|
Budget
is possibly the most important piece of information
you can give the builder/architect. How much money
can you afford to spend? Be honest and realistic about
that figure. Many builders and architects can look
at home plans and estimate how much a house will cost
to build in a particular square footage. So be prepared
to tell the builder/architect up front how much you
want to spend. If the plans you have go over your
budget, your architect/builder will work with you
to modify them to meet your needs or set you in the
right direction as to what type of house you should
look for on your budget. Nobody is a mind reader,
if you say your budget is $200,000 that is what is
assumed you have to spend.
Types of homes will determine
what your home will look like. Create a want list
and include the type of appliances, flooring, paint,
cabinets, countertops, fixtures and hardware in your
description. Take your time, before you decide on
all the details, to examine your options by visiting
stores, showrooms and open houses. There are many
online sites to look for products.
Special circumstances may
also play a role in what your home will look like.
Do you need extra phone lines for a computer or fax
machine? Many homeowners don’t think about it
until it is too late. Are there oversized furnishings
that have special requirements? For example, you have
to think in advance about whether or not your 8-foot
long buffet is going to fit along the dining room
wall. Or will there be enough space for the heirloom
armoire in the master suite?
What types of guests will you
have and what will their needs be? How old are they?
If grandparents are going to visit often, perhaps
the guest bath should include a non-slip shower stall
instead of or in addition to a bathtub, because it
will be easier for them to step in and out of.
Will you purchase a satellite
dish someday? Some builders will normally wire for
cable, but the wiring needs to be done a specific
way for a satellite dish. Rewiring down the road after
the house is built can be a lot more expensive than
having it done during construction for future use.
Fully investigate your selection
of materials and appliances. Changing appliance choices
or other selections can incur additional expense and
delay. For example, kitchen cabinets may be ordered
in a specific configuration to surround the new refrigerator
you have selected. But if you change your mind and
want to bring a refrigerator from your old house instead
of purchasing a new one, the old one may be a different
size and not fit into the space between your new cabinets.
Also keep in mind that just because items haven’t
arrived yet, doesn’t mean there is time to change
selection. In many cases, components are ordered several
weeks in advance of when they will be installed and
changing one appliance to a different size or shape
may have a domino effect and necessitate a string
of other change orders resulting in potentially more
expense and delay.
Determine
who makes the decisions? Whether it is both spouses,
or one, it should be clear. And if a couple makes
decisions jointly, builders should respect that arrangement.
The goal is to work with architects and builders to
realize the dreams of you and your family. Builders
realize that the home being built is yours, and most
will work to make that happen.
One expert notes that, most
often, families dislike talking to builders about money,
because they fear being taken advantage of. Without
trust and respect, antagonism between you and the
builder can grow to be an unpleasant subtext in the
relationship. Honest communication is and always will
be one of highest priority. If the contractor does
not know how you feel, then problems can not be solved.
Eventually, the matter of signing
a contract will be at hand. If you don’t understand
the contract, or do not want to study it because it
is too unpleasant, invest in having a lawyer review
it and explain it to you. It is important for you
to know what to expect from the builder, what the
builder expects of you, and what each of you are liable
for before you sign.
Change orders can be an unpleasant
part of the building process. Ask your builder or
architect for a spec sheet on all equipment in your
home before construction starts. If any of the information
needs to be changed, do so as quickly as possible.
This will keep the delays to a minimum. The change
order will need to be signed by all parties. Then
it will be added to the project records. This will
cover any problems that may arise at the end of the
project as to who signed it, and what was involved.
If there is a change order for an item, most often
that decision will be respected. Make sure to have
the cost identified in the change order, whether or
not it will be more or less. This will negate the
confusion in this matter later on.
|
