6 Things to Know Before Building a Custom Home

Many home buyers are pleasantly surprised to discover the feasibility of building a new home. With the right home builder, creating an ideal home is easier and more affordable than most people imagine. Building a home, however, proves quite different from buying one in the resale market. Identifying and understanding those differences is the first step to a successful home-building experience.

Consider these pointers prior to making the decision to go the new-build route:

1. Know your numbers.

Begin by studying a variety of house plans and choosing one that best incorporates the features you want. Most house plans have a cost-to-build tool to assist in creating an estimate of overall construction costs–incorporating such factors as location, applicable taxes, amount of down payment, and a budget for extra or unexpected expenses.

2. Builder’s reputation.

Choosing the right builder is the single most important decision of the process. Reputation and experience matter. Interview builders who are members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Ask for referrals and exercise due diligence in following up with those references.

3. Timelines:  new construction vs. resale.

Recognize that building a new home typically takes nine to eleven months. (Read: How Long Does Construction of a New Home Typically Take?) Architectural and interior design, permitting, and the construction process itself factor into this timeline, but concerns such as weather conditions and the availability of labor and materials can also impact the timeline. Take time to understand the process from start to finish. Here’s a step-by-step overview of the home building checklist.

4. Equity after the home is built.

Thinking about selling before you even lay the foundation may seem strange, but a designing your home with its resale value in mind is an important part of ensuring the affordability of your dream home. Be thoughtful when choosing features and upgrades. Don’t out-price your home for the neighborhood, and consider how your home will appeal to future buyers.

5. Energy efficiency.

Energy savings impact the cost of operating your home once you are living in it. Ask your builder and architect for ways to incorporate efficiency into the design.

• Maximize passive solar benefits for heat with south-facing windows.
• Minimize heat loss by designing the bathrooms, laundry room, and garage with small windows and locating them on the south side of the home.
• Make smart choices about insulation, fixtures, and appliances with energy-efficiency in mind. Choose the most efficient options you can afford for your HVAC system, look for Energy Star-rated appliances, low-flow faucets, and water-saving toilets.

6. Manage expectations.

Learn who will be involved in the construction process, and clearly identify roles of responsibility (including yours).Managing expectations goes a long way toward creating a successful home-building experience, and one of the best ways to do this is to be clear at the start about who all the players are, the tasks for which each is responsible, and the anticipated timelines allotted for each step.

What can you do to make sure the construction of your new home is as painless as possible?

Choose the right builder–one you are comfortable talking to and who is responsive to your questions and concerns. Collaboration and communication between you and your builder are vital to a smooth home-building experience. Working closely with your builder at every stage to establish that your wishes and expectations are communicated, and working together to ensure that you are getting satisfactory answers to questions will greatly reduce the likelihood of mistakes and delays.

Sheffield Homes has been building in the metro Denver area and in northern Colorado since 1978. Our streamlined process makes building your dream home as stress-free as possible. Ready to get started? Contact us today for a consultation!