Brain Dump of Important Tidbits

After a couple of days of making calls and gearing up for my next tasks, I've accumulated the following pieces of information that I wanted to record here. They should prove useful to many readers. Remember, this info is specific to South Louisiana:

• Builder's risk insurance policy is available from State Farm. They're not including damage from wind or hail in new policies, so I'll need to get the dreaded (and ludicrously expensive) citizen's insurance


• The builder's risk policy won't cover any thefts until the house is able to be locked and materials are secured behind lock & key


• Nothing special is needed before I sign up for the policy, but I'll wait until I'm about to start construction so I don't waste money


• They "recommend" that I sign up right away to cover the full expected value of the home instead of slowly increasing it as the project progresses. This is because I might "forget" to increase it later. No thanks. I think I'll raise it incrementally as I go to save money.


• Get lien waivers signed by everyone who physically does work on the project and everyone who sells materials for use on the project (either purchased by you or a subcontractor). This includes any employee of any of your subs that works on your house.


• Open a separate checking account in order to carefully track house-related expenses. Have checks printed with lien waiver verbiage printed on the back near the endorsement area. Something along the lines of "Endorsement and/or deposit of this check is an acknowledgement of payment in full for all amounts due and signifies a waiver of any lien rights against the property."


• The vibration method for driving pilings is apparently against parish code for building a residence. If they know you used vibration instead of traditional pounding of the pilings, they're not supposed to approve it.


• Pump sand is the best thing to use when building up the ground under the slab. Not clay or soil as I had inquired about


• Write full specs out for each subcontractor. Don't depend on the plans to tell them everything they need to know.


• I bought books on wiring and plumbing from Taunton's For Pros by Pros series. I plan to review them so I can be knowledgeable about directing and inspecting the work of these subs.


• I got more contractor recommendations today from friends and family connected to the construction business.

Here are my next upcoming tasks:

• Get plans stamped by the engineer who works with my designer (2 copies)


• Go to the parish permits office and start the permit application process. The best time to go there is at 7:00 before they open and put your name on the list at the desk. Then wait for them to open and start seeing people.


• Contact Entergy about the new utility pole they said they would put in at the front of my property. This is the best way to get the power line from across the street and not hang down over my front yard.


• Mark out the boundaries of the house and garage and get enough sand dumped there to build up about 1 more foot.


• Get sand spread


• Get temporary electric pole setup. May include digging trench to go ahead and run electric to south side of house where meter will be.


• Get pilings driven


• Get plumber to rough in the stuff that goes under/in the slab


• Get slab formed and poured