Building a new home is by no means a small feat. Knowing where to begin can be quite overwhelming. Here are some basic steps you can follow to get yourself started on this very important project.
Budget
This is a no-brainer. Budget will be the first thing that will cross your mind when you decide to undertake a building/remodeling project. Before beginning anything you will have to sit down and figure out how much you can afford to spend and how much your new home will cost. You will also need to figure out what types of loan you qualify for, and how much you will qualify for. Get an estimation on the costs before you begin building and modify your building plans to meet your budget, NOT vice versa.
Lot location
You can’t build a home without a lot. It’s a given. The excitement of building a new home sometimes tend to make people forget to find a lot or even consider adding the cost of that into their home. There are factors to consider when choosing the land on which you build on. The grade of the land, whether it\’s rocky, flat, soil conditions, zoning, building codes, etc. will largely depend on what type of house you will or will not be able to build and how it will be built.
Hiring Professionals
Unless you are in the building business at some point and plan to do all of the work yourself, you will need to sit down and put together a team of qualified experts to design and construct your house. You will need a builder, a surveyor, an excavator, and an architect or a home designer.
Blueprint
You have to options of choosing new homes out of stock plans from catalogs, make the choice, and then have your builder make modifications if needed according to lot size and desires. You can however decide to have a custom built home, but this takes a little more planning and requires a licensed architect. Just make sure that the choice you make ultimately suits your (and your family’s) needs.
Legalities
All that has been thought, agreed and planned must be placed in writing and signed/dated by all parties involved. Your contract should describe in detail every part of the house that are to be built and it should also have a place where things may need to be changed if need be. Make sure that you keep records of everything that happens. It may sound mundane and unnecessary, but if something happens where it\’s your word against someone else\’s, then those records are vital. Conversations, written agreements, and confrontations should all be recorded.
These steps will help you on your way to becoming the proud owner of your dream home.
