Building a home In Maine

Homebuilders in Maine: Downeast

Maine Terrain: Although we bought an existing home in Milbridge, we also relied heavily on Google Maps and Google Earth when scouting locations. Do you or Tim have a background in construction or was your custom home design a completely new endeavor?

Terri G: No, we have no formal training.  However, we both have worked hard on our previous older homes for years. We are quite adept at many aspects of general handyman work and construction.

We each have our own specialties.  For example, Tim is the only one who handles anything electrical. I am absolutely NOT a fan of being zapped.  He hangs the sheet rock while I’m the mud-n-taper. I have pretty darn impressive mudding/taping skills, if I do say so myself. 

I’m the wallpaper hanger.  We both do tile work.  And we both share a love of power tools!

Maine Terrain: One comment I hear often about construction in Maine is that there is a limited pool of qualified contractors. Thus, delays are almost inevitable. How close did you come to hitting your projected timetable?

Terri G: Our home is a modular, not to be confused with a mobile home.  I have always been an avid believer in modular construction. Therefore, I knew that that was the direction that we’d take. 

We chatted with a couple of local modular home retailers and settled on one in Bangor.  All of our contractors were employed by and affiliated with that particular modular home retailer. So that simplified the process compared to hiring our own contractors and subcontractors.

The delays, however, as with all construction projects, were frequent.  
Our home was to be set in early June but it wasn’t set until July. Accordingly, that threw off the remaining timetable. 

Footnote, if I may, we don’t ever want to build again. However, if we did, it would absolutely be another modular home.  We are so pleased with the structure itself.  It’s incredibly solid!

Maine Terrain: How much consideration did you give to buying an existing coastal home?

Terri G: When we began looking at properties in earnest, we looked at both raw land and ready-built homes. 

Initially, we had no preference whatsoever.  However, we found that Maine, Down East Maine in particular, seemed to have an over-abundance of breathtakingly beautiful oceanfront raw land properties. All at remarkably low prices compared to Virginia and the D.C. area. So those two factors really made that decision to purchase raw land and build on it. 

Maine Terrain: Did you run into any unexpected surprises during construction? Anything just come way out of left field?

Terri G: Ha ha, staahhp!  Seriously?  Yes.  Emphatically, yes.  I think that the one thing that completely threw us off-base was the need to blast ledge, i.e., granite.  Mainly because of the cost. Holy smokes!

We had heard that blasting might be necessary because Maine is the bold rocky coast after all, but we were unprepared for the actual cost and the need to find someone who could do it immediately to avoid any additional delays.

Maine Terrain: Do you have any advice for someone looking at a lot now? Perhaps someone thinking about building their own dream house?

Terri G: Do it. Be prepared for months of migraine headaches and numerous sleepless nights.  Take vitamins & drink caffeine for extra stamina, but do it.   It’s soooo worth it.  😉