Even though the desire to live in the perfect home, one that you have designed to meet each of your needs, is often a strong one many homeowners are hesitant to take the plunge because they fear that it will be an expensive process. You should keep in mind, however, that working with a custom home builder will often be no more expensive than purchasing an existing home.
- Land – One of the first things that you will be required to do is purchase a block of land that you would like to live on. You should carefully examine it before making an offer to ensure that flooding and other environmental threats will not pose a problem.
- Plans – You are now ready to sit down with an architect and begin work on some plans for your dream home. If you are willing to compromise, you might be able to save some money by purchasing some ready-made plans that allow for a few alterations.
- Utilities – More often than not, the land that you have selected will not have utilities in place, such as a septic tan or sewerage system, a water source and electricity hookups. You will need to have them installed either before or during the construction process.
- Permits – Before construction can commence, you will need to contact your local council about some permits. These documents are designed to ensure that your new home meets safety codes and is able to withstand the weathering that is likely to be present in your area.
- Labor – As you will be unable to erect the house yourself, you will have to pay some contractors to come in and do it for you. These costs are known to vary, however, as contractors will charge according to a number of factors, such as square footage or by the hour.
When you add the bills up it is unlikely that you will be spending too much more by working with a custom home builder than you would be by purchasing an existing property. In many respects, this is the more preferable option because you won’t be receiving one big bill – you will be receiving a number of smaller ones that are spaced out, allowing you to pay them in installments.
