Seven Steps to Know in the Home-Building Process
You have a vision for your dream home. Now it’s time to make it a reality.
But before you get started, it helps to understand and anticipate the phases that you’ll encounter along the way with your builder. Think of this as a journey, one where every step brings you closer to the custom home that reflects who you are and where you want to live.
In this article, we’ll demystify the process and look at seven steps that will take you from your ideas to the finished home you’ll be proud to call your own.
First Meeting
This initial consultation is important because it will set the parameters for your custom home. Think about it – when you’re building a home to your specifications, you have free rein to create what you want. While that can be an exciting opportunity, it can also feel overwhelming because of so many choices and possibilities. You’ll want to sit down with your builder and cover major issues like:
- Size of your home
- Location
- Number of rooms
- Style
- Budget
- Timeframe for completion
Your builder can talk you through each of these elements and how they’ll impact the finished house. For example: When it comes to location, there’s more to it than working with your realtor to find a suitable piece of land. Consider questions like: Is it central to where I want to wake up every day? Is it on the water? Do I need soil testing?
A competent builder will help simplify this step by focusing first on your needs, so share as much information as you can. When you have a contract on your property and you are in your due diligence time period, that is the time to contact a builder who can help you learn what you can build on the contracted property and what steps you may want to take to ensure it is the perfect property for you.
Financing
You have options when it comes to financing your home. To find the one that’s right for you, it helps to know their advantages and disadvantages as they relate to your circumstances. You’ll want to know what those options are before committing to one. Among the most popular options:
- Construction-to-permanent loan: this loan starts as a construction loan and becomes your mortgage loan once construction is finished. During the construction process, you’ll submit your builder’s invoices to the bank, which will draw down from the amount of credit for which you were approved. After your home is complete, the bank then wraps that loan into a traditional mortgage. The advantage of this type of loan is that you have just one set of closing costs and you can lock in a low rate up front. Other advantages include interest-only payments due during construction.
Making an informed decision will bring you peace of mind and allow you to focus on the more engaging part of the process – design.
Design of the Home
It’s your home, so the design is everything. It is the essence of “custom” in your custom home. Much of what you discussed with your builder during the first meeting will carry over into this stage. This is where you get to share your creativity and ideas and see them take shape under the guidance of expert planners. To draft a floor plan that reflects your vision, your builder needs to know your specifications. Factors that affect the design may include:
- Lot survey
- Plans for a second floor and higher elevations
- Preferred views and uses for rooms
By considering your vision in light of these factors, your builder will help you bring your ideas to fruition. And it’s here that you can prioritize the must-haves over the nice-to-haves. Expect to discuss the overall layout and the features of each room. How important is it to go green? Are you planning to use certain areas for furniture or wall art you expect to have? Think about any special elements you’d like incorporated into your design. You may have always wanted vaulted ceilings. Or perhaps a home with a fireplace. It’s your personalized home, so put all of these on the table for discussion.
Permitting
Before groundbreaking and before the first 2×4 can be put in place, you need the permits to begin construction. At this stage, you can expect your builder to work with the local building officials to obtain approval for the build by the local municipality. Connect with your builder to make sure you both agree on the responsibilities.
Once this stage is complete, your builder can start creating your home. But before laying the foundation, it’s time to address the finishing touches that make a home your own.
Finishing Touches
This is where you’ll choose the elements that make your custom home stand apart. You can fill your home with the colors, texture, and patterns that reflect you and your family.
- Countertop finishes
- Cabinetry
- Appliances
- Lighting
You need not feel overwhelmed with choices. An experienced builder will guide you through this process with strategic planning of the selection process.
Construction
Finally — your custom home can become a reality. With the design complete, the financing taken care of, and the permits approved, your builder can start creating your home from the ground up. This critical phase includes everything needed to create a finished home where there was once just an empty lot. Some of those actions include:
- Prepping the site
- Adding the foundation and slab
- Building the frame
- Installing electrical, plumbing and HVAC
These are just a part of the process. Further along, your home will be painted, the driveway and walkways installed, and exterior grounds landscaped. Your builder will also add the lighting fixtures, appliances and countertops, and flooring. Depending on the size and complexity of your home and design, expect construction to take approximately 12 months to complete.
Move-In
At last, your home is ready for you, your family, and your furnishings. Everything is just the way you envisioned it. Now it’s time to add the creature comforts that are the expression of your personality and turn a house into a home. It is why you embarked on this journey to a custom home, and the journey has been well worth the wait.
Work with LaBram Homes
Now that you know how to organize your thoughts, you’re ready to find the right builder. The home-building experts at LaBram Homes are here to listen and help realize your vision. Contact LaBram Homes today to get started on creating the home of your dreams.
