Do you dream about building your own home one day? To design a home suited to you and your family, and to enjoy a brand new home, is extremely rewarding.
Unfortunately, even though most people would love to do it, most never take the plunge. There are many obstacles stopping people from moving forward on their dream. The biggest? Not understanding the process.
Because the process of building your own home is unfamiliar, it feels overwhelming and scares people away. But if you take some time to understand what goes into it, you will be much more likely to build your dream home.
Want to know what it takes to plan and prepare for building your dream home? Looking to understand how to build a house the easy way? Then keep reading for all the answers.
Save Money and Clean Up Your Finances
Although you can get some type of mortgage financing option to fund your new home, you’ll still need to save as much money as possible. You’ll need money for a down payment, just like you would when buying an existing home.
And because securing your own plot of land, preparing it for a new home, actually building the house is full of unknowns, you’ll want backup funds. Nobody likes surprise expenses, but when it comes to construction, you need to expect the unexpected.
Aside from maximizing your savings, work to clean up your financial situation. Take steps to improve your credit score as much as possible, in order to secure the best interest rates.
Pay off as much of your existing debt as possible to free up as much money as you can. Less debt means you can qualify for a higher mortgage.
Write Out Your Dreams
When it comes to building a home, everyone has different desires. Make a list of everything you hope to get in your house.
What type of property do you hope to get? A lot within the city limits, or a piece of countryside property?
Decide how big you would like the house to be, what style you’d like it to have. How big of a yard are you hoping for?
Once you answer some of the big questions, you can think about the inside of the home. What new home features are you looking for? Open-concept? Lots of large windows?
Write down anything and everything you are hoping for. It doesn’t mean you’ll be able to have it all, but the clearer your vision, the more likely you’ll make it happen.
Custom or Semi-Custom Home?
The next big question you have to answer is how much of the home you’d like to design yourself. Do you want to build a fully customized home? If so, you’ll need to hire an architect to draw up customized plans.
This adds a considerable amount to the overall project cost. Custom homes also take longer to build, often a year or more.
Or you can build a semi-custom home. You can work with a builder that has already designed many different floorplans. You can choose the floorplan that works best for you, and possibly even customize it.
You’ll also be able to select the features of the home, such as paint colors, flooring, appliances, countertops, and more.
Those looking to work with a builder in Australia can visit Commodore Homes for an extensive selection of floorplans.
Semi-custom homes are usually more affordable and faster to build.
Get Pre-Approved
If you are going to finance the new home build, it’s time to get your loan ready. There are many different types of financing options available for new home builds.
You can contact a mortgage broker, as they can help you find the best lender for your situation. Otherwise, start by contacting local banks, as they are more likely to finance new construction.
Work with them to secure your loan and figure out what your mortgage budget is. They’ll need to know what type of home you plan to build and where it will be.
Choosing Your Lot
Once you know what type of home you are going to build and you have your lender in place, it’s time to find your very own piece of land. Research and contact realtors that specialize in finding land.
This could be totally vacant land that hasn’t been built on before, or it could be property with an old, vacant structure on it that needs to be torn down.
There are different types of vacant land available, depending on your area and your budget. Unimproved land will not have access to existing roads or utilities, so preparing the land will add to your cost.
Land that already has access to utilities and roads will be cheaper to purchase and faster to build on.
Break Ground and Build Your Dream Home
Once you have your financing secure, your builder and home plans ready to go, and a piece of property under contract, it’s time to finalize details and break ground.
Work with your lender to complete your loan, which will release funds to your contractor so they can start the build. New homes generally take between 6 and 12 months to build, depending on the level of customization involved.
Once it’s ready, all the stress you’ve endured for many months will disappear. Moving in and getting settled will be the most fun part of your journey.
Tips For Building a House
There is so much to consider when building your own home. One of the most important is to prioritize energy efficiency.
While newer construction will always be more efficient than older buildings, there’s always room for improvement. The easiest time to boost your home’s efficiency is when it’s being built.
This might be home heating systems built into the floor. It could be higher quality insulation in the walls and attic.
It could be your choice of roofing material, such as metal, over the standard asphalt tile that only lasts 20 or 30 years.
Because you plan to live there forever, making the home energy efficient will make your new home more comfortable as well as more affordable over time.
Don’t Rush the Process
If you are lucky enough to build your dream home, make it count. Don’t rush the process. Take your time to ensure you have the money in place to build the house you actually want.
Make sure you work with a builder you trust and ensure you choose an area that you will be happy to live in for many years.
Looking for additional home and lifestyle advice? Be sure to check out our blog today.
