Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Projected Costs vs Real Costs

[Mark Ontkush (ontkush]

        Sweat equity for intentional community and cohousing

sweat equity is much more feasible than it seems to appear to many of the
posters on this list.  My experience with building for community comes from 7
years being involoved in all different phases of actual construction and also
a 15 month stay at the Findhorn Community in Scotland, where they are
attempting to build an ecovillage. Here are my points :

        (1) It is not necessary to have experience in construction, but if
this is the case, allow for more time to construct.  Some of houses built at
Findhorn were done with 90% unskilled workforce, and the final product is of
far higher quality than market contractors.  A ggod medium is a 1 to 1  ratio
of skilled/unskilled. I think that cohousers should attempt to demystify the
skills involved in construction - in all honesty, it is not that difficult.

        (2) Savings in sweat equity can be used to buy quality materials. 
Average labor costs of projects is around 50% or so, but Findhorn's average
has about 22%. This means that 30% of the entire funds could be poured into
quality materials. For example, we would use instrument quality timber for
making such mundane things as windowsills, or use this saved money to install
stained glass windows.  The overall effect is astonishing, for it appears
as if the value of the housing is 3 - 4 times as great as actual construction
costs.

        (3) My personal opinion is hiring a contractor for a cohousing
project is an expensive proposition.  In my experience, most market
construction is done by an highly unskilled, exploited workforce that has no
sense of quality.  Without getting into the dynamics of the industry and the
labor force, it suffices to say that most materials have been standardized to
be thrown up quickly. Some examples are plywood sheets, vinyl siding, and
drywall.  I cannot emphasize enough that an outside contractor has no
interest in the project after the completion date, and is out for profit
alone.  This WILL result in poor construction and severe corner-cutting. I'm
sorry if this seems harsh, but I've seen enough roofs made out of 2x4's and
houses build 4 inches out of square (adjusted with a chain saw) to make be a
believer. Do as much as possible yourself.

                        mark