Stick-Built Construction: Errors to Avoid

Having a stick-built home constructed provides you with a whole new house to move into that has the features and design you want. While these homes offer several benefits over purchasing existing homes, it’s important to make sure the stick-built home construction process is done right. Otherwise, you could end with regrets about your new home in terms of design, cost, quality or other factors. Avoid making the following mistakes when you have a new stick-built home constructed.

Choosing Cost Over Location

You should stick to your budget, so that you don’t overextend yourself financially. However, make sure you’re not settling for a less-than-ideal location in order to do so. You might save money going with a less expensive location, but you could end up missing out on important factors, such as having amenities and high-rated schools or having easy access to major roadways for your daily commute to and from work. Choose a location that works best for your situation while also staying within your budget.

Saving Some Decisions for Later or Changing Your Mind

Having a stick-built home constructed often means that you have a lot of options for customization. This means you’ll also have a lot of decisions to make about the way you want your home designed. Failing to make these decisions before construction starts can lead to potentially lengthy delays during the building process. Changing your mind about certain designs or features can also delay construction on your new home. You should aim to make all decisions before your new stick-built house starts production, and try to avoid asking for changes or modifications during construction.

Not Planning Enough Financially

When you have a stick-built home constructed, you shouldn’t assume that everything will go smoothly. Issues can come up throughout the building process, which can lead to unexpected expenses. When you don’t plan for these expenses, you might have to make decisions you’re not happy with, such as leaving out certain custom features that end up being more costly than you expected. You should set aside contingency funds for your new house to cover expenses that might come up. This might range from 10 to 20 percent of your budget for a new home.

Bringing in New Professionals After the Design Process

Stick-built construction involves working with a whole team in order to come up with the design you want for your home. For example, you might work with an architect, construction crew and interior designers to get the home you want. Make sure your whole team is gathered during the design phase to avoid complications or issues later on. Bringing in interior designers after going through the design phase with your architect and builder, for example, could lead to delays and other issues. It’s important for all professionals involved to agree from the start.

Hurrying Through the Planning Process

While you might be eager to have your new home built, don’t rush through the planning process. You should take your time going over your design options and choosing the custom features you want. This helps ensure you end up with the right layout, floor plan and features for your new home based on your preferences.