26Jan

Create Equity by Building your next Home

by Lee Seward Uncategorized, building a house, buying a new home, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, Custom Homes, florida homes for sale, for sale by owner, general contractor services, Home Equity, Home For Sale, home mortgage, Home Remodeling, houses for sale, Housing Market, investing in real estate, local building contractor, local construction company, market trends in real estate, mortgage rates, new home construction, new home florida, new homes for sale florida, Property For Sale, Real Estate, real estate investing, real estate market, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, small construction companies

Time to Build your Home

Create Equity 2024

10% Down for Loans up to $800,000

20% Down for a loan up to $1.5M

30% Down for a loans up to $3.5M

Put $700,000 of Equity in your Wallet

POPULATION GROWTH IN FLORIDA has been booming lately. According to recently released census data, Florida has seen its total population grow by 14.6% over the last decade, nearly double the growth rate of the United States.

The thousands of people streaming into Florida are putting pressure on housing prices. The Florida Realtors association reports that the statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes is $375,000, up 23% from the previous year.

With the increasing demand for real estate and rising prices across the state, many people have turned to construction loans to finance the building of new homes. If you’re going to spend a lot of money on a house, you might as well purchase a lot and build a custom dream home, right?

When someone decides to build a new dream home, one of the first things they start exploring are construction loans, which are a little different from conventional mortgages when you’re purchasing an existing home.

As you research, you’ll soon find that construction loans have different rules and qualifying criteria. The nightmare scenario to avoid is one where you’ve committed to purchasing a lot but end up struggling to find a construction loan.

Fortunately, there are loan officers that specialize in construction loans. They have years of experience working with underwriters to make sure you navigate the application, pre-approval, and closing process.

If you’re a homebuyer looking for a construction loan specialist, we can quickly connect you with several options customized to your specific needs so that you can make the best decision for you

Benefits of a new a construction loan in Florida

Construction loans are short-term financing that are used to cover the cost of building a house from start to finish. Construction loans can cover the costs of buying land, working with an architect to draft plans, permit fees, and the labor and materials necessary to complete the house.

Because construction loans aren’t secured by a completed house, the approval process for a borrower can be more complex than for a traditional mortgage. Your lender will likely want to be more involved in the process of understanding the construction timeline, budget, plans and your personal financial situation before approving the loan.

The other important thing to consider is that home construction loans aren’t distributed as a lump sum. Instead, your lender will distribute money to you through a series of installment payments as the states of the construction are completed.

The benefit of a construction loan is that you’ll typically only be required to pay the interest on the funds as they are drawn. You won’t need to make the principal payments until you complete construction. Your lender will probably have an option to convert your construction loan into a typical mortgage at the end of the construction process.

$14,000 Down Payment

The Iridium Team works with you to from property selection to building completion and each step along the way. We know how to get you the most value for your desired budget and that is why we start with developing your budget. Once we have finalized the budget we help you in property selection and lending. Our network treats you as top priority, everything is streamlined and efficient. Our Realtors provide the best service all over Florida and our Preferred Lenders offer various low cost options.

Lets go over the numbers and the type of Equity you will create. Depending on what your final budget is we can put you in a $1.5M home for $800,000 with an $80,000 cash down payment. You will create $700,000 in equity plus own an amazing home. $14,000 down payment will get you a $140,000 construction/permanent fixed 30 year mortgage and instant equity of $150,000 from a $290,000 home valuation.

5 Top Florida Construction Loans

1. TD Bank

The TD Bank construction loan has some great benefits if you’re looking to build a house, with down payments as low as 20% for a loan up to $1,500,000.

720-740 FICO score desired
20% down required on loans up to 1.5M
30% down required on loans up to 3M
One-time close
Primary or secondary homes are eligible
Fixed rate and ARMs are available
Purchased lot considered in the down payment
No pre-payment penalties
Interest rate locked before construction begins
If land has been owned for at least 6 months, we will lend up to 80% of the appraised value of the entire project.
If land has not been owned for at least 6 months, we will lend up to 80% of the land acquisition cost+cost of construction
No Condos or Co-Ops. No investment properties.

TD Bank requires 10% of the construction costs to be held in reserve, and you can use their loans for vacation properties.

2. Space Coast Credit Union

The folks over at Space Coast Credit Union offer a home construction loan up to $650,000, so long as you have a minimum credit score of 650.

One Loan: from Construction through Final Permanent Mortgage
One Application, One Closing and One Paperwork Filing
Up to 90% Financing Available
We Make the Payments to Your Builder at Key Points Throughout the Process
Automatic Modification to Traditional Home Loan at the End of Construction
Fast Pre-approval Decisions, Online or Over the Phone
No Intangible Tax
SCCU Member Service for the Life of the Loan
SCCU Interest Rate Guarantee

As far as fees go, Space Coast Credit Union is advertising no application fees or pre-payment penalties. As of the time of publishing, they are charging $1,100 in origination fees.

3. MidFlorida

MidFlorida is a regional credit union based in Lakeland, Florida with a construction mortgage product.

Down payment as low as 10%
Financing is secured before construction begins. You only need to be approved once.
Interest-only payments during construction
One-step, one-time closing
Converts to a fixed- or adjustable-rate mortgage.
Flexible loan terms up to 30 years
Jumbo loans available

MidFlorida offers you the option of converting your construction loan into a conventional mortgage once construction is complete. There may be additional closing costs associated with that conversion since you’ll be establishing an escrow account for insurance and taxes, paying title insurance fees and possibly paying off any unpaid construction phase interest.

4. Seacoast Bank

Seacoast Bank is another option as they lend in Florida and have a construction loan product.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage options are available
Fixed Rate Mortgage options are available that would give you the same fixed rate from construction through permanent loan
One-time closing
Local underwriting and closing decision-makers during the loan process

Seacoast Bank has a long history in Florida, tracing its roots back to 1926. Their primary areas of focus today are in Broward County through the Treasure Coast into Orlando and west to Tampa.

Does a Florida construction loan make sense for you?

