Joshua Doucet Construction Llc

12/25/2025

This is from September 25' ill update again after the first of the year. Hopefully interest rates get right and vendors have been fortunate enough to bring in new inventory to get prices moving the right direction.
Stay tuned....

12/16/2025

12/16/2025

12/15/2025

12/10/2025

🎄✨ This Christmas, give the gift of hope ✨🎄

Not every child’s Christmas list is filled with toys. Many ask for simple things we take for granted—new school clothes, shoes, a pillow, blankets, board games, even applesauce or Pop-Tarts.

👶 It’s easy to shop for the little ones, but don’t forget the teens—often overlooked, yet just as deserving of joy.

💡 Organizations like Care Help of Sulphur, Sleep in Heavenly Peace (building beds so kids don’t have to sleep on the floor), and Henning Memorial United Methodist Church are making a difference not only during the holidays, but all year long.

🌎 Even if you’re not in Southwest Louisiana, there are countless nonprofits and churches in your own community helping families in need.

❤️ This season, spread love. Give a child something that brings a smile, comfort, and a little hope.

Reach out to some of these organizations or churches give a Little, or a lot this Christmas. We all need a reminder of what it feels like to help others.

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Thank you all and God Bless,

Joshua Doucet

12/10/2025

Paint vs. My sanity

The Struggle of Choosing Colors
Paint is one of the most difficult things to choose. I’ve seen clients:
- Buy hundreds of tiny sample cans
- Cover entire walls with tiny swatches
- Create dream boards and mood boards
- Haul in flooring, granite samples, lighting finishes to compare
- Bring in friends for input. (Not Recommended)

The Environment Problem
When a house is ready for paint, it’s rarely inviting:
- No power, taped-up windows, dingy concrete floors
- Surrounded by raw wood and pale drywall
- It’s not clean, not finished, and certainly not your dream home. Yet people stress for weeks trying to pick the “perfect” color in that environment.
- Paints have many different undertones, next time youre at a hardware store watch them mix paint, on average 3-4 colors are combined to get the desired outcome.

Lessons Learned Over the Years
- It always comes together. No matter how wild the scheme, once the house is finished, the colors work.
- Colors are relational. Every shade shifts depending on what’s next to it — furniture, flooring, curtains.
- Lighting matters.

- From corner to corner your color can change several times just with shadows
- Take your paint sample outside on a sunny day. That’s the purest version of the color. If you love it, it’s your color.

My Go-To Approach
Personally, I’d paint the entire house Sherwin-Williams Alabaster and add color on the cabinets for contrast. Even pure white shifts when next anything with color.
- I personally think you want your paint to set the mood and your decor and furniture to bring your vision to life.

The Final Truth
Once people move in and fill their home with their belongings, they rarely notice the paint color. And if you ask me what I think about your choices, I’ll always tell you: I love it. So dont stress with color choices, most of the time your first instinct is your final choice.

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Joshua Doucet

12/06/2025

Why “Price Per Square Foot” Isn’t the Whole Story

The Common Question
Clients often ask: “How much per square foot does it cost to build?” While it sounds simple, square-foot pricing is not the most important part of the estimating process.

The Problem with Focusing Only on the Final Number
- Many people flip straight to the last page of an estimate, looking only at the total cost.
- They overlook critical details: what’s included, what’s excluded, the allowances, and the terms.
- A low bid can hide unrealistic allowances or generic pricing that doesn’t match your prints.
- If a contractor underbids by $100,000, you may end up with a half-finished home.

Trust Matters More Than a Formula
- The most important factor is whether you trust your contractor.
- Building a home is a complex, sometimes love-hate relationship — not a Hallmark movie.
- A contractor who bids higher may simply be putting reality on paper, protecting you from costly mistakes.

Breaking Down Square-Foot Pricing
Square-foot price is calculated by dividing the total cost by the square footage.

- Under Roof Square Footage: Includes porches, garages, and all covered areas.
- Living Square Footage: Includes only heated/cooled living space.
- Banks typically use living square footage for financing.

