What might start out as a relaxed afternoon browsing model homes could turn into a full-on commitment to building your very own house. The problem is that you may be somewhat naive in lacking the knowledge of what pitfalls might present themselves along the way. If you’re planning on building your own home, what are some things you could know to help you along the way? Here are five things you should consider.
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Your Schedule isn’t Set in Stone
It might be that you have an optimistic contractor who gives you a short timeline, and you think you’ll get it done in that time. However, it might not be the case, and you should take any hard and fast schedule as a loose guideline. Scheduling contractors, building issues, and poor weather conditions can all help your timeline spiral out of control.
Design with The Future in Mind
When you’re in your 20s, you might not give much thought to what life with children could be like. But over the next 10 years, you could find yourself with three of them. And while your home might be perfect for a child-free couple, it might not be suitable for a family. Yes, it could be tempting to only take the “now” into account when designing your home, but designing one with a 5- or a 10-year perspective could work out better for you down the line.
Finish the Job Before You Move in
When you’re close to the end of a long building process, you’re ready to move in. And those plans to finish landscaping the backyard might not seem so important if they’re delaying your moving in. But those final few things on your list might just take years to complete. If there are already contractors there, it’s far easier to complete your projects now, as opposed to paying them to return at a later date. Finish all the little jobs before making your move.
Keep Storage in Mind
Planning your storage spaces isn’t exactly thrilling. Most of your attention will go towards cabinetry details and finishes to your master bathroom. But most homeowners would likely tell you that they’d prefer more storage space than a deeper bathtub. Storage planning hugely influences your organization and lifestyle later on. So give it some priority attention when designing and building your home.
Research Contractors
A rookie mistake might be hiring a roofing contractor and paying a huge deposit prior to him ever even entering your property. You may never even see him again. So make sure you put in some homework time and properly research contractors. Yes, you could get lucky, but it’s definitely better to seek referrals and read reviews before coming to an agreement with a contractor. It might just save you time and money down the line. You might also find that some contractors specialize in certain homes, such as 2 story modular homes, for example. So make sure that any contractor you hire is the right person for helping you build the right kind of home you want.
