Mistakes To Avoid When Building A New Home

Building a new home is exciting for all as you get to decide how you’d want your home to look like. Whether it’s a small or a big house, you get to choose the architectural style, features, location etc. But wait, have you thought about every tiny detail concerning your brand new home?

You’ll have to do a lot of planning and research if you’re thinking about building a new home. Any tiny mistake will not just cost you a lot of money but also your time. That’s why it’s best if you’re aware of all the small and big mistakes to avoid when building a new house.

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1. Poor House Plan And Design

It’s natural to get all excited when it comes to building your own house. But in that excitement, many people first consult contractors and builders and hurry up the building process. But what you need to get first is a professional house floor plan. You’d probably be spending a lot of time at home and it’s a place that would mean a lot to you and your family. So make sure to give your house’s floor plan a lot of thought.

Your house floor plan will include all the details like the square footage of your home, the layout of windows and doors, room sizes, wall lengths, etc. So this floor plan will serve as a blueprint of your house. You’ll be approaching contractors, builders, plumbers, flooring specialists, electricians, etc. while building your house. If you have an up-to-date and detailed floor plan, it’ll help them avoid any mistakes during the build.

Here are certain things to consider when making your house floor plan:

• Number of family members
• Lifestyle
• Location of your house and site conditions
• The basic structure of your house
• Storage space in your house
• Size of the furniture you want
• Drainage system
• Safety measures

2. Agreeing Upon A Wrong Location

One of the words you’ll most commonly hear when making plans for your new house with architects and contractors is location. But is location really that important? Let’s consider a situation wherein you get a location for a very cheap price from the landowner. Everybody would take up that choice to save a few bucks, right? But wait, how about understanding the location first? Do keep in mind that the market value of your home can be heavily influenced by its location.

There are several factors you need to consider before choosing a location for your house. Regardless of how well you design your house, the location will still be an important factor. The kind of neighborhood that surrounds the house, its proximity to the city, countryside, your workplace, child’s school, healthcare center, etc. should help you choose the right location. As you can see, the location of your home can also significantly influence your day-to-day lifestyle. So see to it that you don’t underestimate the importance of location when building a house.

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3. Choosing The Wrong Home Builder

You may have so many ideas about the kind of design you’d like for your home; whether it needs to be stylish and glamorous or if it should have a rustic feel to it. To help you turn this vision into reality, you’ll need the help of a home builder. Your home builder will help you take care of all the details regarding constructing your home. Since there’s such a huge responsibility on the builder, it’s good if you hire someone who’s open-minded, communicative and above all someone who respects your thoughts and ideas.

It’s important that you do thorough research about the builder you’re thinking of hiring. You can check the portfolios and reviews of the builders that your friends have referred to you. Once you have an idea about whether a particular builder is licensed, the builder’s workmanship, bidding, hidden costs, etc., you can narrow down your options and choose wisely. Your builder will be working with you throughout the process of building your house. So see to it that you don’t get fooled by the cheapest bidding offered to you.

4. Signing Contracts Without Reviewing Them

Before you agree upon working with any contractor or builder, you’ll have to first sign a written contract or agreement. Make sure that all the details concerning the construction of your house like cost projections, schedule details, etc. are mentioned in the agreement. One thing you should be mindful of is not to hurry while signing the contract. If you sign a contract without understanding it, your builder can surprise you with any kind of hidden costs at the last minute. Your work can also get delayed because of a contract that’s not properly detailed.

That’s why we recommend you hire a lawyer who can help you with this legal paperwork. You can hire a lawyer to write a contract for preparing and reviewing the contract with your builder. Keep in mind that any ambiguities in your contract can make you responsible for any kind of delays or extra costs for the construction of your home.

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5. Neglecting The HVAC System

It’s easy to get carried away with different things like the flooring design of your home or the color of your walls when building a new home. But what about the energy efficiency and the safety of your health in your home? Most people tend to neglect the importance of HVAC when building homes. You need to remember that the heat, airflow, ventilation, air conditioning, etc. plays a very important role in building your new home.

If you overlook the importance of HVAC, you’re likely to experience moisture issues that can turn into mold issues, thereby having a negative impact on your health. With an automated HVAC system, you won’t have to worry about spending more on your energy bills. The best thing about these systems is that they can even control the climate inside your home.

6. Using Poor Quality Building Materials

One of the most important things regarding building a new home is the quality of building materials. You may encounter various contractors who will offer you building materials for cheap rates. It’s natural to want to save some money when building a home as there are so many other costs you need to take care of. But you need to ask yourself, would you rather save a few bucks or regret building a house when it starts falling apart after five years?

