A newly constructed home has the benefit of being built to your needs and specifications, but with it comes a bit more complicated process. Here are a few tips to help keep your newly constructed home buying process smooth!
Hire an Inspector
While builders do have to comply with town and city regulations, it can be best to still have a home inspector on your side. Your home inspector will have only your best interests in mind, and can often notice something that the builder has missed. Depending on your needs, up to 3 inspections might be needed for a new construction home: Foundation Inspection, Pre-Drywall Inspection, and a Final Inspection. If possible, attend your inspections so that you can ask any questions you have about your new home, as well as make sure the builder addresses any problems the inspector finds.
Communication With Your Builder is Key
Starting with the pre-construction meeting, where you go over the details of your home with your project manager, it is critical to establish a line of communication, including a schedule of when to expect updates. The builder might email you an update each Friday, perhaps with photos on progress (which can be especially helpful if you are an out of state buyer). Make sure to be aware if the builder is available to call, and how often, as well as when you can visit the site.
Check for Builder's Incentives
New construction homes allow for you to customize each part that you need; add a larger countertop to your kitchen, or maybe a back porch. However, additions like these often have additional costs, and they can add up! Some builders offer incentives that can help mitigate the costs of your home. You will want to check what sort of incentives are being offered by builders in your area.
Schedule Extra Time for the Process
There are multiple variables that can impact the progress and timeline for your home. Weather, especially in the fall and winter, can often have an effect on how long the construction takes. Rain can delay the pouring of foundation, or other beginning steps of construction, while snow can freeze pipes and your timeline.
Most builders already plan a one or two week buffer into their timelines, to accommodate these slowing factors. Be sure to keep this in mind, especially if you are in the process of selling your current home!
Visit the Site
As mentioned previously, schedule time with your project manager a minimum of once a week to see the progress on your home. Sometimes you can find little details that the builder may have forgotten or overlooked, and it is better to find these during the process, not after!
Don't forget to take pictures! You can use them later to check exactly where that pipe or wiring is, once your home is more completed and these things are covered by drywall.
Watching your home come to life can be an exhilarating experience, that sometimes comes with some hassles. Following these tips should help you avoid some of those headaches!
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