Regardless of the builder’s reputation and the painstaking detail that was taken before the first piece of dirt was disturbed, there are about to be some challenges that pop up to cause a delay or financial issue with the build. This is just the nature of the beast. You hope to do everything to keep them minimal, which is why it is important to know the most common problems so you can have a game plan in place if they show up during your build.
Budget Does Not Match the Design
You would be surprised how many times people have these amazing plans drawn up, only to get bids that are significantly more than they ever thought they would have to pay. So, how do you avoid this? Well, you either bring in your builder very early on to help shape your dream house or your hire a residential construction project manager to help you craft the design based on the budget you have in place.
Any changes that have to be made can be done before your final plans are drawn, as the builder or project manager will have a far better idea of pricing for labor and supplies to ensure those final plans are capable of meeting your budget.
Permit Delays
This generally falls on the builder to take care, but I have some bad news for you. No matter how prepared your builder is on this front, there is some desk jockey in some city or state office that will take forever to process the permit, so do not be surprised when permits hold up the construction. The build does not necessarily have to stop, but they may not be able to start something if the proper permit has come through. Ideally, they adjust and start on something else that can be done while they are waiting for the permit to be approved.
Design Changes
This one is on you, but we see it happen quite often. As the home jumps off the paper and comes to life, you become inspired and decide to make changes. These changes will cost both time and money, so keep that in mind. A suggestion to avoid this problem… have a 3D rendering of the home made so you can see what the home will look like when it starts to come to life. Better to make those changes beforehand than to have your builder talking to himself because you got creative in the kitchen.
The Unexpected
There are lots of little things that will just pop up along the way, especially in the early days of the build when you need nice weather to proceed. Most of these issues can be discussed because although they unexpected, they are fairly common in the industry. Have a plan in place so you don’t get clobbered on the back end.
Need help with your new custom home building project? Better Build Now can help with a residential construction project manager or a residential construction consultant. Give us a call today at 888-402-4180 to discuss.