantine and herculean. And thanks for presenting it in such a straightforward fashion. Even after all my experience this kind of straight talk is enlightening. Hats off.
Excellent, excellent advice! I worked with a fellow that designed and built spec houses and he put together a colonial that sat in a neighborhood unsold for a long time because it didn't fit and I told him so before we began but he was the man. I do believe he finally had to take a pretty good hit in the wallet to unload it. Thanks a million for the video.
I would like to say thank you. My wife and I are in the process of getting a house built and its getting a bit out of hand..mainly cost vs what we want. Your comments on surfaces and square footage helped us make some important decisions. So, thank you! If you are ever in Central Wisconsin, I'd love to show you our sawmill.
This is so true from experience. I bought a property at a good price and built my own home. The problem was a very limited budget and had plans to incorporate a mobile home that I had in order to save money. The mobile home was going to be the back shell of my new house. Unfortunately in prepping I soon realized the mobile home was in such poor condition that was forced to abandon it and build from scratch. So space quickly became priority over getting all the finish work supplies. Got the house all built and dried in got basic electric and plumbing installed and inside walls most sheetrock hung. But by then money was about gone. Well been living here 20 years now still not finished as my health went downhill. But the house may not be pretty but it's still a dry home with good walls and roof and well insulated easy to heat. Not bad for a $27,000 total budget which included drilling well and putting in septic system and grading of house site. It 1,800 square feet of living space so it's decent in size.
I am enjoying this series immensely. Every video is a learning experience. Looking forward to watching and learning more. Watching from NC. Future plans of building my own home in the future. Knowledge is power. By knowing what I'm looking at and for will be a huge advantage.
Thanks for this. I'm getting ready to start a spec house of my own. Also, I have picked up a couple of adages about advice. 1) The worst vice is advice 2) This advice is worth every penny you're paying for it.
I have recentlly discovered your Essential Craftsman videos and have been enjoying them very much. We are about the same age and I was a Log Home builder and carpenter for about 18 years before I got into teaching. I now teach a highschool house building course in which we work on jobsites framing (mostly) houses. Some of the students get signed to apprenticeships while in the program and many get jobs in construction. With this covid 19 stuff happening, our jobsites and schools have been shut down. I have been posting some of your videos of the spec built house for my students to watch. My students have been learning from your experience, and I have picked up some neat tricks along the way too. Thanks for sharing your experience with the next generation of carpenters (and us older nailbangers too lol) Keep up the good work! : )
I'm going thru the house building process now. This commentary is spot on. I can tell you without a doubt that design elements cost a lot. 10 ft ceilings with trays, steep roofs and lots of corners add money and time to the build. A good GC can be help save you some money by letting you know where you can get the most value in the build process. Excellent advise regarding saving money on "surfaces" and fixtures. Although many of these items like counter tops, cabinets, etc. add to the marketability if that is the goal
Even within renovating a room, I'd agree that when the drywall goes up you are about half done (that is in a gut to the studs situation). In the rooms around my home that I've renovated my wife always gets antsy to get done when I've got the drywall hung. I've had to reminder her several times that I'm halfway there counting flooring, trim, plumbing (most of my renovations have been bathrooms and laundry), HVAC, lighting, paint, and fixtures/cabinets. When I list off everything else to be done, she's always said "Wow, I thought we were close". Great vlog. Thanks!
Layout and design can have such a huge impact on cost compared to what you actually get out of it. There was a development near where I grew up that initially built these cheap narrow homes on the subdivided lots that ended up being barely more area than a typical mobile home, but cost more. They sold poorly and the original company went under before they finished all the units. Second company came in, went with a more squared up floor plan and two stories - Nearly tripled the overall floor area for around an additional third of the cost of the previous design, and sold so much better. Same company went to start another subdivision with the same design, but refined it even more. A few inches here and there on dimensions, and they had framing going up easier with hardly any waste on sheeting/drywall materials rather than the large dumpster of it they hauled away from each of the previous houses. In addition they swapped some of the interior around to a wet-stack design, where kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms were all built aligned with a single column for water/waste lines running up the house, which cut the pipe and labour fees to a quarter or so of what they were originally when running plumbing all over the place. They also spent a little extra on the roof line in the front of the house. Complex roofing does cost more than a simple boring roof, but nothing says you can't shave costs in the back while making the front look ten times better for a few more bucks.
I don't have accurate measured drawings or anything. For the weird waste material issue, it was down to ending up with lots of wall lengths that were an inch or so over half a standard sheet, leaving nearly half of the rest of the sheet useless. - Not a huge deal for a one-off, and you can throw the scrap in your workshop for later use, but it starts to get noticeable on a budget when you're building dozens to the same design. Layouts were simple: The first one was a long thin house, open kitchen/livingroom in the middle, one bath and a bedroom at one end, two bedrooms and a narrow hallway at the other end. Revised build went to a square foot print with a mostly open ground floor for a large kitchen in the back left, bathroom in the back right. Stairs slightly to the right near the front that went up to a landing/hall that opened into the master bedroom in the back, bedrooms in the front corners, and bath in the middle. Updated square build moved the front door to the front right, kitchen in the front left with the bathroom between it and the stairs.
Great points. I included extra unused wires in all boxes all through my house for possible future changes. I used ROMEX instead of metal conduit because of an over-abundance of caution about induction. Plus, I'd been shocked several times before while working around installed emt. Regarding function: I'm stunned to see TV renovation or flipping shows that have the fridge on one side of a huge kitchen, the sink 10 feet away on the adjoining wall and the stove 10 feet away on the 3rd wall with a huge island between them. Big kitchen sounds nice but when you're in there cooking you want to take as few steps as possible between work-stations. If you invite lots of people over every weekend and there's 10 people working in the kitchen then you need another smaller kitchen just for your personal use where you spin on your heel, take one or two steps between stations. People don't realize when they're designing their home that taking 3 extra steps 100 times a week becomes wearisome and aggravating, especially as you age.