Getting a construction loan in Florida comes with huge benefits and very little downside. You’ll likely be able to make interest only payments during the construction phase, which makes your monthly payment affordable as an existing homeowner since you’ll be making mortgage payments on your current home until the new construction is complete.

The challenges of a construction loan in Florida are that you’ll find the process different from a typical mortgage, which is why we recommend working with a loan officer that specializes in construction loans. At the end of the day, you’re going to want someone who has extensive experience doing nothing but construction loans day in and day out.

If you have an interest we can help you select a property that will fit the home you want to build and we can connect you with a professional experienced lender to assist you in the process. Our extensive network of realtors and architects are available all over Florida. Give us a call or send an email to learn more.

19Jan

Interior Designer

by Lee Seward Home Remodeling, add second story addition, building a house, buying a new home, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, fix and flip, flipping florida, flipping homes, florida homes for sale, for sale by owner, general contractor services, Home For Sale, home mortgage, houses for sale, Housing Market, improve sales in real estate, investing in real estate, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, market trends in real estate, new home construction, new home florida, new homes for sale florida, Paint, real estate market, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies, Uncategorized

Is the Contractor holding you back?

Details in your Design Expensive?

The Contractor is an Extension of your Creativity

We see and hear it all of the time, “I wanted to do this but the costs were to much so we removed it.”

Simple is easy and boring

Symmetry

Regardless what you imagine, don’t let yourself be restricted by simple.

Not Complicated

If you have experience and an open mind the work really isn’t complicated and there are ways to make it fit the budget.

You Control

The Designer is in control of the style and the contractor finds a way to make it happen.

Be You

Let Iridium Help

Private Commissioned Residences

For the Discerning Designer

561-597-0021

31Dec

Reoccurring Flood Damage

by Lee Seward Flood damage, building a house, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, general contractor services, Home Equity, Home Remodeling, Housing Market, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, new home construction, Paint, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies, Uncategorized

Home DIY

Flood Prevention 101

Here are some tips to keep water where it should be

Did you know that “INSANITY” is defined by doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

Replace drywall, install new cabinets, moldings, flooring, furniture…wait for it….BOOM! the next storm surge (not hurricane) your home is damaged again. Be angry at those property owners who drove past your home and created a wave that gets your house wet. How dare they leave the house they own to get away or go the house they own to check damage. You have every right to be upset, you just replaced all of the damage created from the last flood and now your home is damaged again.

If your house flooded from a storm surge and you only replaced everything, you could be INSANE. You need different solutions to stop future water damage.

Where was water infiltration entry?
How high was the surge and water level outside and flood water inside?
What height (off the floor) are the entrance doors to the house?

Take this information and create a plan.

Most likely the height of the water level caused the damage. Raise all of your door entrances up as high as possible. Replace the space above your doors to installing that space below your doors. Add a landing outside to enter, and one inside if needed. Waterproof the lower elevation of your home, the entire perimeter. There are many waterproof membranes that can be applied as paint and will stop any water from entering. Besides being easy to apply, you can also paint over so it is not visible. Build the grade around your house up, add planting beds to buffer water and make sure you waterproof continuously behind and higher than the beds prior to creating the beds. Your garage, raise everything off the floor, be sure to waterproof the all of the walls 24″ up and to the concrete slab. Remove HVAC units, water heaters anything in the way and replace after applications are applied generously. Cover the entire concrete slab, be sure to raise the entrance door from the house to the garage to the max and add landing as needed.

Raise your exterior doors to create a buffer below. This work may be involved but if you do it once correctly you won’t have to do it again unless something huge came through. If your home has 8ft ceilings and you door sits on the floor of your home, you have these options:

Option 1 remove the lintel and replace with a laminated wood beam that is short in height and fat. Use the difference in height to raise the door with cement infill and waterproofing. A typical door is supporting 1 or 2 trusses so a 4″-5″ tall laminate beam is suffice.
Option 2 remove the lintel and open the ceiling up inside, install a flush header above the block walls and joist hanger the trusses into the beam for support. put your door to the ceiling line and add the space below with cement and waterproof to bottom of footing.
Option 3 open the ceiling, remove 2-4 trusses entirely, create a reverse gable roof and infill with framing. Raise your door 2ft and create an entrance outside and inside. Be certain to waterproof your exter to the bottom of your footing or at the least to the top of your footing well below your concrete floor elevation.

What is the cost? What is the amount of work involved? Slightly more than the work to replace what is damaged. So if you do this work while you are repairing your home the cost is nominal and you would not feel it. You would stop the stress worrying about flooding again, you would also increase your homes value. When you have a claim on your home it is noted and recorded. Your premiums and future owners premiums will be higher and it will be an issue later.

Recap, doing the same thing and expecting different results is Insane.

Give us a call we provide free estimates and we can help you. 561-597-0021

17Dec

Home Flood Prevention and Mitigation

by Lee Seward Repairing Home, building a house, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, Flood damage, general contractor services, Home Remodeling, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, new home construction, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, small construction companies, Uncategorized

Flood Damage

Flood Mitigation

When you have water damage the first thing you need to do when the water recedes is to dehumidify the area. If you have a dehumidifier set it up to run 24-7. If you do not have one then you can set your thermostat low and run your ac until you are able to get your hands on a dehumidifier. Remove everything that is wet from the house including drywall. Cut the drywall above the waterline until you find dry area. Drywall will soak the water so the sooner you cut it the less you will need to purchase later. Remove wet wood moldings carefully so you can possibly re-use when it drys out.

DIY PREVENTION

Besides raising your home there are steps you can take to prevent damage from storm surges. One is notice how the water has entered your home. Through the walls, through doorways etc. If your home is block construction on concrete slab (like the one in the picture), the focus needs to be on waterproofing the lower level of the masonry walls. Raise your entrance doors and help offset water damage to the extent possible.

Raise Exterior Doors

In the picture (above) you see the step up to enter the home at the front door, this is good and you can also see the space above the front door to the ceiling. Raise your front door, create steps and landing outside, modify the ceiling inside and outside, create a landing inside to step down. This would need to be done at all exterior doors including the one from the garage to the house.

