Even though it is often said that it is impossible to get something right the first time, for certain things, however; you need to get them right on your first outing; building your first home is one of those things.
Constructing a home is one of those things that takes a toll on you both financially and emotionally. As such, it is important to ensure that everything goes well to avoid costly mistakes. The following are five tips to consider when building your home.
1. Have a Detailed Plan
Once the project starts, you will be met with a whirlwind of decisions almost on a daily basis. To ensure that the project runs smoothly, you will need to have a clear mental or physical picture of what you want from your new house. Therefore, you should already know what you want to see in the new house in terms of the direction it will be facing, the layout, lighting, interior design, among other things. Having a plan that details out everything you want from your new house will ease the stress and confusion that arises when the time to make these decisions comes.
2. Choose the Right Team
One of the most important decisions you will make during your home building project is the choice of contractors or builders. These are the people you will entrust with bringing your dream to fruition. And as mentioned earlier, you do not get a second chance to get things right without incurring a whole lot of costs. Therefore, choose wisely. When choosing your team, consider factors such as their credentials, samples of past jobs, their style, and their reliability.
You will do this by comparing several contractors to see who fits your style best. Next, check their fees. More often than not, with builders, you get what you pay for. Therefore, do not rush for the cheapest contractor you can get, rather, look at the average cost and choose a builder who suits you best from that lot.
3. Have a Budget
There’s no way around it, building costs a lot of money. Moreover, it is likely to cost more than you anticipate as there are a number of things that your contractor will not include in the estimate. For instance, costs such as fences, gates, decking, meters, coverings, and more might not be included in the estimate. Additionally, you must also consider unforeseen circumstances such as repairs and design changes.
Of course, all these come second to the budget you have for your building project. So, how much does it cost to build a house? According to Home Advisor, the average cost of building a 2,000 square foot home in 2019 is $289,874. However, there are a lot of costly variables involved. Consequently, that cost could range between $148,574 and $431,913.
4. Look for Ways to Save
As mentioned above, it is more than likely that you are going to spend more than you had anticipated due to the multifaceted nature of building a house. As such, you need to look into all possible tips you could use to save money. Start by looking for the best deals on materials and fittings that your builder needs during the construction process. Even though it seems like a lot of hassle, the little savings eventually add up to significant savings in the long run.
5. Be Actively Involved in the Project
As the project pushes on, it is important that you check in on a regular basis to ensure that everything is going as planned. You will also need to stick to your guns and insist that the things you hold dear are done in the exact way you want them. After all, you are the one who is going to be living in that house.
Building your first house is one of the most exhilarating projects you could ever take on. This is because you get to see your dream materialize before your very own eyes. Nonetheless, if you do not take the time to prepare yourself for the project, you will find yourself ‘winging’ it. This may either result in paying more that you should and ending up with a house you do not like.
