Buying land and going prefab: rules? Sucks?

[vanguardist]

I've heard that prefab homes, given the high prices, are not becoming more popular and the quality has increased. If I can save a few tens of thousands of dollars, and can get a company that does business in NH, I'd consider doing that and buying land.

I'd welcome comments on this idea. Also, opinions on what areas of NH have cheap land would come in handy. My wife and I are looking at the Manchester/Concord area first, if only because we can (arguably) find jobs there more easily than others parts (I'm in media and he's in biotech/pharma).

Ideally, I'd love to be far enough away from an urban area where houses are maybe 100 feet apart, with some nature around, where kids could have a natural back yard, etc.

[slimpickens]

I can't help on the location, but I have been a custom home framer for 20 yrs, and have seen a few of the prefabs. I would say the quality can be just as good, maybe better, because the whole house is done inside out of the weather. check around of course, you get what you pay for. go look at some models, and some lived in ones if you can, or talk to previous customers. I saw a 2 story walk-out completed in 2 weeks, after foundation was complete. good luck

[vanguardist]

I can't help on the location, but I have been a custom home framer for 20 yrs, and have seen a few of the prefabs. I would say the quality can be just as good, maybe better, because the whole house is done inside out of the weather. check around of course, you get what you pay for. go look at some models, and some lived in ones if you can, or talk to previous customers. I saw a 2 story walk-out completed in 2 weeks, after foundation was complete. good luck

I'm just now going to start thinking about it. We have about 2 years before we move to NH.

[JonM]

I live in Hudson, which borders MA and my house is over 100 feet from the neighbors.  Some towns enforce a 2 acre minimum lot size (until you get that variance and zoning requirements such as that are what keep prices higher than they otherwise should be, etc).

If your only requirement is that, virtually any town will suffice.  You'll have better luck in towns that aren't Nashua or Manchester, but there are pockets of that even in those towns.  There's just a LOT more high density stuff in them.

[vanguardist]

I live in Hudson, which borders MA and my house is over 100 feet from the neighbors.  Some towns enforce a 2 acre minimum lot size (until you get that variance and zoning requirements such as that are what keep prices higher than they otherwise should be, etc).

If your only requirement is that, virtually any town will suffice.  You'll have better luck in towns that aren't Nashua or Manchester, but there are pockets of that even in those towns.  There's just a LOT more high density stuff in them.

Right. My wife and I have been really lucky the last two years. Our commute is not even 3 miles, so it takes us barely 10 minutes to get to work. However, I'm willing to live father away from work if that means living in a nice area that's more affordable and open.

How's morning/afternoon traffic around Manchester? I can imagine that the interestate is pretty bad. Are there a lot of commuters from MA?

[JonM]

Going INTO Manchester?  I suspect the number of people commuting INTO NH for work from MA is rather low.  I know one Free Stater who lives in Western MA and works in Keene, but his family situtation is what ties him down there. 

I drive down Route 3 to get to work in MA, and it's usually not at all bad when I go.  Coming home can be an issue, traffic is always heavier in the late afternoon, early evening.  I-93 can be way worse.  What is usually 40 minutes might take an hour.

For Boston there is a commuter station in Andover, MA that people use to get into Boston.  I'm told the parking lot is full by 7am or so.  Another one in Woburn, MA has a bigger parking lot for the late sleepers.

[vanguardist]

Going INTO Manchester?  I suspect the number of people commuting INTO NH for work from MA is rather low.  I know one Free Stater who lives in Western MA and works in Keene, but his family situtation is what ties him down there. 

I drive down Route 3 to get to work in MA, and it's usually not at all bad when I go.  Coming home can be an issue, traffic is always heavier in the late afternoon, early evening.  I-93 can be way worse.  What is usually 40 minutes might take an hour.

For Boston there is a commuter station in Andover, MA that people use to get into Boston.  I'm told the parking lot is full by 7am or so.  Another one in Woburn, MA has a bigger parking lot for the late sleepers.

Well no, I have no plans to work in MA. I am seeking asylum in NH.

[JonM]

Then you're good.  There's a massive amount of BioTech in MA, which is why I thought you might need to commute there.

If you don't want to pay tolls every time you leave the house, avoid towns on Route 3 north of Nashua (Merrimack), though there are alternate ways to Manchester depending on where you live near Route 3 and which side of the Merrimack River you're on.  It's 11.9 miles from my driveway to the terminal at the Manchester airport by car, only 30mph or so, so it takes me 25 or so minutes to get to 293 and Brown ave.

If you branch out around Concord's surrounding towns you'll find some cheaper land than around Manchester's surrounding towns.  A north bound commute in the morning will nearly always be less traffic than going south.

[Riddler]

I've been in the plumbing & heating trade for 24 tys....20 as a master plumber..we're called in to connect the mess these pre-fabbed plumbers have left..I also get to witness the rest of the show first hand. You will save $, but I've always been suspect of the quality.Pretty shady on the many units we've done. Find a good builder. Get references.

[PattyLee loves dogs]

>we're called in to connect the mess these pre-fabbed plumbers have left.

Tell him about "PB tubing" in case he gets the idea to buy a used modular... PB is why I know how to plumb 

[Riddler]

>we're called in to connect the mess these pre-fabbed plumbers have left.

Tell him about "PB tubing" in case he gets the idea to buy a used modular... PB is why I know how to plumb 

poly-butylene was a monumental clusterfuck...class-action suits due to failure, etc.....Pex tubing (cross-linked polyethylene), however. has been time tested & is what we predominantly use now. Copper use is limited now (thank china) due to 400% + price increases, plus exessive labor costs to install.

[Russell Kanning]

I'd welcome comments on this idea. Also, opinions on what areas of NH have cheap land would come in handy. My wife and I are looking at the Manchester/Concord area first, if only because we can (arguably) find jobs there more easily than others parts (I'm in media and he's in biotech/pharma).

It is cheaper the farther you are away from Boston ... so Concud is cheaper than Manchestahhh

[PattyLee loves dogs]

Pex tubing (cross-linked polyethylene), however. has been time tested & is what we predominantly use now. Copper use is limited now (thank china) due to 400% + price increases, plus exessive labor costs to install.

Yes, the modern plastic is OK (and easy to fix yourself). I still like copper better in some ways, but then you do have to make sure they use the right solder (it's always cheaper to use lead).

[alphaniner]

poly-butylene was a monumental clusterfuck...class-action suits due to failure, etc.....Pex tubing (cross-linked polyethylene), however. has been time tested & is what we predominantly use now. Copper use is limited now (thank china) due to 400% + price increases, plus exessive labor costs to install.

Is Pex tubing that grey plastic stuff that requires insanely expensive proprietary tools to install?  The only good things I ever heard about that stuff came from plumbers, and they readily admitted it was because the money to work ratio was very much in their favor.  What about good old fashioned PVC?

[KBCraig]

What about good old fashioned PVC?

It fares poorly against time, UV rays, and cold weather. It's quick, cheap, and easy, requiring zero skill to install. After that, it goes down hill.

PEX does require specialized tools. So does copper, although they're less expensive tools.