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@allie_athome

Self-contracting our forever home in rural South Georgia. Honestly - we're just wingin' it.

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What it Means to be Your Own General Contractor

July 12, 2020 Leave a Comment

I get asked this question a lot!

“So you didn’t hire a general contractor?”

“What does self-contracting even mean?”

“Who is building your house?”

No, we did not hire a general contractor. We (my husband mainly) are acting as our own contractor, which means we are building our house. We hire out all of the sub-contractors (framers, plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc.) We line up the schedule and we make all of the decisions. There have been several pros and cons to this method, but of course, the biggest pro has been the money we saved.

A general contractor quoted us around $200,000 to build our house from top to bottom. We are right on schedule to save around $50,000 from hiring out our own sub-contractors and doing a lot of the work ourselves. I will be the first to say this method is not for everyone. My husband is self-employed, and the shop where he does most of his work is directly across the road from our build. He has the time and availability to meet with the sub-contractors and be there within minutes if a decision needs to be made or if something goes wrong.

Also, you may have noticed that it has taken us quite a while to get this house built. We have gone at our own pace and paid cash for as much as possible. As I write this, we are in month 15 of our build and we still have at least a month to go before we can move in. We will not be moving into a finished house. This is a game-changer for some people. After moving in, we will still need to finish trim, tile, exterior work, and I’m sure several other little projects will come up. We are in a hurry to move in at this point because we have a baby on the way.

I will also warn that not all cities/counties/HOAs will allow you to act as your own general contractor. We live in rural, south Georgia, where building codes are pretty lenient compared to some. We still had to sign an Owner Builder Affidavit which basically said we can not rent out or sell our house for 2 years after building. I think this is to ensure we build a solid, durable dwelling that won’t collapse on a new buyer/renter. LOL.

I did a lot of research on owner-builders before we got started. My favorite blog by FAR is Farmhouse From Scratch. She and her husband self-contracted their house and saved close to $200k. She has a ton of resources builders and she created an awesome Facebook group that I reference to daily – Build your own house-Owner Builders.

So far, I don’t regret the route we chose at all. It’s been hard, yes. It would have been nice to move in after 6-9 months of building. However, I will never regret the amount of money we saved or the sense of pride we get when we say that we built our own house.

If you are thinking about self-contracting your house and you have questions, feel free to reach out! I’m always happy to help.

Until then,

Allie

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About This Site

Husband & wife self-contracting our forever home in South Georgia. No previous construction experience, so honestly – we’re just wingin’ it. Follow along and learn from our mistakes!

