| Pre-Design
is when you are deciding to build a home. Some of
the things to think about at this time is what style
of home you want, how many bedrooms, baths, or if
you want the laundry room on the same floor at the
bedrooms. This is called building a program for the
structure.
Once you get serious about the possibility of building
you should get a pre-approval for financing. This
is most often a construction loan which will be closed
on after completion, and then the lender will switch
this to a mortgage, which you will need to close on
again. So, if you can find a lender without a construction
loan closing you will save yourself a little money.
If you haven't found a site for your home, this would
also be a good time to start looking. Some lenders
will allow the property and home in one loan. This
will get rid of a third closing cost, which is always
desirable.
Designing your home can be
a lengthy process, which depends on how well you've
done your research and thought about exactly what
you want. If you think about these things ahead of
time, it will greatly decrease the time it takes to
receive a completed set of plans. Just remember, it's
your house not the architects, builders, or draftsman's.
You write the checks so you should get what you want.
During this phase you will
be in constant contact with architects and your builder.
Questions will need answers as quickly as possible.
Such as: Do you want the pink or the goldenrod siding.
You may think it's not a big deal but the builder
will need to order some items ahead of time to ensure
they arrive on site in time to install them. Also
during this time the contractor will be putting together
a schedule of events along with a timeframe for each
of the events. This will give you a good idea of how
long your home will take to build.
Sitework is done before the
home can be constructed. Such as, clearing the topsoil
and doing all the rough groundwork. This will prep
the site for the start of construction. This will
include excavating a hole for the foundation, putting
in a well, and a septic system. Sometimes the well
and septic are put in later which is fine also.
The foundation of the home
is put in next. This includes the concrete footings
and stem walls on which the home will sit. This usually
doesn't take too long, depending on complexity of
the plan. The fewer outside and inside corners the
quicker and cheaper this can be done. Now don't think
I'm telling you to make a box for a home, but instead
of making a bump out with the stem wall, you could
cantilever the joists and do the same thing, as long
as it's not an 8' bump out. Before the floor is put
on, there will be pressure treated sill plates laid
down over the stem walls with anchor bolts.
The framing starts with the
floor, then goes to the walls, and then to the roof.
The roof load will transfer itself to the walls which
will then transfer it to the foundation where it will
dissipate into the soil. The floor is essentially
a series of joists spanning across from one side of
the foundation to the other, on which will be 3/4"
plywood or OSB (oriented strand board), and it should
be tongue & grooved, glued, and screwed down for
best performance. The exterior walls are then put
up, traditionally the studs in the walls are 2x6 and
are 16" o.c. Next, the roof framing will commence.
The roof rafters or trusses are most often at 24"
centers and covered with 5/8" plywood or OSB.
This sheathing does not have to be tongue & grooved.
Then roofing felt (tar paper) is laid down, over which
your roof covering will go. You can put on anything
from slate to recycled tires that look something like
slate, from tin to copper. It just depends on how
long you want it to last and how much money your willing
to spend.
The
rough-ins include the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC
(Heating, Vent, Air Conditioning) stubs. During this
phase is when the sewer lines, water lines, and vent
lines will be installed. Usually these will just be
run from outside into the "rough" area of
where the final hookup will take place. Or in the
case of HVAC from the area of the heating, cooling
throughout the house to where approximate final hookups
will take place. The reason for this is to facilitate
ease of installation of final appliances and fixtures.
Try to imagine running an electrical wire through
a wall that's already been enclosed with drywall on
both sides. Not easy.
Interior finishes will be next.
These include everything from drywall to stucco, to
waterproofing behind tubs and shower enclosures. Sometimes
this will include painting also, it just depends on
what the situation warrants. If the painters like
to cut-in the paint around trim and such, or if they
would rather just paint and then put the trim over
the paint.
Depending on what type of siding
is going to be used will determine what is done first
on the exterior. If a vinyl siding is used, there
are some guidelines from the manufacturer that they
recommend doing. Wood siding also has it's order in
which items are installed. Usually the trim around
the doors and windows is installed and then the siding
is butted up to the trim, making for a nice clean
finish. The painting, or staining of the house is
then done.
The landscaping is usually
the last thing done on any project. There is one simple
fact for this, if it's done before everything else,
it usually gets torn up before it's all said and done.
Landscaping can include pools, rock gardens, sod laying,
tree planting, and earth placement and removal.
This is about the time that
the project is called Substantially Complete. There
is usually a signing of a form that states something
to the effect of the project is now substantially
complete, and upon completion of the punch list items
the ownership of the home will be transferred from
the builder to the homeowner. In other words, the
home is almost done except for some loose ends. The
punch list is filled out by the homeowner, most often
the contractor is also present, and will entail such
things as "Front door needs catch plate".
Usually it is small stuff, but sometimes it gets into
larger areas. Such as, the deck is 4' too far to one
side and encroaches on the property boundary.
After the punch list items are completed and the home
is ready for occupancy, the contractor should provide
you with a certificate of occupancy, a lien waiver
form, and a warranty, plus all the manufacturers warranties
for the appliances and fixtures that were installed.
Make sure to read these documents carefully, if it
takes several days then take several days plus one.
Be sure about what you are signing.
I realize that we have presented
alot of information, some that may be clear and some
that isn't. I ask you to contact
us if you have any questions or would like a sample
of some of the forms that were mentioned. No question
is too small or insignificant.
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