As we go through life, we learn what we could have done better. In other words, hindsight is 20/20. Building a house is no different. Especially if, like many, it is the first time you’ve purchased a custom home. However, the solution to this is to learn from those who have been where you are before. These next tips are five things that previous homeowners wished they would have known or thought about before they built their first house.
Design for Your Future
Just as your business has a five and ten-year plan, you need a five and a ten-year plan for you home. If you are 25 and have no children now, what will living in this house look like at 40 with children and 60 when they’ve moved out. Think about the bedrooms that you have designed, the stairs throughout the home, and the storage space that you might need.
Finish Then Move-In
Don’t move into the home when it is under construction. Though this might seem like an obvious thing, it isn’t so simple. You might think about moving into your new home when all that’s left is the basement or the landscaping. However, your goal should be to finish the home completely before moving in. When your contractor is there and working full-time, pay them to finish everything they can rather than waiting until later for them to come back.
Connect To Your Home
If you are looking to save money, then think about what you can do. For example, think about painting your walls by hand rather than hiring a painter. This is also a great activity to connect you to your home in ways that simply walking into a built home can’t. If you are able to get your hands dirty by planting the landscaping, or grouting kitchen tile, then you should. However, don’t tackle the complex things. Plumbing and other tasks should be done by experts.
Think About an Interior Designer
If you’ve taken the time to hire an architect, then hiring an interior designer should be something you think about. This person can take your ideas and the layout of the house and create the perfect finished space. If you know you want green in the living room, then can help with the exact color of green as well as what color to think about for the accents and the furniture.
Stay Calm
There will be things that go wrong during your build and accepting that will help you deal with them when they happen. For example, if your team finds rock where they need to dig. It’s a large issue, but a manageable one. Also, in construction, things will often look worse before they look better. You start with a field then must tear down everything and build a finished home. For example, the drywall might look dark in an unlit and unfinished hallway. However, after lighting and paint are added, everything will look just as you expected.
