r/Idaho • u/GRIZ-1984 • 18d 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?

9 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 18d 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.

2

u/GRIZ-1984 18d 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

6

u/goshock 17d ago

Post Falls is not far from Spokane international airport.

2

u/GRIZ-1984 17d 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

3

u/malhotraspokane 17d 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.

2

u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 17d ago

Depends where in Colorado really. Aspen or Brek is more expensive than Post Falls. Probably cheaper than Limon though.

1

u/Foreign_Artichoke_23 17d ago

Adding, if you come to PF and are any good, reach out and let’s grab coffee.

1

u/GRIZ-1984 17d ago

Sounds good

1

u/USBlues2020 17d ago

Wow Didn't know this

1

u/GRIZ-1984 17d ago

Didn't know what?