You really want to have your own house but you don’t know how and where to start. It is important make to at least know steps in preparing for your dream house.
If you don’t know what to expect and where to begin, here are some tips for your house construction.
1. Describe the project scope.
First you should know the type of your house you want like a bungalow style or a multi-storey house. Decide how many rooms you want and how big is your house. Of course, it will also depend on your budget. Make the list of everything and decide how much money you would spend for your house. A well-define scope can get an accurate quotes and can prevents extra charges for add on works later on.
2. Hire an architect or draftsman and interior designer
Once you already decide the description of your house, you need to hire an architect or draftsman to make a house plan. An architect will help you to draw the perspective of your house as well as the floor plan of your house. They also know the type of materials you can use for your house and how you can save money and effort for your house. You can get research or get recommendation from friends and family for the right architect for your house.
3. Choose a contractor or home builders
A contractor is one who is responsible for your house construction process. He or she will be the one who will supervise the house during construction and lead the team of skilled workers, laborers, carpenters, electricians, welders, plumbers, etc. Some contractor is also and architect so it may happen that the contractor is also the one who make a house plan. To choose the best contractor, it is important to investigate their work and attitude by visiting their previous work and talk to their previous clients.
4. Approve plans and house specifications
Your architect or contractor will show you their design plan and material specification and it is now ready for your approval. It also shows you the cost of construction and their professional fees. Always double check if you are satisfied with their design and approve also the estimated cost of your contractor. Always make sure that you get the design you want within your budget. At this point you can request revision and adjustment before entering to the construction phase to avoid additional cost of service.
5. Sign construction contract
Make sure to check the construction contract before signing. See if your verbal agreement with your contractor is all written in the contract. The contract includes the scope of work, construction phase with corresponding target dates, schedule of payments, legal issues, warranty, etc.
6. Monitor your house construction
It is very important to keep in touch with your contractor during house construction in order to fix unexpected issues at the earliest possible time to prevent any cost. Regular visits will help you to monitor the quality of work and construction progress.
7. Make a list
A list includes the items that not yet completed; need repairs, or unacceptable quality of works. At the end of construction process, inspect everything with your contractor to know the things that must be addressed.