It’s finally time to build that new construction home you’ve been dreaming of. And who wouldn’t want to embark on the adventure of building their dream home? With options to create a layout you like, on land you choose, with all of the finishes and style you imagined – it’s hard to think of what could go wrong!
At Experts In Your Home we want you to be excited about your home building experience, but we also want to help you experience the best process possible – including having realistic expectations.
Read on to learn some of the common areas where people building new homes may have unrealistic expectations.
Size
When you start out designing a home with your architect, the first thing you will likely do is ballpark the square footage you want your house to be. There is nothing wrong with starting out with your ideal size (3,500 square feet anyone?). However, unless the sky is the limit on your new home budget you may have to give and take when you consider all of the expenses of building your home.
Additionally, today there is a spike in wood prices due to a shortage of wood for new construction. This alone can add to the cost of your house, causing you to have to balance those increased expenses with your budget.
Of course there are other considerations when it comes to size too, like the size of your lot. Deciding whether to build a one story or two story home can influence the size of your home too.
Upgrades
One of the best parts of building a new home is getting to choose the upgrades that fit your lifestyle and dreams. Whether granite countertops, a three car garage, or a jetted soaking tub – upgrades can be fun. They all cost money of course, and you may find that you’ve reached the high end of your budget without getting to all of them.
If you get in this situation, we recommend you make a list of the top upgrades you want, in order of importance. This way you can be organized in prioritizing the things you must have vs. the less important things you can add on down the road.
Budget
One major aspect of building your new home is the budget. A few important aspects of budgeting include:
- Figuring out your maximum budget: What is the most you are willing to pay? Figuring out the absolute maximum you can comfortably spend is important.
- Compromise: Be realistic that you may not get your full wish list in your home and may need to cut some things out.
- Leave some room: When you figure out your maximum budget you should leave some room for unexpected expenses that can crop up. In general, there are some things that can change along the way (like prices of materials) or if you make any design changes it could increase expenses. Additionally, if there were any unforeseen issues on the land or in the permit process this could also add to your home cost.
- For a smooth and streamlined home building approach, consider a standard model plan from Experts In Your Home. This will help you know up front what the costs will be and to know you’re working within your budget.
When you start out in the home building process, your building contractor and architect will help you figure out a budget that is realistic for your goals. This is one area you really want to nail down so there are no overages or surprises down the road!
Timeline
It’s natural to want to get into your home as soon as possible. But if you’re building a new construction home, prepare yourself for potential delays and that things could take longer than you expect. While your project won’t necessarily take longer than expected, it’s always a possibility with all of the variables that go into building a house.
Fulfillment
At Experts In Your Home, we never want to lose sight of the fun of building your own home and that final moment where you get to move into your dream home. The purpose of the above tips on expectation vs. reality is to make sure you have a smooth home building process that you don’t regret, and that you end up in the house you want.
While details are important, don’t let the nitty-gritty discourage you from the joy of building the home of your dreams and the anticipation of finally settling into the home you helped design. If you want to get started on a new construction home or have any questions contact us today!
