Mistakes to Avoid When Custom Building a Home
There is a lot involved in building a custom home so it is not surprising that people make mistakes. Here are some of the most common mistakes so you can be on the lookout for them – and avoid them.
1. Buying your lot without knowing the servicing costs
So you think you have found the perfect location to build your custom home and you’re ready to buy the land? Hold on – before buying property, you need to find out how much it will cost you for your utilities connections. You may have indeed found the ideal lot – but then again, there could be a reason why it is still vacant.
2. Not planning for the future
Chances are you are not planning on reselling your custom home any time soon. But are you planning to build a home that will suit your future needs? Will your home be suitable for raising a family? For retiring? Make sure the design of your home is one that you can live with for the long term.
3. Skimping on quality to save money
We get it – you have a budget. But if you want to be truly happy in your new home, it makes sense to choose the best quality that you can afford from choosing the right builder to the right finishes.
4. Not giving the builder enough direction
The whole point of building custom is that you get to put your personal stamp on your home. If you don’t have ideas to share with your custom home builder, you could end up with something that looks and feels a bit generic.
5. Giving instructions to subcontractors
If your custom home builder is using subcontractors, they should take their directions from the construction manager. Any of your concerns should be directed to the construction manager or the builder.
6. Requesting too many changes
During the planning phase of building your dream home, you will have lots of opportunity to speak with architects and designers about exactly how you would like your home to look and function. Once construction has begun however, any changes are going to affect your budget and timeline.
7. Not planning for the unexpected
Delays are always a real possibility in construction. Everything from the weather, to supply and labour shortages can push back the completion date of your custom home. Prepare for the fact that your move-in date could a few weeks later than scheduled and have a contingency plan in place.
If you are interested in building a custom home and would like to know if Superior Construction is the right builder for you, please feel free to give us a call.
