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Do I live where it is too expensive?

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arielnh56

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
30
Location
Northern California, hot dry part
I'm in Livermore, CA about 50 miles east of San Francisco.

We just had a contractor out to do estimates on fixing various things on the house and asked him ballpark what would a 500 sq ft detached garage/workshop with attic space cost? He said about $125/sqft i.e. $60k. :yikes:

Google had been telling me $30 - $50 per square ($15k - $25k), depending on region. $60k is not doable, not close. Is this just ridiculous in general, or do I just live in a ridiculously expensive place?
 
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Zeke

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Aug 13, 2009
Messages
17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
I am a contractor and I can tell you you would not be happy with something that cost $30 per sq ft. You'd have one plug and one light plus an outlet for a GD opener which you would have to buy extra. Cheap, thin ga. metal sectional door and a cheap prehung man door. Unfinished interior altogether meaning not a stitch of insulation. Broom finish floor and maybe one window. You don't get things like a sub panel or any plumbing. I doubt you'd get rain gutters.

At $50 sq ft there might be a regional thing that would push the price for the same simple bones garage up to that point depending on labor costs and permitting costs. But if all things were equal, you'd get a lot more for 50 per.

$125 per sq ft is either because the guy doesn't want the job or you are looking for more than just a place to park cars. You might start doing your homework and break this down yourself. There are a lot of resources on the Net.
 
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kd3pc

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Aug 10, 2013
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3,630
Location
Northern Neck
easy enough to check on the internet...

real world - Livermore is very expensive, has been for quite some time. When I used to work for SGI, they wanted me to relocate to CA for a promotion...no way could I afford the home, let alone all the other stuff. That was in the 90's....and Livermore has only gotten more desirable. Location Location Location.

Northern VA is the same way...$100-125 per sq ft unfinished interior, exterior to match the house...and UP....if you have brick veneer or HOA that has requirements beyond color matching vinyl siding.

In my part of rural TN, the going rate would be $20-22 per sq ft. or less. But we have few, if any, inspections, and less zoning. That has it's ups and downs. The building permit is $25 and that includes the first, and only electrical inspection and permit. You get it at the local Ace Hardware and the inspector only works Fridays, and you have to call him on the Monday, prior, before 9am to schedule an inspection that coming Friday. Odd but it works.

Google, Zillow, Trulia, Kelly Blue Book, and the like are just GIGO wrapped up in marketing to keep the politicians thinking that the economy is awesome and people are buying and spending like they should.

Real world, you get several estimates, all for the same work, check references, read the contract and then decide. 10% slush fund just in case. and good to go.
 
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LXCam

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Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
19,097
Location
AZ
Ya, you live in a stupid expensive place.

Here's a little taste of the cost of living difference between were you and I are located.

Down south in Riverside:

Average Yearly Union Electrician Salary in California
$40,912 - $61,368

Up your way

Average Yearly Union Electrician Salary in California
$72,041 - $108,061

That being indicative of all trades union or not as well as overhead. I highly doubt you'll find anybody in your area willing to do it for less than $100sqft. Everyone is swamped with work right now up there.
 
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arielnh56

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
30
Location
Northern California, hot dry part
if all the prices are double the house fixes will eat all the possible funds anywat by the sound of it. We've been here 20 years and I've done all my own renovations to date, so I've not had to deal with labor costs. If the diff is mostly labour the DIY may be the way to go. Or move......

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LXCam

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Apr 23, 2013
Messages
19,097
Location
AZ
Great time to sell and not a bad time to buy since interest rates are great. But we're going to take another dive sure as ****. So unless you plan on staying put for a while, it's not something I would consider in cali. I say build it yourself.
 
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PoorOwner

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Feb 10, 2007
Messages
5,032
Location
CA
Have you look into TuffShed? I am putting in your zip code and shows a garage starts at 11.6k for 20x24. Of course does not include pouring concrete. But it is mostly turn key for the building itself. This is where you can benefit from nation wide pricing than an independent contractor.

Have you not lived there 20 years and notice it is expensive? Have you needed a plumber or even better, need a lawyers help you may be surprised by the astronomical costs. Did you not notice the $100k tesla are everywhere? Did you notice the home value quadrupled since your purchase 20 years ago?
 
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APEowner

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Oct 2, 2009
Messages
4,164
Location
Sunny, New Mexico
Yes, you live in an expensive place but the only way to find out if that's a reasonable number for your area and project is to get multiple bids based off of actual spec.s. As Zeke alluded there's a huge difference in cost per square foot depending on what you're building.
 
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rustyshakelford

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Mar 5, 2013
Messages
174
Location
Navasota, TX
If it helps I build 4368 sq ft covered and 2400 of that was enclosed and with lighting, 5.5" of concrete and electrical it came out to around $9 sq/ft under roof. 5 doors and 14' end wall height

I would say you live in a very expensive part of the country and those prices are shown on flip or flop

Brett
 
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ratdoggy

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Mar 27, 2009
Messages
11,971
Location
Akron-Canton area OH
My SIL lives in Oakland and there are bars on her windows...
Nice house bad neighborhood Zillow has it for almost $700K
House rich and pocket poor
 
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pmiranda

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Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,504
Location
Austin, TX
On the positive side, interest rates are low and you've been there 20 years so you probably have a ton of equity you can tap to pay for the remodel. Pay for the garage foundation and exterior shell in cash and finish the interior as you have time. Get to know the tradesmen that do your remodel work and if you like their work, pay them cash without GC markup to do garage work when they get free time.
Of course, if you are busy with your day jab and can't hang around to do all this, then **** it up and pay the GC. They put in alot of time finding (hopefully) good tradesmen and have to cover a bunch of overhead.
I've done remodels both ways, and I have to say I liked hiring a good GC better than sitting around the house keeping an eye on subs myself. But if you're a control freak or your time is cheap, DIY is the only way to be happy.
 
