Give my your best house building tips!

[golfgal]

I would like to build a one level house (they are called ramblers here) with a finished basement. I want a master bedroom on the main level and then 3 bedrooms for the kids in the basement. I am thinking down the road where our kids will start going to college in 5 years and then are out of the house in about 10 years. I would have the laundry room on the main floor, the kids can truck their laundry up and down the stairs, I don't want to have to go up and down stairs any more!

We spent so much time updating this house that I just don't think I have any energy left to do that to another house, thus the reason to build. It would be nice to not have to paint or fix anything for a while.

 

[Poohnatic]

We built our townhouse, then this house six years later.

With the first house, the budget was a big concern, so we deleted a finished basement in order to add a morning room bumpout. It was a good decision, but we never finished the basement. Look at resale in the area that you're planning to build to see what sells if you're not staying in this house forever.

UTILITY SINK!!!!!! We didn't have one in the townhouse and we kicked ourselves many times over for not having one. Had to be extra careful in washing paintbrushes and I had to dye jeans for work. This house has the sink rough in, just need to finish it.

MUD ROOM! I know this has been mentioned, but you can never mention it too many times. Mine has my washer and dryer. It's so nice to be able to close the door on it.

Whatever size of pantry you get, double it. I got a miniscule linen closet that abuts my pantry. Weekend warrior project for us is to pull down the wall and spread out. As it is, it's useless for linens, so it already has all the kitchen electrics.

If your builder offers an appliance package, either delete it or ask for a credit at whatever merchant they were getting them from. We got builders grade GE in our townhouse and everything except the over the range microwave broke within two years. We were offered a similar deal here and we only took the stove as a temporary measure...everything else was purchased by us.

Put in the ceiling fan prewires, cable prewires and phone prewires. We only did three rooms for the cable and wish we'd done more. Our builder talked us into putting a cable hookup our bedroom and we have NEVER had a TV in there. That's where the cable modem is, and it's awkwardly placed, so the router gets poor reception right now. We didn't put in the ceiling fan prewires up north and kicked ourselves. Every bedroom has them now.

Upgrade your carpet or delete it entirely. We got builder's grade in the townhouse with upgraded padding. It was okay. I've got better carpet here, however, I had to pick ONE color for the whole house. It's battleship gray, since I had lighter carpet before and eldest son poured nail polish on it a month after we'd moved into the old place.

I'm sure you'll get a ton of advice. Oh, and whatever the builder says it will take to build, add 1-2 months to it. One house was 3 weeks delayed and the other 5 weeks.

Suzanne

 

[GoofyDad869]

If you live in a part of the country that allows for it, try to have the construction done during the traditionally slower building times of the year. It helps the contractor keep his subcontractors busier throughout the year, and you may find subs scheduling to be less of a hassle then if you and 50 other houses are going up at the same time. You may even be able to save some significant funds with this approach.

Go in with a REALISTIC idea of what it will cost for what level of finish you want. If you realize that what you want can't be built for less than $90/sq.ft // $100/sq.ft. // $120/sq.ft (or whatever your budget will be), then swallow that pill sooner rather than later. It will save you lots of worry & headache. If you know what the actual price of 'x' is, you can be in a better arguing position if worse comes to worse. Try to be flexible. Prices of steel and plastics products are very, very volatile right now - if the contractor can buy your steel or lumber package earlier and store it for later installation at a $10k savings to you, be prepared to go with it financially.

- Architect advertisement ahead -
Have more than just a floor plan and some sample elevations drawn - especially if you want anything much more than a 'basic' home. Spending $2000 to $4000 on a $200,000 home toward a design professional fee will probably get you much bigger dividends at the end of the process than the initial fee cost, especially with construction changes. The 'done on the back of a napkin' design or (even worse) canned design book plans (with "just these few little modifications") make some less-than-legitimate contractors salivate. Worst case, they KNOW beforehand that some (most?) major things haven't even been considered and could take advantage of your situation. In the best of circumstances a builder will high-ball their estimate to give themselves some wiggle room, especially it it appears potentially costly (for them) decisions have yet to be made by the wannabe homeowner. With a basic set of plans they can sharpen their pencils and give you a much more accurate price (usually).
Municipalities are getting more and more sophisticated with hosuing (zoning restrictions, design review boards, permitting processes, etc.) that you may find it prudent to consider an architect. You will usually be better protected legally if things should go south. Inspectors would rather go out to a jobsite with an actual set of plans to compare what's been built versus what should have been...
It doesn't HAVE to be very expensive - a lot of young, unlicensed intern (or recently-licensed) architects 'moonlight' by doing projects on the side (I was guilty of it in my not-so-distant past). Some architectural firms allow their employees this sort of experience. Depending on the size of the house and your location (here in TN it's pretty much any single-family residence less than 10,000sq.ft.), the drawings probably may not need to be stamped by a licensed professional. If you choose to go this route, be comfortable with who you select. It does not have to be an adversarial relationship.
I'm really expected to get flamed by just about any other practicing architect reading this. For any flamers, I can describe in exhaustive detail how my firm handles this sort of project.
- End of architect advertisement -