Don't know about the States, but from my experience it seems (here in Denmark), that a lot of folks underestimate the landscaping and cost of trees and plants as well. If you want a basic decent garden to look at, it's gonna cost a bit. More than most think. And it needs care and understanding of how to get it to settle in and how to design it well. It's more than digging a few holes and plopping a few trees and bushes in. Chances are they are dead or growing way too slow from malnutricion a year later.
So I built a house last year and one thing that I really didn't realize is the bank does not care about you building the best house possible structurally and mechanically. I'm also talking custom homes, not a neighborhood where all the homes are the same. The EC mentioned about finishing materials(Trim, Countertops etc) and cost and how you can make up money here and this will usually be a way to save money or put money into your home. However one thing that does not appraise at the end of a build like finishing materials is structural and mechanical material and labor. Now there is code for your area, however the code doesn't state what will last 40 years and is the best product to use. Knob and Tube I think is still approved in some areas of the U.S.????? 1. Say you build a 2x4 instead of 2x6. 2. Say you put in cheap windows compared to Marvin ultimates 3. Say you put more concrete or have 9 foot walls in your basement 4. Say you go with Tyvek instead of zip system 5. Say you build your deck with 2x12 and 6x6 posts 6. Say you put 40 year shingles on your house. 7. Say you go with 3/4 plywood instead of advantech(huge debate here) 8. Say you go with doug fur over yellow pine 9. The concrete mixture your walls are poured with is it for winter or summer 10. Say the insulation you use 11. Water filtration, softner etc 12. Say your house has all 15 amp receptical circuits instead of 20amp... 13. etc etc etc None of the things I listed above have to do with finish materials. Bottom line is the bank nor appraisers know what a house is really worth and how well its constructed, just that it is x amount of square feet and has this many bathrooms and nice countertops. When you build a house and its the house you want to live in for the next 40 years because you built it or are building it for a customer. Remember these things add up on building a quality not crap home, but like I said appraisers nor the bank care......
Everything you stated is true, and why many "spec" houses are built like crap. It's nothing new either. In the 50's suburb ranches or salt boxes were thrown together like hotcakes, and are disasters for a remodel. EC is building a "spec" house but I suspect he is one of the few builders out there that really care. My mom had a house built from a "spec" plan, but was involved start to finish. That was almost 10 years ago, and now she's selling. It WILL get a premium to the comps built afterwards because of "the little things" (e.g. my suggestion of a 50a plug below the panel in the garage ... nice place to plug in your welder or tesla).
The electrician questioned my 70+ mom (turned 80 this year), about why she wanted a high amp drop. She said for a welder (we're AK folk) ... was 2' of high amp cable and an additional outlet ~$100 "change" *before* sheetrock.
Everything you stated is 100% true, but there's one thing you're missing.... The vast majority of home buying decisions are made by women. Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses because women love kitchens and bathrooms. Women typically have no interest in upgrading anything to do with foundation, structure or systems. This is also why you will see a $40,000 kitchen complete with granite countertops in a house that is barely up to code structurally.
This is the single most important video you've made in this series yet. Wish I'd have seen this 10 years ago. In hindsight we didn't screw up too bad, but I will admit that I'd never thought of elevating the grade that the house sits on before this video. And we have the lowest lot in the area! Oh well, live and learn....
This one definitely goes on my notes! Every young architect out there like myself must subscribe and follow this channel. It is educational, straight on-point, and surprisingly enjoyable to watch!
I'm rehabbing a house myself and with a helper. Eliminating the load bearing wall on first floor, and planning on how my beams and Jack stud bump outs are going to look. Every part of this house is in my head, 24/7.
Your video are a must watch. I learned so ... so very much about the dream stuff I want to do. Your guides of how to go about.... doing it, is the best. Thanks
Essential and INDISPENSABLE stuff over here. Thank you for your insight and teaching on this channel. Really helpful to a young guy like myself. Please keep makin em!
Hi Nate. As a long time cameraman I couldn't help noticing you are having problems with focus sometimes. Wasn't obvious at all,, I just wanted to give you a tip in case you don't know about it. Look in your cameras menu and turn on "Peaking" or sometimes called "Focus assist" this will place a false colour around all the sharpest objects in the frame, you can select the colour sometimes as well. With Peaking switched on you basically just change focus until you see the false colour as a halo around Scott. If your subject is sitting down like this video turn off your autofocus as it will sometimes go off hunting (I think that's what happened here?) You wont need to change unless your subject moves closer or further from the camera but if you keep the Peaking on then you can see this and you will know where is the sharpest part of the picture. It does look strange for a while but you get used to it and it will give you confidence. What camera are you using? Love the channel content is fantastic it will truly start to shine when you can get some technical foibles under control. I hope that is some help to you, it is nice to be able to share my craft as well.
No worries Nate. Ok so you won't find focus peaking on any of the cannon cameras unless you install "Magic Lantern". If you don't know about it do a bit of research it is an excellent FREE firmware hack that was written by fans that will give you extra features like Peaking and zebras. It is a slight bit of faf and you will have to re learn the menus but is quite stable and reliable now days, it kinda makes it a completely different more professional camera. Worth looking into if you are interested in camera geek stuff. th-cam.com/video/au3xaQi-vHo/w-d-xo.html and www.magiclantern.fm/ What microphone were you using on this one and where was it placed? If you are trying to avoid a noise like rain the PLACEMENT is everything the closer it is to the source of the sound (his mouth) the better even if the microphone is in the shot. Your shot composition and lighting looks great and I can see you do have an eye for this, even the audio was mostly ok certainly didn't prevent me from listening to Scotts' wisdom.
Great insights. Incredibly timely as the wife and I are currently designing and building our "forever" home. We're architect and interior designer also, which makes it difficult to resist the urge in selecting elegant fixtures and finishes. Budget, quality (level of finishes), and quantity (square footage) are all related. If one is out of balance, the other two have to make up the difference. And if form truly follows function, it makes a lot of sense to invest those dollars into the square footage your family needs! Love following the spec house build. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
I love your videos I'm starting as a carpenter this year did concrete last year found that I enjoy construction alot and he pride you get from. my wife's mom and step dad are in Oregon and we currently live in Iowa. Keep the video coming.