Next, waterproof the entire lower section from below the interior floor level. Dig the soil away where possible by hand and apply a waterproof membrane. Manufactures are plenty (Laticrete is a brand we use often) and apply this over the surface and include the area you raised under your door ways. Cover the surface area heavily including wall to floor along your garage floor and walls, apply multiple coats after each drys properly. You can also apply Laticrete to the lower section of your finish interior walls and the corner of the floor, this will stop water from intruding into the wall and prevent your drywall from getting wet in the event you experience water intrusion. Laticrete and most products can be painted over so this will allow you to blend it in. They have a fabric that can be applied at the corner of the wall and floor, this will seal the edges and keep the wall dry.

The steps above will help resist water from flooding into your home based on the elevation but it is not a sure fix. Elevate your home is a sure fix and this can be done by building over your existing walls. The cost to elevate your home will reduce your flood insurance and increase your home value. Repairing will help prevent damage from surges at the lowest expense to you, but it will not increase your home value.

Information to know, single story masonry block wall homes are built on top of concrete footings set in the dirt. The floors are concrete slabs installed over compacted soil. Your interior walls are built over the concrete slab. House movers raise homes, these homes are typically wood frame homes (floor & walls) built on top of foundations. The interior floors are structural wood floors with beams posted down to concrete footings. To raise a wood frame home there are location points used to jack up the home, because the floor is structural they use the post locations to raise the floor and the entire home.

Could you lift a slab on grade single story masonry home in similar fashion? Yes but in order to raise it supports have to be added to the existing concrete slab that your interior walls sit on. So you tunnel underneath to add supports and lift or you cut up the existing floor and add supports to lift. Think of the amount of work involved. Labor is expensive and really what are you saving in the end?

Elevate your Home

Our solution is to remove your roof demo all of the interior walls and flooring, reinforce footings as needed with masonry piers, plus necessary anchors, then build a new floor, with new walls on top of your existing block walls at the elevation required. 3-4 months work and done to the style design you want all new.

The cost to elevate your home increases the value of your home offsetting the cost to do the work. We can raise your existing home at a cost of $111-$185 per square foot. The price is based on the structural integrity of your existing foundation and maintaining the same footprint of your existing home.

If you are interested give us a call and we can provide you with a free estimate. 561-597-0021.

12Dec

Saint Petersburg Florida

by Lee Seward Real Estate, Construction, Custom Homes, Home For Sale, Housing Market

How is St. Petersburg Different?

Saint Petersburg has so much to offer that other Florida cities and towns are missing.

Yes there are white sand beaches with turquoise waters, amazing sunsets and sunrises across the bay. Yes there are tiki bars and live music almost everywhere along with outdoor seating. There are dog friendly bars and a dog martini bar, outdoor sports, concerts, so much to do all year long and everynight.

What you might not know is besides your beach town activities there are also choices for fine upscale dining, theater, museum, art and everything you would expect from a large city. What is missing in St. Petersburg can be found 20 minutes away in Tampa. Location, Location, Location.

Under Valued

With interest rates hopefully coming down, a cooling economy, Saint Petersburg continues to sell homes. The map above shows what single family homes sold in the last 7 and 90 days from today 12/12/23 (note this does not include condos or lot sales).

Downtown Vibe

You are always walking distance to numerous restaurants and nightlife, Straub Park with its ancient Banyan trees, the Pier, Central Ave, Beach Drive, plenty of hotels and parking. Scooter rentals, electric bike rentals, major league baseball, Dali Museum, Mahaffey Theater, Vinoy Golf Course, and all this just 20 minutes from beautiful white sandy beaches.

Unique to St. Petersburg is the upscale neighborhoods on Tampa Bay. Snell Isle, Old NorthEast, Shore Acres, and many others all within 2-3 minutes of downtown and still 20 minutes away from the beaches.

Naples has a vibrant downtown full of shops and restaurants and upscale neighborhoods with entry pricing in the mid $20M for new construction.

The other Gulf coast towns have exquisite beach front homes and neighborhoods but all lack a vibrant downtown with choices.

Saint Petersburg has more to offer than the other towns plus much more. You are 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport, 30 minutes from Raymond James Stadium for football and concerts, 2.25 hours from Naples and 3.5 hours from Miami. New homes in St. Petersburg start at $278K in south St. Petersburg and go up to $13M in Snell Isle. St. Petersburg has options for all and that is what makes it special. If you appreciate the laid back feel from being near the beach but also like to go out and have a great dinner with a nice bottle of wine, everything is available in St. Petersburg and that is why I feel it is undervalued today.

Not your Average Beach Town

26Nov

How to hire a Remodeling Contractor

by Lee Seward Remodeling, building a house, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, general contractor services, Home For Sale, Home Remodeling, Housing Market, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, new home construction, Property For Sale, Real Estate, Rebuilding Homes, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies, Subcontractors

Remodeling in Pinellas County

New Kitchen or Bathroom is very important to you and your Family. The added space or versatility in use or just updating the design to something current requires selecting a licensed contractor to do the work.

There are many steps in the process and everyone wants to save money. What typically happens is the cheapest path becomes the most expensive and sometimes never completed. Horror story after horror story, clients have paid contractors more than 50% + of the contract and no or little work is completed in place.

Make sure you have answers to these questions in writing:

What precisely is the scope of work?
How long will the work take overall?
What are the work hours/days?
Will I be out of a Kitchen for 2 weeks or 9 months?
What happens if the project takes a year?
What happens if you did not add work but the Contractor wants more money?
Who is responsible for managing the subcontractors?
Is the contractor capitalized to operate business?

Typical issues

Google Reviews, There are companies you can hire to create multiple positive Google reviews. Companies with lots of positive reviews are not safe from being bad companies. But there is a way to vet the reviews to help pick good from bad. Read the reviews and you will start to see who the company truly is. You can tell the fake ones from real, the anger from clients and the absurdity from the contractors responses.

Renovation in Naples

If you follow these steps you will reduce a bad experience.

Read the reviews and responses.
Stay away from narcissistic responses from the contractor.
Meet face to face with the contractor and go over the work ask about all details.
Review the estimate provided by the contractor beyond the price, look for details= product description, qty, cost.
Ask for written language of time duration and how will the work be managed.
Ask for missing details to be added.
Define what you are expected to do and what you expect from them.
Add language for delays.