Be flexible with your personal planning & finances. Don't give yourself two days move-in time if it will actually take three days to do it right.

Be comfortable in your choice of a builder/contractor. It does NOT have to be an adversarial relationship. You will find that changes & scheduling problems go better if everyone understands & RESPECTS everybody else before the proverbial cr@p hits the proverbial fan.

If you're building for retirement - consider aging-in-place design decisions. Every day-to-day function on the same floor, minimize stairs, plan for wider doors & grab-bar installation...

 

[golfgal]

If you live in a part of the country that allows for it, try to have the construction done during the traditionally slower building times of the year. It helps the contractor keep his subcontractors busier throughout the year, and you may find subs scheduling to be less of a hassle then if you and 50 other houses are going up at the same time. You may even be able to save some significant funds with this approach.

Go in with a REALISTIC idea of what it will cost for what level of finish you want. If you realize that what you want can't be built for less than $90/sq.ft // $100/sq.ft. // $120/sq.ft (or whatever your budget will be), then swallow that pill sooner rather than later. It will save you lots of worry & headache. If you know what the actual price of 'x' is, you can be in a better arguing position if worse comes to worse. Try to be flexible. Prices of steel and plastics products are very, very volatile right now - if the contractor can buy your steel or lumber package earlier and store it for later installation at a $10k savings to you, be prepared to go with it financially.

- Architect advertisement ahead -
Have more than just a floor plan and some sample elevations drawn - especially if you want anything much more than a 'basic' home. Spending $2000 to $4000 on a $200,000 home toward a design professional fee will probably get you much bigger dividends at the end of the process than the initial fee cost, especially with construction changes. The 'done on the back of a napkin' design or (even worse) canned design book plans (with "just these few little modifications") make some less-than-legitimate contractors salivate. Worst case, they KNOW beforehand that some (most?) major things haven't even been considered and could take advantage of your situation. In the best of circumstances a builder will high-ball their estimate to give themselves some wiggle room, especially it it appears potentially costly (for them) decisions have yet to be made by the wannabe homeowner. With a basic set of plans they can sharpen their pencils and give you a much more accurate price (usually).
Municipalities are getting more and more sophisticated with hosuing (zoning restrictions, design review boards, permitting processes, etc.) that you may find it prudent to consider an architect. You will usually be better protected legally if things should go south. Inspectors would rather go out to a jobsite with an actual set of plans to compare what's been built versus what should have been...
It doesn't HAVE to be very expensive - a lot of young, unlicensed intern (or recently-licensed) architects 'moonlight' by doing projects on the side (I was guilty of it in my not-so-distant past). Some architectural firms allow their employees this sort of experience. Depending on the size of the house and your location (here in TN it's pretty much any single-family residence less than 10,000sq.ft.), the drawings probably may not need to be stamped by a licensed professional. If you choose to go this route, be comfortable with who you select. It does not have to be an adversarial relationship.
I'm really expected to get flamed by just about any other practicing architect reading this. For any flamers, I can describe in exhaustive detail how my firm handles this sort of project.
- End of architect advertisement -

Be flexible with your personal planning & finances. Don't give yourself two days move-in time if it will actually take three days to do it right.

Be comfortable in your choice of a builder/contractor. It does NOT have to be an adversarial relationship. You will find that changes & scheduling problems go better if everyone understands & RESPECTS everybody else before the proverbial cr@p hits the proverbial fan.

If you're building for retirement - consider aging-in-place design decisions. Every day-to-day function on the same floor, minimize stairs, plan for wider doors & grab-bar installation...

