Ah, the Beauty of Construction

If you are interested in building a new home instead of buying one, there are many things you need to consider. Buying land or choosing a development to build in, choosing a contractor to build your home, and working through all the processes along the way are often challenging but worthwhile in the end.

Choosing Land Or A Development

It is important that you decide where you will have your new home built. Often custom homes are built in developments by a single developer who puts up many houses with similar floor plans, allowing you to get into a home quickly. The houses often go from an empty lot to ready to live in after less than a year, and many custom homes allow you to make some changes to the design when picking the layout. 

Custom homes built on land that you purchase are a bit more of a challenge because the site will need to be prepared before construction can begin, which can add weeks to the construction process. The contractor you are working with to build your custom home can coordinate the site work. Still, depending on the land conditioning, it can involve clearing, leveling, installing septic, and even cutting trees for access to the site. 

Selecting A Home Design

When you have decided where to build, you need to decide on the size and layout of your home. If you are building in development, you may be restricted to a few choices that limit the size of the houses in the area. The developer will often have three or four specific designs to choose from, so you will need to sit down with the contractor and decide which one you like. 

If there are model homes in the development, take some time to walk through them so you can determine what you like and what you don't. While the contractor may not be able to entirely remove a wall you don't care for, they can often make small changes to the design to make the house fit your needs. 

When building on your land, you will more than likely need to meet with an architect and design your home in steps. The contractor may also be involved in the process, but sometimes the design for the home is created before the contractor has been hired. 

Building on your own land means your new custom home can include anything you like and can be as large as you want, but it may also cost substantially more than buying a custom home in a development that is already established. You may also have more amenities in a developed neighborhood, so you will have to decide which offers you more before your contractor starts your new custom home.