Step-By-Step Guide to Building a New Home or Apartment Building
Construction of new homes and apartment buildings is a major undertaking that is both rewarding and daunting. Whether you’re building your dream house for the first time or have experience doing renovations, taking a step-by-step approach can make your project go a lot smoother and less stressful.
The first step in any new home or apartment building is planning and designing the structure of the house, referred to as the “shell” or “skeleton” of the house. This involves creating the floor plan, determining what type of foundation the house will use (slab, crawl space, or basement), and choosing materials for the interior and exterior finishes.
Once the floor plan is in place, contractors can begin the framing process. Framers will cut out a section of the foundation and form the structure with wooden beams, studs, and joists. This can take one to two months, depending on the size and complexity of the project and the weather. Once the shell is complete, siding and roofing can be installed.
Next, electrical and plumbing contractors can begin running pipes and wires through the house. They also start installing fixtures such as sinks, bathtubs, and showers. They may install a water supply line for each fixture and a sewer line for the kitchen and bathrooms.
Drywall and Texturing are completed on the interior walls and ceilings, if applicable. The walls and ceilings are then painted with a primer coat of paint. Once the interior and exterior finishes are complete, the house can be occupied.
Pre-drawn plans are a great way to get an idea of what you want in your new home. You can even find free home building guides online that are a great source of inspiration.
You can also hire a designer to help you with your design. This will save you time and money in the long run. It will also ensure you have a well-thought out, realistic layout of your house.
Once the design is complete, the construction begins with the laying of the foundation and clearing the area for the house. This can take a few weeks to a month, and it is usually necessary to have an inspector visit the site several times during this phase of the construction.
Laying the foundation is one of the most important parts of a house, so it’s crucial that this step be completed correctly and according to city code. If there are any issues with the foundation, you can end up having to spend extra money on fixing it, which will make the cost of construction higher than it should be.
Before you begin laying out your foundation, it’s essential to check the squareness and levelness of the foundation. This can be done by putting either batter boards or corner stakes at each of the corners, and then using a transit level to measure across diagonally to ensure that all corners are square.
After the foundation is in place, your contractor will start laying out the exterior of the house. This is the part of the project where you’ll be able to see what your home will look like from all angles, and it is very important that this step is finished correctly.
