A home should be able to cater to all your dreams and needs, meaning building and designing one yourself can be the most rewarding experience. When you take matters into your own hands, you possess creative control over the property’s design and location.
According to statistics, demand for commercial real estate and new housing continues to increase. Understanding what to expect from every stage of the building process will make you feel more comfortable and help you confidently engage with trades at specific points. Keep reading as we look at what you should consider when building a house.
Find an Architect and Builder
If you want to design a house with complete creative freedom, various online resources can guide you in making a floor plan and blueprints with little or no experience. You will also have to research home-building aspects that your architect or builder would take care of, such as determining zoning regulations and analyzing the slope and shape of the land plot.
On the other hand, if you don’t wish to design your plans, you can work with an architect who will incorporate your own design preferences or vision into their final design. It’s a collaboration project, and you can use relevant online databases to find professionals in your city or zip code. Places like The House Plan Shop provide an excellent collection of house plans created by several leading architects and designers.
You also need to hire someone to build the house. Ask your architect if they would recommend any builders, and collect quotes from at least three builders so that you can make a comparison and choose accordingly.
Determine the Location
Perhaps you already own a piece of land in a rural area or a housing lot that you plan to establish your home on. Your house’s location has a significant impact on its design, so your plan needs to take this into account. Consider factors such as maximizing the amount of sunlight entering the place, how to avoid shadows from nearby trees or mountains, and where to situate the house for the best views.
Set a Budget
It would be best to communicate your financial goals to your architect because they can help you establish a budget for each designing and building phase. An architect can also tell you which materials and styles align with your financial and architectural goals. For example, stone houses look visually impressive but cost much more than wood-framed houses, while multi-story homes are cheaper to build than single-story ones.
Think of the people that will be using your property and the number of rooms you’ll need to allot as workshop areas, bedrooms, and hobby rooms. This will directly affect the size of the house and living spaces.
Research Your Area’s Building Codes
Your local city and county building codes determine where you can and cannot make a house, restricting architectural home aspects like the electrical setup, the roof’s slope, its structural support, and much more. At some point, a county inspector will come to visit the site. These rules can be found online without much trouble, so use a web browser to research your country’s building codes.
Obtain Necessary Building Permits
Once you become familiar with the building codes, the next step is to obtain actual building permits by working with the county. Any structure with air conditioning, electrical connectivity, heating, and plumbing requires a permit if you want to build it. A city or country inspector will review your issued permits and building plans once approved. In the case that your plan is not approved, you will need to revise it according to the inspector’s directions.
Determine Road Access
Most homes need access to known roads, unless you build illicitly in a wholly rural area. If you build on a relatively remote lot and follow county codes, you will need to work with the county building inspector to ensure your home can be reached by mail delivery and emergency vehicles. In contrast, road access usually isn’t a problem in an urban or suburban lot.
Plan Water Access to Your House
It can be challenging to connect your house’s plumbing with a water supply network in an undeveloped, rural area, so work with your builder to determine an efficient way of connecting your property to a water supply. You might have to modify your building location depending on your surroundings. If you’re constructing a vacant lot in a small city or suburban area, you likely don’t have to worry because a water system is usually embedded.
Frame, Size, and Roof Your Home
When the concrete work, foundation, and excavation work is done, you will start to see your home standing on its own. You should hire framing carpenters to put up the lumber framework for the ceilings, walls, and floors and then install siding, sheathing, and roofing. This work can be achieved relatively quickly. For example, in a week or two, you will recognize the structure as a house with a roof and walls.
Install Flooring
It’s essential to finish flooring surfaces in your whole house. Floor covering options include ceramic tile, carpeting, engineered wood, flooring, hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, laminate flooring, and much more. Clean the worksite and throw all acceptable debris into the trash. Your contractor is responsible for hiring a company that specializes in cleaning up after construction work.
Work with Your Builder During Construction
Building an average new house takes around four to six months to finish, including when the foundation is established to the moment you move in. During the construction process, your builder might encounter unforeseen issues, or you may want to make changes to the home’s layout.
Keeping frequent contact with the builder and visiting the site regularly is recommended to ensure that everything goes according to plan. You should also note that problems encountered by the builder or any changes in the middle can increase the amount you’ll have to spend on your property.
Endnote
Building a house requires considerable time and effort. However, if you plan beforehand and abide by all local and federal laws, the end product is worth it. You can bring your dream home to life by working with professionals and incorporating the design you’ve always wanted.
