For many, the entire house building process is a bit of a mystery. Most people are familiar with the fact they need to look at floor plans to start, perhaps tour a few model homes, and then give the builder a down payment and allow the process to begin. But what is this “process” that takes place? How does your home go from a vacant piece of land to the stunning place you have chosen?
Here we’ll take a look at a step by step guide to the house building process.
Getting the Site Ready to Pour the Foundation
The first step in the process is that your lot has to be prepared in order for the foundation to be poured. This typically involves some pretty heavy machinery, holes, and trenches being dug, a wooden template is built, and the footings are put into place. This is easily the messiest part of the construction process as it tends to be quite muddy and dusty thanks to all the digging.
Time to Frame the House
Once the foundation is cured it's time to build the rough framing, which is basically the skeleton of your house. This is usually an exciting time to visit since you can start to picture how your house will look. You’ll see the various rooms with the walls between, giving you a real sense of the space they are creating.
After the skeleton is up and the house has been wrapped with its protective barrier, it's time to rough in the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
The House Is Ready for Insulation
It is now time to fill in that skeleton with the all-important insulation. This is placed in the attic, in floors, exterior walls, and usually in crawl spaces. There are a variety of different types of insulation that can be used, and this is something you may want to have input in.
Finish the Exterior and Get the Drywall Up Inside
The builder will now complete any exterior finishes (driveway, walkway, etc.), and once that is done it's safe to get the drywall in place, taped, and painted. The trim work will come after the painting.
Finish Off the Interior
The final steps all involve the interior of the home. This is things such as hanging cabinetry, installing countertops, flooring, light fixtures, mechanical trims, and more. This stage takes a while and you will see a lot of different contractors on the site, so portable restrooms are a must-have facility. Vacuum service trucks will probably be used to keep the portable restroom septic tanks empty and in-use on a full-time basis.
Tips to Remember During the Process
It's always important to remember that although most builders welcome a visit from the homeowner, it is best they make an appointment through the project manager if they want to pop by. Remember, your home is an active worksite with all kinds of hazards. This means there will be days and times where it’s easier for you to do a walk-through visit.
There will also be a final walk-through scheduled with the project manager once the house is complete and they are ready to hand the keys off to you.
