So...
I've lived here in North Seattle (North Greenlake according to the selling agent. Yeah, right) for about 5 years. Kinda by Burgermaster and Oak Tree Cinema.
I bought a tiny 635 square foot house on a double lot for under $200K. Deal of the century if you ask me.
Now I'm married, and we would like some kiddo's.
We are attempting to add on to our little house to accomodate a proper family in a proper Seattle modern home that will make the neighborhood better, not worse.
I would like my kids to ask what a McMansion is, not grow up in one.
I am an broadcast audio engineer, and fully versed in both AutoCAD and Vectorworks (Vectorworks has 100% replaced AutoCAD here).
I used to build houses as a framing sub-contractor, and as a self-employed contractor doing just about every aspect of the build.
I really have the design down, and am in the permiting process with the DPD here in Seattle. I've got prints, CAM's, drawings, you name it.
Here is the problem...
I can do all of this stuff. I own all the tools. I've done most of just about everything before.
Problem, you ask? Yes, this is a big problem. It will take me forever to go nail the entire thing together myself.
What I can do, and what I should do are two very different things on a project like this (I'm guessing..).
And, I don't want to beat the heck out of my body.
Already did that for a bunch of years. Went back to college, and got a job NOT lifting 28 foot party walls.
Anybody have experience with being a General Contractor, and learning what to give up, what to sub out and what to take on yourself?
I also would like some advice on having a wife that is decidedly not a fan of construction sites.... It's fine
for me to use a toilet in the middle of an unfinished bathroom or cooking on a camp stove....but....
well, you get the picture, as un-savory as it may be.
Advice on scheduling, using friends, when to tell your friend his concrete work is really bad, etc.
I would be happy to hand out advice (good and bad) in return. Possibly old radio promotion materials. Possibly really ugly free Tshirts.
I'm a huge Dwell fan, and just figured out this around Puget Sound thing. Very cool. Lots of great info, lots of great projects.
My goal is a house that I can really love, and one that all the neighbors will have an opinion of. Good or bad. I'd also like to still be married, and have my wife actually
want to have kids with me.
Lemme know!
Thanks a bunch.
Kelly Lichtenwaldt

Lots of questions--feel free to give me a call if you want to sound out your ideas about the construction.

I am a Seattle desiger/builder, and frequent poster here, and would be happy to talk you off the ledge of building the whole thing by yourself! Sounds like you have the expertise, but need to figure out how much of it to sub out. From your post, I'd recommend as much as possible, because you want the project to move quickly for the sake of your future spouse's sanity.

Matt

CAST design/build inc.
206 256 9886

Hi. I'm a wife living admist a major rebuild. We have that toilet in the middle of an unfinished basement with a huge hole in the ceiling above it -- forget about privacy!Kitchen consists of our BBQ and a fridge that is plugged in through an extension cord runningdown to the garage. Shower is pushed up against the framing with no privacy there either. We're doing the majority of the work ourselves and it's a slow, SLOW process.

My advice would be - make sure your wife knows EXACTLY what she's getting into and worst-case scenario time frame. I totally underestimated the amount of time that it would take to get things finished. We haven't had a kitchen since Sept. We've been living in our basement since June and we still dont even have all our siding on.I wish I would have listened better when my husband said it would take 4 years. I honestly didn't believe him! My struggles are with the lack of cleanliness of our living space, not having a fully functioning bathroom and kitchen, and coming to terms with the amount of time it's going to take to have these things again.

I'm not sure if I can offer you a ton of advice, but I would be happy to lend a shoulder if your wife needs someone to talk to about it.