When most people think of home, they tend to think about the physical structure that we call a house. And while that’s certainly an important part of it, it’s the feeling a house can give us that truly makes it a home.
When building a new home, it’s a complicated but exciting process that requires a lot of planning and coordination between all the professionals involved. Your builder’s key staff – including an architect, construction superintendent, and other trade contractors and inspectors – work together to ensure that your home is built to the highest standards.
Before the start of construction, you’ll select your floor plan and structural upgrades, as well as an elevation (the look of the front exterior of your new home) and your lot, which is the specific parcel of land on which your house will be built. Your choices will help you create a home that’s unique and personal to you, as well as one that offers all the amenities you want in a new construction.
You’ll also have a variety of options in choosing appliances, lighting and plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring, and other finishes that make your home more functional and comfortable for you and your family. In addition, you’ll likely be able to add some “finishing” touches that increase the resell value of your home or make it stand out in the neighborhood.
Once you’ve chosen the floor plan and other features, you’ll work with your home builder to finalize the purchase contract. This typically includes an initial deposit, as well as a down payment for the home construction, and the final approval of the plans and specifications.
Your architect will then design your new home plans to fit the space on your lot and to meet your specific needs for features like an open kitchen, a higher ceiling, a larger master bedroom and bath, and more storage throughout the house. They’ll also create plans that fall within your community’s pre-determined square footage and price ranges for the type of home you want to buy.
A good architect will work closely with you to make sure that the plans they create for you reflect your personal style, your lifestyle, and your budget. They’ll make recommendations on how to best use the space in your home, and they’ll help you select the materials that will be used to build it.
Once your plans are approved and you’ve signed a contract, the next step is to select the trade contractors who will work on your home. You’ll need to narrow your list of bidders down to a handful of contractors, and you’ll need to get quotes from each one.
During the construction process, each contractor crew will complete a phase of the house in a certain sequence and will hand-off that completed job to the next group. This is called a “hand-off.” It’s your construction manager’s job to make sure each contractor crew has finished their task on time, and to manage the hand-off process so that all parties involved adhere to the architect’s building plans and inspection schedules.
