Home & Garden Discussions

Congrats!  My family built their own homes all the time and my parents still live in the house they built.  The only advice I can give is... don't skimp!  My parents built their home on the small side even though they had a large lot.  My mom always says they didn't plan to stay there forever.  Now 30something years later and they are still there and they often comment on how the rooms are small.  They even built an additional large family room a few years ago to make it bigger.

The point is, if you are gonna build it, you should make it as big as you can affordably make it so that years down the line you aren't complaining about it :)

Congratulations!

I've had some bad luck with contractors on renovation projects, so take the time to check the credentials and references for your builder. Call a couple of the references and ask about how timely the contractor was. Was the work good quality? Can you visit the home of the reference to see what was done? Ask if there were any issues getting the contractor to the site to complete the work. Expect that you will have to pay some money up front but negotiate payments as the project is completed. (25 percent up front, 25 percent when the building is closed in, 25 percent when the sheetrock is complete, 15 percent when you get a CO and 10 percent when you move in... for example.) Never pay the contractor the final amount without everything completed. Put a completion date that both you and the contractor agree to in the contract, and have language that allows you to get out of the contract if that date is missed.

I've never built an entire house but these are some suggestions from my dealings with contractors on renovation projects. Good luck!

--Bob

Congratulations on such an amazing milestone!  TheBard and I had our house built about 6 or 7 years ago.  The one thing I wish I had done differently was to choose a better quality kitchen floor tile.  We opted for the builder's basic vinyl and it ended up discolored and scratched up within a few short years.  We just replaced it last month.  Get the best quality you can afford because initial installation will be easier and more affordable than future renovation.

 The only other thing I can think of is that I was unprepared for the sheer number of details you have to inquire about.  During an exhausting session with the builder's rep, she asked if we wanted a fan hook-up in the dining room ceiling.  We said no, not thinking that even though we wouldn't have a ceiling fan in the room, we were going to need a light fixture for a chandelier.  Because the rep presented it as a "ceiling fan hookup" as opposed to a lighting hook-up, we ended up with a house that's not hard-wired for a dining room light. 

I guess the moral of the story is to take your time when you're deciding on your options, and think of every little detail.  It's easy to overlook something when you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the process. 

Hope that helps.  Best wishes. :)

Thank You for your advice!  Very Helpful!  We are in agreement for hevy duty kitchen floors. My hunny is a seasoned chef and I love to bake.  Our builder is very insightful about every detail of the house. Down to the positions of the outlets!!

Thank you again, I needed this! landra

Awesome advice! We had to change our plans 2 times to get the right size for our family. We finally settled on open wide and 13 x 8 , 13 x 10 bedrooms with huge closets for  the kids. To save on cost we had the bathroom in between their rooms, but had it big enough to have separate doors and their own closets in the same bathroom!  Our master is humungous too!

I wanted to be comfortable with teenagers down the road!  I feel good in my decision.  Thank you, landra

Awesome advice! We had to change our plans 2 times to get the right size for our family. We finally settled on open wide and 13 x 8 , 13 x 10 bedrooms with huge closets for  the kids. To save on cost we had the bathroom in between their rooms, but had it big enough to have separate doors and their own closets in the same bathroom!  Our master is humungous too!

I wanted to be comfortable with teenagers down the road!  I feel good in my decision.  Thank you, landra

Thank You R 11!   We need all the positively we can get!  landra!

Bob,  Thank you for your expertise. I feel confidant after reading your response. Our contractor has built a shelter for the city and homes in the area that are just awesome. He actually brought these things to our attention!  If you are in the Florida area and want to build, we can refer you! Thankyou so much!! landra