I wanted to build a house

Back in the time I was beginning to feel my wings and wanted to have my own building business, I had no idea of banking and finances. I thought building, selling, buying a house was like buying or selling a car. I learned the hard way.

I found a little lot with a shack on it for $3000. I wanted to build a house, and had never built in my life. We tore the shack down and cleared off the lot. Then I learned I needed permission to tear down the shack, ah ha!

“I already tore it down!”

“You are kidding?”

“No sir, I didn’t know I needed permission to unbuild.”

“Okay, don’t let it happen again.”

“Okay I promise. Now can I build a house?”

“Well, maybe. I’m not sure. Oh, that lot is too small to build on.”

(I learned about Zoning & lot size)

“What?”

“Too small, but wait, let’s see if it is grandfathered in?”

“What?”

“Grandfathered, means you might be able to do it since the lot was cut out before the law was passed. (pause,checking) Okay you can build, where are the plans?”

“In my head!”

“Not the right place, I need them on paper.”

“Okay, be back tomorrow.”  (Drawing all night)

Next day… “Okay, here they are.”

“Nice drawing, did you do them to scale?”

“Pretty close, I have a semester of technical drawing.”

“That is nice,” (smiles), “but we need certified drawings, by someone accepted by the state of NC. And the widest the house can be is 24ft. Also a surveyor must position it because you do not have an inch to spare.”

I could see things weren’t going to be as simple as I had thought. But of course I worked thru it and had a ball doing it. I did build the house and I did not have a contractor’s license. In NC you can build your own house without a license.

I built the cabinets cut the molding, built the trusses and raised them myself. I did not do the heating and I did not air condition it, because I did not know how.

(My first house, 30 years later, the area has went down and this is a messy day, but those are giant oaks out front)

I planted a garden out back, and in the afternoon/evening I tended the garden. I had a great time. During the building time I kept track of my hours from the time I left home until I quit for the day. I finished the house and was the proudest guy in the world. I stuck a for sale sign out front. I waited a whole week and no one bought it. I expected it to sell immediately, it was my creation.

Now to the realtor. “What is your asking price?”

“What are you gonna charge me to sell it?” He said 5%. I figured some and I think I came up with about $30,000. He smiled but didn’t argue. The house sold in a week. If I had waited a day, it would have sold from my for sale sign.

After the closing the lady said, now that I have paid for the house, what is wrong with it? Why so cheap? What Cheap?

I told her, I earned $10 an hour, I am happy with that. I guess it was her time to smile. (Everyone smiling these sly smiles) She was very happy, a new house with Corn, okra and tomatoes growing in a neat garden out back.

Well that was the first one, I had found what I loved to do.

(These are some of the later ones, A good bit of improvement, but not half the fun as the first one)

(I was always a hands on Contractor, I loved to drive a nail)

Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined. He died April 18, 1955

CARS……………………….

I would like to park this 1956 T-Bird in front of my house!