allie_athome

Justin’s trying to cook dinner and I’m just ov Justin’s trying to cook dinner and I’m just over here arranging fake limes in a pitcher for a good photo op 🤣
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Notice I said “dinner” this time and not “supper” - Why? No clue. No rhyme or reason behind it. But I did find out in my survey the other day that more of you say “dinner” so that’s an interesting fact! Tonight’s menu is steak and shrimp on the grill and I’m just over here like 🤤🤤🤤
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#ourforeverhome #homebuildingjourney #vintagepyrex #pyrexcollector #pyrexjunkie #kitchenisland #kitchenislanddecor #farmhousevibes #customhomebuild #ownerbuilders #earlyamerican
Every day feels like Valentine’s Day when you ha Every day feels like Valentine’s Day when you have a home filled with as much love as we do! It’s rained like crazy here this weekend so we spent it working on a fun DIY project together (I saved it in my DIY story highlight if you want to go back and check it out) and filing our taxes 🤪
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Anyone else stuck inside with kids who are stir-crazy & jacked up on Valentine’s candy?! Well played, 2021, well played 🤣
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#ourforeverhome #diyer #diywithme #diyprojects #rainydayprojects #farmhousevibes #homedecordiy #ownerbuilder #customhomebuild #laminatecounters
Happy Sunday! Our house is a disaster from all the Happy Sunday! Our house is a disaster from all the birthday festivities and I usually try and do a good deep clean on Sunday mornings but it just wasn’t happening today 🤣 I did manage to get the dishes done and snap this pretty picture! My parents bought me this hyacinth for my birthday. They originally gave me a blue one but when I couldn’t get the blue one to bloom, my dad swapped it out with this pretty pink one that they had blooming in their kitchen window! I’m told the green thumb skips a generation 🙈 anyways, I finally unpacked my pink Pyrex - just in time for Valentine’s Day 💗💗
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#vintagepyrex #farmhousesink #farmhouseviews #kitchenwindow #farmhousevibes #valentinesdecor #customhomebuild #newconstruction #ownerbuilders #ourforeverhome #pinkgooseberry
Our first set of family photos we’ve hung in the Our first set of family photos we’ve hung in the house... 💗 I’m trying not to go overboard and just buy every little piece of wall art I find to fill up the walls... I’m making a point to go room by room and make sure that everything I buy is intentional. The next step for the dining room is some DIY wainscoting! 😍 .
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#comingsoon #farmhousevibes #customhomebuild #ourforeverhome #farmhousedecor #farmhousediningroom #pioneerwoman #canvasprints #diyer #ourbuildingjourney #newconstruction #chalkpaint #farmhousediningtable
Tonight, we did the DIY drop cloth curtain hack 🙌🏻 we bought a 9ft x 12ft drop cloth from WalMart ($17.88), cut it into fourths, popped them in the dryer, and hung! They need to be steamed one good time but you can’t beat 4 curtain panels for that price! 
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#diydecor #farmhousevibes #farmhousedecor #ourforverhome #dropclothcurtains #customhomebuild #ownerbuilders #diycurtains #farmhousestyle #husbandwifeteam #diyhousetohome
I know you won’t hear this a lot, but 2020 was o I know you won’t hear this a lot, but 2020 was one of the most beautiful years of my life. One that I will always remember, cherish, and be so thankful for. 

The first week of 2020, we found out that after a year of praying so hard, God was going to bless us with another baby. Shortly after, we found out that baby was a girl 💕 

COVID hit the world like a freight train, and I was able to work part-time from home, so I spent the most of my pregnancy with Jonah, outside, exploring, kayaking, riding waves, and soaking up every minute of it.

Justin worked so hard on his new business and on our house, so we could finally move in after a year and a half of building. He makes all my dreams come true and keep me laughing in the process. 

We welcomed baby girl into the world on September 8, 2020 and she has lit up our lives and given us such joy! Jonah warmed up to the idea of sharing his Mama, and now he loves her more than I could have ever imagined! Nothing warms a mama’s heart more than seeing her babies love each other.

