It’s no secret that building your dream home CAN be stressful. Let’s face it… we all have that friend who experienced a horrific homebuild. Some of the stories we’ve heard are enough to make anyone want to bury their head in the sand and forget the whole idea. That said, while homebuilding can be stressful- it doesn’t HAVE to be.
In anything, a team is only as strong as it’s weakest link. So you need to think long & hard about your design/build team and make sure that they are not your weak link. You’re the client & you don’t build homes for a living. YOU should be the weak link! You cannot compromise when it comes to hiring your builder….
Are they organized or is their truck piled with papers and files on the floor?
Are they taking notes on their burger wrapper? Do they respond to your questions in a timely manner or do they wait until you’re ready to file a missing person’s report before getting back to you?
And. most importantly, are they stressed out and out-of-control? If they are, it’s likely that your build will be too! Your experience will only be as great as the people that you trust to manage it. This is the single most important choice you will make throughout the entire build.
Before buying into this myth, you have to ask yourself WHY you want to build a custom home. Really, WHY? Building a custom home means expressing all of your ideas, dreams and passions and watching them literally grow into the absolute perfect home for you! If that doesn’t excite you, then you may be better suited to buy resale and be on with it. Building a custom home will take anywhere from 4-7 months in Atlantic Canada depending on a few variables. Consider how long you’ve spent planning and thinking about your dream house… for some of people (*cough* me *cough*), planning started when they were just a kid! A custom home is more than just a house… it’s already a home- before it’s even started. Isn’t that worth a few months of your time?
Ahh, yes. The classic over-budget myth. Last month, we wrote a post titled 4 Signs That Your New Build Will Go Over Budget
because we know that it IS possible to stay on budget. In fact, there are builders out there who do not go over budget at all- the trick is finding them. Builders who stay on budget accurately price the house in the first place. They ask you questions about specific items in the home (Think: doorknobs vs. levers) & they “get” your vision. If you’re thinking “Four Seasons” and your builder is thinking “Holiday Inn”, you will go over budget. That’s why it’s a MUST that you and your builder/designer are on the same page from Day 1.
Closing is important. After all, who wants to show up with a moving truck and find their new home unfinished? Delayed moves, extra costs, stress and safety are just some of the possible outcomes of not finishing the new home on time. That said, closing a new home on time does not require the Delorean… The requirements to closing on time include “fancy” things like a scheduling system for tradespeople, an experienced project manager who can solve problems on the spot and an organized, clear communication system. Not sure if you’re builder has these systems in place? Then ask for references! Past clients are often more than eager to share their experience with you (good or bad).
What else have you heard about home building? Let us know- we LIVE to show people that bad practice in our industry doesn’t have to be the norm! Comment below or tweet us @martellhomes.