Wheel house - build or buy

[Carpenter]

Im contemplating either an IC 17 rv or a crappie. But am wondering if i would be $ ahead to build. I have the skills and connections to fill in where my skills lack. Im thinking something i build might be a little better quality than some of the details ive seen in the ICs ive been thru. Thoughts from those who have built? If i can be happy w a "store bought" layout, is that the better way to go to save the pain in the a$$ factor?

Thanks

[ski_otter]

I've done neither, but toyed with the idea a bit. From the little research it seemed that for the type of complete interior that the manufactured houses provide it is most likely cheaper to buy them complete.

If you want a custom layout or higher quality components, more exacting fit and finish build your own, but unless you have some great connections it will probably be more expensive.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I've done neither, but toyed with the idea a bit. From the little research it seemed that for the type of complete interior that the manufactured houses provide it is most likely cheaper to buy them complete.

If you want a custom layout or higher quality components, more exacting fit and finish build your own, but unless you have some great connections it will probably be more expensive.

+1

[holmsvc]

I have been looking at Yetti fish houses. You can buy the shell and finish it yourself.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Just wanted to further expand on my +1 from earlier...

Depending on the size of the house, you probably can't build one yourself cheaper than what you can buy it from Ice Castle. When you build in mass quantities like they do, you get stuff a lot cheaper.

If you are looking in to something on the higher end of the spectrum, or bigger than 8x16, you can probably save some. I have about $18k into my house, and a comparable Ice Castle is around $25k. I have better materials, and much better finish work.

I also have 400 hours into building mine, and probably another 100 hours in design and buying materials.

[usmcjsy]

Ya when I bought mine I weighed out the options, and it is tough to compete with the large manufacturers on the price. Granted building yourself guarantee better materials etc. However any one of the companies can pretty much build you exactly what you want. Plus you have a house ready to fish in from day 1.

[Carpenter]

Thanks all. Kinda what i was thinking.

[Chad Holst]

There is alot of time involved...yes, but ask one of your kids/grandkids/neighbors kids to help out. Teach them how to use a saw and hammer. Show them what a level is and how it works. I can think of few things better to spend my time on (besides actually fishing, maybe) than teaching a kid some life lessons and to top that off..doing it while building a fish house! How awesome is that?

(i add this next part with the full knowledge that i dont have a clue what im doing, or how im gonna do it...but thats part of the fun!)

I just started working on our first build...An 8x12 with a 4 foot V nose. Not one piece of steel has been welded, no aluminum has been hung and surely not a single fish has been caught in this house yet...but im already more proud of it than anything i could have paid someone else to build.

There is something to be said about building something yourself. Besides rational reasons like "knowing exactly every thing in the house and how it works" (for when you need to fix it) or the potential to save money, you shouldnt overlook the fact that "you built it".

Plus, I would have a hard time believing that it will cost more to build our house than if i had it done by a shop. Just the steel priced out $1,000 cheaper to do our selves rather than buy a finished frame. Tires..wheel system parts..another $300? there $700 right there. I actually went to the "fish house equipment" site and priced everything they listed that their "shell houses" come with and we are under about $2,500 at that point. Full diamond plated edges, rubber roof, ALL treated excepted 2x2's, airport carpeting on the floor, aluminum smooth skin outside. 1 extra window than there house has, and a steel framed door that will hold up a bit better when someone puts the "boot" to it.

I would guess that they can beat your cost/price of the counter top/cabinets, bed matresses, etc... but at worst it should be a wash after the money you saved earlier in the build on steel/aluminum.

All im saying is, BUILD IT YOURSELF, spend a dime more or less..who cares. Since money and "knowledge" of how to do it dont seem to be a major issue, think of the oppertunity you have to help a kid or 2 or 4...

[usmcjsy]

That is a good point sirlips, there is benifits to both directions on this topic. Each just has to weigh their options. If you dont have kids, are not handy with a saw, dont have time to build, etc just buy. If you want to teach your kids some carpentry fundamentals building would be a good way to do it. If you are just looking for bang for the buck it is still pretty tough to beat prebuilt.

[TruthWalleyes]

Agree with much of the above. I completely customized my boat. Stripping it down to bare aluminum and essentially starting from scratch. Ended up with a boat that has many options that cannot be purchased to this day from a manufacturer. My point being, if there are some extreme modifications that you want your house to have that isn't offered on the marked. It may be moot, or even cost more, but you will end up with the house that works best for you. I have been thinking about what to replace my boat with for the last year - MOstly because i want a hull that can better handle waves - but i am having a really hard time going away from what i've customized to work so well for me.

Good luck with your decision.

[Ontherocks]

I built a 6.5×16' 9 years ago. Great house and it has held up through some of toughest situations and when repairs were needed it was easy because I knew how it was done the 1st time.