We will use the free architects in the family. DH's brother and his wife are both architects and have already offered to do a house plan for us. We are not planning on building a starter home so I do want some custom elements in the house and I don't want a stock floor plan. We have always lived in older homes so we do want some nicer woodwork and some nooks and crannies that give a home character.

 

[aprincessmom]

What are good ways to save money building, maybe things that could be finished easily later? I don't want to put in builder grade carpet to tear it out 3 weeks after we move in for better stuff but anything else we should consider for cost savings?

Spend the money on things that would be difficult or more expensive to add later (central air, central vac, fireplace, hardwood floors, proper grading and landscaping of your yard). Spend money on things that matter -- carpet pads, good windows and doors, high quality cabinets, insulation. Make sure you wire every room for everything -- it's a huge plus for resale. Don't spend money on things you can easily replace or that will be replaced after a few years (paing, carpeting, appliances).

Don't paint your walls anything but white until you have had a chance to see each room in every season and all different lights. That color may look great but the light the rooms receive will really have an effect on the color.

Pick things that are hard to replace or not everyone's taste in neutrals for resale value -- things like cabinets, bathroom fixtures, countertops. It's easier to blend when your decorating tastes change and it's easier to sell because people can live with it until they save up enough to change it. My sister has peachy-pink bathroom fixtures (tub, sink, and toilet). Nothing goes with it except the colors she has in there now. And she hates them now -- loved them 10 years ago when she moved in -- and there's not much she can do with them.

 

[GoofyDad869]

We will use the free architects in the family. DH's brother and his wife are both architects and have already offered to do a house plan for us.

Shhh-weet!

aprincessmom has some very good suggestions.

Contractor selection - Make sure they are appropriately bonded & insured to do the work. Make sure they're scheduled adequately to do the work in the timeframe you need. Ask for what they usually do if they fall behind in work (don't accept "Well, me and Bob just swing by extra early on Saturdays ifn' we need ta"). Try to find out as much as you can about their subcontractors - but DO NOT EVER communicate directly with the subs (very important if it becomes a legal matter). If you require a penalty for late completion, make sure there's also a corresponding bonus for early completion. Ask for - and actually CALL - those references. Inquire with the Better Business Bureau and the State Licensing Board to see if there's anything you need to know about BEFORE you sign your name on that dotted line.

My biggest suggestion is try to do as much research and learning as early as you can as a homebuilder client. Try not to get sticker shock. I've had some clients who initially believed that they could get what they wanted for much less than what they could actually afford. I try to dissuade them of that belief as early as I can. Better off for everyone involved. It's easier and much cheaper to make any decisions and changes when it's all still just lines on paper (or lines in a CAD file) than when there's concrete in the ground and workers getting paid for standing around waiting for that decision to be made. Once you've made the decision, don't second-guess yourself. That way leads to madness...

You know what you want. When it's being built, show up on site (at different times of day) once or twice a week. Don't come on site with a chip on your shoulder (unless you've got a iron-clad reason to be). Understand the design & construction process to the best of your ability. Stick to your guns (nicely at first, less politely if the situation requires it) on the key things that are important to you, with both the architect and the builder. Pick those battles prudently... If you're nit-picky on everything you won't win every one (and you'll raise a lot of needless animosity along the way). In my experience, those people who 'fight to win' every single battle are the most disatisfied ones 5 or 10 years down the road. The contractor is gonna get paid either way. You will be living in that home for a long time - they won't.

All decisions/changes after that first blade of grass is disturbed need to be documented in writing to all parties. Make sure whatever warranty & repair work needs be done within the constraints of the contract & warranty period. Sooner rather than later.

Do-It-Yourself-ers: I have a lot of handymen in my (actually KAMommy's) extended family. We pour our own concrete, hang framing, build our own decks, hang drywall, paint, and do tilework ourselves... Use (as you're already doing) any freebie expertise as much as you (& they) feel comfortable with. But if something requires a license to do, pay somebody who has that license to do the work (electrical, mechanical & plumbing work in particular).

 

[Ronda93]

Understand the design & construction process to the best of your ability.

Great site for the basics is How Stuff Works home building articles

 

[JimB.]

Make sure you have a performance clause in any contract with a builder, with some accountability for finishing your house late.

Hold some $$$ in escrow for "punch list" items left unfinished at closing.