Example 1: Top-Tier Finishes
- 1,000 sq ft living, 2,500 sq ft under roof
- Total cost: $150,000
- $150,000 ÷ 2,500 = $60 per sq ft under roof
- $150,000 ÷ 1,000 = $150 per sq ft living

Example 2: Modest Finishes
- 1,000 sq ft living, 1,500 sq ft under roof
- Total cost: $100,000
- $100,000 ÷ 1,500 = $66 per sq ft under roof
- $100,000 ÷ 1,000 = $100 per sq ft living

Notice how the numbers shift dramatically depending on what’s included. The same “per square foot” rate can make one project look artificially expensive or cheap.

The Takeaway
- Square-foot pricing is a quick comparison tool, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
- Realistic estimates require detailed scope, accurate allowances, and honest communication.
- A higher bid doesn’t mean the contractor is difficult — it may mean they’re saving you from a financial disaster.

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Joshua Doucet

12/02/2025

We were recently asked to price out a structure for a barndomium. The client asked what building method was most cost effective while maintaining all the standard options across the board. These are the numbers we landed on after comparing all the variables....

🏗️ 50x100x16 Building Price Comparison

Common Features (included in all options)
- 3" R-10 vinyl-backed fiberglass insulation (walls & roof)
- 3 roll-up doors (12x12)
- 4 walk doors (3/0 x 6/8)
- Gutters and downspouts
- 6" slab with 1/2" rebar, 6-gauge wire, and footings
- 26-gauge colored metal with wainscoting
- Installed turnkey

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🔴 Red-Iron All Steel
- Price: $168,679.90
- Heavy-duty all-steel frame construction
- Known for durability and long lifespan

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🟢 Pole Barn
- Price: $164,948.92
- Construction details:
- 2x8 wall girts, 3' on center
- 2x4 roof purlins, 3' on center
- 8x8 posts, 10' on center
- 2x12 header band
- Trusses, 5' on center
- Traditional post-frame design, cost-effective
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🔵 Stud-Framed
- Price: $162,084.15
- Construction details:
- 2x6 walls, 2' on center
- 2x4 wall girts, 3' on center
- 2x4 roof purlins, 2' on center
- Trusses, 5' on center
- Conventional framing, lowest upfront cost
- Easiest and cheapest to build out due to not having to stud additional walls when framing out interior living space.

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💡 Summary
- Most affordable: Stud-Framed ($162,084.15)
- Mid-range: Pole Barn ($164,948.92)
- Highest cost but strongest build: Red-Iron All Steel ($168,679.90)

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11/27/2025

🏡 5 Steps to Starting the Custom Home Process

Step 1: Secure Your Financing
- Determine how much money you’re working with.
- Meet with a reputable local bank to explore all financing options.
- Learn about the construction loan process and gather the documents needed for both loan approval and permitting.

Step 2: Check Zoning and Site Requirements
- Visit your local zoning office to confirm restrictions, setbacks, and elevation requirements.
- Many buyers overlook this step and later discover costly surprises — for example, needing to raise the building pad several feet above street level.

Step 3: Choose Your Contractor
- Ask for detailed cost estimates based on the square footage you want (both living space and under‑roof).
- Understand allowances and the full building process.
- Select someone you trust and feel comfortable with — this tends to be a love/hate relationship but will also be both challenging and rewarding.

Step 4: Work with a Draftsman
- Architects aren’t always necessary; a skilled draftsman can collaborate with you and your contractor.
- Ensure your design aligns with your budget and construction realities.

Step 5: Shop for Fixtures Early
- Begin looking at fixtures during the drafting stage.
- This helps you understand where you’ll land on allowances and prevents budget surprises later.

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⚠️ Common Pitfall to Avoid
In my 15 years of experience, the biggest issue I’ve seen is clients designing extravagant dream homes before confirming their budget. They get pre‑approved for $400,000, only to discover their plans require $650,000 to build. Avoid this by aligning your design with your financing from the very beginning.

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Joshua Doucet

07/19/2025

It all starts with a strong foundation. You'll need a solid stable dirt pad. Followed by the right footings, rebar, wire and the right mix of concrete. The difference between the cheapest 3000psi mix and 3500-4000psi mix is usually less than $1000 on most homes. A strong start gives you peace of mind for the future.

Joshua Doucet Construction
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