FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Wisconsin 2021

Ian Schwandt and his wife Sara are building their own custom, high-performance house with a budget of $100 per sq. ft.. Their goal is to build a home that fits the site’s rural landscape with its exterior finishes, but also hints at the modern look of NYC loft apartments. This Passive House standard home was designed with an upside-down floor plan that makes the most of the sloped site’s topography and allows the living areas to have the benefit of vaulted ceilings. Follow along as Ian builds this home from the ground up.

Build or Build Not, There is No Try

There are always challenges to overcome in home building. Ian Schwandt reflects on how he adapted with changing timelines and cost challenges to successfully self-build an affordable high-performance home.

By Ian Schwandt
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

One of the biggest challenges that I have faced in self-building my home is a proclivity to self-perform scopes of work solely for the impact that it can have on the finances of the project. Everything about self-building carries an undertone of “I can do it cheaper and/or better myself.”  This line of thinking comes at the risk of blinding oneself to the value of time. And it’s not just measured in minutes or hours, but in weeks, months, and passing seasons.

When we secured the financing for this project in the summer of 2020 (at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic), I fully intended to self-perform every aspect of the project outside of the mechanical and excavation work. And I brazenly expected to complete it all in seven months, or 28 consecutive 60-hour weeks. It became apparent, more quickly to those around me than myself, that this pace and efficiency of work was not going to be possible. Between working part-time to help finance the project, winter weather, and the availability of an extra set of hands when needed, by the time I reached the three-month anniversary of the ground-breaking, it was time to make some decisions that put a greater value on my time.

Digging out for large footings
Helical piers

Some subcontracting options were clear and easy to make. My rear deck with its full porch roof required some very large footings to hold up the 10-ft. by 45-ft. deck structure and the roof. Using helical piers allowed me to meet the engineering requirements in an economical way that did not mean hours of my time digging and pouring concrete.

Roofing

Installing the asphalt shingles, something that I have done plenty of and feel pretty efficient doing, was a less obvious area to save my own time, especially since I had already purchased all of the materials from my main supplier. At the urging of those around me I made a few calls to see if I could land a roofer on short notice in the month of January. Through a close friend I found a small company that came out and shingled the entire roof over the course of a week, working as much as the cold winter weather allowed.

Insulation in walls

Self-performing the dense-pack cellulose for the double-stud wall assembly was something that I had set out to do from the start. I bought the auto fire stapler that I had seen used to install the netting on other jobs, which made installing the netting a pretty straightforward task. Dense-packing the walls involved a steeper learning curve, but with the knowledge that I gained at the Net Zero Insulation Strategies class at Yestermorrow and some additional internet research I was able rent a suitable insulation-blowing machine, a Krendl 425, and fabricate my own reducer nozzle out of PVC pipe. The process was slow, but I got the job done with help from my wife, Sara, and her father, Bob, feeding the blower and keeping me up on the scaffolding.

Cathedral ceilings fully drywalled

From day one of the design process, we wanted a house with big cathedral ceilings, which I knew would challenge me and whomever else had to work on them. No challenge loomed darker in my mind than drywall. Not only is drywall something that I have not done a lot of, it’s also something that when I have done it, it has not gone well or been enjoyable whatsoever.

Looming just as large as doing the drywall work itself was my budget, already taking a beating from increasing cost of goods  and the project schedule now into its seventh month. Through the same friend that hooked me up with roofers I found a small, four-man drywall company. The owner came out and confidently told me that this job was a wheelhouse job for him and his crew despite the high ceilings. His schedule was full, but he felt that if I was flexible he could squeeze the high-ceilinged great room in between two other new construction jobs. That was good enough for me as it would save me from the most difficult part of the job without hurting the budget too much.

By the time month nine of the project came around and the drywallers came back to measure for their delivery, my outlook on the project had changed. The cost-of-goods increases, the increase in local property values, and my confidence that my part-time job would become a good full-time job gave us what we needed to justify an increase in our budget to $125 per sq. ft. At the site measure for the drywall delivery, the drywaller kept asking me where I wanted his crew to stop, since I was already having him do the hard part of the job. I told him that at this point I would have him do the whole project if he could find the time.

Finished kitchen and entry
Lucky for me, one of his new-construction projects was put on hold and he had a three-week window for my house. Three weeks later I wrote the drywaller a $20,000 check and we were on to painting. We installed Trim Tex architectural bead at the floor that my engineered hardwood flooring would disappear into instead of using base molding.

For the remainder of the project, whenever Sara and I found ourselves frustrated by how long something was taking or how far off into the future it seemed we were from completion, one of us would usually say, “Well, we could still be drywalling” as way to put our progress back in perspective. Self-performing as much of the build as I could was a major goal of mine, but throughout the process I came to realize that I needed to be flexible and get out of my own way. Executing the project to achieve an affordably built, high-performance home was the true goal.

Photos courtesy Sara Lukasiewicz and Ian Schwandt


More on FHB House Wisconsin:

Read Ian’s self-designer/builder blog series

Watch Ian build and raise double-stud walls 

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Loctite Foamboard Adhesive

When foam board installations require an adhesive, it’s important to use compatible products like this adhesive from Loctite.
Buy at Amazon

Great Stuff Foam Cleaner

It’s important to clean and maintain a professional foam-dispensing gun, and this product fits the bill. It has a spray applicator for general cleaning, plus it screws onto the dispensing gun so you can clean the inside.
Buy at Amazon

All New Bathroom Ideas that Work

Everyone wants their bathrooms to be beautiful, but few know the challenge of arranging all the fixtures, storage, and convenience of a great bathroom into one of the smallest space in our homes. This book has hundreds of ideas to inspire you.
Buy at Amazon

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles
Wisconsin 2021 Videos

Behind the Build

  • New York 2023
  • Kansas 2022
  • Wisconsin 2021
  • Nebraska 2021
  • Connecticut 2020
  • Kentucky 2019
  • California 2018
  • Vermont 2017
  • Rhode Island 2016
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

More Wisconsin 2021

View All
  • A Kitchen Actually Built for a Cook
  • Airtightness and High-Performance Building
  • Build or Build Not, There is No Try
  • Airtight and Waterproof Window Installation
View All

Wisconsin 2021 Sponsors

  • Champion Power Equipment Logo
  • Mitsubishi Electric Heating and Air-Conditioning Logo
  • Schluter Systems Logo
  • Zip System Building Enclosures Logo

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Putting Drywall Sanders to the Test: Power, Precision, and Dust Control

A pro painter evaluates a variety of drywall sanders and dust collection systems for quality of finish, user fatigue, and more.

Featured Video

Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by Brick

Watch mason Mike Mehaffey construct a traditional-style fireplace that burns well and meets current building codes.

Related Stories

  • The Trump Administration Wants to Eliminate the Energy Star Program
  • The Unabashed Maximalist
  • A 1980s Condo Goes Retro Vintage
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Repairing an Old Home While Maintaining Its Integrity

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Cost-Effective Approach to Insulating and Air-Sealing Floor Trusses
  • Podcast 503: Not Quite a Scrape-Off, Too Tight for Insulation, and Weather-Beaten Felt Paper
  • Taping Drywall Ceilings
  • Hang Drywall on the Ceiling the Right Way
View All

Energy Efficiency

View All Energy Efficiency Articles
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Designing and Building an Efficient Slab-On-Grade Home
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Homemade Radiant Heat Floor Assembly
  • Preserving a Greek Revival Farmhouse
View All Energy Efficiency Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data