Having a new home built can be so exciting. First, you get to design the place. Then, you get to watch it be built and worked on by a variety of contractors. Then finally, you get to move in and decorate until your heart is content. Along the way, however, there may be some intricacies of the home construction process that seem unfamiliar or a little bit odd. Those intricacies are discussed below, so you can read about them instead of being surprised by them while your home is being built.
1. You may not have full control over the design.
A lot of companies advertise that they design and build custom homes. Customers sometimes have the assumption that this means they'll be able to customize everything. But when you actually sit down with the designer, you'll find that there are elements you can customize and elements you can't customize. You may, for example, have to choose from a dozen or so basic floor plans and build out from there. This approach is to ensure that everything that is designed for you can actually be built. Building a truly, fully custom home is a ton more work and much more expensive. But rest assured that most customers are able to get what they want with this part-custom approach.
2. Changes often come at a cost.
If you make changes to your design or preferences after a certain date, there will probably be a charge associated with the change. This is because changing plans partway through creates a lot more work for the builder. They may need to undo some work they've already done, order new materials, or delay the arrival of a specialist, such as a plumber. If you want to keep costs down and ensure your home is completed by the projected date, avoid making changes, if possible.
3. The builder you hire may not do all of the work.
A lot of building companies do subcontract out a lot of the more intricate, specialized work. For example, the builder you hire will likely hire an outside company to do the plumbing, the HVAC, and maybe even the appliance installations. There are a lot of specialized skills in this industry, and subcontracting helps ensure all work is done by experienced tradespeople.
Now, if you encounter any of these intricacies while your home is being built, you will understand why they exist. Good luck, and enjoy your new home.
Contact a local company to learn more about home construction.
