Starting the process of building a custom home can be exciting, overwhelming, and even frustrating. But when you know what the steps are and you have a reliable team of home builders working for you, the process can mostly be exciting! The initial steps may be somewhat unnerving — choosing a building contractor, selecting the floorplan, finding the land, etc — and when you fully realize the scope of the project that you are undertaking, it’s a little scary. But with Seashore Home Builders, you can let us take care of the scary parts and you can work with our designers to create a house that will soon be a home. So what are the first steps to building a custom home?
Very First Steps in Building a Custom Home
Establish a Budget
When building a home, you may want to jump straight to how type of counters you want in the kitchen, or whether or not you want a hot tub in the backyard. But before you jump ahead too far, create a budget that includes costs for the initial steps. These include:
- General construction
- Plumbing fixtures
- Permits
- Architectural and engineering fees
- The cost of the land itself
- Is there access to utilities such as water and electricity?
When you have a cost for these items, then you can move on to more specific costs for your home. The following budget items will have a little more leeway to create a budget that is right for you. If you can afford granite countertops and the finest stainless steel appliances, go for it! Otherwise, shop around for materials and items that better fit your finances:
- Tile material
- Cabinets
- Appliances
- Bath accessories
- Light fixtures
- Landscaping
And don’t forget a contingency fund in your budget. If something goes wrong (which it probably will) be sure that you have some buffer room.
Find the Land
If you have a piece of property in Stone Harbor, Avalon, and Cape May, the team of home builders at Seashore Home Builders would be more than happy to help you design a dream home. Or if you want to renovate an existing home, we can do that too! However you go about it, think about where you want to live, the style of home you want, or how you want to transform it to have a home where you and your family will create memories for years to come.
Assemble a Team
Unless you have solid experience in the architecture, contractor, electric, plumbing, landscaping, and design industries, you probably want to create a team of people who can help you out throughout the process. Get to know our team of architects, builders, and many other support teams who will be there for you. These people will ensure that your home is built with craftsmanship and is strong and durable to withstand the stormy weather of the Jersey shore.
Plan the Layout
First, work with your architect to decide if you want to work from existing plans or if you want to start from scratch and design a unique layout. However you do it, keep in mind that the more planning you do at the start, the better. The last thing you want is to sign off on a layout and later decide you want the kitchen facing east instead of south and you want the bathroom to be twice as big. Changes to the layout could cause major delays.
Start Construction
When plans have been made and everything is ready to go, the home builders will start their work! The steps will typically go as follows:
- They will first prepare the site and pour the foundation.
- Construct the rough framing.
- Begin with rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC.
- Put up the insulation.
- Complete the drywall and start exterior finishes.
- Finish interior trim.
- Install flooring, countertops, and exterior grading.
- Finish trim and bathroom fixtures.
- Install doors, flooring, and complete landscaping.
Seashore Home Builders will make sure that you are involved with each step of the process to ensure that everything is just as you wanted it. Our passion is craftsmanship and we only complete jobs that are beautiful, strong, and functional.
If you’ve always dreamed of having a custom home built, get in touch with Seashore Home Builders to learn more about how we can help you make it happen. From the very beginning to your move-in date, we’ll be there to keep the process exciting for you.