Home Building Guide: Plan, Budget & Build
EXPERT TIPS TO MAKE YOUR NEW HOME BUILD OR REMODEL GO SMOOTHLY
The First Exciting Steps
Before the first nail is driven, before the first bit of concrete is poured, you need to develop an in-depth, step-by-step plan for your new home build or major renovation. Spahn & Rose’s Home Builder Guide is here to help.
This handy overview includes questions to help you choose the right contractor for your project and walks you through each major home-construction step. In the center of this booklet is a customizable flowchart and timeline to which you can continually refer as the project progresses.
By tapping into the know-how of local experts, this guide will help you avoid costly mistakes. You’ll also find building-material buying tips from Spahn & Rose employees with decades of experience and learn how best to select windows, doors, kitchen cabinets, roofing shingles and more.
As you navigate your project, your contractor will become a sort of air traffic controller, juggling schedules, work crews and delivery of materials. This guide therefore helps ensure that you and your contractor are on the same page regarding timelines, materials selection and other details.
Another invaluable resource is Spahn & Rose itself. Homeowners and contractors can take advantage of our full suite of services: cabinet designers to tailor a kitchen to your needs, estimators who will make site visits to be sure measurements are accurate and home designers who will create detailed building plans to your specifications. For more information about any of these services, visit our services page.
3 Tips Before the Project Starts
Our employees who have experience as a contractor and now on the sales side have some pointers about beginning a new home build or renovation:
1 – Be upfront with your budget. Building a home or undertaking a renovation isn’t a game of poker, where you wait to reveal your cards to your contractor or supplier. When your contractor knows your budget from the start, it helps avoid overages, and you’ll get better results.
2 – Find real examples. Drive around and look at houses or visit the homes of friends and family to find features you like. Take pictures and show them to your salesperson and contractor so they can more easily find the right products to meet your needs.
3 – Clear the decks. For renovations, prep the work area by moving everything out for the contractor. This saves time and reduces the risk of accidental breakage or misplaced items.
5 Ways to Make Your Build Go More Smoothly
Once you’ve hired a contractor, here are some tips to help ensure that the home build or renovation goes as planned.
Expect Occasional Weather Delays
Bad weather happens. Rain or snow in late spring or early fall can mean a temporary halt to work on your home. Your contractor will inform you of any delays—and you can be confident that, overall, the job site is safer and the quality of work will be better as a result of these brief stoppages.
Manage Stress
Building a new home or undertaking a major renovation is a large commitment of money and time, so stress is bound to be part of the process, too. One way to reduce anxiety is to document the progress of the build. That way, you’ll also be on-site regularly to communicate with your contractor, asking and answering questions.
Take a Break
While it’s important to communicate with your team, constantly being on edge during the build will increase everyone’s stress as well. From time to time, take a break of a day or two from thinking about the project. Then, with fresh eyes, come back to the site and you’ll likely be pleased with the progress.
Be Flexible and Prepared
Coordinating a new home build or renovation means juggling lots of tasks at once. Having a Plan B, C and maybe even D ready means you won’t be caught without living arrangements if the completion date has to be pushed back. Create backup plans for where to stay and store your belongings.
Plan a Contingency Budget
A standard suggestion is to set aside 10 percent of the home or renovation cost to deal with late changes or unforeseen construction difficulties. Adding this to your budget early can reduce stress later. And if you don’t use this money, it’s a bonus—cash to put toward new furniture or a deck!
HOME BUILD TIMELINE
While each home build has its own individual timeline, this chart provides an overview of what happens during a typical home-build process.
This timeline represents ideal conditions; your time may vary based on weather and availability of building materials.
Home Building Guide
Before the first nail is driven, before the first bit of concrete is poured, you need to develop an in-depth, step- by-step plan for your new home build or major renovation. Read more about the process – Spahn & Rose’s Home Builder Guide is here to help.