Things to Know Before Building a New Home
Building a custom home offers the ultimate blank canvas for a homebuyer who has a long house-hunting wish list. Consider these important aspects before designing and building your dream home.
The Timing of Your New Build is Important
Allowing enough time to design, and then build your new home is very important. Both of these stages take about 5-8 months and are critical to a successful custom home build. This time allows flexibility when selling your existing home by picking the peak seasons and maximizing profit.
Choose the Right Builder and Location
Start by researching reputable custom home builders in your area and talk to previous homebuyers. You can read testimonials on a builder’s website, and social media pages and ask for references. It’s also smart to reach out to friends and family members who have recently built a new home and ask them about their experiences. In addition to researching a builder’s reputation, there are some other key things to consider when choosing a builder: if they’re Tarion-licensed, which includes a home warranty package, the starting price of homes, customization options, builder insurance, and typical build time.
Ask As Many Questions as Possible
You will not be able to see the finished product until, well, it is finished. So, it is important that you ask questions along the way. This keeps the dialogue between you and the builder open and the process transparent. Good communication avoids misunderstandings which can lead to misaligned expectations. Asking questions about the custom home builder’s past work, financing, and scheduling plans is fair and quite common. Your builder should be patient and understanding of your questions having solid answers to your inquiries.
Know Which Options are Standard and Which Cost Extra
Engage with your custom home builder regarding standard features and potential upgrades. Upgrades usually mean extra elements that you invest in to enhance your home. Specific types of flooring or grades of granite countertops are a couple examples.
A well-structured builder’s program will present the pricing for these enhancements throughout the various design stages. This can save time and eliminate the shock of unexpected costs. This method ensures that you get a detailed plan that combines your ideas with the current costs of building materials and procedures, all while fitting within your budget. The process is simplified, helping to avoid costly mistakes, and ultimately making your home-building experience more manageable and enjoyable.
Make Site Visits
Once your new custom home is underway, make sure to visit the building site to ensure your choices are what you expect. Custom home builders should do an excellent job at building your new home, but it never hurts to check in on things from time to time. Major issues are rare, but you should also look at the smaller things, like whether the correct outlets are installed, whether all the light fixtures are working, and whether your decisions are being translated to the site. You can resolve any issues quickly during the building of your home, rather than finding out about them after you have moved in.