Building a home involves much more than choosing a style, a few building materials, and deciding on the number of bedrooms. In fact, it is a very involved process that can take months before the first physical steps are even taken. Gerard Construction has several recommendations for ways to prepare and plan for the building of your new home.

Picking Your Team

Some groups may advise picking your team a little later in the planning, but we can help with every step of the planning and building process. This is one of the ways Gerard is so uniquely suited to successfully put families in their new homes. When choosing a team to work with, you will need to decide how involved you want to be in the process. Our initial meetings will help you communicate the depth of input you want to have every step of the way. Some homeowners like to know every detail and have regular updates. Other homeowners want to have a few surprises within certain parameters and budgetary plans. Whichever way you choose, Gerard can adapt. We also work extensively with teams we have vetted and that we trust, ensuring your home is built by the very best in the area. 

Budget Planning

Knowing how much you are comfortable with paying and what that will provide for you is crucial to planning your home build. There is a sweet spot or range where a homeowner’s budget and what their dream home will look like intersect. By having a clear idea of how far your budget will carry you determines how soon you will be able to build. While some may argue this step should take place before picking a team, Gerard Construction can assist in this stage because of our owner’s background in the finance industry. By leaning on the years of banking experience brought to our clients, we can provide valuable insight into your budget. No matter what, make sure you can afford the loan you will take out, regardless of what you are actually approved for, and plan for the overage. 

Picking a Lot

Knowing where you want to build, or at least some general guidelines will take you one step closer to building your dream home. Some considerations would be the type of community you want to build in, with emphasis on amenities or school districts being important to some families. Other families may focus on location whether that is relative to loved ones, a place of business, or other draws in the community. Still, other homeowners have specific landscapes or scenery they desire to surround their home and are willing to find the perfect spot to achieve that. According to thespruce.crom, purchasing land should be factored into your budget, with approximately 20-25% of your money going towards the cost. Gerard has land acquisition services to guide you through this step. 

Choosing a House Plan

There are two options for plans- stock plans or custom plans. Either option has some customization that can take place and either option has a diverse array of choices in regards to the number of rooms, design, and layout. In general, this can start as a casual and fun way to begin looking for ideas for your home. By collecting inspiration from pictures, magazines, or online, your excitement and anticipation can build. Figuring out what you don’t like is just as important as figuring out what you do, so consider having examples of non-preferences as well. If you choose to custom design a home, we have an architect that can assist in designing your home exactly as you imagine it. 

Negotiate a Contract

Once you have decided on each component above, a contract should be put in place to protect both you as the homeowner and the builder. One benefit of having a contractor in place is the coverage they take on for the subcontractors they will employ to complete this project. Instead of having to negotiate dozens of times, they work with the sub-teams on your behalf.  Home experts at thespruce.com advise the contract should cover several components. It should describe the project in detail and include a listing of all parts to be included in the house—the “specs.”’

Gerard Construction is one of few builders who can walk you through the entire build process, from the first stages of planning through the final walk-through. We are passionate about helping our clients get into the home they desire. See our project gallery for some of the homes we’ve already helped build or contact us today. 

Resource: 

https://www.thespruce.com/before-you-build-steps-new-home-175909