Transparency

Selecting the contractor because they provided the lower cost doesn’t mean that is the real cost. I have seen this numerous times over the years, clients pick the lower cost.

Now what?

The number was wrong, the contractor did not include 1/2 the work and you find out when you are to far in. You signed a contract that has no finish details but pages of how you cannot give a bad review or negative press.

If you have no details explaining what is included in your project then do not hire the contractor, this is true for Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Roofing, or General Contracting, Lawn Mowing, Car Repair, etc.

Contractor not showing up

Above we discussed how to avoid a bad situation, but what if you are already in one?

Here are some things you need to know.

Confront your contractor and request a completion schedule in writing, make sure you paper all interactions going forward.
Request a list of who and what was paid to date along with signed, notarized lien waivers.
The lien waivers are proof of payment and you need to know who was paid and how much by your contractor.
Regardless of how much you paid your contractor, if the subcontractors were not paid they can legally (within 90 days) lien your home and foreclose on your property.
The state of Florida is very difficult to obtain a contractor license. You can use this as leverage, all contractors are out of business without a license. Report your contractor, it is a class one felony to take a clients payment and use the funds for anything outside of the clients project.
Threaten a lawsuit and hire an attorney. Most likely you have paid for the majority of the work and nothing or hardly anything is completed on site. Hire an attorney and go after the liability insurance the contractor has, also you can go after the state for allowing this person to operate. If this has happened to you there is a very high probability there are many more clients in the same situation, find them and share the cost.
If you have come to terms, sign a new amendment to go with your original contract. Be certain to have an agreed completion date, cost to complete, timeline and penalty for delays, all missing details of what is included, and all lien waivers that match your overall payments to date and request lien waivers for all future payments.

If you are in a bad situation with your current contractor we can help you by providing you with a real cost to complete the work. This can be used to collect the overpayments you have made to your contractor. We can also work for you as an owners rep and help manage your contractor to complete the work at or near the contract price if possible.

New Bathroom or Kitchen

If you want to remodel your home please contact Iridium Development Inc. We provide free transparent estimates that are detailed. Our contracts are detailed as well and we use industry standard AIA contracts. During the construction process, we provide our clients with login portals to view who we paid and how much we paid each vendor and sub.

You can be assured our prices are very fair, the cost includes the entire scope of work to perform the work and complete the work. We stand by our timelines and minimize the overall duration. With our full transparency we eliminate stress and drama and that is always our goal.

15Nov

New Home for Sale in Florida

by Lee Seward Home For Sale, building a house, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, florida homes for sale, for sale by owner, general contractor services, Home Equity, Home Remodeling, houses for sale, Housing Market, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, new home construction, new home florida, new homes for sale florida, Property For Sale, Real Estate, real estate market, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies, Subcontractors

Thinking of Moving?

Tired of the high taxes, crime, cold weather, and short summers?

Florida has 0% personal income tax.

5.5% corporate income tax.

6% state sales tax and max 2% local sales tax (Avge sales tax 7.02%)

$1.3-$1.5M New Home built 2023 in St. Petersburg annual property tax $3,500-$4,200 per yr.

Summer all year long!

20 minutes to white sandy beaches.

73 degree average Gulf water temps in November.

Lower cost of Living compared to the North East.

Shore Acres St. Petersburg FL

4 Bedroom 4.5 Bathroom Home

Chefs Kitchen

Spacious Rooms

4+ Car Garage

Elevated and Safe

Completion April 2024

New Homes, Additions, Renovations, Remodeling, St. Petersburg and Naples Florida.

561-597-0021 or info@iridiumdev.io

10Nov

Collaboration

by Lee Seward real estate commission, become a realtor, boost real estate earnings, Construction, Contractors, Custom Homes, Flood damage, Home Equity, Home For Sale, Home Remodeling, houses for sale, Housing Market, improve sales in real estate, Paint, Property For Sale, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate license, real estate market, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, Subcontractors

Florida Realtor Referrals

Custom Homes

We are currently in search of esteemed real estate agents to collaborate with. Our objective is to establish a long-lasting partnership with you, by providing excellent contracting services for your clients, thereby elevating your reputation to an envious level. With over four decades of experience in construction, constructing homes and apartment complexes for distinguished personalities, we are a valuable asset to your team and we do not operate out of the back of a truck.

It is said that the friends you keep are a reflection of yourself. That is why we pride ourselves on being the perfect choice for referrals. We are more than capable, professional, and honest. We also offer remodeling loans which cover the cost of home improvements. This can prove advantageous when a client wishes to sell their property at a better value. Furthermore, we realize the importance of determining what is valuable real estate and worth renovating. We provide our professional opinion regarding prudent investments and offer options, irrespective of whether we lose a project. Helping people make sound decisions is more important than adding another project to our year.

Remodeling-New Homes-Renovations

Our firm, unlike our counterparts, distinguishes itself in multiple ways. We take the utmost pride in our professionalism, politeness, intelligence, expertise, transparency, and fair prices. These values are discernible in every interaction we have with our clients. We comprehend the significance of knowledge and utilize it to provide efficient, time-effective resolutions that save our clients money.

Our quotations are credible, transparent and are bound by ethical standards. We maintain our commitment to our clients without any hidden charges or deceitful practices. We present thorough and specific breakdown of every item that makes up the project scope, along with corresponding costs that are shared with you and your client, and finally, our fee is added to the end, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Our business model is rooted in honesty, integrity, and impartiality, and we will continue to demonstrate this attitude in upholding our clients’ interests.

Our Referral Fee

We offer a referral fee to our network of agents, because we believe in economy of scale we reduce our fee and offer a portion to our realtors keeping our price competitive to the clients. We offer the fees based on the size and scope of the project but our network agents are always generously rewarded. If you have a client who is seeking a remodeling or renovation job or even considering updating a home to sell, please give us a call we look forward to working together.

561-597-0021

1Nov

How to Select the Best Subcontractor

by Lee Seward Subcontractors

Making the best choice

Is Price Everything?

