5 things to know before building for the first time

Building a brand new home is one heck of an experience! It can be exciting, stressful, and overwhelming all at the same time. Having the opportunity to build a home from scratch gives you ultimate control of how you want your home to be.

It’s a long term investment, and it’s not something to be taken as lightly as purchasing a new car. As the home owner, you’ll need to be actively involved in the home building process as there are many decisions only you can make. So before you start making the wrong ones, here are a few things you should know before diving into building your home.

1. Check your numbers

The first thing to look at before building your home is your finances. Run some numbers to determine whether you can afford to build the home you want. Talk to a mortgage broker to get an idea of how much you can get for a loan. If you’re struggling to find a quality mortgage broker, here’s what you need to look out for to choose a good one.

It also helps to do some research before buying things for your new build. One of the main mistakes first-time home builders make is paying insane prices for “top-of-the-line” appliances, when less-expensive options (that are still great quality) will do them just fine.

It’s important to have a plan on where you can be flexible with your budget, and where you’ll need to cut down on costs.

2. Check the reputation of your contractor

There are so many options for builders out there, but not all of them can offer you the same. When you’re looking for someone, make sure to ask a lot of questions. Request to see previous work to get a good idea if your contractor will be able to meet your vision. Make sure they are insured, and do some of your own research to find out what their customers think of them. You can search for reviews online or get recommendations from family and friends.

3. Build with resale in mind

You may plan to live in your newly built home for the rest of your days, but it is likely that you’ll have to sell it eventually. And when that time comes, you want to get the best possible price. However, that will be harder if you don’t initially build your home with the resale value in mind.

This means you’ll need to design your home with things that will bring a solid return on investment for years to come. Focusing on kitchens, bathrooms, and curb appeal goes a long way. Making sure these areas of the house are designed to stand the test of time can significantly improve the resale value of your home.

4. Use high-quality materials

Sure, using low-quality products will certainly reduce your costs, but your savings will soon turn into spending when you have to end up paying for the damage caused by those low-quality materials.

If you’re designing with resale value and longevity in mind (which you should be!), investing in higher quality materials is essential.

This doesn’t mean you have to choose top-of-the-line products, or the most expensive thing on the shelf. Simply focus on the quality of the products and weighing that with the costs.

5. Consider environmental and economical factors

Don’t forget to estimate the costs of living in your home after its completion. You should do some research on how to maximise energy-efficiency in order to reduce your utility bills and other related expenses.

Certain things like the placement of your windows, doors, bathrooms, and laundry can have a huge impact. Work with your builder and architect to ensure your home is designed to get as much sunshine in the home as possible, and minimise heat loss within your home. Also spend some time choosing energy-efficient appliances that’ll help you save money in the long run.

Build your dream home with Summit Homes

So you’re probably daydreaming about your dream home, and now you just need someone to make it happen! Here at Summit Homes, we focus on building homes that fit our clients needs, wants, and lifestyles. We use high-quality materials, every step of the way, to ensure our builds are made to last.

Have a chat with us today about #buildingitright with Summit Homes.

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