2020 brought a lot of hurt and a lot of loss to so many families. I thank God for showing us mercy, for keeping us protected, and for blessing us more than we deserve. Happy New Year, everyone! ❤️
𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤... from this view (taken from Jonah’s playhouse) its hard to see all the projects we still have left to do. From this view, all I see is the house we’ve worked so hard to build with as least debt as possible. I see yard that my babies will play in until the grow up, I see the rocking chairs that hubby and I will sit and rock in until we’re old, and I see the doors that will welcome our friends and families for meals, play dates, and holidays. When I’m inside, it’s hard to see past the trim that needs to be painted or the doors that still need knobs. Sometimes we all need to take a step back (even if it means climbing up a shaky ladder up to your little boy’s playhouse) to see the bigger picture 🤍🤍
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#ourforeverhome #customhomebuild #farmhousevines #ownerbuilders #homebuildingjourney #ourbuildthisweek #playhouseviews #farmhousestyle #ourlittlefarmhouse #constructionjourney #ournewhome #backyardviews #newconstruction
My honey-do list was a mile long today and it incl My honey-do list was a mile long today and it included getting our entryway table from our old house and hanging this painting! You can’t tell from this picture but this thing is massive and is definitely the focal point of our whole house now! 
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This space still needs major TLC - I’m thinking a basket for the bottom of the tree, a few knick-knacks for the table and maybe a blanket ladder for the left side? Send me alllll the suggestions - I need them!
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#farmhousedecor #ourforeverhome #ourbuildingjourney #customhomebuild #barndecor #goodwillfinds #thriftedfinds #farmhousevibes #entrywaytable #entrywaydecor #fauxtree
Progress > Perfection . Most of y’all know I ha Progress > Perfection 
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Most of y’all know I had big plans for my 13 week maternity leave! I was going to finish painting the walls, trim and doors, start working on the exterior of the house, have everything unpacked and orderly, and have the whole house decorated, so I could relax for a bit just in time for the holidays. LOL, doesn’t that sound nice?! You know how I really spent my 13 week maternity leave? Living out of unpacked boxes, eating off of paper plates and with plastic forks, but most importantly - snuggling with my newborn baby - which I may never get to do again! 
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So what if we’re living in an unfinished house and the list of projects seem endless? At least we have a home, one that we can share with our family and friends, one that we can grow into and continue to make perfect for the 4 of us. We’ve made so much progress in the last year and a half.
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My maternity leave comes to an end this week, and while I will miss my baby snuggles, I’m excited to get to reality and spend time with like-minded adults who help me grow as a professional but also as a mother and a wife. .
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Oh and here’s a cheesy picture of me posing in the kitchen. Self timer FTW (after 9000 tries).
A big table just in time for Thanksgiving 🤗. . A big table just in time for Thanksgiving 🤗.
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Found these chairs on FB Marketplace yesterday and knew they were exactly what we needed! Check out my stories to vote if we should recover the cushions or leave them be! ❤️.
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#farmhousetable #diningroom #farmhousediningtable #mixmatched #ourforeverhome #ourbuildingjourney #customhomebuild #homefortheholidays #thanksgiving2020 #myhomethisweek #fauxfireplace #christmasmantle #fireplacemantle #diningroomdecor #diningroominspo
After my post yesterday, I think I’ll just make After my post yesterday, I think I’ll just make this a trend - pretty spaces cluttered with toys - because this is real life over here! I’m loving having natural light in our bathroom, something we have never had before! My husband told Jonah that he would have to keep his toys in his own bathroom, but you see how that’s working out for us 🤪
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#ourforeverhome #thisisreallife #ourbuildingjourney #transformers #farmhousebathroom #masterbathroom #deltafaucets #masterbathtub #farmhousevibes #boyswillbeboys
It’s so hard to take those “Instagram worthy” pictures when your house is full of baby swings, jumpers, playmats, action figures, etc. but the honest to God truth is - this swing is a LIFE SAVER - and even if it doesn’t fit in with my decor, I wouldn’t have it any other way!! Sister is napping hard while I unpack boxes, tidy up from yesterday’s game night, and put away allllll the toys scattered all over the house. 
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We are so blessed to finally be in our new home. Although it’s taken such a long time (shoutout to y’all who have been here since the beginning) and we still have LOTS of projects to finish - I am joyful today!
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#givethanksnovember #thanksgivingmonth #fauxfireplace #christmasmantle #ourbuildingjourney #ourforeverhome #babysnoozes #justmovedin #farmhousevibes #babyswing #thankfulmonday #blissfulliving
Day 563: we are moved in! First official night in Day 563: we are moved in! First official night in our new home 🏡💚
