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Plenty of flat roofs in Kutchan. It's generally so you can build closer to your boundary. If you have a roof that sheds the snow you need room for it to shed and not encroach on your neighbours land (

Though its news is not new, you do get some good stuff in the Japan Times. I hope it can keep going in years to come.   Since most Japanese old houses sell at deep discounts to when they were new, i

By the common understanding, I don't think 2 by 4 is a "frame" house. 2 by 4 are used as studs that are sandwiched by plywood which acts as bracing to make structural, i.e, load bearing walls. Remove

Cool.

It is exciting stuff getting a house built isnt it.

Dumbstick where are you getting your house built?

 

We're hoping to get building started in late April with a view to moving in October/November.

 

Estimate was actually less than I was thinking it would be.

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Cool stuff. Yeah we too are pleased with our building company. It really makes things so much easier when you have builder that really wants to help and you can trust!

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To the north of Numata.

 

:)

 

I see. I used to pass through Numata loads of times when I used to go to Gunma a lot! Used to have a second house in Takayama mura about 15 mins up the mountain from Numata

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It's strange, I thought I would be feeling the need to really press on cost. But they have come up with extremely reasonable costs and actually added some stuff in for us that was not expected.

I almost feel bad trying to haggle more.

Once we get the final costing I will of course try, but I doubt I'll be as gung-ho about it as I originally thought I would.

 

:)

 

I'm quite amazed at how much work and effort they have actually put in without there being any kind of agreement/contract. I realise of course if and when they do get the contract it is a nice bit of work, but they have put in many many hours and indeed we do not have any legal obligation towards them yet.

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Yestetday we got loads of outside wall panel samples from our builder as well as loads of wall paper samples door designs window designs to bring home and look at.

It is great having actual samples to hold look at and compare in our own time.

We still debating which outside method and what style we want to go with so its so nice to have so much to choose from.

 

 

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when all has been agreed on, signed for, built and delivered what other ongoing monthly costs will there be? Other than your mortgage repayments of course....I'm assuming some extra form of tax......anything else?

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Was because of the lines but our builder has found us some panels that will not show the join lines.

Will also be a lot cheapet and less maintenence if we use the panels.

So now giving them some thought as well especially as he has found some I like.

Also debating on whether to go for the Japanese modern or something totally different such as really modern or even northern European.

Good thing with our builder we can chop and change intil we decide on exactly what we like even though we signed the contract. Just the building shape and size we cant change without extra charge.

 

 

Yestetday we got loads of outside wall panel samples from our builder....

 

I thought you were going with the painted look, snowdude?

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If it's done right, it can look authentic. I've seen horrible ones tho that make it look as if built from Lego. There's one round the corner from me that's like this and coloured Puke Yellow.....not nice

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Got a catalogue with all of them in. Hopefully see some real ones when we need to make that choice.

 

One choice we have to make now is the actual position of the house on the land.

It's kind of difficult as it is not easy to imagine it. We have a mock up of it on the computer but actual positioning more tricky than I thought.

And it's not something you can change once it's done!

Don't want to be jamma to neighbours and stuff like that. Don't want them to hate from the beginning.

Though we have over 4m between the border of their land and our house in our current position so that seems a pretty big space to me.

 

So many things to decide, lots of them things you have never thought of before.

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If it's done right, it can look authentic. I've seen horrible ones tho that make it look as if built from Lego. There's one round the corner from me that's like this and coloured Puke Yellow.....not nice

 

Yes some are definitely ok, but like you said there's some shockers too.

I prefer the non brick look. Dark greys and creams, there's a nice one near where I live that looks good.

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We had our place done with a render. Its yellow (the 501/502 blend) and has got bits in (carbon fiber) for full puke points.

Its pretty close to the colour of local clay which our kura is covered in.

color.jpg

Our place backs onto woods, so I chose the roof colour by holding up the samples and selecting the one that blended in best.

 

Aside from renders, the other siding material I really like is yaki-sugi, basically cheap planking that has been charred with a gas burner. The burnt outside wears off leaving a nice patina.

 

74ce4e7d.jpg

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Great thread this. My wife and I are also getting into the housing market. One problem I have found is that some of the lots we have found we have to buy through Sekisui or another one of those companies, which we don't want to do. Some of those prefab houses just look terrible. Granted, I have seen a few (2-3) that made me think, that's a prefab house? It looked great inside and outside wasn't bad either. Those were few and far between unfortunately.

 

I wanted to say thank you for all the information and points to keep in mind when we start looking seriously, too. So many questions have popped into my head that I'll have to reread this, go through all those links you all provided and get my thoughts in order first. Thanks!

 

I'd like to see the "housing thread" as well once it gets started. You must be very excited Dumbstick! How long is your mortgage going to be for? 30 years? How much are you looking at putting up to cut down on your monthly payments if you don't mind me asking? I know many questions become too personal when it comes to $$$ etc, so don't worry if you don't want to answer.

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You must be very excited Dumbstick! How long is your mortgage going to be for? 30 years? How much are you looking at putting up to cut down on your monthly payments if you don't mind me asking? I know many questions become too personal when it comes to $$$ etc, so don't worry if you don't want to answer.

 

Thanks yes. We're going to pay for the house 100% on completion... so no mortgage.

We are luckily able to do that, and I just hate the idea of giving banks my money.

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