Homeowner’s Checklist for Building a House
10 Oct 2019 Custom Building
Having a homeowner’s checklist for building a house will help ensure that your project will stay on track. At Ridgepoint Homes, they understand how important your custom home building project is to you. That is why their team has come up with a checklist that can be used to ensure that all the proper steps are being taken when building a new home.
1. Choosing the Right Home Builder
The first step in building a new home is choosing the right custom home builder for the project. Before hiring a builder to work on your project, make sure to:
- Ask the builder for client references and to see pictures from past projects.
- Ask questions to find out all the information you need about anyone who will be working on your home.
- Trust your gut feeling about whether or not the builder is the right fit.
2. Monetary Considerations
Knowing the costs associated with building a home and being prepared for unexpected expenses is crucial to the overall success of a project. Some of the monetary considerations to think about include:
- What you can afford—Speak to a few different lenders to find out how to get the best interest rates.
- Credit report—Order a credit report before applying for financing and check it to make sure there are no errors.
- Down payment—Consider how large of a down payment you can realistically afford.
- Mortgage options—Take the time to learn about different mortgage options.
3. Home Building Timeline
To create an accurate timeline for building your new home, make sure to ask your builder the following questions:
- How long will it take to build my home?
- What is the end-date based on?
- When is the best time to start building?
4. Buying Land
Since the location of your home is extremely important, you should take the time to get to know the area by:
- Talking to locals.
- Walking around the neighbourhood.
- Considering your family’s interests.
- Talking to your builder about extra expenses related to the lot.
5. Obtaining Building Permits and Insurance
Once you have selected your lot and secured financing, the proper building permits and insurance will need to be obtained. Make sure to work with your builder to obtain:
- The proper permits.
- General liability insurance.
- Worker’s compensation insurance.
6. Custom Home Design
When working on a custom home design, it is important to consider the following:
- What features are most important to you?
- What features can you live without?
- Are their potential design issues or expenses?
- Are there ways to lower costs?
- What rooms should you prioritize?
- What building materials are being used?
- Where should the outlets be located?
- What type of flooring will best suit your needs?
- How much indoor/outdoor lighting will there be?
- What colours should be used throughout the house?
If you would like to learn more items to add to your homeowner’s checklist for building a house, or if you are interested in their custom home building services, please contact Ridgepoint Homes at 604-768-7664 or by filling out a contact form on their website.
