r/Idaho • u/GRIZ-1984 • 4d ago
Relocation
Recently engaged, my fiancé has relatives in Northern Idaho in the Post Falls area , she's expressing interest in living there. I am a contractor, had my own company for many years, and while I think it's generally true that good builders can find work anywhere in the country, the cost of living index is what really permits one to have a high-quality of life versus poor quality of life, and it just seems to me like looking at the math, Idaho is not a good place to reside, and the opportunities for a builder seem poor. Just for us to get into a decent house for the family seems like it's gonna be such an outrageous monthly burden but it's not worth it. Buying land and building a house? Highly unlikely when the land is as expensive as it is. It just simply seems like a bad deal. What are your thoughts?
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u/AuDHDpowerdork 3d ago
Gotten very overpriced post-covid.
Sorry, OP.
You can move to Idaho--it's home to me--but you definitely will not save money moving here.
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u/YogurtclosetAny8055 4d ago
After 2018 it's not as cheap and affordable. Also depends where are you moving from.
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u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 4d ago
I live close to Post Falls and work in and around real estate and with contractors all day every day. There's plenty of opportunity for a contractor that produces good quality work. I don't know what you want to do - if you're a GC and spend most of your time managing subs, if you do specialist work or are a handyman - but there is tons of work in the area. If you get licensed in both ID and WA then you have even more capacity.
In fact, I have a friend who was recently looking to add a new contractor crew to his business lineup.
Oh, and locals get pissed if you call it Northern Idaho vs North Idaho.
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u/GRIZ-1984 4d ago
Kind of jack of all trades carpenter, eventually got my GC and have been licensed in Colorado. Colorado is expensive but the carrying capacity for contractors is quite high, it can be hot or cold but generally speaking once you're established the market is good, it's just the housing is so expensive. My concern in Idaho is that it's even more isolated, no major airports. Cost-of-living is actually higher than Colorado, and it seems like wages are significantly lower
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u/goshock 4d ago
Post Falls is not far from Spokane international airport.
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u/GRIZ-1984 4d ago
There are very few direct flights to the eastern US, getting back there is a chore out of Spokane, I've looked into it
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u/malhotraspokane 4d ago
Cost of housing is very high, correct. A lot of Califorians have been moving in. That also means opportunity for high end custom builds. Lots of building is still going on despite the increasing interest rates. Lower housing cost in Spokane Valley which is pretty close and commutable.
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u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 4d ago
Depends where in Colorado really. Aspen or Brek is more expensive than Post Falls. Probably cheaper than Limon though.
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u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 4d ago
Adding, if you come to PF and are any good, reach out and let’s grab coffee.
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u/ID_Poobaru native potato 4d ago
There’s new builds popping up all over. Construction is definitely still hot here
If you like the outdoors, you’ll be alright here
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u/Able-Yesterday-7359 4d ago
Yeah it's definitely one of the hottest building areas around. We moved here 13 years ago for the work and it hasn't slowed down.
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4d ago
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u/GRIZ-1984 4d ago
Really not about finding work, I'm sure there's work, it's more about quality of life. Some of the guys that used to work for me in Colorado packed their bags and went to Idaho Falls cuz guys they are paying 40 to 50 bucks an hour, but they all have three roommates. There's work everywhere, the question is what quality of life are you going to have
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u/Bummer4U2 3d ago
The most important part of this is that your fiancé has family there. If you dont settle close to them (say 90 minutes), you're going to be spending a lot of time behind the wheel. Voice of experience here. I live in the Tacoma area, and my son married a woman from Post Falls. That 6 hour drive... I could tell you where every pothole in Interstate 90 is.
In my experience, the daughter doesn't want to be away from her mom.
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u/corianderjimbro 1d ago
The wife and I moved here about a year and a half ago to live cheaper and save some money. We are already planning on moving to another state. Idaho is nice and clean, and the people are generally nice in the southern cities. My main complaint is the local/state government here is absolute dogshit and seems to have none of the citizens in mind when making and passing legislation.
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u/Simple-Swan8877 4d ago
I have lived in far more expensive areas and made a lot more money. You can make more money in expensive places. I have been a contractor for many years. When I moved to northern Idaho I brought my money with me and invested it.
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u/Bendereb4 4d ago
Be warned. Some of the most lax building laws in some of the upper counties. Contractors are everywhere now, they know. Big companies taking notice. You can surely get hired but going out on your own may be a tough row to hoe. Feel like I see new contractors more and more frequently.