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#ownerbuilders #customhomebuild #ourbuildingjourney #ourforeverhome #brothersister #ourfarmhouse #farmhousevibes #masterbedroom #mbtw #mybuildthisweek #farmhousefromscratch
My brother & sister (in love) trusted me to take p My brother & sister (in love) trusted me to take photos of their pretty family this afternoon ❤️ this cotton field is was the perfect backdrop for an already perfect little family!!!
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#southga #cottonfields #christmascards #snowinga #sega #hunterboots #topknot #amateurphotography #canonrebel #blessed #familyphotos #momjeans
Most of you know the only thing holding us back fr Most of you know the only thing holding us back from moving in the new house was the appliances. We ordered them on July 23rd and due to a nationwide appliance shortage (thanks COVID), we were told “2 to 4 more weeks” over and over again. I am sooo happy to announce they were FINALLY delivered yesterday! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
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#thankscovid #frigidaire #newappliances #newhomebuild #constructionjourney #ownerbuilders #buildingduringcovid #coronaproblems #customhomebuild #farmhousekitchen #brickbacksplash #calacatta #laminatecounters #farmhousesink
“Be faithful in small things because it is in th “Be faithful in small things because it is in them where your strength lies” 💕
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We prayed so so hard for our sweet Janie, I knew Jonah needed a sibling & my mama heart longed for another baby to hold. I cried for Jonah because I knew it would be an adjustment - sharing his mama wasn’t something he was used to or looking forward to. And how could I love another in the same capacity that I’ve loved my Jonah bug for so long?! We’ve quickly learned that a new baby doesn’t split your heart in two, she doubles it ❤️❤️
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#newbornphotography #siblingphotography #momoftwo #momofboth #familyphotography  #8daysold #5yearsold #brothersister #joysofmotherhood #ourlittlefamily #myheartisfull
Ghouls just want to have fun 👻👻 . . . #hallo Ghouls just want to have fun 👻👻
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#halloween2020 #happyhalloween #spookyseason #boo #halloweenparty #thisyearisboosheet
It’s about get reeeal deep for a minute... . Tod It’s about get reeeal deep for a minute...
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Today I went for my 6 week postpartum checkup. My NP was asking me allll the things - you know those things. One question she asked was if I’d been experiencing any signs of postpartum depression. With a soft smile, I replied, “nope!” And I thanked God and all my lucky stars that was being honest with her.
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Because how many times have we smiled and said, “I’m fine, it’s fine, everything’s fine” when we really want to scream from the rooftops, “I’m exhausted! I’m hormonal! I’m stressed to the MAX!”
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Trust me, sister, I’ve been there...
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As you’ve seen in my stories or if you know me in “real life” you know that I’m constantly on the go - to the park, on a walk, out shopping, painting furniture - you name it. While some would call that being a “busy body,” I call it “taking care of my mental health”
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I NEED hobbies. I need to be out and about or doing something crafty. I’m a mega left-brain and my mind craves creativity and lots of human interaction! 
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Not everyone’s like that - I get it. Some of you take care of your mental health by staying home, away from people, in your own safe space. That’s great too! Get to know your own mind, what keeps you happy & healthy, and take time to do those things! 
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If you’re struggling, I can promise you’re not in it alone! Don’t be too proud, embarrassed, or stubborn to reach out! Being a mama is hard work!
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#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #postpartum #6weekcheckup #thisgownisnottrendy #atleastmymaskmatches #2020views #selfcare #letstalkaboutit
I have been struggling with how I was going to fil I have been struggling with how I was going to fill this BIG empty wall by our front door. I’ve been contemplating tables, book shelves, gallery wall decor, etc... then today, there it was. This gorgeous painting was sitting on the floor behind the checkout counter at Goodwill. I had already paid for my things when I asked the cashier how much it... only $34 😱 I told I was going to leave it because I wasn’t sure if it would fit in my car. I went on to Marshall’s and couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I went back and it was still there! It was a sign. I told my husband it was MADE for our house! I can’t wait to get it hung and fill up the rest of this space 😍
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#farmhouseviews #ourforeverhome #farmhousedecor #newconstruction #ownerbuilders #goodwillfinds #thriftstorefinds #thrifthaul #thrifteddecor #goodwilldecor #newhomebuild #ourbuildingjourney #mbtw #mybuildthisweek #emptywalls #entrywaydecor
Still in recovery mode from taking three kids to t Still in recovery mode from taking three kids to the zoo this week 🙃 Also, patiently waiting for some Fall weather around here. 85 degrees in mid-October is not okay!
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