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Building A New House
Building a new house can be both exciting, nerve wracking, and rewarding. There is always a long list of decisions to be made, and it can be easy to overlook some points in the process when all you want is for your house to be done and ready to move into. We’ve put together a simple reference sheet to ensure your dream home is built the way you envision it. 1. Read and understand your contract. When you sign on that dotted line for the construction of your new house, you should be completely in understanding of what the contract does and does not include. You should have already completed all negotiation with the builder before this step--anything agreed upon after the signing can be added on, but will likely cost you additional amounts of money, which is something many people building a new house don’t budget for in their mortgages. 2. Be a cheapskate sometimes. It’s always important to keep costs in perspective when building a new house. On average, a house is 1500 to 2000 square feet. Although it can be tempting to think of lots of spare room in your house, do you really need it? Paring down can save you thousands. Being aware of frivolous extras that are often suggested by builders is another way to save--of course, that hot tub and extra skylights would be nice, but are they really part of your original vision? 3. Know code. Get familiar with your local building codes. Very familiar. Question anything on your site that doesn’t look right, because this is your house and your investment. Require proof of compliance, which you may be asked to show inspectors. Seek outside advice if needed from a reliable source. 4. Adapt to your situation. Conflicts will inevitably arise during building a new house, whether simple misunderstandings or serious disputes. Be willing to hear input from your builders without shutting down their ideas, but don’t sacrifice your dream. Find a place of compromise. Errors and delays do happen, but keep in mind factors that may be unreasonable, such as bad weather or supply shortages. 5. Leave a paper trail. Documenting everything in the process of building a new house is essential. Verbal agreements are always hard to prove in the case of a dispute down the road. Follow up any discussion or verbal contracts with written verification, whether emails, sales slips, receipts, or contract addendums. Spending time laying out expectations before the start of a project and including them in the contract as mentioned above avoids conflict down the road. |
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