I've been seeing quite a few people in my area buying a couple acres or more, building up a nice detached garage with a guest house on top, then slowly building the home.
This seems like a pretty nice idea:
- Temp live in the guest house until the house is done.
- Can work on the house whenever and watch all the construction since it's in the yard.
- More garage space (attached garage for drivable cars + detached garage for parking broken DSMs)
I'd like to do this, eventually, and build as much of the garage as possible by myself or with the help of migrant workers.
For starters, I'd like to set up a small storage building where I'm currently living for storing my junk. This way I can spend a bit less money and be able to gauge whether I have the skills/confidence to take on such a large project. I'm sure I will, but either way I'd like to have *some* experience.
My question is, is there a piece of software in which I could design the building and it'll spend out estimated material costs or at the minimum how much of what I'll need? Not looking for something so complicated it'll take more time to learn how to use it than it would to do it by hand.
Anyone done something like this?
EDIT: Also, side note, best method for testing AC duct leaks? It's hot as a mutha out here (105 heat index right now) and I need to run some cable through the attic. Figured I'd check for leaks while I was at it. The house is old and inefficient as hell, and although the AC is able to keep the house cool, I don't feel any air moving out the vents. Trying to go through and make the place a bit more efficient to save me some money...
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Topic: Anyone ever used any building cost/materials estimating software? (Read 2053 times)