Custom home construction projects call for lots of preparation. If you're getting ready for a build, put these four items on your checklist.
Surveying
You need to be able to take your building construction plans and apply them to the real world. Surveying data is critical to this process. Have a professional conduct a detailed survey based on available data from your county's property registry. It is also a good idea to have your local utility companies mark where lines and connections are. This information will make it easier for the construction contractors to line everything up according to your plans.
Regulations and Permits
It is also important to make sure your planned home will comply with all local rules. Contact the local compliance office to learn what the regulations are. They can usually send you a document or point you toward a website that outlines basic requirements, such as how close to the property line you're allowed to build. Avoiding problems now will save you money down the road on fixing violations.
You should also ask about the permitting process. Learn how to apply, what the payment process is like, and where and how to display permits.
Financing
It is wise to ensure you'll have sufficient financing to see the project to completion. Talk with the loan department at your bank and determine how much money will be available for the build. Likewise, talk with the contractors so you can try to reconcile the available financing with your plans. Try to leave yourself a financial overhead of 10 to 20 percent to ensure you can manage any unexpected expenses, too.
You should build the contracts around the financing. Many people use a tranche system, where the bank releases a certain percentage of the money when the contractors reach specific benchmarks. For example, the bank might release 20% to start the process and kick in the next 20% once work starts on the foundation.
Land Clearance, Grading, and Engineering
You want to provide the custom home construction contractors with an ideal surface to work on. Depending on the condition of the property, you may need to do extensive land clearance work and grading. This applies even if the lot was sold as prepared because conditions will change from the time of purchase to the start of building construction.
You should also have a civil engineer test the soil on the property to ensure it's in the right condition for work. If not, you may need to treat the soil to ready it for construction. You may also need to build temporary roads and bridges to get equipment and supplies in and out.
Speak to a contractor to learn more about custom home construction.