We out grew the house and needed to upgrade. I looked for 2 years at manufactured houses and could not find anything as whole that would work for me. I do not have the time to build and really tried to avoid it. Last spring I started a 8.5×18.5' with a 4' semi v. While I'm several weeks from finished it is shaping up to exactly what I wanted. All I can say is it takes twice as long and twice as much that what you would think. Not sure where I will end up on final price, but quite sure I could have bought a manufactured house that I would have not been happy with for less money.

Sirlips had a great point, involve a kid. I have had my 8 year old helping and seeing him have interest in it has made the whole experience worth while. A few weeks ago while I was showing him how to solder wire connection he asked "where did you learn this stuff?" I told him from my dad, he looked at me with a big smile and said " your dad must have been pretty smart to know all this". I never realized how important it is to pass on your skills.

If you have the ability to do it yourself, go for it. There are guys like LRG and many others on this forum that are willing to share their knowledge.

As another option there are custom builders out there that do a fantastic job.

[Dozer]

I say build your own. Ive been planning my 8.5'/16' in my head for about 5 years now. Finaly started building in March of this year. There isnt one weld, bolt, screw or nail that I didnt do myself. When its all said and done I should be very close to 1/4 of the $20,000 price tag on a comperable Ice Castle RV edition with a Berkon hydraulic frame. On top of that its pretty cool to have guys stop you wherever you go and ask you about it. Way more satisfying to say "Yup, I built it" instead of saying you wrote a big check for it!

[Iambjm]

Two years ago I purchased a hail damaged Yetti and proceeded to finish it myself, I did about 80% percent of the work myself. I took it down to Mille Lacs this year camping at Father Hennipen state park. I had a lot of people ask about it and had a lot of nice comments when they looked at it. It is a 6x12 with a 3 foot V, and with everything in it I spent around $7000. I have looked at some of the finished ones online and they want anywhere between $9000 to $12000 for the same size finished. Is it perfect, heck no. But for a 65 year old woman with just minimal wood working skills I think I did a darn good job.

[Chad Holst]

Quote:

I have had my 8 year old helping and seeing him have interest in it has made the whole experience worth while. A few weeks ago while I was showing him how to solder wire connection he asked "where did you learn this stuff?" I told him from my dad, he looked at me with a big smile and said " your dad must have been pretty smart to know all this". I never realized how important it is to pass on your skills.

Thats it right there!

the old saying goes... 10% of life is what happens to you, 90% of life is how you deal with it, not the other way around. Some kids just need that 10% to be influenced more by a positive role model. I had no one in the foster care/group home system to teach these things to me. Now, as a father, that drives me to teach my own kids but also other children that may not have that chance. For those that had dads or moms teach them these things, you should know how much it meant to you as a child. We forget the first christmas present or the first time we went to the movies but i bet we all remember the first time someone let us drive their car, use the power saw or shoot a gun/bow.

Much like the next poster pointed out, you dont have to be an expert builder, there are resources everywhere. This forum is a great place to find pretty amazing people. All you have to do is ask. Shoot, i know NOTHING about buuilding and fabricating...im just a dumb banker, yet i know that I can make this house happen. You tube...google...the library and the local welding shop.

My suggestion to the original poster, if time and $ are not really a factor, is to sit down with a pen and paper and start drawing out the house, the frame, etc...do some research. If it doesnt get you "charged up" then theres your answer..go ahead and buy from the factory. But if it becomes a passion and gets the juices flowing, then i say build it! Excitment is contagious, if the build doesnt excite you, then find something else to share with a kid. The goal is to get them excited about something more than "call of duty" or the the next Xbox game.

[low277]

+1 very well said, sirlips!

[Eric Wettschreck]

I've built a couple of these things and am currently planning on building the last one I'll ever build. However, for the next one I'm going to purchase the frame and go from there. I'm a boilermaker so I know how to run a welder, I just don't want to. I'll be pretty much even money buying the frame I want versus building it. Plus, I absolutely HATE painting.

Like Doser said, when you build you know every stinkin nut, bolt, weld, and wire and how it all works.

One bit of advice I'll toss out there............check out a lot of different shacks before you build. Look at the little things like hole placement, shelves, battery location, heater location, etc. Spend enough time in a shack and you'll see things you would do differently or dare I say, better. A friend of mine finished up his house last year and my first time in it I realized every hole is a leg breaker. He wired everything 110, powers a big inverter, and is surprised 3 deep cycle batteries won't last a weekend. He's tall and knocks his head on a shelf every time he walks by it. Like I said, the little things add up.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Excellent advice.

One thing I'll add is to draw your plan to scale. Whether it is on graph paper, or SketchUp, you will save time and money by drawing it out first.

My orange house was the first one I completely drew out, and it was amazing. Off that drawing I was able to cut every piece of framing the exact length ahead of time, all my siding seams landed on studs, no windows were in funky places, etc.

[Bureaucrat]

I was looking on hsolist last night from St. Cloud to Sioux Falls, and there are tons of used houses out there right now. Many of which have been used very little and far cheaper than what they are new.

I've got my own ideas on building, but I don't have the time or expertise to finish one well. So I'd opt for buying a reputable used one, then take it home and remodel as needed.