Hi Scott, just wanted to say thanks for one of your best videos. Love how you broke down the costs associated with building/designing a home. Tons of good info, I learned a lot. Thank you, I'll be watching you hit 1 mil subs soon...
Thank you for all this glorious insight. We are looking to build this Spring and your thoughts give me pause to think about what is really important. Now, only need to convince the wife......
Scott, I always enjoy your videos. I really appreciate that you make learning about building, craftsmanship, and many little tips that I feel are very important--yet not often mentioned--fun to watch. My wife, 3yr old daughter, and myself love your channel. As a guy who enjoys doing as much around the house as I am knowledgeable enough to safely/competently accomplish, I'd like to say thanks for building my wealth of knowledge even further. We can't wait to see your spec house completed. Some day we'd like to participate in building a new home for ourselves. It has been great learning every little step along the way--so many things I would've never thought to consider. Keep up the excellent work on the job-site as well as here on TH-cam. Stay Safe and Productive ~Steve
Not a Builder or Architect. But I’ve been there done that. But I’m in the new home construction business. Drew my own plans based off of others work. Flipped this and that and brought into more of my liking. I then executed 80% of all the work with help of a father and brother in regards to framing. After it was closed in I did just about everything else. You are so right about fixtures and surfaces; it is all so subjective to someone else’s tastes. I may like oak cabinetry and next person comes along and wants everything hickory, cherry or whatever or painted. I may want carpet in the bedrooms and someone else wants wood floor throughout. I also tried to build as comparable to others surrounding me as in number of bedrooms and baths I as a 28 year old at the time had to walk a fine line as to cost, so I could actually afford it. Warning to all men, try to please the wife happy but yet keep her under close watch, they love to over spend. Long story short I got in the home for 50-60% of my neighbors. 😎
Wow, have watched a few episodes. Really informative and enjoyable to watch. Nice pace, easy to follow your direction and a nice balance of simple language and industry specific terminology that’s new to me. Loving it. Keeps me motivated and less intimidated to tackle an addition to our home. Thanks for sharing your hard-won knowledge.
Love the vid. Dont like the "build to make other people happy" comments at the end. It's your house, your life, make it fit you. (some people i work with strongly disagree with me on that point)..but like he said, some things are easily changed, and if it's designed well, the house should work regardless. Don't build a home in a hoa anyways, it seems like wearing a longsleeve turtleneck and compression shorts to bed. But for real, I really like these videos and want more of them, I've learned so much here. Thank you very much!
I was a house painter for many years and trying to explain what you just said to customers was exasperating they all wanted multi trendy colours only to find the trend changed instead of one light functional colour easy to clean functional with good resale value enjoying your videos keep them comming
This is the best video I have seen on this topic. For additional info research the Principal of Conformity and the definitions of Progression and Regression as they deal with home values. I’m licensed real estate broker of twenty years and a Certified General Appraiser of 15 years. The Essential Craftsman knows his stuff, excellent video.
Principle of progression is the idea that the value of a house increases when more valuable houses are built in the area. This contrasts with principle of regression, which is based on the concept that larger, more expensive houses lose value when they are near smaller, less valuable homes.
I love that these “fireside chats” are filmed in the shop, seems somehow very appropriate. I’ve never in my life been interested in concrete work, yet I watched those videos with enthusiasm. Oh I’ve DONE concrete work, just not interested in it… 🤣 Keep up the Good Work™️!
Just binge watched your home building video series. Great content, insight, examples and suggestions. Nice change to see a professional craftsman post a build series instead a DYIer. Looking forward to watching the upcoming videos. Thanks for your hard work. SK Spokane Wa.
There we all have it ;....right from the carpenter/contractor himself. And yet,....some folks will not pay attention to this free advice from someone who knows and who's been there. Thanks for the video.
I’m loving this series. I’m learning a lot from you. You’re very good at teaching and explaining what you’re talking about. I’m excited for the next video
Great Video Scott Even though I live in Western Australia and our building codes are somewhat different there's a wealth of information that is universal for us all so thankyou for your generosity in sharing Congratulations on hitting 200,000 subscribers
Someone in my neighborhood needed a larger room, but couldn't do without the existing one during construction, so they built the expansion over the existing room, then tore out the smaller room and passed the bits out of the window over one weekend.
Pretty much the same happened when my cousin had to redo an old shed. Built a new shed around the old one and then demolished the old one from the inside. Some idiotic regulations.
This is an awesome video! Many great tips and advice to consider. I am building my first home with my dad during the evenings after work and on weekends. It’s a 1400 sq ft three bay shop with a living quarter. I keep in mind the advice in this video with the many decisions we have to make. It’s a whole new trade for us to learn and it’s great to have a well informed perspective to keep our project in check. Thank you for your videos, I’ve watched nearly every one of them!
I wanted to reach in and close that middle orange drawer.
I didn't want to say anything, but since you mentioned it.....
TheCabledawg1 LOL
LOL, I love to see that drawer open, makes me feel right at home :D
im 40 y old and for videos like this is the reason i thank the invention of the internet.. so thoughtful, feels like im back in college listening to my teachers.. i can listen to you all day, thanks for sharing.. im a big fan
Great video. And you are such a natural at teaching.
As an electrician, I try to convince customers that installing extra empty conduits for stuff they want in the future is a really good idea. Some refuse, some get it.
I was so happy to find out the somewhat older home I bought had empty conduits installed when I wanted to run Cat6 throughout my house! It made it so much easier.
On the flip side, 15 years on we still haven't bought that house-wide speaker system we got the whole house wired for.
HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical aspects during design are things many home builders don't consider up front. A design with input from ALL those subs _in the same room_ *during* design can save thousands and also avoid conflicts during construction. The plumber can look at a design and usually suggest areas for simplification and areas of importance (e.g. DWV routing). Same for the HVAC. The electrical typically goes beyond outlets and panel sizing, but also may involve home automation, solar, alarm systems, etc. Even items like a sprinkler system can have a payoff in 3-5 years if designed in.
GeneralLund and much neater with no visible cables!
Robert Currey Great comment. Thx.
Can't believe how much I'm learning from this series! You are an excellent teacher as well as carpenter.
Scott please make more of these, I can listen to you for hours. I'm from the Caribbean but my next trip to the states, I have to get to Oregon, say thank you in person and shake your hand.
I hope if I am in need of a home-builder I can find someone with the same dedication to the craft as you.
One in a million
I tried to stay close to the comp, but with energy costs down here in Texas, I opted for 2X6 wall joists and have been happily rewarded for that choice.
At different times in his life my dad was a carpenter, contractor and a realtor. He gave the same advice as you just did. Which confirms my opinion that education is important, but not as valuable as experience! 🙂 Thanks for the great videos!
The editing and the funny narrated comments are just GOLDEN!
That was 12 minutes of pure golden advice. I always learn so much from you! Thanks and keep up the good work
Your combination of knowledge, wisdom and humility is a pleasure to watch. Blessings
The balanced opinion with no agenda, great skill and great delivery makes this series amazing.
As a builder myself, you couldn't have explained all of this any better. I have incorporated majority of the points mentioned in describing the process for all of my custom builds. I Love the channel!
When this guy speaks it forces me to listen to him! One of my favorite TH-camrs right now
No less than I'd expect from the Essential Craftsman. One day soon, I'll drive through Roseburg Oregon, and I'll heartily shake your hand. This may be the most thoughtful video in your series.
P.S. My brother wears his "Essential Craftsman" hoodie to work every day at his Sears Hometown (he's the owner), despite his "Meh" reaction (he'd never heard of you) to receiving it at Christmas. He wears it EVERY DAY.
I assume he finally discovered your channel, but don't care enough to ask him. He's a craftsman too, but he's a prick.
John Carter
Yeah, that's a brother !! 😆
Lol that last part 😂
@@kengamble8595 seems like there's one of those in every family.
"Avoid bright ideas" (shows geodesic dome house). Damn you got me with that one :D
@2:90 the focus is just fine, I was looking at all your tools and shop layout anyway. :)
Nail on the head here!
Can I just say, as a carpenter from the uk, you are honestly the only person on TH-cam that I watch and genuinely take note! It’s mainly on integrity and willingness to learn. You remind me of my old project manager who would NEVER be pissed off no matter how much I messed up. Really pragmatic guy. Made me who I am today. I partly watch you because it reminds me of him but that is such a compliment as he was such a nice and clever guy. Thank you for your videos I wish I could spend a day working with you but il have to settle for you tube 👍🏻
Spot on. If you plan to build, listen to Scott. We built in 2001-2002 and everything he says here was exactly true, 2,000 miles away. I designed the house--dreamed about it for 10 years, planned it for 2 or 3, drew the plans myself, tried to foresee every issue, and as Scott said, "lived in" the house on paper for months, checking function and practicality. Good thing, too, because we caught a lot of errors. The only design regrets are the placement of a few light switches because our traffic patterns ended up different than we anticipated, too few closets (at least for us packrats), and one room a bit too rectangular. We took the plans to an architect before shopping for a general contractor, who affirmed our work. Completion through framing indeed cost 20% of the total, and drywall came halfway, accompanied by a big delay due to wet weather. We have 39 windows (rural property), but none are big expensive units and most are sized alike, which saved framing cost. We did save a lot of money by keeping an interesting but simple roof and keeping interior floors, finish and trim modest (while most homes in our area are so extravagant that the paint and trim subcontractors were taken aback by what we DIDN'T want). We spent more in the kitchen, as it's the important work area. In total, we thought like Scott speaks, going for square footage rather than luxury, and we came in for about $10 per square foot less than anyone expected we could, a savings of some $34,000.
Coolest part of all, the downstairs "core" area of the design is nearly identical to the house my dad designed and had built in 1964. The builder then thought it was unorthodox, but everyone who saw it loved it. I think of him many times when I approach the staircase, and I'm glad he spent his last years here. He didn't get to spend enough time in his 60s dream home.
And again the master has spoken. I can't get enough! Keep sharing.
Another video from my favourite channel
For being "only a carpenter", you hit the nail on the head (just noticed that pun as I re-read this post). Thank you so much for mentioning the importance of getting a design professional involved. And early on. I have been designing custom homes (hundreds) for the majority of the past 30 years, and it still amazes me how many people don't realize the value that we provide. And that was a really great breakdown of the variables involved in both design and construction. It is always a joy to work with contractors like yourself that have a true understanding of the building process. I always remind my clients that building your new home or office, etc is a PROCESS, not and EVENT. Patience. And a huge AMEN on the value of square footage vs the finishes. I have been working with a couple this past couple of months, and have finally convinced them that they should trim back the amenities for now and get the space they want and need. I have extolled that virtue for many years. You can change counter tops, carpets, etc in the years to come as they wear out or styles change, but adding more space to your home or building is a much more involved and expensive undertaking. Really great video. Thanks again. Rob
Focusing tip: If you're shooting a scene where you're talking to the camera, turn auto-focus off, pre-focus to where you'll be sitting, and then start recording. You'll remain in the focal plane as long as you're not moving towards or away from the camera much, and the camera won't be hunting and potentially miss focus anymore.
Side note: A smaller aperture (higher f-stop) will give you a deeper focal plane (more depth of field) and greater latitude to move toward or away from the camera while remaining in focus. But it also lets less light in, so the image may be grainier.
One thing I want to point out: I love that you make a point of saying it's the house you and Nate are working on. I've worked for a father/son company for a while now--my boss is your age, his son is a few years older than Nate--and in 2018 it's a special thing to see, and rarer everyday.
This is probably the the single video in the series so far. Lots of good things to think about before starting.
