Trying to find and buy your dream house is an impossible task because, no matter how hard we search or for how long, there will always be compromises to make, and needing to compromise wasn’t in your dreams. Perhaps you found the perfect home but in the wrong locations. Or perhaps you have found a house in the right location, but the bedrooms are too small. Well, we have a solution: build your own house.
Building your own home is one of the greatest things you can ever achieve. However, it is also seriously stressful, complex, time-chomping and money-eating. But not if you follow this guide.
Budget
Don’t be unrealistic and don’t think you know better than the construction companies you are talking to. As such, set your budget and then stick to it. If your contractor says that flint walls are going to cost that much, then trust that they will cost that much. Of course, it helps to know a little bit about the design and construct process, not because it will stop you getting ripped off, but because it will help you understand what your builder and architect are talking about. So, as a starting point, go to them with your budget and see what they can do within that.
Team
Get everyone you need onboard from the start, this means contractor, architect, designers, landscapers and lawyers. Why? Simple. They are going to be looking out for your best interests from their from very different points of view. By having them in place, you can avoid any complications later down the line.
Time
There is a basic rule that needs to be understood: it is going to take a lot longer than you think. That’s not because the work is difficult, but because there is a process to follow. Another rule, the more you want to add to your house, whether that be a basement floor or a partially clad exterior, the longer it will take. There will also be unforeseen circumstances that slow things down, typically weather conditions worsening as the Brickies are trying to get on, or the trade merchants being out of certain material when you need them or whatever. Just be prepared is all we are saying.
Communicate
The people you have employed have been employed to do a job, and they will want to get that job done as quick as possible and to the best of their abilities. As such, they won’t contact you to tell you what is going on or where they are at with the windows or the balcony. No. It will be up to you to be proactive and keep yourself in the loop. Schedule meetings for every Tuesday morning, go to the site and attend meetings between the different facets of construction. Text, call, tweet and Whatsapp if you have to. But don’t just talk and listen, make sure you keep on top of the invoices and the costs, and if there is something you aren’t sure about, anything at all, then speak up. If you decide you want to change something, then say so, but know that this will probably change the cost, so always ask for a revised estimation first.
Mia Guerra
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