Building Your Own Home – The Basics

Posted on Mar 2 2017 - 5:48pm by Editorial Staff

 

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There are plenty of people out there who would love the opportunity to build a home themselves, custom- made to every single requirement. But many of these folks feel like it is something of an impossible dream – the costs involved are often enormous, and then there is the time it takes to build to consider.

However, despite the fact it is not a simple task, building a home is not as difficult as you might think. And in this guide, we’re going to take you through some of the basics of the process, and help you work out if the impossible dream is actually achievable. Let’s take a closer look at the key points you need to know.

Learn the essentials

There is a lot you will need to explore before lifting a finger on your home building project. The good news is that anyone can learn the essentials of building a house – you just need to know where to look. Plenty of colleges and private companies offer home building courses, for a start. And it is always a wise move to find a mentor – someone who has been there, done that, and is currently wearing the t-shirt. Take a look online, too. There is plenty of information covering everything from energy efficiency through to project planning for home builders.

Find the money

The vast expense of building a home is a huge consideration, of course. And it’s also important to note that banks will be resistant to lending you a mortgage if you are new to the home building game. They much prefer lending in the less risky environment of pre-existing houses. So, in the vast majority of cases, you will need to fund the building yourself. But it is possible to invest a large lump sum on a piece of land, and then use conventional loans – or even interest-free credit cards – to start building. And if you do need to go for the mortgage, make sure you are putting a significant sum of money into the project yourself, and get the best possible team around you – which we are going to go into now.

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Find the land

Finding the right plot of land to build on is the next essential step in the process. It can seem like a massive headache at first, but it’s all part of the learning experience – tens of thousands of people do it every year throughout the country, and there is nothing complicated about it once you know what you are doing. Your local state should have a list of available land, so you can start your search there, or by using a service such as LandWatch.com.

Find the right team

Finding the right architect for your project is probably the most important part of the process. With the right person designing and conceptualizing your home with you, the rest should fall into place relatively easily. Some companies offer home-building services with an architect and building firm working together, but if you don’t go down this route, you’ll find you can start taking bids from a wide selection of builders, which will reduce your costs. You’ll also need to consider someone to manage the project – or, you could do it yourself. Bear in mind, however, that there will be plenty to think about. Home build owners require construction scheduling, a lot of spare time to put into the project, and knowledge of licenses and building regulations. Without all of these things in place, you will struggle to keep your home build on time, and within the budget.

Put aside the time

As we mentioned above, building a property can be incredibly time-consuming, and there will be a lot to consider. Where are you going to live while the building work is going on? How long is it going to take? What are your margins of error regarding the amount of time it takes, and will you be able to manage your finances if things go awry? If you are managing the project yourself, how will you be able to find the time while you are working in your regular job? While you won’t have to be on-site each and every day, the simple fact is that regular appearances are a must, and you need to set aside enough time – including weekends – to make sure that everything is going to plan.

OK, so there you have it – a brief introduction to everything you need to get your home building project off the ground. We hope it helps – and good luck!

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.