Imagine owning a piece of land that serves your ideal needs – a perfect view of the sunrise, the right amount of space to raise and entertain your family, or the ideal location between work and the great outdoors. In other words, you have just imagined the perfect place to build your home.
Now imagine researching building costs, understanding processes, creating timelines, and interviewing subcontractors. Then, you hire said subcontractors, oversee the expected timeline, manage the budget, and ensure the build matches your vision. Sounds confusing? That doesn’t even take into account any overlooked costs, delayed resources, or unforeseen events that will inevitably cut into the timeline and cost of your project.
Building a home on your own lot is likely the single biggest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. The stakes are already high, the commitment is already significant – the least you can do for your wallet and your sanity is to hire a home builder to manage the process and insure this investment will only have to be made once.
If you hire a home builder when building on your own lot, you will uncover a number of benefits:
They Can Assist in the Lot Selection Process
In the event that you have not already picked your own lot, home builders can offer valuable insight during the lot selection process. Their experience in surveying suitable land for a home build in an efficient manner can result in not only a significant time saver, but can also help you avoid overlooked costs in land preparation prior to a build. So, not only can your home builder lead you to the right lot, they can help you dodge some of the more difficult lots that may require more site-work, and thus, deeper pockets.
Lot selection goes beyond your proximity to work, or the natural sunlight that enters your kitchen. If you are considering purchasing a lot in a more remote and underdeveloped area, a seasoned home builder will be able to assess the ease and cost to install basic amenities like gas lines, water and sewer connections, or access to electricity. They also account for all of these installations from the start, which helps maintain realistic expectations in terms of budgeting and build timeline.
Even if you plan to build your home in a more developed area, you’ll still be expected to navigate zoning requirements, property line restrictions, and foundational structure. Meaning that no matter where you plan to build, careful consideration is needed to ensure your dream home is attainable given the lot selected.
They Help Design a Home that Fits Your Lot
Home builders are not only helpful in selecting the appropriate topography for your future home, they will also guide you through the decision making when it comes to designing a home that is appropriate for your lot. They will help you customize your home based on your personal needs and future plans while also considering details like landscape or driveway placement.
If you decide to forego working with a custom home builder, prepare to work with a combination of architects and construction workers, managing separate budgets and timelines while acting as the main point of contact in overseeing the project and relaying any changes or updates throughout the build.
They Manage and Uncover Hidden Costs
With complex projects come unexpected hurdles. While unaccounted costs are inevitable, working with a home builder is assurance that these unwanted challenges be mitigated and often managed before being brought to the owner’s attention.
It is their attention to detail, regimented process, and their existing relationships with trusted subcontractors that reduce hidden costs, offering transparency from the start. This doesn’t mean that accidents don’t happen, and it doesn’t mean that there won’t be delays. What it does mean is that your home builder is in charge of remedying these challenges without putting a strain on your established budget.
Lack of experience can break a budget. This is why when looking for a build-on-your-lot home builder, you should consider looking for one with strong experience in building on a client’s lot, and one that shows variety in home builds that differ in topography and floor plans.
They Manage Risk During Construction
If you plan to manage your home build on your own, you will be responsible for managing any liability regarding the home building project. This means being responsible for any damages done to surrounding property or any injuries that may occur onsite.
The risk for mishaps on a construction site is the quickest way you can obliterate a budget. While it may be your first time taking into account risk and liability with a home build, it is just a day in the life for an experienced home builder. Not only are they properly insured and liable for any missteps along the way, they also typically offer a home warranty. This means that even after your construction site turns into a space where you raise your family, your home builder is still responsible for the integrity and durability of your home.
A home builder is not just responsible for making sure your house is standing at the end of it all – they are your project manager, your consultant, and your trusted partner through the entire process. When looking to hire a home builder, it’s important to consider level of experience, their general processes, and their openness to customization.
If you are considering a new home build on your own lot, contact Costa Homebuilders and take one step closer to the home of your dreams. Not only do we have four generations of custom home building under our belts, we have developed our New Life Custom Home Building Process that puts the customer at the forefront of the decision making process, offering a seamless experience from design to handing over the key.
