Congratulations on your decision to become a homeowner. You’ll find that there are a lot of decisions to make to improve your living space and make your dreams a reality. However, getting started can be a little overwhelming, which is why we have created this guideline to help you identify the first thing to do as well as the subsequent steps.
If you do not already have a builder, Konnect Building Solutions is a premier home building company in Bexley, New South Wales, Australia to contact. They provide excellent custom home-building solutions and can work with you to make your dream home a reality.
Now that you’re ready to become a homeowner, here are the steps you should take.
Sort Your Priorities
The first and most important part of building a house is knowing what you want and how to achieve those things. While this may sound obvious, it is the most important step toward a successful building project.
Sorting your priorities involves understanding your wants and needs and prioritising every other process to make the project a reality. You need to consider the goal for your home, whether it’s a family home, a duplex, or a bungalow, the location, the budget, as well as what will go into it.
You need to have a plan for the number of rooms, bathrooms, yards, and other spaces. You should also consider additions that can improve your quality of life and ensure that your home remains a safe haven for you in years to come.
This stage also includes brainstorming the materials you wish to install in your home, from the paint type and colour to the countertop materials, bathroom types, vanities, kitchen cabinets, roof type, and more.
Having a clear goal in mind will help you map out the right strategies while also preparing you for the financial weight of the project.
Set Your Budget
Priorities are important, but they are made real only when supported by your budget. With the dream home designed and materials decided, now’s the time to discuss your budget and determine whether you can comfortably afford all items you’ve mapped out.
One of the best things about budgeting is that it gives you a clear description of what can be afforded and can help to shape your dreams and priorities.
To get the most out of your budget, we advise splitting the budget into phases.
The Building Budget: This budget caters to the design and build of the property. In most cases, this budget will be near accurate, especially as you’ll be relying on quotes from custom builders who have years of experience designing your dream home.
You may need to scout for some existing quotes or ask around your area to know how much custom homes cost on average. Recent statistics show that an average square foot can cost between $150 and $300, depending on the extent of customization.
Furnishing Budget: Your furnishing budget isn’t standard and will depend largely on your taste. Some furnishing budgets often exceed the building project by up to 4 times. This budget will cover things like furniture, carpet, cabinets, countertops, vanities, etc.
You may need to discuss with a building contractor to get an idea of how much your preferred furnishing costs.
Finishing Budget: A beautiful home is marked by its final outcome. The finishing budget caters to that final outcome. This budget will cover things like the sidings, fence, lawn and landscape, decking, driveway, and any other lighting feature or hardscape feature.
This budget is similar to the furnishing budget as it depends largely on your taste and what will be added to your home.
Hire The Right Team
Custom home building projects are unlike regular or traditional builds. They involve building to meet the customer’s dreams, meaning you need the right team to deliver the expected results.
There are two options for assembling the dream team for your custom-build project. You can either hire a large firm to handle everything or hire the contractors individually.
Of course, hiring a large firm to handle the entire process is often less stressful as you’ll have a project manager who will keep you updated on the progress of the project. On the other hand, hiring individual contractors may sometimes be cheaper.
You’ll need to consider the pros and cons of each option. If you’ve chosen to hire individual contractors, the important pieces include;
- An architect
- A designer
- A builder
- A realtor or real estate agent
- A structural engineer
- A landscaper
- Other trades and vendors
Having all of these ready you can then discuss land or building lots with your real estate agent, who will leverage their network and connection to find the right piece for your dream project.
