My in laws are about to retire and all of their children are moving away. My wife and I proposed they come live with us and they accepted. My wife wants to build them a separate house on one lot. We are looking into Friendswood and really don’t know who to contact to build a small ~1000 sq ft house. We’ve seen a house with an insulated steel building in the back which is a good option, but who can we contact to turn that building into a house?
Thank You,
Minh
Tom: Well, metal buildings can be used as living quarters. It’s not cheaper. If it’s already there on the property and they own it, then maybe they can be converted. You’ll have to get a contractor out to take a look at it, or building a new one. It all depends on the money and what you own and what you’re trying to achieve, but, sure, you can. Man, they build homes and it’s not necessarily cheaper. They just do something different, like shipping containers. There’s all kinds of creative ways you can build a structure and make it livable. It’s all about price, really.
Charlie: Yeah, a buddy of mine who sells those.
Tom: For a living or just …
Charlie: Shipping containers.
Tom: Yeah.
Charlie: Yeah, he converts them and everything.
Tom: Cool.
Charlie: But anyway, both cases you’re saying, “yeah.”
Tom: Sponsorship!.
Charlie: If they find a metal building back there then that could work?
Tom: Well, I don’t know if they own it or she saw some others on properties that she wants to mimic.
Charlie: I see.
Tom: That’s the part I don’t know on that question.
Charlie: So you’re saying a metal building could work.
Tom: Absolutely. I’ve put houses in metal hangars for airplanes, businesses in the back, we put houses in giant metal buildings where the businesses is in the front, they live in the back. It certainly can be converted. It has to make sense to do it or it’s got to be some architectural thing you’re trying to do.
Charlie: Well if you can go that route, you could almost go with one of those Dura-Barns or something and build that thing out.
Tom: It’s just a matter of making it a livable space inside. That means maybe re-framing the inside with insulation Sheetrock, nice cabinets, good flooring, so when you walk in it’s a house.
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