As somebody who has been in the business for a LONG time, let me tell you...this guy knows what he's talking about. Listen to him. If this was a meeting of seasoned homebuilding professionals (which as far as I know, it could be), everybody in the room would be nodding their heads and half of them would be thinking, 'Why didn't I think of that?'
I have a strong gut feeling that Ec will have several offers on this house before it's even finished based solely on his knowledge and character. You are the exact type of contractor that everyone would love to have the pleasure to work with that unfortunately, seem to be so hard to find these days. A true diamond in the rough. Thank you. And you make pretty darn good TH-cam videos too. 😉
I love your attitude and demeanor. I'm in the process of designing a house and I find myself attacked by everyone I know saying it's too much of a feat, however your opinions have given me the confidence I needed to push on. I'm by no means a competent contractor or architect, but I know what I want and I know what I can afford. Every video you post has so little bias that I can't help but take it as objective truth on how to build wisely and correctly
This may have been the best video in the series so far. Your insight into these matters go far beyond how to build it and those observations are priceless.
Man there are many great carpenters/ craftsmen out there but I’m sure few are as good teachers as you are. Keep up the good work, you’re an asset to the TH-cam community.
I am an architect and I couldn't agree with you more. Just one more potential big expense - changes mid-stream. When my house clients (the well-heeled ones anyway) ask what they can do to help I tell them "go to Europe for 6 months, you'll save a fortune".
I was born in Condon. I will be retiring from my career in May of this year. I have a lot of carpenter/remodeler/contractor experience and when I go visit my birthplace plan on swinging by to shake your hand and buy you lunch or dinner. Thank you very much for putting this and all you r other videos out. I understand and appreciate the work that takes.
This is an EXCELLENT educational video!
I know from watching this video, that your knowledge was earned, learned, acquired and experienced by many years of building/construction. This puts you at the head of your class.
Your profession, you're sharing with viewers regarding this 'spec house', was my first 16 years of my (47+years) construction career. I must echo everything you said in this video. Because of it's educational value, anyone....a 2-3 three year 'just getting started' builder....someone thinking of getting into this profession....carpenter (for houses).....designer.....draftsman....architect....civil engineer of site designs....and anyone needing a home built should put this video on their "must watch list".
Those percentages you quoted at various construction stages are almost "spot on!" Your advice is better than a college professor could ever hope to share with students.....because you have his (and your) knowledge, and your experience and common sense!
....13
I know that you are speaking very literally about building a house here, but I am loving what you have to say about design! I'm a designer/producer by profession and more often than not, design is just viewed as making something look pretty. It's SO much more than that! Whether building a house, website, company, or whatever, design is critical because it's how we interact with the world around us, and making that process a better one. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience, your videos and instruction are fantastic!
Thank you for everything you bring to the American people and the world. You really have the right stuff to be the craftsman ambassador to the world.
I suffered the pain of cost climbing, the weather being foul, pumping out the founds before building and some additions. All are now in the past BUT the design, was not changed, came out just as I had discussed, drawn, planned and dreamed.
The hiccups that came up were discussed , that was talking and listening to the onsite team.
It Sounded very like the opening comments of this down to earth talk from a man who listens, remembers, and has the ability to tell the story. A wise head on younger shoulders. Keep it up.. love them all.
Many thanks for your videos. I'm never going to build house as you are doing, but I always enjoy watching an essential craftsman ply his/her trade. I am frequently delighted by the subtle skills and knowledge that a master-of-the-craft, any craft, knows how to use. And your explanations of what you are doing, as well as why you are doing it, are excellent. Keep up the good work.
i wish you were my dad.
Im having to learn all of the carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and building skills on my own now.
Thank you for your channel and all your hard work that youve invested into teaching people like me.
Another tip is to have a really good idea of what you want before you start designing a house. Unless of course money is no object to you. I designed a home for a couple who had recently (within a week of coming to me) decided to build their own home. We ended up going through 17 iterations before settling on a design they liked. Then after approving the design they made another change after trusses had been ordered. Which all in all came out to a $100,000 change order. This was nothing for them but it just goes to show you need to really think about what you would like to have in a home before moving forward.
As for the the video, it was great! This channel tied with one other for my favorite channel. Very informative, very straight forward, and not one ounce of B.S. as far as I can tell. Keep it up Scott!! Love the videos!
This is without doubt the best building series on the tube.
I have been building custom homes in New jersey for about 25 years and now I am building log cabin style homes in upstate NY. I am enjoying your series and seeing how it is done on the other side of the country.
8:40 100% agree with you. I just quoted a basement reno. Customer wanted a fancy drop ceiling. $2800 in materials and $600 labour. I don't take comission on material. He still wanted a discount on my $600 labour and didn't hire me because I was "too expensive"...
5 stars. You may not consider yourself an expert, but I think you could teach a thing or two to plenty of architects, IMO. It's precisely the fact that you're a carpenter that makes your perspective so valuable and so down to earth. I've seen too many architects (I've 20 yrs in the biz) making the easy look byzantine and herculean. And thanks for presenting it in such a straightforward fashion. Even after all my experience this kind of straight talk is enlightening. Hats off.
Excellent, excellent advice! I worked with a fellow that designed and built spec houses and he put together a colonial that sat in a neighborhood unsold for a long time because it didn't fit and I told him so before we began but he was the man. I do believe he finally had to take a pretty good hit in the wallet to unload it. Thanks a million for the video.
I've enjoyed discovering your channel. Looking forward to all the work and episodes ahead!
I would like to say thank you. My wife and I are in the process of getting a house built and its getting a bit out of hand..mainly cost vs what we want. Your comments on surfaces and square footage helped us make some important decisions. So, thank you! If you are ever in Central Wisconsin, I'd love to show you our sawmill.
