permabear, I just quickly double-checked this morning and the only one that lies within a CFD (out of the 8 lots avail in Poway that I posted), is the first one, “Belvedere,” a 1 AC rocky view lot already subdivided and situated on a “cul-de-sac.” I do not know how much the MR is there. It’s only $280K and the MR (and its smaller size) are probably the reasons for its lower price.
Since mid-century moderns, by their nature, tend to be a little too unusual or eclectic to bother with dealing with yet another layer of bureaucracy (HOA), I would recommend that you (if you consider any lots from my links) consider #8 (Quail Mtn), to avoid MR and HOA. HOA boards could drive you nuts and cost you a fortune on a project like this.
For example, I think Norm’s design (or similar), shown here:
$450K cost of lot
$75K design fees
$5K planning fees
$22K – $27K util fees and kickbacks
$8K engineering fees
$27K periodic inspection fees and sign off
$8K to 10K private road paving (blacktop)
$47K landscaping, pool, driveway
$3K ice plant part way down hillside (fire protection and ins. purposes)
$450K cost of building
Total cost to build is about $1.1M (could be less if don’t need access road or don’t use as many expensive materials).
And you can let your architect and spec builder deal with the “code nazis.” They’re pros so won’t design anything in such a way to begin with that won’t fly in a particular jurisdiction or will arrange a meeting with the “head bureaucrat” first to get approval. If you ask your architect/engineer for some modification or grading shortcut or whatever in the beginning, they’ll just tell you up front that “the City of Poway (or county) won’t permit that.” That’s their biz and they know it well and won’t waste months/years of your time duking it out with the powers that be.
The subjects of these nightmare stories you hear of that are repeatedly going ’round and ’round with the bureaucratic “code-nazis” are primarily the DIYers on a shoestring or persons that fired their architect and/or builder midstream.
Can Norm’s rg01 (wedge) plan be built on the Quail Mtn lot for $1M – $1.1M, within 18-24 mos of hiring an architect?
And what will it’s appraised value be upon completion??
If you have the money to do so, is going thru all this a better investment than spending $1M+ on another “Tuscan” tract home located within a CFD and HOA?
What say Piggs?? Am I way off base here? Would it cost $1.5M to build the wedge in Poway?? Should permabear opt out of the 3000-bottle wine cellar to save costs???
Note: I forgot to mention that when all is said and done and permabear finds out which views he likes best, he can hire his engineer back for another $12K and get 2-3 more “estate home” lots (out of his Quail Mtn. property) under the Subdivision Map Act.
Heck, by giving up a little privacy, he might be able to get back ALL the $$ he put into his “wedge home” out of the sale of 3 lots and then retire his mortgage!! This will take another 18 mos to effect and I don’t think permabear should decide what he wants to do in this regard until he moves in and sees how much land he might want to keep :=)