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Ernie Mccracken

Active member
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
25
Yes. Same story with Seattle. I've been remodeling a house and no one here lifts a finger for less than $100/hr. Last year, I got a quote to build a 500sf deck and landscape my tiny postage stamp yard - $110k.
 
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KEH

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Jan 31, 2010
Messages
5,142
ratdoggy said:
My SIL lives in Oakland and there are bars on her windows...
Nice house bad neighborhood Zillow has it for almost $700K
House rich and pocket poor
Click to expand...


"nice house, poor neighborhood"... In that area of nice houses, where do the people that make it a poor neighborhood live?


KEH
 
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Weird Tolkienish Figure

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Jun 12, 2013
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863
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North Shore Boston MA area
Every day I thank my lucky stars I was born in the Northeast rather than California.

Not knocking people from California or people who like it btw. This area is way more suited to my personality is all.
 
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finn

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Mar 27, 2005
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16,205
Location
The UP, God's country
I'd only consider comments on construction costs from your local area to be valid in making your decision.

It really is irrelevant what someone from, say, Texas paid for their structure in comparison to your local estimates. Their construction would certainly not pass your local earthquake codes, or my snow load or frost and insulation requirements, and the pay scales and taxes vary widely.

That doesn't necessarily mean one is better, but what's acceptable is a local norm.
 
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Corndoggeh

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Apr 2, 2016
Messages
1,198
Honestly, I would be the type of guy that would just have the skeleton built and do everything else myself. However, it seems ANYWHERE in California is ridiculously expensive to begin with compared to most other states.
 
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Cobra_Bob

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Jun 3, 2011
Messages
202
Location
Virginia
arielnh56 said:
I'm in Livermore, CA about 50 miles east of San Francisco.

We just had a contractor out to do estimates on fixing various things on the house and asked him ballpark what would a 500 sq ft detached garage/workshop with attic space cost? He said about $125/sqft i.e. $60k. :yikes:

Google had been telling me $30 - $50 per square ($15k - $25k), depending on region. $60k is not doable, not close. Is this just ridiculous in general, or do I just live in a ridiculously expensive place?
Click to expand...


Yep. I lived in San Ramon (20 miles north of you). Zillow says current home index is $921,100. Absolutely ridiculous.

Yeah. We moved....
 
J

jedeyeben

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Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
78
Location
The Hoosier State
Remind me to never buy, build, or generally breath in California... [emoji15] I mean crazy...
The cost of living you're talking about is insane! Wow! I knew it was bad but I guess I just never really looked at it. My recent shed build was like 65k on 5k sq ft.

Best of luck, and I'd definitely shop around and get several quotes. Explore your options for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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pmiranda

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Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,504
Location
Austin, TX
It's all relative. If you make enough money then it's not too expensive. If all you care about is cost of building there are plenty of places to move to, but you might not like it there. Personally, I have no desire to live anyplace with real winter. Other people can't handle real summer.
 
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Moose97

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Joined
Jul 11, 2013
Messages
2,802
Location
North Central Texas
My Old Tools said:
Sell it all and move to Texas. A high end home here is $125-150 SF, and I'm talking high end. Land is cheap. Shops run $25-30 SF.
Click to expand...

Whatever you do don't move to Texas!!!!! Hot as all get out here in the summer! It's miserable. I'd stay in Cali if I were you. Maybe move to the east coast but stay outta Texas!!!:headshake ;):bounce::rolleyes:
 
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Grimpala

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Jul 16, 2012
Messages
1,406
Moose97 said:
Whatever you do don't move to Texas!!!!! Hot as all get out here in the summer! It's miserable. I'd stay in Cali if I were you. Maybe move to the east coast but stay outta Texas!!!:headshake ;):bounce::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I'm with this guy, there is nothing in Texas worth moving here for. Just stay put out there, you're much better off.

:D
 
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Trey T

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Aug 3, 2011
Messages
3,749
Location
Houston, TX
Are y'all talking about American labor or foreign labor? In Houston here, you get all the crappy foreign labor but I pay as if they're Americans.

Y'all Cali ppl stay where y'all at, don't come over here.
 
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shelteredV

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Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Messages
532
Location
The Rock
I am in an area where the median is 890k. I am currently doing a roof deck at 175.00 s.f. x 1250 s.f. . It's all relative...
 
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arielnh56

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
30
Location
Northern California, hot dry part
Gerald O said:
Believe it or not, people move away from their place of birth quite often.

Just saying...
Click to expand...
I did. I'm Scottish and my dad was in the trades, so I've always done my own work on the house. I did hire a tile guy once, but he took my money then declared bankrupcy. But I'm getting older and I've never done something this big. And She says I never finish things completely.

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