This is so true from experience. I bought a property at a good price and built my own home. The problem was a very limited budget and had plans to incorporate a mobile home that I had in order to save money. The mobile home was going to be the back shell of my new house. Unfortunately in prepping I soon realized the mobile home was in such poor condition that was forced to abandon it and build from scratch. So space quickly became priority over getting all the finish work supplies. Got the house all built and dried in got basic electric and plumbing installed and inside walls most sheetrock hung. But by then money was about gone. Well been living here 20 years now still not finished as my health went downhill. But the house may not be pretty but it's still a dry home with good walls and roof and well insulated easy to heat. Not bad for a $27,000 total budget which included drilling well and putting in septic system and grading of house site. It 1,800 square feet of living space so it's decent in size.
Good job Ken. Hope you’re still enjoying it.
@@jphickory522 I am and thankful I built with the idea that I wouldn't be able to keep up with maintenance.
This ought to be required viewing for any home buyer -- first-time or otherwise. Great advice and insights. Thanks!
I am enjoying this series immensely. Every video is a learning experience. Looking forward to watching and learning more. Watching from NC. Future plans of building my own home in the future. Knowledge is power. By knowing what I'm looking at and for will be a huge advantage.
Thanks for this. I'm getting ready to start a spec house of my own.
Also, I have picked up a couple of adages about advice.
1) The worst vice is advice
2) This advice is worth every penny you're paying for it.
Ditto on all the compliments that came before my turn.
Thanks Scott.
Go right ahead and say that you are just a contractor , but you are a very smart and thoughtful man. I admire you very much.
I have recentlly discovered your Essential Craftsman videos and have been enjoying them very much. We are about the same age and I was a Log Home builder and carpenter for about 18 years before I got into teaching. I now teach a highschool house building course in which we work on jobsites framing (mostly) houses. Some of the students get signed to apprenticeships while in the program and many get jobs in construction. With this covid 19 stuff happening, our jobsites and schools have been shut down. I have been posting some of your videos of the spec built house for my students to watch. My students have been learning from your experience, and I have picked up some neat tricks along the way too. Thanks for sharing your experience with the next generation of carpenters (and us older nailbangers too lol) Keep up the good work! : )
I'm going thru the house building process now. This commentary is spot on. I can tell you without a doubt that design elements cost a lot. 10 ft ceilings with trays, steep roofs and lots of corners add money and time to the build. A good GC can be help save you some money by letting you know where you can get the most value in the build process. Excellent advise regarding saving money on "surfaces" and fixtures. Although many of these items like counter tops, cabinets, etc. add to the marketability if that is the goal
Even within renovating a room, I'd agree that when the drywall goes up you are about half done (that is in a gut to the studs situation). In the rooms around my home that I've renovated my wife always gets antsy to get done when I've got the drywall hung. I've had to reminder her several times that I'm halfway there counting flooring, trim, plumbing (most of my renovations have been bathrooms and laundry), HVAC, lighting, paint, and fixtures/cabinets.
When I list off everything else to be done, she's always said "Wow, I thought we were close".
Great vlog. Thanks!
This video can't be liked enough!
Thank you!
Layout and design can have such a huge impact on cost compared to what you actually get out of it. There was a development near where I grew up that initially built these cheap narrow homes on the subdivided lots that ended up being barely more area than a typical mobile home, but cost more. They sold poorly and the original company went under before they finished all the units. Second company came in, went with a more squared up floor plan and two stories - Nearly tripled the overall floor area for around an additional third of the cost of the previous design, and sold so much better.
Same company went to start another subdivision with the same design, but refined it even more. A few inches here and there on dimensions, and they had framing going up easier with hardly any waste on sheeting/drywall materials rather than the large dumpster of it they hauled away from each of the previous houses. In addition they swapped some of the interior around to a wet-stack design, where kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms were all built aligned with a single column for water/waste lines running up the house, which cut the pipe and labour fees to a quarter or so of what they were originally when running plumbing all over the place.
They also spent a little extra on the roof line in the front of the house. Complex roofing does cost more than a simple boring roof, but nothing says you can't shave costs in the back while making the front look ten times better for a few more bucks.
RealLuckless do you have the layout of these houses
I don't have accurate measured drawings or anything. For the weird waste material issue, it was down to ending up with lots of wall lengths that were an inch or so over half a standard sheet, leaving nearly half of the rest of the sheet useless. - Not a huge deal for a one-off, and you can throw the scrap in your workshop for later use, but it starts to get noticeable on a budget when you're building dozens to the same design.
Layouts were simple: The first one was a long thin house, open kitchen/livingroom in the middle, one bath and a bedroom at one end, two bedrooms and a narrow hallway at the other end.
Revised build went to a square foot print with a mostly open ground floor for a large kitchen in the back left, bathroom in the back right. Stairs slightly to the right near the front that went up to a landing/hall that opened into the master bedroom in the back, bedrooms in the front corners, and bath in the middle.
Updated square build moved the front door to the front right, kitchen in the front left with the bathroom between it and the stairs.
RealLuckless ok I wanted to see the revised drawing to get ideas for my house design thanks
Great points. I included extra unused wires in all boxes all through my house for possible future changes. I used ROMEX instead of metal conduit because of an over-abundance of caution about induction. Plus, I'd been shocked several times before while working around installed emt. Regarding function: I'm stunned to see TV renovation or flipping shows that have the fridge on one side of a huge kitchen, the sink 10 feet away on the adjoining wall and the stove 10 feet away on the 3rd wall with a huge island between them. Big kitchen sounds nice but when you're in there cooking you want to take as few steps as possible between work-stations. If you invite lots of people over every weekend and there's 10 people working in the kitchen then you need another smaller kitchen just for your personal use where you spin on your heel, take one or two steps between stations. People don't realize when they're designing their home that taking 3 extra steps 100 times a week becomes wearisome and aggravating, especially as you age.
Don't know about the States, but from my experience it seems (here in Denmark), that a lot of folks underestimate the landscaping and cost of trees and plants as well. If you want a basic decent garden to look at, it's gonna cost a bit. More than most think. And it needs care and understanding of how to get it to settle in and how to design it well. It's more than digging a few holes and plopping a few trees and bushes in. Chances are they are dead or growing way too slow from malnutricion a year later.
