Alright.
Its been awhile since I have posted, and to be honest, been on the site. but I haven't forgotten BP at all, or this thread. A lot has happened since I last posted, so here it goes..
I have found a surveyor to get the layout of the property. It turns out that my property is possibly located on top of old mine shafts that run through this area of the city. I have found a map of the old mines and this property is right on the edge of the mine zone. Im told that this shouldn't matter because the foundation wounldnt go that deep, more of a crawl space than a basement. the surveyor cost ~$1500 (Canadian)
the next step, according to my mentor, was to find an architect, which was harder than I think it should have been. I was told not to skimp when it came to an architect because his/her finished product would make it easier to sell to investor, and while that made sense to me, of the 3 or 4 firms that I called only one returned my call and made an appointment. its possible that I didn't push enough to get a sit down, though I kind of feel that if they didn't bother to return a call, they wouldn't have paid as much attention to my project as would like. The one guy who did return my call, so far, has turned out to be great. fully supportive of what I want to do and seems to think that I have a good viable plan. I am a fan of the way he thinks. he will take an idea and follow the idea path in his head, letting it lead him wherever the idea goes.. its refreshing, similar to the way I like to think.
we came up with an interesting foot print
the jut outs are the entrances and the pen lines around the building would be hedges for privacy.
I am getting the interior layout tomorrow I think, and then I believe I can start getting actual prices off contractors. both my mentor and the architect believe my ballpark numbers of 120$ sq/ft are fairly accurate, which would put the build at around 125,000-130,000 per unit. the architect, who is more local than my mentor, figures the units would be worth ~150,000 - 160,000 each. I am going to go to a realtor to confirm once I get the prints.
Financially, this is going to be a challenge. like most contractors in my industry, for the first three or four years I didn't my taxes. My fault, no excuses, pay your taxes kids (write that down. its important..) three years ago I decided to change that and sorted my jazz out. I owed over 25000 in income tax and 7 grand in GST (goods and services tax) I currently owe 4 grand on the income tax @ $290 every two weeks, I took a loan out to pay the government but I didn't want to take out a loan again for the gst, so the nice lady on the phone kindly accepted a promise to pay of 1000 every two weeks until its paid off. everything will be paid off by November (ish) I wont have much of a float then because during this time I also have to find 7500$ to pay the architect. I have paid a grand already and have a bank draft for 2500 sitting at home waiting to be handed over. I have looked at my paychecks going forward, and I think I that I can do this.. the numbers work.. barely.
I also learned a bit about myself this summer. I realized that I have a hard time grinding and I lose focus of my goals really quickly when I get into the rut the grind creates. this is the point I tend to shoot myself in the foot.
I had a decent a job maybe ten minutes from my house that should have lasted into this spring, but I worked with guys who would rather talk about G.O.T. instead of working, and the work they did I would have to go back and repair. they were getting paid the same as me, or higher and everyone was find with this. I wasn't. I know now to keep my mouth shut, but at this point I had forgotten my goals and let the immediate,, small problems dictate my future.. I 'spoke' up and lost motivation to do my job and I got fired. I live on an island, and this company has ALL the work here... really stupid of me. So, I found a job in Vancouver and spent the summer sleeping in my truck because I couldn't rationalize paying two rents.
A far more important reason for me to sleep in my truck is that I recognize the pattern of shooting myself in the foot when things are going well for me. This NEEDED to stop. Because I was living in my truck, my parents decided not to come visit me. they are getting up there, and im not sure how much longer they will be around. Them deciding not to visit me and the fact I was living in my truck at my age hit me right in the feels. I was ashamed. I still am. I understand that I shouldn't be. That sometimes in life **** hits the fan. But at the end of the day everything that has happened to me is the results of choices I made. conscious or otherwise. and my choices lead to me sleeping in my truck on the side of the street at Wal-Mart. this has to change. I cant be the person I want to be and have these habits. I cant. I cant....
I have only told a few people this story ( I have distanced myself from most of my group because no one among them strives for anything ) and everyone has responded with 'you shouldn't be so hard on yourself' ********. ********. I have to be hard on myself. I have to be. no one else will be. If I am not hard on myself I will stop trying to be better. I will be fine with my flaws, and be fine with accepting what life hands to me. If I am not hard on myself I will become comfortable. I hate being comfortable.
the bright side is that the Vancouver job paid substantially more than the job on the Island, but at the end of june, the owner who fired me called me and offered my job back on the island at the same rate as I was making in Vancouver. It not at the job ten minutes away from the house, and I have to commute 1 1/2 hrs each way, but the job is on the island and I don't have to sleep in my truck. ill take that as a win
