1. What can I afford? What are my needs, wants, and desires for my new home?
When considering building a custom home, some of the questions you should ask yourself are what can I afford? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I need? Square footage? What type of Amenities? Style of home? etc.
There are several tools available for free on the internet that can help you calculate your budget and determine how much house you can realistically buy but if you are applying for a construction loan it is always best to connect with a bank and discuss your goals.
2. Select a location for your home
In order to Design and Build the home of your dreams you will need to select a location and a lot. Find out which type of living situation suits your needs best with a wide variety of options including country, state, city or neighborhood. Selecting a realtor whom is experienced in new homes and development is important because it might help you save money and headaches at the building stage.
3. Chose a Design & Build company
Hiring a design and build company can be a difficult decision.
Every company is different and offers a variety of services. It can be difficult to find the right one for your needs. If you’re considering hiring a design and build company, these are some questions you should ask them upfront:
- How long will the design take?
- how much will it cost?
- How long have you been in the construction industry, and how many homes have you built? Designed?
- What type of new home warranty do you offer?
- Do you only build from existing floorplans, or can I provide my own set of plans?
- What are the standard features you offer in a home you build? What are about upgrades?
- How do you address changes or upgrades throughout the building process?
- What are the energy features do your homes include?
- What is the process for inspections throughout construction, final walk-through, and to address any matters that need to be corrected or finalized?
- How and when will the final cost of my home be determined?
- Can I tour one of your home or can you help me make an appointment to tour a home you built for another client?
- Can you provide us with references from other recent clients.
This list is not comprehensive but it will be useful for those just starting to talk to builders. Be sure to tell them what your needs are and any specific questions that come up too.
