Help! I Just Decided to Build a Custom Home- Where do I start?
*Disclaimer- We are going to assume you have already done your homework to ensure that you are in adequate financial positioning to build your dream home, and that you will be able to acquire a construction loan for the project. We may do a separate blog on this one day. For now – we’re assuming this portion has already happened.*
You just made the decision to build your dream home and are wondering where to start. So exciting! To kick things off and get the ball rolling, you should follow these chronological steps:
Obtain your property plat. When you purchased your property, it should have come with an official plat. A plat is a document drawn up by a surveyor which outlines (dimensionally) your property’s borders and any easements. Along with this document, you should reach out to your homeowners association (HOA for short) or the city to determine setback restrictions. Typically, neighborhoods will not allow you to stick your house wherever on your lot you so desire. They will outline how many feet from the street, how many feet from neighboring properties, and how many feet from the rear property line your house can sit. It is so critical that before you even begin designing your dream home or shopping for the plan online, you know where your house is legally allowed to be positioned on the property.
Obtain your HOA’s rules and restrictions on what you can and cannot build. They will mention things like – “minimum square footage of 2,500 SF” or “minimum of 75% of exterior walls must be composed of masonry, brick or rock”. Make sure you understand what you can and cannot construct.
Now for some fun- it’s time to get your plans drawn up! We will post a blog soon on “Should I Purchase Plans Online or Hire an Architect”. If you are going to purchase plans online, please make sure you first send a link of the plans (BEFORE YOU PURCHASE) to your HOA or the city (whoever you need permission from) for their approval. Once you buy plans online, you cannot return them. It is a permanent transaction. If you are hiring an architect, make sure they build a relationship with the HOA or city and are aware of all requirements and restrictions. One important note I’ll make on this step – spend the money on a site plan. Ask your architect if this is a service they provide. A site plan will show exactly where the house is going to sit on the property and illustrate the driveway layout, any sidewalks, existing trees that will remain, the pool, etc.
Find a home builder. Check out our blog on “Important Questions to Ask a Potential Custom Home Builder” for help on this step. The builder will want to see your plans before they can give you an accurate bid. If all you have is a general square footage, they can only give you, at best, a ballpark price per SF. Send your plans to 2 or 3 builders so you can get apples to apples bids.
Hopefully you now feel prepared to commence your custom home build with as smooth a process as possible. You can do this!
