A couple weeks ago we had a post about buying vs building your home. To take it a step further we thought we’d go deeper into the process of building a home. This is an ideal choice for many because you get to make so many of the final choices on design, finishes, etc. However, the building process isn’t always as flawless as they make it seem on HGTV. The best way to better understand the process was to talk to someone who’s recently been through it! Lucky for us one of our team members moved to Bozeman a couple years ago and built their home near downtown. She offers some wonderful insight and advice into the home buying process…
WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT BUILDING YOUR HOME RATHER THAN BUYING AN EXISTING ONE?
The appeal to building was definitely that we could have everything the way we wanted it to be. My husband and I wanted to be able to choose all of the finishes from the floors to the cabinet hardware. Homes are a huge investment. It makes sense to me that you should get exactly what you want. Having said that though, building wasn't our original plan. We went to quite a few showings and open houses before deciding to build. However, there were always things that we wanted to change about the homes.
Our realtor, Cory Robinson was very patient and understanding with us through this learning process. It is a process. At first we were interested in townhomes and condos because my husband travels quite a bit. The idea of low maintenance living was a draw for us but we decided we couldn't give up a private backyard. So we decided we wanted a single family home. This presented another issue. We wanted to stay under 3,000 SF and it was difficult to find a smaller home with the higher end finishes we were after. This is when we realized we weren't going to be satisfied unless we built the home ourselves. Cory was an excellent resource and guided us through the buying process. It's so important to have a realtor to be your representative if you're serious about buying to get inside information that only experienced agents have access to.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT THE HOME BUILDING PROCESS?
I was surprised at how all-consuming building your own home is. For months I literally spent every spare minute researching building products and deciding on finishes. Some people might not spend the time and energy that I did, it is certainly not required. I loved every minute of it though and realized a few months after finishing that I was missing the project.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE HOME BUILDING PROCESS FOR YOU?
Shopping! Picking out all of the finishes was the best part. For some this might seem daunting or stressful, but I enjoyed researching products and price shopping. This also allowed us to get more creative with the finishes and find things that the local stores didn't carry. Our builder was wonderful and allowed us to order most of our fixtures online. Not all builders will allow you to do this. Many will make you use their suppliers for everything. Honestly there are positives to both sides of this. Our builder had great relations with local companies and that can really make things run smoother. We were very aware from the beginning that for this to work successfully we'd need to have fixtures ready and waiting for the subcontractors. Otherwise delays would occur and the blame would be solely with us…these are things to consider!
WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF THE HOME BUILDING PROCESS FOR YOU?
Time. It's a very long process from beginning to end. Finding the right lot to build on, the designing process, finding a builder you trust, plan approval/permitting, and the actual construction all take time. Buying a completed home in the neighborhood of your choice is by far the quicker and easier route to take.
HOW WAS THE TIME FRAME…DID THINGS GO AS PLANNED? WHAT CAUSED THE BIGGEST DELAYS?
For the most part things went according to plan. We did have a hiccup right at the beginning of the construction. In order to receive financing it's necessary to have an appraisal done before the banker or lender will approve your loan. We were fairly certain that our appraisal would come in where it needed to be but there was a several week wait for the appraiser to process ours. In a healthy market like Bozeman's appraisers can be very busy and their schedules can fill up. We wanted to start construction immediately as we'd already received approval from the city. We decided to pay for the initial site prep and concrete work out of pocket. We knew we could be reimbursed for this if we needed to once the loan was approved. We also knew if the loan wasn't approved we would have been in a bit of trouble. This was a calculated risk and I would not recommend this for everyone who is anxious to get started building. However, it worked out well for us as our appraisal came in above what we needed and we didn't lose precious time.
There were other little bumps along the way. Keep in mind that any changes to the plans you make after the fact can add weeks to the construction schedule. Our builder was able to finish within a few weeks of the completion date we set. We were very happy with this. You should be mentally prepared for unexpected things to happen.
ANYTHING ABOUT BUILDING A HOME IN BOZEMAN THAT YOU THINK WAS DIFFERENT THAN SOMEWHERE ELSE?
Having built homes in Florida prior to building a home in Bozeman there are several differences...
Cost of labor and materials was quite a bit higher here. The cost of living here is higher than where I moved from. If you're moving here from Maui you might not feel the same way.
There is definitely seasonality to construction here. You really need to be dried in by the time winter hits. Starting construction in January when the ground is frozen presents a problem too. Ideally I think you'd want to start in Spring. I would say six to nine months is a typical time frame for a custom home in Bozeman. Those expectations were set in the beginning so we understood and planned for this.
Building in a climate that has temperatures regularly below freezing presented issues that I had never considered before. Pipes need to be in the interior walls to protect them from freezing. Having a well-insulated home is always important but it's even more necessary here in Montana.
WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE PLANNING TO BUILD A HOME IN BOZEMAN?
Find a realtor that you are comfortable with. They are a valuable resource for helping you understand the market. It's important to have someone that is looking out for your interests when it comes to purchasing real estate.
If you plan to use an architect be sure to interview several. The same goes for contractors. Ask three to four contractors to bid on your plans. I'm not recommending this so you can find the cheapest builder. You need to be able to have a great relationship with your builder. You will be working closely with them for 6-9 months. During the bidding process you will get to know them and understand how they operate which is very important.
Make sure that any contract you sign protects you as well as your architect or builder. Don't feel like you can't question or change something in the contract they propose. You should never be caught off guard by something that is clearly written in the contract. For the building process to go well you need to feel completely comfortable with any agreements you enter in to.
Know your budget and stick to it! If your contract is one that includes allowances for items make sure you know them well. I tracked every purchase we made with a simple spreadsheet. This doesn't mean you can't splurge on something that's important to you. It's ok to buy the beautiful gas range if you're able to spend less money on the cabinets. If you have to have that amazing 12' folding door that opens out to your back patio be prepared to find a less expensive wood floor. Honestly most people tend to go over budget by 15-20% on their allowances. If you don't want this to be you then take the time to stay on top of your spending.
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