If you’re like most people, you’ve dreamed of owning your perfect house. You can picture the yard, and the kitchen, and all the various rooms. Creating it in your mind is one thing, but making it a reality is quite another. Getting your house from your brain to blueprints to a finished product can be complicated, especially if you are a first-time owner or builder.
When you’ve dreamed of your home, you’ve probably thought of all the different options you’d choose for room sizes, colors, types of shingles, and hardware on your cupboards. However, building a home is not just a matter of making aesthetic choices and moving on. There are several factors you should consider before you get started on the process. These will help you avoid delays, keep your costs low, and expensive repairs after the fact.
Your Budget
You will only have a budget for your project if you are extremely wealthy. The fact is, some of the features that you’ve dreamed of might have to be shelved. Make a list and set your priorities, and then work from there. Don’t forget that you’ll need to leave some wiggle room in your budget for any issues or unexpected problems that might come up during construction. However, there are some things you can do to lower your budget and fit everything in. For instance, you make everything slightly smaller so that you have less of a footprint. You’ll generally be given a quote based on your square footage, so if you can live in a smaller house, you may get everything you wanted.
Location, Location, Location
Location is the most important factor with real estate, and your new home build is no different. Your dream home should be located in a dream neighborhood or area. Check for schools, services, shipping amenities, and anything else you might like to have close by. The actual plot of land should always be adequate to hold your dream, even if you have to go with a smaller footprint. Remember, you may end up wanting to sell your home, and you want it to be in a location that will make it easier and keep the value.
There are some location factors that you might not think of if you check it at the right time. For example, a highway might be quiet on a Saturday morning when you visit the plot, but it’s really loud on weekdays during rush hour. Take things like that into consideration. Location is particularly important for the lifestyle you want to live too. For example, if you were in Western Australia and wanted to live close to the beach without breaking the bank, then you could look to purchase a house and land package in Perth’s Southern Suburbs.
Design
You might think you have the perfect home in your head, and you only need to describe it for the builder. However, that’s not the case. What you have in your head might not be realistic for a variety of reasons, so your best option is to hire an architect. They will take your wishes and design something as close as possible to your dream. Along the way, they will make sure the measurements and details make sense.
Choose a Great Contractor
You can’t just choose any contractor when you are building your dream house. No project is perfect, but you want it to go as smoothly as possible. Take time to research your options. Ask your friends and family who they’ve hired in the past, and get recommendations. Read online reviews as well. Find out if prospective contractors have done the specific work you want done.
For example, you might be very environmentally conscious and want an ICF construction. However, not all contractors do it. They might offer to do it for you, but you don’t want somebody who’s attempting a building technique for the first time. Go with experience.
Materials
Now that it’s time to build, you will need to make sure you have the right materials for the job. Many people don’t worry too much about it, thinking the builder will handle it for them. However, the builder will get either the cheapest or the materials they would put in their home. You might not want either.
You’ll need the frame, either wood or concrete, to be durable and strong. Then you’ll have to choose materials for the walls, flooring, wallpapering windows, doors, and the list goes on. These will all play a factor in the final product, and you need to make the choices that are appropriate for you.
Pay Attention To Details
Now that you’ve got the lot and your contractor, you can let them do their thing, right. Actually, no, your job’s not done yet. A dream home is not only a financial investment. It’s your vision of your perfect place to live. Therefore it’s up to you to make sure that everything is going smoothly. You don’t have to get your hands dirty and do any work, but you do have to be involved.
For instance, stay in touch with your contractor regularly. If you’ve chosen your contractor well, they will welcome your input. Feel free to ask questions and be available to answer any questions as well. There will be decisions that pop up that need to be made. Also, check spending to ensure you’re not going over budget. That could be disastrous and result in not getting your complete vision realized. Finally, remember to keep everything in writing. That way, there’s no misunderstanding or forgetting details.
Build Your Dream Home
After all that, you are ready to move in! As you can see, a lot goes into building a house, and it’s up to you to keep them all straight. If you want the perfect home in the perfect location, then consider all of these factors. Ultimately, you will have a home you will love for years to come.
