4 Things NOT To Do When Building A New Custom Home
When building a custom home, you will have to make countless decisions throughout the process — from the land location, to the floor plans, and even the faucet finishes — because everything is up to you. As freeing as this is, it can be overwhelming to some, and understandably so — especially if you have never been through the process before and don’t already know how to build a home. To avoid the stress that comes with all of the decisions later on in the process, it’s important to start off on the right foot and do certain things at the beginning, and don’t do others, to ensure a smooth build. At Buildable, we’ve compiled the top four things to avoid doing when building a new home:
1. Don’t rush to buy premade home plans
There are a lot of different places you can go to and websites you can visit where you can quickly purchase premade floor plans. There are problems with these because, as you’ll learn when you build your own home, there are local codes and regulations that you need to follow throughout the build. Local codes and the land itself will sometimes limit things that aren’t accounted for in premade floor plans.
Instead, talk to your builder before you go off and buy any premade home plans. It will work out much better in the end if you work directly with them to see if the floor plans you want to buy will work on the land you have. They can also help you determine if you’d rather have custom floor plans designed for your home.
2. Don’t solely consult an architect
Architects are extremely knowledgeable, but you need more than just an architect to build your own home. Architects can provide you with plans which are a great way to develop your vision, however, they do not inform you about important things like how much a design would cost to build or advise you on making the best decisions to maximize value. The experts here at Buildable have heard many horror stories of people wasting thousands of dollars on developing floor plans solely with an architect, to later find out that the plans are useless because they can’t be executed within the budget and didn’t take into account the land.
Instead, bring in a builder who can guide the architect in the direction of the project. The builder will understand your vision and all-in budget and inform the architect about everything that needs to be taken into account with the floor plans they draw up. This way, you won’t waste your money on plans that don’t get used, and you’ll end up with home plans that fit your exact needs and desires.
3. Don’t buy land without an expert
One of the most important things to consider when you build your own home is its location. There are going to be many land options available, but not every lot is made equal in terms of the simplicity of making it feasible for your build. Without an expert, it will be impossible to tell if the land you’re interested in will actually meet the needs and desires you have for your home. Consulting an expert is crucial in guaranteeing that any lot you’re considering will be feasible.
At Buildable, we have an A-Licensed general engineering contractor who performs due-diligence on any lot you are interested in pursuing. This includes creating a Land Report, which contains a 24-point audit to ensure you have all the relevant information to proceed with confidence. This step will also inform the land negotiation process and ultimately ensure that when you build your own home, everything will go as smoothly as possible.
4. Don’t compare build estimates without a defined scope
There are countless decisions you will need to make as you build your own home that go beyond just the floor plans. You should always be clear about your vision for the home and communicate these expectations with to your partners. Specifically, considering each decision you will have to make and consolidating them into a defined scope is critical. If you have specific expectations around the level of appliances, finishes, and home features, let your builder know. Issues arise when your team isn’t aligned.
At times, we’ve had discussions with clients to describe our cost range based on the level of quality and finishes we assume. Sometimes, we get the response of “We’ve talked to another builder and they are doing it for $X per foot.” The truth is, at the early stages of the project, no one has all the details of what the project will be and no one can give you a set-in-stone price. Additionally, when you price out builders too early without a clear vision, they will likely not have all the right information to inform your build estimate. This could create a scenario where estimates are not comparable and you may incur more costs later in the project as your true desires come to light.
At Buildable, our construction lead has over 30 years of experience and has built over 1,000 homes. She is also a subject-matter expert on the California Contractors State License Board. Remember, cheaper isn’t always better, and, in the end, you get what you pay for. We charge a reasonable fee that’s not expensive, or cheap, within a business model that’s supported by the volume of homes.
At Buildable, we take away the stress of coordinating all these partners by bringing everyone under one roof. Talk to us and we’ll provide you with answers to the questions you may have.
