5 Nuggets of Advice When Building a New Home

Christina Basileo in New Home Tips on July 24, 2015

My fiance and I’s little 1 bedroom apartment is great – but we cannot wait to finally have a house of our own. Lucky for me, I work alongside great custom home builders that were more than willing to give us advice on how to prepare for this massive investment. For anyone considering a new custom home in the future, here are 5 nuggets of advice to keep in mind.

1. Make a List of Must-Haves & Nice-to-Haves and Prioritize Them

This step takes place BEFORE you fall in love with that model with the jetted bathtub and full bar in the basement. Make a list of your Must-Haves and Nice-To-Haves and prioritize it. Having this and a solid budget will eliminate lots of stress in the decision-making process. Also, it’s a good idea to decipher what things on that list will work in the long term. Trust me, you do not want to spend $10,000+ on renovations because you forgot about a kids playroom or in-law suite.

2. House Cost = Base Price + Upgrades

This brings us right into the most important part of this process – the cost. When you’re perusing the house models in a new development, you may think to yourself, “Wow, this place has EVERYTHING and at a low price!” Well…that may not be the case. Usually, the model homes they show you have every upgrade possible such as fancy light fixtures, hardwood floors or that adorable breakfast nook in the kitchen. So when figuring out the price, make sure you get a cost list that details the home itself and every upgrade separately. Combine that with your priority list and you are on your way!

3. Read Builder Reviews

We know that you will do this anyway, but it’s important to really dig deep and make sure you pick a trusted home builder. Getting first-hand reviews from friends and family are the best. But if you don’t have that option, I recommend finding reviews on the company website, Angie’s List or Houzz.

Pick a builder you can get to know and more importantly – trust.

4. Understand Quality

Ever walk into a house that creaked more than a pirate ship? That’s probably because of poor quality building materials. Don’t be afraid to research aspects of the house such as window and door brands, flooring and framing materials. If you don’t want those squeaky floors, make sure the house was built with factory made roof trusses, floor systems, and wall panels. You will be glad you did.

This is how strong Engineered Wood Products are.

5. Prepare for the Worst, Expect the Best

With so many people and materials involved in the actual building of your house, bad things are bound to happen. This isn’t meant to scare you – more like prepare you mentally for the rainstorms that delay construction and car fires that prevent material to arrive on time.

If you can accept that the process will have its highs and lows, you will be much better off. And always remember, at the end of the day – you will have the home of your dreams.