You’ve probably searched high and low for the ideal spot to build your dream home. But when your persistence and dedication finally pays off, you don’t want to ruin this happy experience by making some serious mistakes. The following are 6 project ruining blunders you’ll want to watch out for.
Failing to Have a Lawyer Review Contracts
Business owners know the value of retaining an attorney when going over contracts or following regulations and state laws. If you’re building a home, hiring an attorney is just as critical a move. Before you begin breaking ground on your structure, it’s important to have your lawyer look over contracts, costs and delivery dates. Although you may be on good terms with various contractors, a hand shake agreement won’t stand up in court. Issues can arise such as a bankruptcy, additional costs or delays along the way.
Serving as the General Contractor
The benefits of building a home typically outweigh the negatives. While you can save substantial money acting as your own general contractor, you better prepare for what lies ahead. The general contract is in charge of everything. They also have built solid relationships with various subcontractors. A general contractor also is familiar with the mechanics of building a home. If your plumber recommends dresser coupling as a quick and convenient way to fit two areas of pipe together, you better have a basic idea of what he’s talking about. Hiring a general contractor to oversee the construction of your home may seem like an additional expense. But this skilled professional is worth it when they stay within budget and keep a tight schedule.
Cutting Corners
When you’re interviewing builders, you may get a wide range of prices. Although you may be tempted to go with someone significantly cheaper than the rest, you may get what you pay for. The price may be exceptionally low at the start, but they could tack on additional charges for items as you go along. Even if you’ve signed a contract to stay within a particular price, the general contractor could cut corners on items to stay within that budget. You don’t want to have to replace your flooring or windows within 5 years because the builder has lacked both in materials and craftsmanship.
Building a Home That Seems Out of Place in Your Current Community
Before you pour everything you have budgeted for into your home, you want to ensure that your neighborhood fits with your home’s blueprints. Typically homes that are the most ornate, largest or smallest are the most difficult to sell. The style that you select should also blend with the other homes in your community. If you have a neighborhood filled with constructed Victorian dwellings, something contemporary could prove to be an eyesore.
Implementing a Budget Without Padding
The costs associated with building a home can quickly add up. Although you may have set aside a particular amount of money for construction of your new dwelling, you want to put aside some extra monetary padding for unexpected overages that may come along as your home progresses. Whether it’s plumbing, electrical roofing or framing, certain incidentals can occur during construction. If you don’t have to use the extra funds, you can use the money for decorating or apply it toward your mortgage payment.
Foregoing the Inspection
Certain states have building requirements after work is done on a home. That is to ensure that your home is up-to-date with the current laws, regulations and standards. But if your area doesn’t have designated inspection regulations, you should demand this of your builder or general contractor. You want your home to be the safest it can be for your family. An inspector will be able to point out issues with your electrical, plumbing, foundation and other housing concerns. Before you move in or get too far into the building process, the problems can be rectified.
The building industry seems to be booming. If you’ve always dreamed of building a home where you can plan every detail of your structure, now is a good time to make this a reality. But while it may seem like an easy process, reading the above blunders can help you avoid disastrous new construction mistakes.
Alder Security’s Facebook pageis a great resource if you’re deciding whether or not a smart-home security system is right for you.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
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