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Home prices in Toronto have risen by 8.7% from the previous year. Interestingly, there has been a shrinking supply of homes for sale in the market, which has driven sales high as buyers compete for what’s available in the market.
Given the situation, potential home buyers are likely to settle for a house that doesn’t have all the features they desire. You don’t have to! Building a custom home is an option that will guarantee you your dream home.
If you want to build a custom home, you need to be ready to make sacrifices. Unlike purchasing a production home, a custom home is quite involved, and it will demand more money, effort, and time. Check out this guide to learn more about how to build a custom home.
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1. Define Your Budget and Time Frame
Your budget is what will define the rest of the steps in getting your custom home. You need to have a clear budget to know the direction to take. Without a budget in mind, it’s impossible to determine the size of the house to build, design features, or even the location.
In your budgeting, you have to factor in the cost of land, home construction, and landscaping. Other considerations, such as taxes, local fees, design, and interior decorations, should be part of your budget. Having a comprehensive financial plan will save you from frustrations in the building process.
A custom home might be quite pricey. You might decide to take out a loan, analyze your credit report, and reach out to multiple lenders to compare the rates. More importantly, you’ll need to have a down payment.
You’re probably hoping to get into your new home as soon as possible. It is vital to work with dates so that you can gauge the progress. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that building a custom home can take more time than the typical home buyer.
2. Find Suitable Land to Build a Custom Home
Finding a lot for your family home isn’t a step to take lightly. The location will determine the aesthetic and structural nature of your custom home. A wrong move in the location of your house can change multiple aspects of your dream home.
It would help to factor in the size of the lot, proximity to neighbors, and accessibility to amenities. You might also want to consider the topography. Working with a professional from the onset ensures that you get quality land.
An architect will guide you in getting the right type of land that will be consistent with the home you want. The professional can gauge the land and inform you if there are any constraints or needed modifications. Unless you have an already existing property, consulting with a building professional will give you an edge.
3. Design Your Dream House
Now that you have a ready lot, the next step is designing. You’ll love this phase as you get to choose the kind of home that you’ll like. With endless options to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Your custom home shouldn’t be basic. Make it unique! Isn’t that the reason you are making your home from scratch?
While you might be hoping to move in within a few months, avoid skimping through the designing stage. Take time to research the design styles. You can pick several traditional or modern styles, which you can later analyze with your architect.
Choosing the best custom home builder will allow you to have an easier design phase. The professional will guide you through the ideas based on your budget. You need to have enough pictorials of your dream house so that your architect will get a clue about the design you prefer.
4. Determine the Size of Your Home
When you decide to build a custom home, determining the size is one of the most critical decisions. The limitations in square footage and height based on the size of your lot and any zoning restrictions will affect your home’s size. The number of stories you desire is another consideration.
The layout and size of the house further depend on the rooms you want. If you have a large family, you might have to consider having several bedrooms, bathrooms, children’s playroom, among others. The information will be a great guide when actualizing the plan.
Your lifestyle should be a major guide in determining the size of your dream home. The recreational activities defining your life should be evident in your home. If you’re an avid artist, a custom studio will make your home feel complete.
It would also help to consider the rooms’ arrangement. Whatever you want, fill in your architect. It’s a custom house, and all your dreams are valid!
5. Have the Right Team
Many construction firms exceed 80% of the budget, with some of the projects running 20% over time. In your quest to search for a team to build your custom home, getting the right team is undebatable. Professional builders will work with your budget and timeline.
With the logistics in place, an exceptional team shouldn’t be hard to find. Work with competent contractors. While everybody loves a bargain, don’t focus solely on firms with a low-price tag; the value should be your primary guide. You need an experienced architect, general contractor, and other members of a construction team.
You can get a qualified architect through word of mouth. The American Institute of Architects is another place to get a reliable architect. Proper vetting will allow you to know more about an architect’s charges, signature styles, and the technology in use.
For general contractors, pictures of their past photos will help you gauge their work. You can inquire more about their suppliers and previous clients. It would also help to work with a team that has actual projects that you can visit.
6. The Building Process
Before your team can embark on the actual construction, you need to prepare adequately. Confirm that your general contractor has general liability and workman’s compensation insurance. Get copies of these insurances before giving the contractor the go-ahead.
Your contractor should further take care of the permits. You don’t want to run into problems with your local municipality. Research to know the type of permits you require when you want to build a custom home.
Everything should be in writing. Your architect and contractor need to be detailed for you to gauge the progress of the construction. A contract in place will ensure that all parties have maintained their part of the bargain.
During the construction period, you might want to visit the site of your to-be home frequently. Inspecting the ongoing project ensures that your desired design is being actualized. You can request changes in areas that aren’t shaping up the way you’d want.
Open communication with the contractor will save you frustrations. Disconnections between your desired home and the work on the ground can be evident when the communication isn’t clear. You need to have constant and precise talks with the contractor to ensure that you’re on the same page throughout the process.
7. Project Completion
Voila! Your custom house is complete. Work on the interior and exterior of your home with a thorough clean-up and landscaping. The hard part is finally over.
About 47% of new homeowners are unaware of the costs they encounter when settling in their new home. You need not be part of these statistics. When people build custom homes, they should research more of the expenses they will incur for the house to be fully functional.
You might want to think about a warranty for your home. The last thing you want is to spend an outrageous amount on an HVAC system that has broken down. Factor in the cost of insuring your home for your peace of mind.
Home care is another step you don’t want to miss. Now that you’re enjoying your home consider aspects such as maintenance and occasional professional training. Your home should continue having the new-look glimmer even after years.
Depending on your budget and wants, getting new furniture for your custom home will give you a whole new mood. If you’re financially constrained, you can refurbish your old furniture to resonate with the theme in your new curb.
Investing in items that are blending with your customized home will make your home the talk of the town.
The Steps to Build a Custom Home Are Overwhelming Yet Fulfilling
If you’re wondering how to build a custom home, there you have it. The process is almost similar to the typical home building. However, you’ll need to invest significant effort, especially in getting the design and inspecting to ensure that the contractor conforms to the plan.
A reliable architect and contractor are a great resource in building custom homes. It is also commendable to ensure that you have proficient knowledge of the entire process.
Building a home and a custom one for that matter is a considerable investment that you don’t want to engage in without being conversant. Explore our site further for more real estate and home-related articles.
