Top Advice for Building Your First Home
From choosing a plan, to choosing a builder, the process of building your very first home can be overwhelming. There’s no better place to get advice to make sure your home build stays on track than from people who have already been there, done that. We asked our clients to share their top tips for first time home builders. Here’s a few of the best pieces of advice to help you de-stress and get excited about your new build.
1) Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! A good builder or contractor will be patient and happy to help clarify things for you!
Your builder likely understands that you aren’t an expert on all things home building – this means they anticipate you asking questions. It’s your builder & contractor’s job to communicate with their client, so don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if there’s something you’re unsure about.
2) Create a Schedule & Stick to It
Create a schedule and hold your subcontractors to it!
This tip came from one of our builder-clients, and we think it’s a great piece of advice! Creating a schedule and setting expectations with your builder & contractors is a great way to clarify a timeline for your build. Delays can happen, but having an initial schedule makes sure your build will go smoothly and finish up as quickly as possible.
3) Make Your Budget Work for You
Make sure to leave a buffer in your budget! Things will come up & planning ahead for unexpected expenses can make a huge difference.
It’s pretty widely known that budgets aren’t always finite. Building a home can be an expensive endeavor, so making sure to clearly outline what you’re willing and able to spend before you break ground is crucial. Making sure to add in space to your budget for unexpected costs will give you peace of mind that your budget allows you to build your dream home – even if things don’t go perfectly.
4) Have Modifications Done by a Trusted Professional
Make sure you have any modifications done by someone you trust – it’s worth it to have them done correctly
There are many routes you can go to have a plan modified – but make sure you are positive whoever customizes your plans will provide you with quality work. Lots of our clients choose to have their mods done through us – when you submit a modification request, we send it to the original designer to review. Once you decide to move forward, you get to work directly with them on your custom plans.
5) Try not to Stress!
Be patient. Unexpected things may come up, but have peace of mind knowing you will be in your dream home soon enough – breathe!
This tip speaks for itself – stressing will not get your home build faster! Connecting with other first time builders can be a great way to de-stress and remind yourself that everything will work out.