There is no definitive way to know who is the best choice. We have created ways that have helped us with selections of vendors and subcontractors. First impression means a lot and we are lying if we say it different. But it is not always a true guide to choosing the best person for the job.

Over the years we have created a few ways to help us make the best choices and in this article we are going to share them with you.

1) Presentation

Our first interaction and every interaction after really allows you to see or discover who this person and company is:

Are they detailed, or over detailed?

Do they really know what they are doing? Or are they trying to hard to win you over with personality?

Is everything a problem? Or are they providing solutions?

When we send out bid packages to new subcontractors we discover a lot about the person bidding and the company. When we send packages out sometimes we receive questions, most times the questions are answered already and the real reason for the call is to try to influence us to think the person really is the best for this job. On our side of the phone we are taking notes, questions asked by vendor are overlooked on the bid details, or subcontractor did not read what we requested pricing on, etc.

Other times we receive a call and small chit chat and then a round cost over the phone for the work. This happens more often than you would imagine and really I still do not understand the reason behind it. “Ok we can do your work then for $100 per square let us know when you are ready”. No written proposal, no details of what is required or included. Do they really think that will result in obtaining a job?

Then there are those who send over a number, no inclusions, sometimes exclusions, but never any details of what is included and the price is insanely high. These bids to me are “F/U”, why do they send it rather than just pass? I don’t know and from my point of view a pass would be better than a telephone number without details. Why go through the trouble?

Last is the fishing expedition, the phone call where they have the price and start talking to you. They talk about everything and anything they can to become friends and then hit you with a ridiculous price they are thinking of sending over but want to know what I think. Hmm, I think…. no I won’t share what I really think but most of my responses are,

How long do you expect the work to take you?

How many people?

How many hours do your crews work a day?

I always leave it at this, if they cannot see that charging $100.00 per hour per person to install siding (material and nails extra) isn’t insane… then we really shouldn’t work together.

Remodeling

2) Details

When you do get past the stage of presentation and recievea bid, then you need to review the details. The saying “what you see is what you get,” that becomes true at this stage. A specific detailed bid regardless fo the number represents someone who reviewed the work and put time in to present the bid. They can drive a dirty disheveled truck and where dirty clothes but they reviewed the work and created on paper a list of what the work is and a cost associated. This is very important, and price is not a factor yet. You need more of these types of bids to asses and choose wisely. This is where you start your qualification process in selecting the best person for the job.

New Homes

3) Leveling

At this stage you have detailed bids to review. The subcontractors submitted insurance certificates so you can cross reference and mark who has what coverage (keep in mind you can request them to add missing items to be awarded the work later). You now create a leveling model where you have items listed across of inclusions and exclusions. 99% of the time the bids are different so you consolidate the missing information and request this information from the other bidders. When you are finished you have created equal content in each bid or excluded a bidder during the process.

4) Price

You really cannot select anyone earlier than this stage based on price. Until you level the field you just have no idea what the cost should because you haven’t defined the work. Now you can and here is how we make our decisions. We want to know how many people on the crew and what are the hours involved in the work. One of the selections is too much time, I want my subcontractors in and out. The least amount of time is best for me and I would pay a little extra for that. When I see the amount of time and hours to do the work then I can break down a fair cost. As mentioned earlier, I really am not going to pay siders $100.00 per hour to cut and nail siding I purchased, sorry. If there are insurance gaps we request the contender to agree to add the coverage we need, plus tell us the cost. This is how we finalize selection of scope and price.

Choose your General Contractor

5) Selection

Now you have a few bids to make your selection. For us it comes down to who do we feel will work harder for us and get the job done. We are hired to perform and our vendors and subs need to perform. We like to be dealing with decision makers and ideally the person who is in charge of the schedule and work. Larger companies with estimating divisions etc. do not fit in our specialty space. Our clients hire us to get the work done at the highest level of quality and detail. For us to perform at this caliber the team we put together needs to be the same as us.

We select our subcontractor or vendor and put together an agreement made with the details we leveled and cost. Our agreements are based on time to complete and this is where we add language of the work days, crew size, and duration. Unless acts of God or something that is outside the control of the subcontractor or vendor cause delays to the project there is a penalty imposed for delays.

Of the 120 custom homes we have built over the years we have only imposed a penalty for one subcontractor to date. The penalty did what it was supposed to do and that was protect us from those who start projects and never finish. We had a plumber who started an 18,500 sf house for us, $125,000 plumbing contract and they had 2 people on site and not even everyday. They worked random days and hours. We missed our inspection schedule and eventually had to bring another company on board to finish. It was a disaster and with all of the selection and due diligence process until it comes down to doing the work you just never really know.

Contract

6) Contract

Paper everything, make sure to put all of the details of the work, the insurance and the duration of the project on paper. Discuss everything with your vendor or subcontractor. The last thing you want to do is start a project with someone who is not going to pull through. You also do not want to try to trap someone and take advantage of them. Be honest and open, discuss needs and create an agreement everyone can sign and be happy with.

We lay everything out on paper and place schedule and performance in the hands of the sub or vendor. I write our agreements as if I am performing the work, If everything is on site can I finish the work in X days? Sure, as long as everything is there and there are no changes I can do it. So if I can then you can and we need to find a timeline and language that works. Include the cost of the project the scope of work and the payment arrangements. Most jobs are progress payments and per AIA (and State) law “deposits are for material only”. You cannot collect a deposit for labor and the deposit you collect has to be for material delivered onsite, not in your warehouse. We are paid and we pay for work performed in place. This is standard language and law in most states and is in Florida. I have heard of many General Contractors billing clients over 60% of the project before any work has begun. That is actually a felony and not allowed in the State of Florida.

A contract is only as good as the paper it is written on, our goal is to bring everything to the surface, be transparent and open so we can work and complete the project knowing what we have to do, what the cost is, and when we will get paid. These are the main objectives and what we accomplish.

