To build or not to build

Here is the deal: building a house is similar to immigration (and I experienced both). Whether you are wondering if you should move to another country or build a house, the answer is: if you don't know, you probably shouldn't because there is a high chance you will regret it.

Although both offer potential benefits, they also involve considerable risks, so unless there is a good reason to take a journey, stay put and seek alternatives.

Compared to building a new house, big or small, the cheaper options could be:

• Selling existing house and buying a new one.
• Extending your existing house (converting your garage, building on top of your garage, adding a room, and so on).

In my case, I could do neither. I desperately needed more space for my two boys to transition from a custom-built toddler-size bunk bed to adult beds, but none of the rooms in my house (not counting master bedroom) would accommodate two beds.

How we sleep :-)

I couldn't remodel because my existing floorplan would not allow addition of another room unless I converted a single story house into a two-story (I prefer staying closer to the ground) or agreed to live in a room without windows (would you?). And given the current California housing market (and considering that I wanted to keep my 2009 property tax base), building an accessory dwelling unit ("ADU") on the property made sense.

I also like the area where I live. It is not the best area (it's a subdivision but not an HOA, thanks God!), and there is a number of things that I do not particularly like (such as neighboring houses looking down my sparsely shaded property), but it is close to everything, not far from my work (I suspect at some point we will have to go back to work), I do not have any major issues with the house, and I am used to every one of its 1,841 square feet.

Also, I always wanted to build a house. So it was a good opportunity to give it a try on a smaller scale. Only I wasn't sure if I could.

NEXT: THE LAW OF THE LAND

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