You need to be very careful when it comes to choosing building materials for your home. If you get poor quality materials, you will face problems such as leakages, concrete cracks, improper ceilings, leakage in your drainage pipes, etc. Getting cheap building materials means you are compromising on the durability and effective installations of your home.

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7. Not Considering The Placement Of Rooms

When you make your house floor plan, you’ll have to be very mindful of the placement of all the rooms. Depending on your needs, you can choose to have a bedroom, playroom if you have kids, a laundry room if you like having your dryers and washing machine in one fixed place, gym, etc. In case you plan on having a garage, see to it that you keep your bedrooms and playroom away from that area. Nobody wants to hear the sound of vehicles and honking in the bedroom.

Having a playroom for kids and a gym to work out is a good idea. But you need to ask yourself, do you really need these rooms? You wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money on making these rooms just to realise nobody uses them. If your kids like to play outside and spend most of their time at school or outside the house, you can rethink having a playroom. The same goes for a gym or guest room. With every additional room that you have, the cost of building is going to increase. So if you think your gym or guest room will turn out to be a storeroom for dumping all your unwanted things, it’s better not to have it.

8. Going Above Your Budget

This is one of the most overlooked things when it comes to building a new home. Building your own new home is something that you’ll be looking forward to. Naturally, you’ll have dozens of ideas for your new home. But before you get started with the construction, you’ll need to have a rough estimate of how much the entire process will cost you.

That’s why it’s good if you plan a budget for yourself before you start building your new home. The kind of interior design you choose, the location of your house, paint colors, materials for building, and the bid to your contractor are some of the things you need to consider. You’ll have to plan for all these expenses before you start constructing your house. This will help you make any changes in your house plan in case you feel you’re going over or under your budget.

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9. Getting Influenced By Opinions Of Others

Building a new home for yourself for the first time can be really challenging. You can seek help from contractors, builders, and your close friends who have gone through this process before. But this can even make things worse for you. Your contractor or friends may bombard you with too many interior designs that you may not be interested in or which can go beyond your budget.

But in this process, don’t overlook the fact that your family’s lifestyle choices and needs are best known by you. Letting someone else decide things for you may not help you build a home that you want to live in. It’s good to get suggestions from your contractors or relatives, but in the end, it should be your decision. All you have to do is prioritize your and your family’s needs and then decide what house plan and design best suit you.

10. Overlooking The Importance Of A Home Inspection

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be eager to move into your new home. After all, it’s the beginning of a new chapter of your life in a new place. In this hurry, there is one important thing that you shouldn’t miss out on, your home inspection. You can seek help from a professional to do a thorough inspection of your home before you move in.

Even a newly-built home can have flaws and so it’s important to assure yourself of a safe home before you start living there. There will be several things like plumbing, installation of appliances, drainage system, electrical wiring, etc. that need to be examined by a professional. When you hire a professional inspector, see to it that the person is certified either by the American Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home Inspectors.

Conclusion

Building your own house can seem like a dream come true. Just keep in mind the needs and lifestyle preferences of you and your family members. With proper planning, you can surely build a house which you can call your home. Just make sure that you avoid the mistakes mentioned above. We wish you all the very best in building and designing your humble abode.

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FAQs

What Should You Avoid In A New Home?

There are several mistakes you need to be aware of and avoid when you’re building a new home. Those include a poor house floor plan, wrong location, hiring unprofessional builders, using poor quality materials, neglecting HVAC and home inspection, etc.

What Is The Most Common Source Of Major Problems In New Home Construction?

One of the most common sources of major problems in new home constructions is the usage of poor quality materials. Your home is likely to suffer from leakages, concrete cracks, dropping ceilings, leakage in drainage pipes, etc. In worst-case scenarios, the durability of your house can be so bad that certain parts of your house like rooftops, ceilings or walls may just fall off.

How Do I Choose A Good Home Builder?

First and foremost, make sure that the builder is licensed and has been in the business for a while. You can ask for the builder’s portfolio to know more about the person’s work. Otherwise, you can ask your friends or relatives for references. Don’t forget to ask the builder all kinds of questions regarding building a new house and the kind of materials to be used.

Why Do New Build Houses Crack?

There are several reasons as to why new build houses crack. It can be because of poor quality building materials used for construction, moisture changes in the materials used, drying shrinkage, settlement of the ground, etc.

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