Good luck in your venture and if you have any questions or need any advice please contact us at: info@iridiumdev.io

22Oct

Home Equity

by Lee Seward real estate market, boost real estate earnings, building a house, buying a new home, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, fix and flip, flipping florida, flipping homes, florida homes for sale, for sale by owner, general contractor services, Home Equity, Home For Sale, home mortgage, Home Remodeling, houses for sale, Housing Market, improve sales in real estate, investing in real estate, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, market trends in real estate, mortgage rates, new home construction, new home florida, new homes for sale florida, Property For Sale, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate commission, real estate investing, real estate license, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies

Create Equity and Wealth

Wealth Building

Challenging markets are when you seek ugly ducks in great neighborhoods. Renovate and create your equity and increase wealth.

Houses that have been on the market longer were overpriced and not as desirable. The location can be and at some point the seller will take reasonable offers or just remove the listing. These are the deals to seek out and create. Place an offer and see what happens.

Remodel

This home was flood damaged and the sellers want out. Remodeling this home regardless how cheap is not worth it because it can flood again. But you can raise the home for about $170,000 and create a sustainable environment and equity.

When you are looking to add money to improve a home you need to be able to sell the finished product for 2x+ or higher what your total costs are. We usually operate with 3x+ but we are also doing our own work.

Purchase is where you make the most gains. Know the market and what land costs are (reasonable costs). This helps you decide what your max purchase price will be. Know your improvement cost, this house at $300,000 and $170,000 in improvements = $470,000 total cost. The finished home elevated above FEMA floodplain will have lower insurance premiums saving a buyer $10,000+ every year. This home would sell easily finished at $940,000 in this neighborhood.

You created $470,000 in equity today. Many people will tell you that this is impossible, but it is possible. We do it and you can to.

Raise your Home

Spend money on sustainable remodeling. Elevating the home stops water damage from future flooding, it lowers your insurance rates by $10,000+ per year, the best thing is you just significantly increased your equity and wealth.

Contact Iridium Development and we can help you with raising your home.

info@iridiumdev.io

561-597-0021

Florida License #CGC1534948

21Oct

4 Bedroom 4.5 Bath House For Sale

by Lee Seward Home For Sale

Shore Acres St. Petersburg FL.

New Home for Sale

4 Bedroom
4 Ensuite bathrooms
Powder Room
24′ x 16′ Living Room
Large Chef’s Kitchen
Viking Professional Appliances
Custom Hardware
Modern Spa Bathrooms
Children Homework/Play Area

Shore Acres
St. Petersburg FL.

Contact us for More Info

cropped Screenshot 2023 06 20 at 10.52.12 AM

9Oct

How to Build a Spec House Part II

by Lee Seward Property For Sale, boost real estate earnings, building a house, Construction, construction companies, construction contractor, construction contractors, Contractors, Custom Homes, florida homes for sale, for sale by owner, general contractor services, Home Equity, Home For Sale, Home Remodeling, houses for sale, Housing Market, improve sales in real estate, licensed contractors, local building contractor, local construction company, new home construction, new home florida, new homes for sale florida, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate commission, real estate license, real estate market, Rebuilding Homes, Remodeling, Renovation, Repairing Home, small construction companies, Subcontractors

House Design

On How to Build a Spec House Part I we discussed the math behind selecting the property and sale price. Part II we will go over the house design and how to deliver a product better than your competitors.

When you know your targeted market and house size, now you need to design the home you are going to build. Many people think you can have a house design before you have a property in mind and that is not true.

Select the house to fit the lot, do not select any house for any lot. An example can be a rear downhill sloping lot, if you select a home that is deep without a basement then you need to build the grade up at the rear of the home to compensate for the lot slope. This can be extremely expensive and usually when you need fill it is not available. For a down sloping rear lot a home with a walkout lower level is best. Just like a home with one story fits a flat lot perfectly. An uphill lot fits a house with a garage under to cut the vertical angle of the driveway and so on. You need to select something that works with the contours of the land and not against them.

Finishes and design are dictated by the comps of your market space. The sales prices dictate what you have to spend and the room for your profit. Colonial style homes have minimal wasted space so the cost per foot is less than something with more angles. Sometimes a home with more angles elevates the design style and sales price so it may be the best fit for your comps. You want to provide a great flowing usable lay out. Family space along with work space as in the Kitchen. Have you ever tried to cook in a Kitchen where the range is sandwiched in a brick or tile alcove? They provided 6″ of counter for fire protection on each side, it looks nice but really is not suitable for cooking.

House Selection

Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and make sure your design is family friendly. You also need to design something that works with the budget. Most colonial style homes use square or rectangle layouts that have usable space, some houses with curved rooms have wasted space that incurs cost to build. True Modern homes are minimal, many designers say they are cheaper to build. I have found that is not true, they are beautiful and I love them but typically there are flush beams that limit wires, HVAC, plumbing pipes causing higher install cost. Larger windows are also expensive and especially in hurricane prone areas.

Before going to far in design start working your math to make sure you do not over design or over spend on professional fees for a house that blows your budget.

You have to Give to Get

If you build it do they come? That is only in the movies, you need to give to get and finishes are where the give is. Fancy paint colors, design fads, these are items to stay away. Working in the Northeast you see design styles earlier than you see on the west coast or southern states. Black windows for instance or waterfall countertops have been around since the early 2000s and we are 10+ years past that design style, black windows work in a modern design home or in a metal frame older style window. Modern Farmhouse… OMG Stay away!

You need a design most people will love, not to heavy and not skimpy. Design style, colors, textures that a majority of people will like. They can customize somethings after the purchase but you want to stay middle so most will be happy with your choices. Busy moldings, weird wood on walls, crazy paint color to create a feature wall, save those designs for your own house. Keep your spec house clean with room to add. Saving money is great and you need to, but keep in mind what your sale price is. Maybe a $1.10 sf floor is not going to look great in a $1.6M home. Same for a $8.50 sf floor in a $300K home. You have to find balance and you should one up your competitors in your price point but just do not over or under do it.

More to come: info@iridiumdev.io

21Sep

Is the Building Code Enough?

by Lee Seward Contractors

Should you only build to code?

So many builders and tradesman stop at what the code requires. This falls under my earlier blog of “Good Enough”. The building code is the baseline not the end line.

