 Don't
overbuild for the neighborhood. Having the biggest and most expensive
house in the area may be wonderful for your ego, but it will be a disaster when it comes time to sell. |
| Build
for resale. No matter how long you intend to stay in the house
you build, it will have to be sold at some point (which is often sooner rather than later). Never build strictly
for your own needs and tastes--a 1 bedroom 3 bath house may be perfect for you, but it will be next to impossible
to sell. |
| Get
the best contractor your budget will allow. When building a house,
quality is usually more important than quantity. ServiceMagic makes the process of finding a contractor simple, since they pre-screen firms
throughout the United States. Click here for more information. |
| Be
prepared for delays. Building a house is a complicated project
and utilizes dozens of subcontractors, workers and suppliers. Delays can--and probably will--happen, and that will
back up the entire process. A delay, for example, in the framing stage stops everything: electricians and plumbers
are unable to do their "rough-in" work until the framing is completed. Don't lock your move-in date in
stone--it may be weeks later. |
| Monitor
the progress of the house building as much as possible. During
construction a lot can be accomplished--both positively and negatively--in a short amount of time. This is especially
true during the framing stage. Catching a mistake early will save a lot of headaches later. |
| Watch
your construction allowances. Generally, in the total cost of
building a house you will be given allowances for such items as flooring (carpeting and vinyl), lighting, plumbing
fixtures, etc. Make certain that you can actually get the materials you want within the allowance amount. For example,
if you have a $3500 flooring allowance and the carpeting and vinyl floors you want will cost $5500, you are the
one who will have to make up the $2000 difference. These "allowance overruns" can add up quickly! |
