New Home Construction Checklist
This "New Home Construction Checklist" is made to help you through the step-by-step process of building your dream house. If you're doing this for the first time, it has to be confusing and frustrating. I've tried to simplify as much as possible, and I've supplemented with links to other pages (where appropriate) to provide more detail. Here we go.
NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST #1 - Find the right lot to build on. For more tips on buying land, click here. #2 - Get pre-approved by your lending institution. Now you know how much you can spend. #3 - Hire an architect. Review the services included in his/her fee. Review your wish list. #4 - Anything the architect is not doing, relative to permits and building department requirements, you should start looking into what you have to do. Go to the building department and ask. #5 - Once the architect completes construction documents, and you approve them, start the process of getting permits. #6 - Hire any services not included by the architect (i.e. surveyor, builder, etc.) #7 - Select a builder, determine schedules, and finalize pricing. This might result in a few minor changes to the design or construction specifications. The builder should be familiar with the local building department requirements and should arrange for all necessary inspections by the building department.
#8 - Get your financing. Once you've finalized the plans and the costs, go to your lender with the information needed to complete the financing. You can find a sample of a generalized budget for this purpose by clicking here. Other cost-related issues are also discussed on that page. #9 - Determine what (if anything) needs to be done by you before the building starts. This could include landscaping or layout issues, or building department processes. #10 - During construction, have weekly meetings at the site, to check progress and answer questions. Be available to the builder to answer questions between meetings. Make sure the payments are made on time (this is the grease that keeps the engine working smoothly). #11 - Think about landscaping options (I recommend doing the bare minimum initially). #12 - Close the construction phase of the financing and finalize your mortgage. #13 - Get your Certificate of Occupancy and other closing documents from the building department &/or builder. #14 - Occupy the house and start decorating.
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