Many people buy pre-existing homes, but many others prefer to build homes to their specifications. When you want to build your own home, there are many things you need to do to ensure the process proceeds correctly and is completed appropriately. Here are three tips for building your own home.
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1. Understand the Process
There are several steps common to every home building process, with extra steps included depending on your wishes and needs. In general, you need to hire a contractor, draw up a legal contract, attend meetings for contract acceptance, structural elements, design elements and permit and paperwork reviews. Then, you can begin the actual construction process, including the foundation, the frame, the rough-ins and the interior and exterior finishes.
2. Determine Your Budget
Building a home from the ground up is expensive and can take a long time. This means you need to determine an adequate budget early in the research and planning phase of the project and then regularly check in with your plan to ensure you’re sticking to that budget. If you exceed your budget, you may lack appropriate funds to equip or furnish your home when it’s complete. You may also be unable to pay contractors or need to take out loans to make certain payments. Make sure your builder agrees to your budget and include it in your legally binding contract.
3. Hire Professional Contractors
Always hire professional contractors after vetting them carefully. Seek out reviews, references and examples of a contractor’s previous work. Gather price quotes and research each contractor you’re considering working with before agreeing to any contracts. Try to meet with each potential contractor so you can ask questions and get to know him or her. Always review a contractor’s credentials to ensure he or she can legally and safely work on your project.
4. Consider Post-construction Services
No matter how careful and strict you and your contractors are, there is always a small risk that there may be issues or problems with your home after it’s completed. Most of these issues tend to be the result of small mistakes and will become apparent within weeks of your home’s completion. Getting a guarantee of post-construction services doesn’t refer to getting more work performed after construction is complete but to requiring RFI management during the process and securing warranties from your contractors.
5. Take a Holistic Approach
When you build your own home, you need to look at the big picture. A new home is an investment you’ll likely be using for a long time and will want to maintain and keep in good, livable condition. To ensure you can do this, take a holistic approach. Avoid going over budget or building a home too big for you to handle. Make sure you schedule enough time for your home to be built according to your vision and what’s possible.
Building your home can be an incredibly rewarding experience when you get it done right. Make sure you do your research, choose carefully which contractors to work with and be firm in your goals and budgetary requirements.
