The Process of Building a House
A House project can be as small as a new bathroom, kitchen or bedroom, or as big as adding an entire new wing to your home. These projects can take a long time and involve many costs, so it’s important to be prepared before you begin. This article will help you understand the process of building a house and give you tips to keep your project on schedule.
Choosing the right contractor is also essential. A good contractor will provide you with a detailed schedule and will stick to it. Any changes in the plan can add up and cause delays. The best way to avoid these problems is to be very clear about what you want from the beginning. Write down a list of the things you want in your new house and be specific. Make sure that you also include things like the overall style of the house and any specific materials you want used (e.g., granite or quartz counters).
Pre-construction period
Before construction actually begins, the team will spend a month or so preparing the site. This includes obtaining the correct permits, finalizing architectural plans and getting financing sorted out. This can add a significant amount of cost to the final bill.
Once construction starts, the team will lay out the foundation and build the skeleton of your home. This is usually a quick process but it can be complicated by weather and soil conditions. Once the skeleton is in place, plumbers and electricians will install pipes and cables. This is called “roughing in” and it can add a considerable amount of time to the project.
During this phase, you will also be working with your designer to design what is called the schematic. This is where the basic layout of the rooms and features will be mapped out. It is not the final design and it could change significantly in the next phase but it gives you a good idea of what your home will look like.
At this point, you will likely have already chosen a lot of the customizations for your home so it’s important to stick with these choices. If you’ve changed your mind about something now, it can be expensive to amend the blueprints and may add weeks or even months to your timeline.
This is probably the most unpredictable part of a House project as you will be dealing with unexpected issues that arise during the process. This is why it’s so important to hire a professional and experienced contractor who can manage the entire project.
A well-executed House project can transform your home and create a space that is more functional, comfortable and beautiful. However, if you choose to save money by selecting less-than-optimal materials or by cutting corners, the result will be a house that does not maximize its use of space, respond to its location, neighborhood and streetscape, or reflect your personal style. It will also cost more to maintain and it will be less energy efficient.