Remodeling, New Homes, Commercial and Residential require more than just “to code”. Applying more than just code reduces call backs and improves the quality of your service.

Stone Slab Floor

This stone floor made of 3/4″ thick slabs cut to fit the floor space. We set the slabs over 1-1/2″ thick cement slab. The top of the finish stone is the same elevation as the finish wood flooring. We have a 1/4″ metal angle tucked under the slab edge to finish the stone to wood edge, everything is even at the top elevation.

How?
Why?

The framed floor in the photo shows TJI floor joists and also LVL joists. The LVL joists are shorter elevation than the TJI. This is how we create room for the cement slab under the stone. If you were pouring a cement slab floor you would create the same situation (bathrooms and showers).

Flush or Drop Beam?

Do you opt for drop or flush beams? Drop beams are easy to install and easy for tradesman to run wires, pipes, ducts.

Which one is better?

Flush beam I have found serves multiple purposes and is always what I opt for. Yes it requires more installation labor, yes the electrician, plumber, HVAC contractors have to work around this. But the advantages are huge.

I always discuss with my structural engineer sizing and prefer wider over height, short and fat is perfect for this application. I always prefer the beam to be shorter in height than the floor joists. I always set the beam to the top of the joists. The gap at the bottom allows the needed wire or pipe to run past if needed. The drywall will also easily run past without a bump.

The biggest benefit over the two installations is the weight transfer above the beam. Most times you have a beam to cut span and also the engineer will stack weight from floors above on this beam. Have you ever been in an old house and the doors are angled? Floors by the door jamb have sunk down, or the top of the door is cut on some sort of angle so it will close?

The reason for this ( I really hope you see it in old houses and not new) is that there is no blocking between the joists running over the dropped beam or bearing wall.

With TJI joists you have to add squash blocks to the side of the joists. They work great when a door opening above aligns perfectly over the squash block but not when the other side is in between joists. The proper install for a drop beam or joists over a bearing wall is to add bearing solid blocking. The issue is most trades after the framer remove the blocks to run there items over. It is not code so the inspectors do not make you change it.

More Work,
Quality Results!

Flush beam in place tight under sheathing provides constant support and also provides continuous ceilings below. Solid blocking over bearing walls and monitoring trades provides the same constant support as well.

As the Builder or General Contractor you have the ability to sit with the structural engineer and architect to avoid future issues, include a higher level of finish.

Your workmanship and management shows in the level of quality provided by your detailed finishes. Most people do not notice these details and regardless if they do, you still spend the time and coordination to provide them. That is the difference between “Great work” or “Good Enough”.

Any questions please contact us info@iridiumdev.io

11Sep

Is Good Enough, Good Enough?

by Lee Seward Remodeling

New Homes and Remodeling

When we renovated this home and added a pool in the basement we had to work with existing conditions, we also saved the rooms directly above this location so the beams had to stay intact.

I mention this because when you are remodeling an area you have to work with existing conditions. How easy would it be to just stick lighting in the ceiling, or HVAC vents, at locations that are easy to work with? Very easy in fact most of the time spent on a remodel or renovation project is coordinating existing and new installation so it works with the design intent. After all what would be the point of working with a Designer or Architect if you are just going to place things where and when it is easy?

Design is personal as is style, when you look past the design or style of something and focus on the details what do you see? What should you see? I will share what I see when I view pictures of others work.

“Good Enough“, when you see lighting in a Kitchen without symmetry…a light over the kitchen sink that is not centered, or offset in front of the refrigerator (not centered over appliances), or huge obnoxious air vents (randomly placed)? A gaggle of switches most likely operating lights around the room and not near the location you enter. Ugh, or crown molding that runs the perimeter of the ceiling and stops at all of the wall registers or window openings…?

What I see is much more than what is in the picture. I see disorganization and lack of planning, I see “Good Enough” just leave it. I see a project where the client hired a General Contractor, maybe an Interior Designer, or Architect, there were probably design drawings and rather than work with the team the GC provided excuses to why this is not possible or that will not work. The results of the work is “Good Enough” not “Wow that’s Great.”

How does this happen? It is accepted or overlooked. If you take what I just explained and searched GC firms, Design Firms, Architect Firms you will see what I am talking about. “Nice from Far but Far from Nice.”

When you select your next GC or Remodeling Contractor, see if they are ok with Good Enough!

We accept only excellence.

info@iridiumdev.io

Judge Judy Estate built in less than 6 Months

8Sep

18,000 sf House Framed in 1 week

by Lee Seward Custom Homes

Framed in 1 Week

……5 Month Build Continued

With 100 people you can frame an 18,000 sf home in one weeks time. We started this at 7am on a Monday morning in January. With shorter daylight I had light towers set up around the perimeter of the foundation. With the lights we can start work at 7am and work until 6pm without any light issues, it was like playing football under the lights. We finished this on Saturday and the Plumbing, HVAC started on Monday along with the Roofer and Exterior Trimmers.

I said earlier that I would teach you how I build custom homes at this timeline and this is one example. You have to think outside the box and execute a plan. Strategize and execute, that is the secret to making things happen in timelines other have not done before.

The framing package for this project was way outside the box. No subcontract package was awarded without vigorous vetting and competitive pricing. The framing package was executed much differently than normal.

I hired 6 companies hourly to frame this house. Yes I hired the crews hourly, I ran the group boots on the ground myself. I started with 6 different companies and they had no idea they were going to all work together. One company bailed and left before starting, they didn’t want to work with the other companies.

It was really stressful that Monday morning, I had to sooth everyone’s anxiety while keeping myself in check. Picture the beginning of 60 Minutes with the clock ticking and everyone standing there, each second was major money. I started laying out the foundation and getting guys to level and install plates, as we moved along it became easier. One of the companies was a trim company that I did a lot of work with. I started the layout of the house from the right to left. One of the master bathrooms (Her Bath) was oval and I started the trimmers cutting plywood for the wall plates and sill plates while I split up the framers. One group continued sills and layout, one crew set girders, one set joists, then one spun back and installed blocking, then sheathing, wall layout, walls, bracing, second floor joists, sheathing, walls, roof, sheathing. The trimmers pre-made (perfectly) all of the curved plates, curved roof rafters cut out of LVL, I even made the bell roof for Her Bath on the ground and craned it on top of the walls (one piece). The interior ceiling followed the compounded curved exterior roof on an oval wall.

