Home Builders: Steps to Building a New Home
Building a home from scratch allows you to customise where you live to suit your living needs and goals. But it’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to plan out how you can enjoy your life in your private oasis from the outside world and more time to focus on the things that matter most.
But, one of the big challenges can be knowing where to begin and what steps you need to take to reach your final goal.
While a new house build can be exciting and rewarding for some, it can be stressful for others. With many moving parts in the building process, you will likely only get the outcome you hope for if you know what you're doing or use a professional's services.
Building a new home is a challenge - especially a custom home, but it only needs to be as hard as you make it. With the right people working alongside you, it can be a rewarding and fun experience, and the outcome will be as you hoped.
At Jem Homes, we are custom home-building experts in Melbourne, but we’re more than that; we know the value of a great customer experience. Combine the two, and we deliver an excellent outcome for our customers.
In this article, we’ll step you through how to build a home so you can walk into the experience fully equipped with information and know-how to get the desired result.
Getting Started
When you feel like it’s the right time to build, there are a few things you’ll need to start thinking about. Whether you need to purchase land or have an existing block to build on will help you with your first step.
If you already own land, that’s something you can put to one side for now, but if not, you’ll need to search for an appropriate-sized block. You won’t know what to work with until you purchase land.
When you have arranged a block of land, you should talk to a home builder to see what is possible.
While you may think you have a blank canvas to build any house you wish, local government planning policy, easements, and other restrictions that might apply may disagree. A reputable home builder will advise you of this upfront to meet your expectations early in the piece.
Choosing a House Design & Builder
Choosing the right plan for your land and personal lifestyle needs will be one of the fun parts of the process. You will need to do your research on things like:
The flow of the home
Lighting
Privacy
Fixtures and Fittings
Colours
Cabinets and Countertops
Choosing the right design for your house is key to your dream home because it will be where you spend much of your life. That’s why we recommend consulting with a professional home builder to discuss your needs, so they can help you strike a balance and what is practical.
At Jem Homes, we have an intimate understanding of what homeowners need in a new home building, and we’re here to help build the house you’ve always wished for.
Applying for Finance
If you’re building a new home, you will need a construction loan to obtain finance, as you will need to make what is called progress payments at various stages of the construction to cover specific elements of the building process.
However, you will need to consult with a financial institution or mortgage broker to obtain advice on exactly what type of loan you need and how it will facilitate the construction process.
For example, if you already have land, you only need to cover the construction and additional costs. However, if you need to purchase land, you must seek finance that covers both the land purchase and construction components.
Whichever way you go, you’ll need to consider your deposit, stamp duty and conveyancer costs associated with building a new home, but it’s best to speak to your bank or mortgage broker to see the right loan for your needs.
Planning and Preparation
What you build could be restricted by planning regulations in your area in terms of how far back from the property line the house needs to be built, privacy, height limits, shadowing and retaining the existing amenity of the area. So when considering this stage, speak with your local council, or discuss with your builder, who will be able to walk you through what things to consider.
Remember, you want this process to be enjoyable and smooth, so avoid problems by finding the right custom builder who understands the end-to-end process and acts on your behalf and can communicate with you along the way.
Communication
It’s important to stay involved throughout the construction process, so we are actively involved in the end product and discuss things that may come up. That’s where you must ensure that you and your home builder keep the lines of communication open. A good home builder will always make themselves available to you and ensure they are transparent so there are no surprises.
Handover
After the home has been finished, collecting the keys to move in is the next step. At this time, you will also need to cover any final payments with the builder and other tradespeople, and after that, you can move in.
When you receive the keys, you will receive all relevant warranties and certificates per your building contract and obtain written confirmation that the building has been completed and is safe to live in.
Ready To Custom Build Your Dream Home?
If you feel confident that it’s time to build the new home of your dreams, then it’s time to take the next step.
Building your dream home doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With a builder like Jem Homes, you can be involved in the process with our friendly team so your vision can come to life.
When you’re ready to start the conversation, at Jem Homes, we’re experts at custom home building in Melbourne. Ask us how we can help you build the home of your dreams!
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