The good news is we got the tax assessment on our property
from last year and it was valued at double what we paid for it.
The bad news is our “team” doesn’t seem to understand our
vision. My fears are coming true and the builder is trying to squish a regular
house into our 500 square feet of livable space. The bid came in almost double
our ideal budget and doesn’t include the temperature controlled garage, the
finishing, the labor of the students… the list goes on.
It is like all the ideas and vision boards we have brought
to the table were 100% forgotten or ignored. I cannot even explain my frustration.
I see countless stories of people building 300 square foot
tiny houses for under $40k – you’re telling me you can’t build a house that isn’t
even double the square footage for more than double the budget?! When you have
student labor involved?
I’m sorry. I don’t buy it.
The problem is, I’m not a builder. I don’t have the
knowledge to be able to push them. I don’t know the questions to ask. I don’t know
where we should cut corners and where we should not. I don’t know what “cutting
corners” looks like while still having a presentable house that we like, that
is energy efficient and can be comfortable in all the extreme seasons that Minnesota
offers us.
Mostly I just feel sad. Like the odds of us getting the
house that we actually want are slim to none. And then it’s like, well, what’s the
point?
Here's to the next update being a positive one...
