Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: Re: Cutting Housing Costs

[Harry Pasternak (Harry_Pasternak]

Here is another PROVEN way to drastically reduce construction costs while at
the same time maintaining good quality as well as keeping the homes liveable.

This solution is called the "Grow Home", which is a four year old rebirth of
an old idea. About 7000 "Grow Homes" have been built in Canada and around the
world in the past four years.

I have spent time with the original builder/developer-he did the original
market research  as well he built the first hundred "Grow Homes"-the first 50
pre-sold in a week!

Here is the concept:

*The house sells for $70,000 Canadian (including land) - that's $50,000 US
dollars.

*The builder makes a profit of $10,000 Canadian per unit! ($7000 US).

*The houses are two story, 1 1/2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, plus 75% finished
insulated basement (1 or 2 more bedrooms)-"townhouse".

*The houses are 1000 sq. ft. (they are now going to build 700 sq. footers).

So.............if you built 700 sq. footers, and if you managed the
construction; thereby, reducing construction costs by $5000 per unit-then you
can have cohousing at $35,000 per unit.

Put in some sweat equity and reduce the price even more.
No its not a pipe dream-there are 7000 units up!

More info needed? Contact me.
Harry (Harry_Pasternak [at] tvo.org)