Wanting to Build Next Spring? You better start the process NOW!

If you are thinking you would like to build a home sometime next spring, you better get the ball rolling right now.

The success of your project and the satisfaction you'll have with your home is directly related to the preparation work you put in before any construction takes place.

Here's a brief overview of the steps you'll need to take before you can start building:

Location: Where do you want to build? Do you already have the land or will you need to buy?  Knowing where you are going to build and the terrain and landscape will have a big impact on how you build and the costs.  If you already own the land and it is big enough to have several locations to choose from, then check out the sites with an eye to all seasons and the position of the sun relative to the home.   Are there any shade trees to take advantage of?  What about the slope of the property, water drainage, access, views, neighbors, privacy?

Finding a lot or land to build on takes time to do the research and get it right.  Choose the wrong neighbors or neighborhodd and you've just made the biggest financial mistake of your life (for most of us).

Plans/Design: This is where most people start the process, but the land can have a major impact on design.  Especially if you are wanting an energy efficient and green home.  Take advantage of nature provides.  Besides the usual number of bedrooms, etc., how do you design to take advantage of natural light, passive heating for the winter, shading in the summer and window and porch placement for minimum solar heat gain in the summer and maximum solar heat gain in the winter?  

What energy performance do you want from you home?  There's much more to that question than how much insulation to use.  There are so many different and more cost effective ways to build than conventional stick framing.  What impact does material selection have not only on energy performance, but on safety and insurance premiums?  Do you use ICF, SIPs, steel, bermed, domed, timber, logs, underground?

Getting your plans done generally takes several months of going back and forth.  The fastest I've ever seen done has been about 30 days.  You can use some of the DIY software, but I highly recommend that once you play with the design yourself, you have the plans redone professionally.  In some places, you will have to have stamped plans anyway in order to get your permits.

Get your professional team together: Once you have an idea of what you want to build and how you'd like to build it, its time to call in the professionals.  You will need at least 5 before you find a builder or do it yourself:

1. Architect or plan designer.
2. Soils Engineer.
3. Foundation Engineer.
4. If you're in Texas, and your in a development, then you'll need a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan engineer, otherwise known as SWP3.  
5. An Energy Audit Company. 
   

Most of these professionals are not part of a builders quote to build your home, but they are critical if you are serious about getting the best home and value you can. 

Interviewing and selecting these people can go smoothly or can take a while.  The toughest fit is you and the architect or plan designer.  If the personalities and working styles don't mesh, there will be a great deal of frustration.  I know because I've had to help untangle some of those hair-balls.

For the full explaination of who these people are and what they do and why you need them, check that out here:

Blog Entry: Building Quality Custom Homes: The 5 professionals you need BEFORE you need a builder

Get your financing:  (Note to all mortgage types: please comment on your programs, processes and timelines for new custom construction.) This used to be pretty easy to do, but in today's market, this is the hardest part of the process unless you can pay all cash.   Remember, not only do you have to get the construction financing, you also have to have the permanent financing in place for when the home is completed.  And market conditions will change during the construction of your home.  So be prepared to pay more on your permanent financing than what you're quoted today.

Find your builder:  This is not the first step, it should be the last.  The reason for this is you want to have all your plans and requirements nailed down so you know what you are interviewing for.  It is easier to see if you have a fit with your builder if you already have all the details and requirements laid out.  You can have a direct and unambiguous discussion about your project, requirements, timeframes and costs.  Nothing causes more heartburn than to wing-it on the cost of some line-items only to get to the actual construction and find the costs are way over the budget.

Does your builder have the experience with the green technologies you want?  Different building materials or do they only do "sticks".  What about solar panels, wind generators, backup generators, radiant heat flooring, geo-thermal systems, rain water collection systems, . . . ? (Hint: we do)

Too many times I've seen an owner leave major decisions to a builder only to have the project get into trouble on costs, timeframes or features. 

At this point, some of you may be saying "But wait, isn't this what a builder should do for me?"  That depends on who you select as a builder and how much trust you have in their abilities to get it done properly.

Remember, a builder's goal is the build the least home they can for the most money.  A home owners objective is to build the best home they can with value.  These two sets of objectives are worlds apart. 

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Another way to approach building your home is to hire a home construction & consulting company.  That is what I do here at North Texas Help-U-Build.  I provide the assistance, information, network and guidance to help you through the critical first steps of home construction, all the way through actual construction and to move-in. NTxHUB specializes in green building technologies such as ICF, SIP, Timberframe, Log, Bermed, Steel and even the lowly stick-frame technique.

NTxHUB provides different levels of service to fit your needs:

• Consulting only
• Set you up to be your general contractor (no experience needed)
• Shell construction.  We build the shell, get it in the dry (walls and roof), and you do the finishout.
• Turn-key, full General Contractor services, all you have to do is move in.
  

NTxHUB is also part of the Preferred Builders Network of Texas.  No matter where you're building, your new home starts here!

Here are a few more posts on the different construction technologies that you can use:

Green Home Building 101: What is ICF and what does it do for my home?

Green Home Building 101: Just what exactly are "SIP"s?

Green Home Building 101: Steel Framed Homes

Green Home Building 101: Log Homes

6 Reasons to use an Independent Energy Audit Company for Your New Home

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Need to sell your home before you build your dream home?  Want to sell it faster and for more money?  Then have it Solar Certified!  Check it out at www.solarcertifiedhomes.com.