So I built a house last year and one thing that I really didn't realize is the bank does not care about you building the best house possible structurally and mechanically. I'm also talking custom homes, not a neighborhood where all the homes are the same. The EC mentioned about finishing materials(Trim, Countertops etc) and cost and how you can make up money here and this will usually be a way to save money or put money into your home. However one thing that does not appraise at the end of a build like finishing materials is structural and mechanical material and labor. Now there is code for your area, however the code doesn't state what will last 40 years and is the best product to use. Knob and Tube I think is still approved in some areas of the U.S.?????
1. Say you build a 2x4 instead of 2x6.
2. Say you put in cheap windows compared to Marvin ultimates
3. Say you put more concrete or have 9 foot walls in your basement
4. Say you go with Tyvek instead of zip system
5. Say you build your deck with 2x12 and 6x6 posts
6. Say you put 40 year shingles on your house.
7. Say you go with 3/4 plywood instead of advantech(huge debate here)
8. Say you go with doug fur over yellow pine
9. The concrete mixture your walls are poured with is it for winter or summer
10. Say the insulation you use
11. Water filtration, softner etc
12. Say your house has all 15 amp receptical circuits instead of 20amp...
13. etc etc etc
None of the things I listed above have to do with finish materials. Bottom line is the bank nor appraisers know what a house is really worth and how well its constructed, just that it is x amount of square feet and has this many bathrooms and nice countertops. When you build a house and its the house you want to live in for the next 40 years because you built it or are building it for a customer. Remember these things add up on building a quality not crap home, but like I said appraisers nor the bank care......
Everything you stated is true, and why many "spec" houses are built like crap. It's nothing new either. In the 50's suburb ranches or salt boxes were thrown together like hotcakes, and are disasters for a remodel. EC is building a "spec" house but I suspect he is one of the few builders out there that really care. My mom had a house built from a "spec" plan, but was involved start to finish. That was almost 10 years ago, and now she's selling. It WILL get a premium to the comps built afterwards because of "the little things" (e.g. my suggestion of a 50a plug below the panel in the garage ... nice place to plug in your welder or tesla).
The electrician questioned my 70+ mom (turned 80 this year), about why she wanted a high amp drop. She said for a welder (we're AK folk) ... was 2' of high amp cable and an additional outlet ~$100 "change" *before* sheetrock.
august, you mentioned generator ... wiring in a transfer box is SO easy while the panel is going in. Afterwards, not so much.
Everything you stated is 100% true, but there's one thing you're missing.... The vast majority of home buying decisions are made by women. Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses because women love kitchens and bathrooms. Women typically have no interest in upgrading anything to do with foundation, structure or systems. This is also why you will see a $40,000 kitchen complete with granite countertops in a house that is barely up to code structurally.
Good point at about 7 minutes in about how at the point where drywall is in is about the halfway point of the build time. Good reminder!
This is the single most important video you've made in this series yet. Wish I'd have seen this 10 years ago. In hindsight we didn't screw up too bad, but I will admit that I'd never thought of elevating the grade that the house sits on before this video. And we have the lowest lot in the area! Oh well, live and learn....
This one definitely goes on my notes! Every young architect out there like myself must subscribe and follow this channel. It is educational, straight on-point, and surprisingly enjoyable to watch!
I'm rehabbing a house myself and with a helper. Eliminating the load bearing wall on first floor, and planning on how my beams and Jack stud bump outs are going to look. Every part of this house is in my head, 24/7.
Man, I love listening to this guy, especially as someone who is in the trades and wants to build their own house one day
Your video are a must watch. I learned so ... so very much about the dream stuff I want to do. Your guides of how to go about.... doing it, is the best. Thanks
Essential and INDISPENSABLE stuff over here. Thank you for your insight and teaching on this channel. Really helpful to a young guy like myself. Please keep makin em!
Hi Nate.
As a long time cameraman I couldn't help noticing you are having problems with focus sometimes. Wasn't obvious at all,, I just wanted to give you a tip in case you don't know about it. Look in your cameras menu and turn on "Peaking" or sometimes called "Focus assist" this will place a false colour around all the sharpest objects in the frame, you can select the colour sometimes as well. With Peaking switched on you basically just change focus until you see the false colour as a halo around Scott. If your subject is sitting down like this video turn off your autofocus as it will sometimes go off hunting (I think that's what happened here?) You wont need to change unless your subject moves closer or further from the camera but if you keep the Peaking on then you can see this and you will know where is the sharpest part of the picture. It does look strange for a while but you get used to it and it will give you confidence. What camera are you using?
Love the channel content is fantastic it will truly start to shine when you can get some technical foibles under control.
I hope that is some help to you, it is nice to be able to share my craft as well.
No worries Nate.
Ok so you won't find focus peaking on any of the cannon cameras unless you install "Magic Lantern". If you don't know about it do a bit of research it is an excellent FREE firmware hack that was written by fans that will give you extra features like Peaking and zebras. It is a slight bit of faf and you will have to re learn the menus but is quite stable and reliable now days, it kinda makes it a completely different more professional camera. Worth looking into if you are interested in camera geek stuff. th-cam.com/video/au3xaQi-vHo/w-d-xo.html and www.magiclantern.fm/
What microphone were you using on this one and where was it placed? If you are trying to avoid a noise like rain the PLACEMENT is everything the closer it is to the source of the sound (his mouth) the better even if the microphone is in the shot.
Your shot composition and lighting looks great and I can see you do have an eye for this, even the audio was mostly ok certainly didn't prevent me from listening to Scotts' wisdom.
Super helpful- Crazy to think that sheet rock hung is halfway on a project. Enjoying this series
Mate your a legend. Im an apprentice carpenter from new zealand. I learn more from your channel than i do my own boss! Cant wait fir the next vid
Great insights. Incredibly timely as the wife and I are currently designing and building our "forever" home. We're architect and interior designer also, which makes it difficult to resist the urge in selecting elegant fixtures and finishes. Budget, quality (level of finishes), and quantity (square footage) are all related. If one is out of balance, the other two have to make up the difference. And if form truly follows function, it makes a lot of sense to invest those dollars into the square footage your family needs!
