The 8 Biggest Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid When Building a New Home

Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to learn from them or better yet, to learn from other people’s mistakes. At CMS Homes, we want your home building experience to be a positive one. To that end, here are 8 of the biggest mistakes you can avoid while building a new home.

Bad location

Location is emphasized in real estate for a reason. Where you build your home is just as important as how. Don’t settle for a lot that doesn’t suit your taste just because you think you can get used to it. Pay attention to the neighborhood, the traffic, the noise, and the view. Keep in mind, too, how the seasons change and may affect your house and yard.

Poor design and planning

Your home’s design should be carefully planned, with the help of an experienced design professional who can offer suggestions and ideas. Think about you and your family’s personalities and lifestyle — the way they really are, not the way you’d like them to be. Will a separate room for exercise equipment actually get used, or will it just waste valuable space? Maximize your living and storage space with careful plans. Also take into consideration your family’s traffic patterns. If you’re an early bird but have children who are night owls, make sure your bedroom is tucked in a spot where it’s insulated from noise.

Thinking short-term

Along with maximizing your space based on your family’s current needs, don’t forget to look 5 or 10 years down the road. If you hope to stay in this home through retirement, consider making it senior-friendly from the start, with wider doorways, halls and single-level access to everything. If you don’t yet have children but would like to, think about how that will change your home’s setup.

Too many changes

This goes back to proper planning. By giving yourself ample time to think through exactly what you want and how you want it done, it will cut down on the number of changes you make. Major changes, ideally, will only happen during the design phase. Too many changes, additions or tweaks once construction has started can add significant cost, time and frustration to your project. (And don’t let well-meaning people make you second guess yourself, either. It’s your house — build it the way you want it built, not the way your mother, brother or great-uncle Jim would like it. After all, you have to live in it. Not them.)

HVAC

Often overlooked, heating, ventilation and air conditioning units are the behind-the-scenes heroes that make homes comfortable. That means you want to make sure your HVAC system is perfect. Too small, and it won’t be able to keep up; too large, and it will add unnecessary expense. Visit with a qualified professional to make sure you get the perfect fit.

Miscommunications

Instead of assuming your home builder knows what you want or don’t want, when in doubt, ask questions. Set up expectations at the beginning of your home building process for the best ways to get in touch with one another, and how often you’d like updates. Would you like them to send you pictures once a week? Who will be your main point of contact? If something goes wrong, how quickly will they notify you? Establishing guidelines from the start will prevent miscommunications and stress for everyone.

No plan/budget for delays and contingencies

No matter how well you plan and design your home, things will pop up during construction. Factoring delays and contingencies into your timeline and budget will give you and your home builder much more peace of mind throughout the project.

Don’t skip inspections

Before you move in, there should be a final home inspection from a third-party home inspector. Carefully examine any of their findings with your home builder, and have it addressed immediately. That way you can move into your new home with full confidence that everything is perfect and ready to go.

Any reputable design build firm wants to build you a quality home and help you have a positive experience while doing it. If you still have questions, we’d love to help! Give us a call at 636-462-3500 or email us here.