Steps To Begin Your Home Building Process
You’ve decided to build your dream home and in floods a series of questions. Where to begin and what steps to take a turn that initial rush of excitement into stress and panic. But take a step back for a minute and think that what you’re about to embark on is something special and will change your life. You’re building your forever home!
Yes, building a new home can be stressful - especially a custom home, but it’s only as stressful as you want to make it. When you take the time to find the right custom builder to work with, the process gets a lot easier because you know they have your back and will be there every step of the way.
At Jem Homes, we are custom home-building experts in Western 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 begin your home-building process so that the process is smooth and straightforward.
begin with a reputable home builder
When you know you’re ready to build, you will want to start thinking about land. Will you build on land you own, or will you need to purchase land?
If you already own land, this process just got more straightforward. It’s one giant step in the process out of the way. However, if you’re looking to buy land, it’s not a significant setback by any stretch - it just means you have a little bit longer to go in the process before you can get to the next phase.
When you have arranged the land, before you do anything else, it’s best to speak with a builder to determine what is possible and potentially out of scope. 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.
Choose a House Design
Choosing the right plan for your land and personal lifestyle needs will be one of the fun parts of the process. You need to think about things like:
The flow of the home
Lighting
Privacy
Fixtures and Fittings
Colours
Cabinets and Countertops
Choosing the right design for your house is essential because it will be where you spend a large portion of your life. That’s why we recommend consulting with a professional home builder to talk through your needs, what are your must haves and what your nice to haves are so that they can help you strike a balance and what is practical.
house Planning and Preparation
Now it’s time to get into the detail so you know what is possible and what you might need to leave off the table. Consider the following when going into the planning and preparation phase, so you have no surprises later on:
Lot Size and Shape
The size and shape of your lot will ultimately determine how much land you have to play around with. If the land is irregular in shape or a smaller block, you will be restricted by what you can do, so you’ll need to get crafty with the design of the house.
Planning and Zoning Regulations
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.
Other Restrictions
The land where you wish to build may also be subject to easements or significant trees and soil issues that all need to be addressed. It pays to work with professional home builders who can go through all of this with a fine tooth comb with you, so there are no hiccups or unwanted surprises later on.
Nothing mentioned above is designed to scare you off, but they are considerations that need to be factored in when deciding to build.
Of course, you can take care of this yourself, but each stage of planning preparation takes time and money. It’s important to know what you need, so this list will help you to understand what to look for when looking for a builder. If they can take the hassle out of this process for you, then you’ve likely found the right builder to go with.
Remember, you want this process to go smoothly, so avoid problems by finding the right custom builder who understands the end-to-end process and not only acts on your behalf but can also communicate with you along the way.
Your home builder will know how to help you find the balance that will help you achieve the right home compliant with local government planning so you can have the best-looking house on the street.
Ready To Custom Build Your Dream Home?
You’ve made it through to the end of this article, and you’ve decided you’re ready to commit to building your dream home. Congratulations! In that case, the last parting advice we have is to make sure your home builder is experienced, has a strong network of suppliers and other tradespeople at their disposal, and, most importantly, they are good with communication. If you feel confident your home builder meets these criteria and can deliver your dream home at the end of it all, then you’ve found the right one.
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!