Lumber came by tractor trailer, we had 2 forklifts which quickly were not enough to keep everyone busy, we added forks to the skid steer, backhoe, and loader. Trucks had to back into the site, we had to block the main road to give them a turning radius. The guys would jump on the truck and start taking off the straps while the truck backed in, they were still rolling as the machines started unloading skids. The drivers of the trucks were not happy but we were like a robotic assembly line and the drivers just conformed.

It was organized chaos and smooth. When swimmers make the fastest laps, it looks like they are gliding through the water, we were gliding through lumber. When you are working in this manner you create energy (you need to posses that energy inside first), this energy feeds off everyone, quickly anyone who is not producing becomes an outcast. No one wants to be an outcast and we just got it done. We would have a line of cars every morning and afternoon when people would drive by to go and come home from work. They all stopped to stare and see what we did that day.

The sense of accomplishment each day by everyone working on the site continued until the task was complete. It organically conveyed to other trades and flowed up to the end of the project. Yes it was stressful but we followed the plan and strategized. We modified as needed and agreed, if the plan makes sense people will follow.

This is a high level overview of how to build something in a short timeline. If you have any questions and want to learn more please reach out:

info@iridiumdev.io

Tag New Custom Home

Time to Build your Home

Create Equity 2024

10% Down for Loans up to $800,000

20% Down for a loan up to $1.5M

30% Down for a loans up to $3.5M

Put $700,000 of Equity in your Wallet

POPULATION GROWTH IN FLORIDA has been booming lately. According to recently released census data, Florida has seen its total population grow by 14.6% over the last decade, nearly double the growth rate of the United States.

The thousands of people streaming into Florida are putting pressure on housing prices. The Florida Realtors association reports that the statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes is $375,000, up 23% from the previous year.

With the increasing demand for real estate and rising prices across the state, many people have turned to construction loans to finance the building of new homes. If you’re going to spend a lot of money on a house, you might as well purchase a lot and build a custom dream home, right?

When someone decides to build a new dream home, one of the first things they start exploring are construction loans, which are a little different from conventional mortgages when you’re purchasing an existing home.

As you research, you’ll soon find that construction loans have different rules and qualifying criteria. The nightmare scenario to avoid is one where you’ve committed to purchasing a lot but end up struggling to find a construction loan.

Fortunately, there are loan officers that specialize in construction loans. They have years of experience working with underwriters to make sure you navigate the application, pre-approval, and closing process.

If you’re a homebuyer looking for a construction loan specialist, we can quickly connect you with several options customized to your specific needs so that you can make the best decision for you

Benefits of a new a construction loan in Florida

Construction loans are short-term financing that are used to cover the cost of building a house from start to finish. Construction loans can cover the costs of buying land, working with an architect to draft plans, permit fees, and the labor and materials necessary to complete the house.

The other important thing to consider is that home construction loans aren’t distributed as a lump sum. Instead, your lender will distribute money to you through a series of installment payments as the states of the construction are completed.

$14,000 Down Payment

5 Top Florida Construction Loans

1. TD Bank

The TD Bank construction loan has some great benefits if you’re looking to build a house, with down payments as low as 20% for a loan up to $1,500,000.

720-740 FICO score desired

20% down required on loans up to 1.5M

30% down required on loans up to 3M

One-time close

Primary or secondary homes are eligible

Fixed rate and ARMs are available

Purchased lot considered in the down payment

No pre-payment penalties

Interest rate locked before construction begins

If land has been owned for at least 6 months, we will lend up to 80% of the appraised value of the entire project.

If land has not been owned for at least 6 months, we will lend up to 80% of the land acquisition cost+cost of construction

No Condos or Co-Ops. No investment properties.

TD Bank requires 10% of the construction costs to be held in reserve, and you can use their loans for vacation properties.

2. Space Coast Credit Union

The folks over at Space Coast Credit Union offer a home construction loan up to $650,000, so long as you have a minimum credit score of 650.

One Loan: from Construction through Final Permanent Mortgage

One Application, One Closing and One Paperwork Filing

Up to 90% Financing Available

We Make the Payments to Your Builder at Key Points Throughout the Process

Automatic Modification to Traditional Home Loan at the End of Construction

Fast Pre-approval Decisions, Online or Over the Phone

No Intangible Tax

SCCU Member Service for the Life of the Loan

SCCU Interest Rate Guarantee

As far as fees go, Space Coast Credit Union is advertising no application fees or pre-payment penalties. As of the time of publishing, they are charging $1,100 in origination fees.

3. MidFlorida

MidFlorida is a regional credit union based in Lakeland, Florida with a construction mortgage product.

Down payment as low as 10%

Financing is secured before construction begins. You only need to be approved once.

Interest-only payments during construction

One-step, one-time closing

Converts to a fixed- or adjustable-rate mortgage.

Flexible loan terms up to 30 years

Jumbo loans available

4. Seacoast Bank

Seacoast Bank is another option as they lend in Florida and have a construction loan product.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage options are available

Fixed Rate Mortgage options are available that would give you the same fixed rate from construction through permanent loan

One-time closing

Local underwriting and closing decision-makers during the loan process

Seacoast Bank has a long history in Florida, tracing its roots back to 1926. Their primary areas of focus today are in Broward County through the Treasure Coast into Orlando and west to Tampa.

Does a Florida construction loan make sense for you?

Is the Contractor holding you back?

Details in your Design Expensive?

The Contractor is an Extension of your Creativity

We see and hear it all of the time, “I wanted to do this but the costs were to much so we removed it.”

Simple is easy and boring

Symmetry

Regardless what you imagine, don’t let yourself be restricted by simple.

Not Complicated

If you have experience and an open mind the work really isn’t complicated and there are ways to make it fit the budget.

You Control

The Designer is in control of the style and the contractor finds a way to make it happen.

Be You

Let Iridium Help

Private Commissioned Residences

For the Discerning Designer

561-597-0021

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