 

[LoveWDW]

Very good suggestions in this thread!

We were the general contractors on our house and it was a nightmare and exhausting because we did a lot of the grunt work to keep costs down. I wouldn't do it again. We only did it this time because there was nothing around for sale that we liked.

Something we did was to examine our lifestyle and what was important to us. So we made the place low maintenance- all brick, all plastic soffets and windowsills etc, seamless gutters, interior shutters, built-ins- besides the usual kitchen cabinets we have built-in cabinets in the dining and living rooms and many built in bookshelves. We have closets between every bedroom for sound barriers. We made the kitchen a huge kitchen and eliminated the wall that would have made it into a family room and kitchen. Our lifestyle is informal, so we didn't feel that we needed a formal living room that would sit around unused most of the time. So our one big living room is also the family room.

 

[tubaman]

My biggest advice for building a house...I don't have any.

 

[rt2dz]

You have received a lot of great advice. Some other advice I have is use a realator that specializes in new home construction. They will have a great idea of what builders are better for you to start the builder interview process. Yes, interview several builders (and reference check as pp said) before deciding on one. The realator can also help you know what stage you should be at when; a much better advocate for you than trying to do it all on your own with the builder. He/she can also help you pick the "right" area/neighborhood.

Also, use a home inspector before you close just as you would with a resale. THAT was my huge, horrible mistake with our current house--not using the inspector because it was new and would have to pass code.

Something worth repeating--don't be the biggest, best home in the neighborhood. Don't be in the bottom half either. Remember what is popular in one area, isn't in another. Same with costs. Where one sis lives, it is terribly expensive to use brick (here, super cheap), but stone is cheap where she lives and will cost you an arm and a leg here.

Don't start the house until you know extactly what you want. It will keep those extra's from not popping up. Know what are your MUSTS, and what you want but are willing to compromise on. For us, a must is his & her walk-in cedar closets in the master suite. My marriage depends on it--we can not share a closet, DH is way to much of a slob. Ok, the cedar part isn't a complete must. What else I'd like in the master suite is a master retreat with a morning bar. The morning bar is completely negotatable and I'm willing to sacrifice the master retreat if and only if we can't afford it with our other musts.

Also worth repeating, look to the future. If you are going to retire there, make sure all the doors & hallways and bathrooms are wheelchair accessable or in some cases easily converted. Also, look at upcoming trends. By the time you are ready to sell, these will be standards.

 

[puffkin]

Here are my tips:

-keep your house in line with others in the neighborhood. Don't price yourself out of the neighborhood.

-You can never have too many kitchen cabinets. I would get cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling if you can (and not leave that extra foot of space at the top). It makes for a lot of extra storage for those things you don't use often. Consider adding a kitchen island, I love mine.

- Add a pantry if possibly. Especially nice for storing larger appliances and bulky food items.

- Go with the highest grade carpet pad possible. It isn't that expensive and makes a huge difference.

- To me, lights are important....I upgraded all my lights and it was one of the cheapest things we did. And I think it makes a huge difference to not have the standard lighting package and makes our house look unique from the outside.

- Laundry on the second floor (or floor where your bedrooms are). So glad we did this, I love it.

- If you are doing a 2 story, have zones put in for your heating and air conditioning. It really helps conserve energy. (We didn't think to do this). Also have programmable thermostats put in, they are dirt cheap.

- Outlets, outlets, outlets. Inside and out. Don't forget the basement and garage. Also put in plenty of phone and cable outlets so you can move your furniture easily. Also, come into a room from every entry way and determine where you want light switches. We missed a couple that we wish we had now. We also had all our rooms prewired for ceiling fans for future installation. We also had our garage door openers prewired, then had someone come in and install them after we moved in. If you are ever going to get something like a security system, network, or surround sound, I would also consider getting it prewired.

 

[SueM in MN]

Also worth repeating, look to the future. If you are going to retire there, make sure all the doors & hallways and bathrooms are wheelchair accessable or in some cases easily converted. Also, look at upcoming trends. By the time you are ready to sell, these will be standards.

Standard for wheelchairs is at least 32 inches of free space to get thru the doorway and hall. Turning space is 5 feet.
We have all 36 inch interior doors and 42 inch exterior doors. It is nice even when not dealing with DD's wheelchair to have that extra few inches of space.