Can you think of anything more exciting than building a new home? There is no denying the fact that this can be an enjoyable process from beginning to end. However, don’t forget this: you are going to run into problems along the way. No matter how hard you try to avoid issues, things will pop up that are out of your control.
When my wife and I decided to build a new home, we knew the process would take anywhere from six to eight months. That being said, I don’t think we were fully prepared for all the paperwork, questions, and decisions that required our attention.
Throughout the process, I learned quite a bit about the construction industry. Of course, I also learned quite a bit about myself.
5 Tips for your Consideration
Although you may not be planning on building a new home in the near future, you never know when this may be something you consider down the road. If you ever find yourself in this position, the following five tips will come in handy:
1. Choose a builder only after you do all your homework. Are you aware of the many builders doing business in your area? If you don’t speak with at least three, there is no way of knowing for sure that you are making the right decision.
Along the way, focus on all the most important details including but not limited to: price, experience, reputation, and ability to meet your requirements.
Soon enough, you will likely find that one builder is better for you than the rest.
2. Set a budget upfront. When buying a new home, you know what the asking price is. This makes it simple to determine if you can or cannot afford the property. With new construction, the process is not always as cut and dry.
Your builder will give you a basic idea of what you can get for your money, but from there things can get really interesting. The more “options” you add to your home the higher your price will be.
If you have a budget in place and vow to stick to this number, you never have to concern yourself with overspending.
3. Be a part of the process. Does this mean you should annoy the builder, day in and day out? Definitely not. What it does mean is that you should make yourself available to answer questions and stay involved from day one until the day you move in.
This goes a long way in ensuring that you understand what is going on, while also protecting you against misunderstandings.
4. Ask questions. If you are like me, you have never been involved with the construction of a new home. For this reason, you are sure to have plenty of questions as the process gets up and running.
A builder that truly cares about you as a customer is more than willing to answer all your questions, no matter how silly they may be.
Remember this: you are spending a lot of money, so you deserve the right to have your questions answered in a timely and accurate manner.
5. Not even a new home is perfect. This is something I had to come to grips with early in the process, considering I am somewhat a perfectionist. Despite the fact that your home is being built from the ground up, and you are the only one to ever live in it, there are going to be imperfections. There is nothing wrong with pointing these out to the builder, hoping for a resolution, but at some point you have to draw the line. If you obsess over each and every detail it could drive you crazy by the time your home is finished.
Final Thoughts
The process of building a new home is both exciting and stressful. If this is something you want to do, don’t delay in learning more. Soon enough, you will find that the advantages of building far outweigh any drawbacks. Or at least that is what I found to be true!