In our previous posts in this series we discussed the preliminary steps of building a Cincinnati patio home, selecting the right patio home community, floor plan selection, pricing/financing your patio home and the contract and design selections and the preconstruction meeting.
All the paperwork has been done, the blueprints created and the permits approved, so it's time to actually get started on the building of your new patio home!
Typically within a few weeks of the preconstruction meeting the builder will start your home. Actual build times are 3-5 months (it will vary based on time of year, weather, how big and how busy the builder is, availability of subcontractors, etc.).
The initial phase will involve a lot of dirt moving! Grading the lot, and if your patio home will have a basement, digging the hole for the foundation. Assuming no difficulties with soil or some big rock left over from a glacier moving it, the builder will get the hole dug, the forms up and the concrete poured. Once this is done, you're going to know EXACTLY where your home is on the lot.
Once the framing starts, the building will happen pretty quickly. Obviously the builder wants to get the walls up and the roof covered as quickly as possible because that removes a lot of weather influence on the home's schedule.
Before you know it, the home will reach the "pre-drywall" phase. If ever you're going to have a home inspector (and despite what the builder's reps ALWAYS say, YES, we recommend you have one) now is the time. Once the drywall goes up, you no longer know how the piping, wiring, ducting and other items behind the walls look.
Most builders have no real objection to your visting the building of your home, but that's with caveats:
- BE CAREFUL! A home in process is a hazardous place. Sharp pointy things everywhere, holes in the floor, holes in the ground, no handrails, etc.
- Don't interfere with the work. Fact is, best not to come around when the workers are working. Check the home in the evening or on weekends, although that is no guarantee that no one will be there.
- Don't ask for "favors" from the workers. Bringing the site supe a case of craft beer and asking for some changes/modifications isn't going to go over well.
- Don't do anything to the home. You don't own it YET, so no painting, landscaping or anything else. LOOK only.
- And bonus tip, you probably don't want to wear your best clothes and shoes. Until sidewalks are in, the ground is often pretty muddy and it's often clay and not packed down so you'll sink fast (been there, done that trying to show new construction homes!!).
All in all, it's an interesting process to watch a collection of "sticks and bricks" become your dream home. Good builders WILL keep you updated. Most of those we have worked with know communication is key, and at a minimum will call/email weekly with updates on what happened the last week on your home and what's planned for the next week.
As we get closer to completion, the builder will bring in your flooring, cabinets, counters and other special touches that you're looking forward to seeing. Those items do tend toward the end of the process to prevent the risk of construction damage.
While the build is happening, you'll be working parallel path with your loan officer to finalize the money side of the equation.
Okay, that's it for this phase of the post's series, next up will be the final steps and the closing of your home.
Topics in the series:
Pricing & Financing your patio home
The Contract and making design selections
The build phase (including should I hire my own home inspector?)
Final steps and completing the purchase
Ready to get started? Just give Bill a call at 513-520-5305 and we can discuss how we can help you build that perfect patio home!
Serving the Cincinnati patio home market,
Liz and Bill aka BLiz
P.S. Need help selling your home? We don't just help patio home buyers, we also help home sellers of all types of housing, not just patio homes. So if you need to sell to buy, we can provide you one stop service.
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