Finding the perfect home can be a tall order! More often than not, people will find a place in the perfect location, but it’s just not quite the right size, or it’s missing one detail that would make it right for you.
One way to ensure that you get a home that’s completely tailored to suit you and your family is to build it yourself.
Building a house isn’t an easy task, and there are a few things that you should think about before you get started.
Hiring a contractor vs. acting as your own
A lot of people assume that they will easily be able to plan and coordinate the building project themselves but then soon find that it’s more difficult than they imagined. It can be particularly tough if you are working full time, as there are not enough hours in the day.
Some of the benefits of working with a contractor are:
- A More Accurate Budget: Professional home builders will have a good idea about the costs of material and labor, and they will be able to use this knowledge to help you stay within your budget throughout the project.
- Legal Restrictions: Each state will have its own laws and legal requirements that you must abide by when building a home. A professional contractor will have a good knowledge of these laws and can ensure that your project abides by them.
- Better Quality Construction: Contractors build houses for a living, which means that they know what’s a good idea and what isn’t! They will be able to ensure that your home is well built using the right materials so that it is durable and lasts.
How to plan your Home build
When you’re planning your build, it’s a good idea to work with a house planning service like Monster House Plans who can provide you with quality plans that you can tailor to meet your requirements.
They will give you the ability to create 3D models based on your plans so that you can see what your home will look like, and they can also help you to consult with architects and designers to make all of your planning a reality.
Saving Money With Sweat Equity
When you’re planning your home build, it’s worth thinking about where you can save money using sweat equity.
Sweat equity means saving or earning money through your own work. Although a lot of your home build project will need professionals, there are plenty of later stage finishing touches that you can do yourself in order to save money. Some good examples of where you could apply sweat equity in a home build project are:
- Building patios and walkways
- Creating borders, laying your lawn, and planting trees
- Painting the interior and the exterior of the house
- Installing carpeting
- Decorating
When deciding whether to do a job yourself, it’s worth calculating what your hourly rate is at your job and how long you think it will take you to do the job in question. For example, if you are paid very well at your job but you aren’t an accomplished decorator, then taking a week off from your well-paid job to decorate the house might not make sense financially – in that scenario paying a decorator would be the more cost-effective option.