Love following the spec house build. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
I love your videos I'm starting as a carpenter this year did concrete last year found that I enjoy construction alot and he pride you get from. my wife's mom and step dad are in Oregon and we currently live in Iowa. Keep the video coming.
I’m always so relaxed by watching your videos! Thanks for the content!
Hi Scott, just wanted to say thanks for one of your best videos. Love how you broke down the costs associated with building/designing a home. Tons of good info, I learned a lot. Thank you, I'll be watching you hit 1 mil subs soon...
Thank you for all this glorious insight. We are looking to build this Spring and your thoughts give me pause to think about what is really important. Now, only need to convince the wife......
Scott, I always enjoy your videos. I really appreciate that you make learning about building, craftsmanship, and many little tips that I feel are very important--yet not often mentioned--fun to watch. My wife, 3yr old daughter, and myself love your channel. As a guy who enjoys doing as much around the house as I am knowledgeable enough to safely/competently accomplish, I'd like to say thanks for building my wealth of knowledge even further. We can't wait to see your spec house completed. Some day we'd like to participate in building a new home for ourselves. It has been great learning every little step along the way--so many things I would've never thought to consider. Keep up the excellent work on the job-site as well as here on TH-cam.
Stay Safe and Productive ~Steve
Some good common sense there ! 👍
Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍 👍
That's a lot to think about. Now is the time to make the right decisions.
You’ve got way more common sense than most people on TH-cam! Valuable advice.
i learn so much from you. It's like talking to my father. thank you so much.
Not a Builder or Architect. But I’ve been there done that. But I’m in the new home construction business. Drew my own plans based off of others work. Flipped this and that and brought into more of my liking. I then executed 80% of all the work with help of a father and brother in regards to framing. After it was closed in I did just about everything else. You are so right about fixtures and surfaces; it is all so subjective to someone else’s tastes. I may like oak cabinetry and next person comes along and wants everything hickory, cherry or whatever or painted. I may want carpet in the bedrooms and someone else wants wood floor throughout. I also tried to build as comparable to others surrounding me as in number of bedrooms and baths I as a 28 year old at the time had to walk a fine line as to cost, so I could actually afford it. Warning to all men, try to please the wife happy but yet keep her under close watch, they love to over spend. Long story short I got in the home for 50-60% of my neighbors. 😎
All great points, especially the size vs finish. So true
Wow, have watched a few episodes. Really informative and enjoyable to watch. Nice pace, easy to follow your direction and a nice balance of simple language and industry specific terminology that’s new to me. Loving it. Keeps me motivated and less intimidated to tackle an addition to our home. Thanks for sharing your hard-won knowledge.
Love the vid. Dont like the "build to make other people happy" comments at the end. It's your house, your life, make it fit you. (some people i work with strongly disagree with me on that point)..but like he said, some things are easily changed, and if it's designed well, the house should work regardless. Don't build a home in a hoa anyways, it seems like wearing a longsleeve turtleneck and compression shorts to bed. But for real, I really like these videos and want more of them, I've learned so much here. Thank you very much!
Congrats on 200K subs and climbing! Another great video.
Everything about this video is high quality, the information is top notch as is the presentation. Thank you for sharing this
I'm glad cameras have trouble focusing too, makes me feel better knowing machines and I have the same struggles!
I was a house painter for many years and trying to explain what you just said to customers was exasperating they all wanted multi trendy colours only to find the trend changed instead of one light functional colour easy to clean functional with good resale value enjoying your videos keep them comming
This is the best video I have seen on this topic. For additional info research the Principal of Conformity and the definitions of Progression and Regression as they deal with home values. I’m licensed real estate broker of twenty years and a Certified General Appraiser of 15 years. The Essential Craftsman knows his stuff, excellent video.
Principle of progression is the idea that the value of a house increases when more valuable houses are built in the area. This contrasts with principle of regression, which is based on the concept that larger, more expensive houses lose value when they are near smaller, less valuable homes.
I love that these “fireside chats” are filmed in the shop, seems somehow very appropriate.
I’ve never in my life been interested in concrete work, yet I watched those videos with enthusiasm. Oh I’ve DONE concrete work, just not interested in it… 🤣
Keep up the Good Work™️!
Just binge watched your home building video series. Great content, insight, examples and suggestions. Nice change to see a professional craftsman post a build series instead a DYIer. Looking forward to watching the upcoming videos. Thanks for your hard work. SK Spokane Wa.
There we all have it ;....right from the carpenter/contractor himself.
And yet,....some folks will not pay attention to this free advice from someone who knows and who's been there.
Thanks for the video.
I’m loving this series. I’m learning a lot from you. You’re very good at teaching and explaining what you’re talking about. I’m excited for the next video
I am in the design process of our new house and I love watching your videos..And this one was really full of info..
Great Video Scott Even though I live in Western Australia and our building codes are somewhat different there's a wealth of information that is universal for us all
so thankyou for your generosity in sharing
Congratulations on hitting 200,000 subscribers
Someone in my neighborhood needed a larger room, but couldn't do without the existing one during construction, so they built the expansion over the existing room, then tore out the smaller room and passed the bits out of the window over one weekend.
Pretty much the same happened when my cousin had to redo an old shed. Built a new shed around the old one and then demolished the old one from the inside.
Some idiotic regulations.
Thank you for this video and all the others.
This is an awesome video! Many great tips and advice to consider. I am building my first home with my dad during the evenings after work and on weekends. It’s a 1400 sq ft three bay shop with a living quarter. I keep in mind the advice in this video with the many decisions we have to make. It’s a whole new trade for us to learn and it’s great to have a well informed perspective to keep our project in check. Thank you for your videos, I’ve watched nearly every one of them!
How many times have you heard the question...what should I use as a square foot cost?...this video is a good resource for that answer.....