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MASONWOODNews & Events
MASONWOODNews & Events
February 8, 2020

10 Tips to Working with a New Home Builder

You and your family deserve to live in the home of your dreams. For that reason, you’re on the hunt for a brand new home. Plus, you want to be a part of its building process from start to finish. 

Well, the good news is that you’ve come to the right place. Here we will cover ten key tips to remember when you’re looking for and working with your new home builder.

In 2019 alone the home builder industry generated $89 billion in revenue. In other words, there are a lot of home building services for you to choose from. When you’re looking to find the ideal one for you in the Austin area, these tips will help you make the most of your hiring decision for home builders.

1. Start by Considering the Cost and Your Available Budget

Of course, the first thing to consider when building a new home is your financial situation. There’s no reason for you to go broke trying to make a new place to live for your family and you want to make sure you don’t overextend yourself. That’s why it’s time to take a look at your available budget. 

Are you going to be able to afford a down payment, for instance? What about the other costs like taxes and homeowners association fees? Buying a new home is a big decision that shouldn’t be made without plenty of forethought and planning.

Plus, make sure you do plenty of research regarding financing options for your new home so that you can make sure investing in the home of your dreams is worth all of your effort and resources in the long run. 

2. Be Clear About the Fine Print Before Signing Anything

There are going to be a lot of details to make decisions about during the process of building your home. It’s important that you and your family are in the loop every step of the way. It’s your responsibility, though, to read the fine print and know what you’re signing up for. 

After all, you don’t want to get caught unaware of potential fees that you’re expected to pay. Be willing to ask your home building service plenty of questions before you decide to move forward.

Besides, you should know what to expect in the case that your home builder doesn’t come through. Don’t let your family get taken advantage of in this competitive industry. 

3. Have a Floor Plan in Mind that Best Suits Your Family

When building your own home, the floor plan design is a crucial factor to consider. Take the time to talk with your family about what you all expect out of your new home.

The thing is, customized floor plan designs are not always the best way to go. Instead, some home building services offer a few different varieties of their floor plan templates. Then, you can work with them to determine what kind of floor plan makes the most sense for you and your family. 

4. Trust the Advice and Guidance of Your Home Builder

It’s important to recognize the expertise of today’s qualified home building professionals. Your home builders should have a ton of experience building homes in the area of Austin, Texas. If not, they’re not worth your investment in the first place. 

As you go through the home building process, it’s okay to note that you don’t really know what you’re doing. That’s where these experts can help. Trust their guidance throughout the building process to ensure it goes smoothly and efficiently. 

5. Create a List of Your Prioritized Home Characteristics

There’s more for you to make a decision about than just the floor plan design, by the way. Your home’s entire interior and exterior aesthetics are up to you when you build your own home. Your home building service provider can advise as to what design options are worthwhile, too. 

You and your family should write down a list of essential home characteristics. Perhaps you want a large backyard. Maybe it’s important for you that the home’s exterior is painted a certain color to match the rest of the neighborhood. Whatever details matter to you, they’re worth mentioning. 

6. Stay Flexible When It Comes to Your Expectations

At the same time, it’s important to note that not everything is possible when it comes to building a new home. There are going to be some things in this new home that might not be what you originally hoped for. The unfortunate truth is that it’s just part of the process. 

That’s why you and your family should note that it’s important to stay flexible when it comes to your expectations. The construction process might prove one of your desired home features impossible. Staying in the loop with your home builder is, therefore, of particular benefit. 

7. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Energy Efficiency

In today’s modern world, you’re likely curious about the sustainability of your new home building project. Energy efficiency is a great way to promote the health and protection of the environment, for one thing. Plus, having energy efficiency as a priority can cut down on your utility bills over time, especially in those hot, Austin summer months. 

After all, even experts recognize the value of energy efficiency in modern homes. Make sure your new home is well‑equipped with the most eco‑friendly materials on the market.

That can include investing in reliable and energy‑efficient windows, as an example. These windows do a great job of trapping cold air inside on hot days and vice versa on cold days. Don’t underestimate the value of these windows when it comes to keeping your family comfortable all year long. 

8. Keep Calm and Collected When Communicating with Your Home Builder

As you’re waiting for your home to get built, it’s understandable to start to feel impatient. Plus, things sometimes go wrong on construction sites. Accidents do happen. 

Still, do your best to control your emotions throughout this process. There’s no need to lose your cool and blow up when you’re upset.

Instead, take some deep breaths and wait to speak with your home builders until you’re emotions are calmed down. Then, both parties can find a solution that appeases everyone involved. 

9. Finalize Your Design Decisions before the Construction Begins

Another crucial thing to remember when building your own home is to interfere with the construction process as little as possible. For that reason, make sure your designs are final and appealing to you before you sign off on them. Don’t ask to make a last‑minute change in the design plan unless it’s absolutely necessary. 

If there are small changes you want to make, consider waiting until the building process is complete. The truth is, new homeowners need to be prepared to continue investing in home improvements throughout the future anyway. On average, homeowners spend one to four percent of the home’s overall value on improvement projects each year

In other words, you’re going to be investing in repair and maintenance projects anyway. Don’t make the construction process more difficult by trying to change things after the fact.

10. Ask to Visit the Job Site During Construction

The last thing to think about when building your own home is the fact that you can visit the construction site. In fact, this is a great opportunity to check on things and make sure everything is going according to plan. 

You and your family should make at least one trip to the construction site together. Make sure you’re wearing those protective hard hats, though!

Take some pictures of the site and some selfies of you guys to commemorate the moment. Soon enough, all of that construction equipment is going to be gone and in its place will be the home of your dreams. Then, you can start commemorating other things in the comfort of your new home. 

Find and Hire the Ideal New Home Builder in the Austin Area

Now you should have a basic understanding of how to choose and work with your chosen new home builder. There’s no need to cut corners when it comes to making the most of your property investment.

The thing is, there are a lot of ins and outs to navigate when it comes to building your ideal home, which is why choosing an experienced new home builder is of the utmost importance. In fact, that’s where we come into play. We strive to build the best new homes in Austin like each one is for our own family. At the end of the day, we want you and your family to feel at peace with your brand new Austin home. 

If you’re looking for your new dream home, take a look at why Idea Homes might be the perfect home building solution for you.

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