18 Jan House Construction: How Not to Lose Your Head and Keep Things on Track
Building a new home from scratch is an exciting and rewarding, yet a stressful adventure. Before you venture into such a project, you have to realize that it will come with a lot of expenses, and possibly some anxiety as well.
However, there are some ways to make your life easier. For instance, veterans can cut down their costs by obtaining a VA construction loan, which is much better than the usual bank loans. Moreover, planning everything ahead carefully will save you a lot of time and money, and we will help you make the best out of your house construction process by providing some helpful tips.
1. Make a good plan
A new house is something that is basically supposed to last forever. That is why planning everything to the last detail is highly recommended. Even the smallest detail that slipped your mind may lead to undesirable results.
Planning is the most crucial part of the construction process, so make sure you have planned everything accurately in advance. You should first ask yourself some questions. What direction would I like my house to face? How will the rooms look like? What kind of lighting should I use and how many power points will I need?
After coming up with some answers, there are some great tools available that can make the process even easier when it comes to the design, such as RoomSketcher – a website that enables you to create mock floor plans. You can also start a Pinterest board with some design examples to keep track of your ideas.
2. Think about budgeting
No matter how carefully you’ve calculated your costs, they are likely to exceed your expectations. Some so-called finishing costs such as gates, fences, outdoor concreting or mailboxes are sometimes not included in the estimate and they can exceed your budget by up to 15-25%.
Luckily, there are budgeting tools that allow you to predict all the potential costs precisely. They will also take care of all the project schedules, estimations and productivity tracking for you. This way, budgeting can be done in just one step, without entering the data multiple times, which will eliminate any repetitive and unnecessary processes.
3. Communicate
It is of a great importance to establish good communication with your builder throughout the construction process. Communicating often with them will provide you with regular updates about the progress. You can also take pictures regularly to easily document any problem areas that may occur.
In some cases, your builder will tell you that something cannot be done or that it will cost you some extra money. Consult them and decide what is really important to you and whether it’s worth spending more than you agreed on. If you communicate clearly and lay out what you want, the construction process will be significantly smoother.
4. Save some money
Even if you have already saved money by acquiring a VA construction loan, there are some more expenses that can be cut down. Always look for the best prices when it comes to fittings, fixtures and the materials your constructor will use.
It is advised to buy low maintenance materials such as metal roofing or fiber cement siding. Although they may cost more at first, they will certainly pay off in the long run, since you won’t have to replace or repair them.
In addition, a significant amount of money can be saved if you decide on a site that will take less preparation. If you choose a site where rocks or trees need to be removed, or the dirt needs to be hauled off before the construction, chances are it is going to cost you a bit more than you expected.
5. Choose the best builder
This is probably one of the most essential decisions that you will have to make before the construction process. You should bear in mind that the builder you choose will be working for you for many months to come. If you make the right choice, you will avoid many potential disasters.
There are some factors that you should take into consideration when choosing the builder. First of all, you have to check their credentials and see if they are licensed and insured. Then, you have to check their past work and ask them for references.
Furthermore, determine if their design style suits your needs and see if their personality suits yours, as you want to get comfortable with someone who will be working with you for a long period of time.
To sum up, following these steps and thinking about both the bigger picture and the little details will ensure that your house construction is a joyous process and will always keep you focused on what’s important!
