How to Build a Home
Intimidation. Overwhelmed. The process, the materials, the magnitude.
This is building a house.
Every homeowner runs into challenges. A kitchen that is just too small. A living room where the lighting doesn’t add to the coloring. A room that struggles with air-conditioning.
There are some that think: “Maybe I should have built my own house. Perhaps that house would be exactly like I want it.”
The difficulties then come up. How would I do it? What materials would I choose? Where would it be located? All difficulties.
There will be doubts. Am I financially set enough to complete the project? Do I have confidence in my foreman? How will I choose what materials, where it will be located? Will I make the right decisions?
The Three-Step Guide to Building Your Home
Here are some statistics about home-buyers:
- 8% of first time home buyers or repeat home buyers have a household income of $200,000 or more.
- 10% of first time home buyers or repeat home buyers bought a house worth $500,000 or more.
And then there’s the scale you fit on. Money means the value you’ll place in your home. Three pertinent examples:
- 49% of home buyers will pay more for an en-suite bath.
- 69% of home owners will pay more for better kitchen appliances.
- 70% of home owners will pay more for better central air-conditioning.
What you want in a house will require that you invest accordingly. Finding the right home builders, gaining all the materials, dealing with the home building process–will all take time and effort and more importantly, money.
Step 1: Allocate Assets
Determine your income level, expenditure level, discretionary and non-discretionary payments. Allocate income and assets based off of risk, then determine the amount needed to invest in your home.
Questions to consider:
- Are you willing to dip into savings? How much if so?
- Will you have to liquidate stocks and bonds?
- Will the home building process take away from your standard jobs?
- Will you have to lose expected expenses–trips, special grocery items?
Allocate accordingly.
Step 2: Design Your Home
Brainstorm, with your partner, whomever is involved. It is your chance to fully draft the idea of the home–its structural foundations, the size of the yard, the bathrooms, the windows, the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen, everything and everything. It is your first home building process. Let that creativity flow.
If you are stuck in your deliberations or doubts are starting to surface, home builders help with home design. There is also software available to home builders, to construct the perfect home. The home design is crucial. Without proper thought, hundreds of thousands could be invested into a home that is not what you wanted. Home designs are crucial.
Step 3: Build
Unless you have experience and a crew, go with a home building company. There you can have resources at your disposal. You will track progress, making notes, trusting in the company that has for years built homes. They will:
- Prepare the site and pour the foundation
- Complete the rough framing (floors, walls)
- Complete plumbing, electrical
- Complete HVAC
And other steps. Inspections. Insulation. Interior trim.
Those are your steps. Less intimidated? That’s the idea.