Finding a home that has enough storage, sleeping and living space for every single member of your family is almost impossible. Yes, there are hundreds of empty houses and flats in your area, but are they going to be good enough? Striving for perfection means that anything less isn’t good enough… That’s why so many people feel that they have to compromise a lot when trying to find a home. The question is: should you move into a house that doesn’t suit your family and try to make it work, or build a home on your own? No matter how scary and complex the latter is, it’s still the best option for those who aren’t ready to settle for crumbs. So, if you decided to take the plunge, here are five things you need to know.
Determine the budget
This may surprise you, but building a house from scratch is quite costly! Depending on the size, location, complexity, and materials you’re using, the total number can run up to half a million dollars! And the problem isn’t the initial projection, but all the hidden costs that come up in the middle of the process. It’s crucial to determine your budget in advance, figure out how much money you’re working with and see if that’s enough. Only after you’ve taken all the costs into consideration and came up with a sustainable financing plan should you start building.
Try to save a buck or two
Of course, no matter how big your budget is, you can always try to save a few bucks here and there. Be smart with the choice of land lot and go with a more simple house. Even though a home that looks like a trapezoid will make your neighbors super jealous, traditional is also cost-efficient. Let’s not forget about recycled materials and your old furniture – both will significantly lower the total cost. However, beware of the overall quality aspect of your home and how much you’re willing to sacrifice for it.
Find proper material
Speaking of building material and costs, you mustn’t forget that quality still comes first. If you’re planning to use your house in the decades to come – and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t – you simply shouldn’t use anything less than the high-quality material in every part of your future home. Starting with the concrete you pour into your foundations and ending with the choice of roof shingles that will cover the top of your house – everything has to be top-notch. The thing with building your own house is that you’re not doing it for someone else who might or might not buy the property after you’ve done building. Or for future generations who could easily decide not to live there: you’re building it for yourself and your family and you should keep only your comfort and safety in mind.
Make it easy
If you’ve decided to embark on such a complex, lengthy and expensive journey as building a house is, you probably already know the challenges. That’s precisely the reason why you should try to find a way to make the building process easier. There are some things that will take the pressure off and save you loads of money. For example, a realistic outline of the size and design of your home or easy-to-install composite panels that can be mounted on the exterior of your new home in a matter of hours. These will instantly make it more attractive and much greener. So, don’t spend a ton of money on exterior wall insulation, but rather choose these flexible and enduring panels for your façade instead.
The devil is in the details
Once you’ve completed the biggest portion of your new home, you can start thinking about fine-tuning it. If you give yourself enough time to deal with all the necessary details, your house will be completed right on time. You can never know what can go wrong and how it can delay your future plans, especially since most of these items are delicate and require your full attention. Dealing with the electrical wiring, light fixtures, and plumbing, as well as painting the walls, installing the floor and other tasks can take up several weeks. So get on with these as soon as possible.
Other tips
In order to finish on time and enjoy the rest of your life in a cozy home you should try to find a reliable builder, acquire the material on time, and think about eco-friendliness. Energy consumption and getting all the necessary permits on time should also rank high on your list.