You’re finally building your own home and couldn’t be more excited. You finally get to have your perfect dream home. You won’t have to worry about buying a property that does not check off everything on your wish list, because the house you build will be everything you want and more. From the wall art you use to the wood on the floors, you get first say in everything. Before you start putting together a plan, make sure you keep these things in mind.
Floor Space
When it comes to building a house, the two most expensive elements are the foundation and the roof. For that reason, you should consider building two stories. You can double the floor space without having to add footage to the roof or the foundation.
Depth
Along those same lines, you don’t want to make your foundation too large. E Plans suggests that you keep your home at 32 feet or less. Any more than 32 feet and you’re going to need roof trusses that may need to be specially designed, adding significant cost to the build.
Roof
Speaking of the roof, you want to keep in mind that your roof should last you quite a few years. Make sure you’re working with professional roofing contractors to get the job done right! You want to think about the footage you’ll need, the design, and even the materials. For smaller roofs, the repairs $150 and $400, and labor could cost anywhere between $45 and $75 per hour. Keep the design simple and not too steep to avoid leaks and other problems.
Windows
The windows of your home are one of the biggest investments you’re going to make. Not only do they make your home look beautiful, but they directly affect your monthly energy costs, too. You want to keep in mind how your windows will look from the inside and the outside, and how they affect your views. You also should buy sturdy, double-pane windows so save on heating and cooling. Your windows should recoup about 80% of your investment when you sell, according to the National Association of Realtors, so you don’t want to cheap out.
Insulation
Speaking of energy costs, your insulation will also directly affect your energy costs every month. You want to make sure your home is well sealed and insulated to prevent ridiculous heating and cooling costs. There are a few ways to achieve a well sealed and insulated home. First, you can caulk all your windows and doorways. Caulk is an adhesive that is used to seal any type of leakable gap that is less than one-quarter inch wide between stationary building components and materials. The other thing you can do is make sure your walls, attic, and basement are all well insulated with either effective spray foam insulation or roll out.
Entertaining
When you’re planning out your spaces, you want to make sure you have adequate room for entertaining, inside and out. In a recent Houzz study, 56% of respondents were updating their yards to make them better for entertaining. You’re building your dream home and you’re going to want to show it off to your friends and family when it’s done. Make sure you can fit them all in comfortably.
Placement
There are a few elements that go into where you place your house. First, you want to make sure it’s in your desired neighborhood, and that that neighborhood as good school, low taxes, and a low crime rate. Secondly, you want to think about how your house is angled in relation to the sun. Remember that 12:00 noon is when the sun will shine the strongest, so place your windows and entertaining spaces accordingly so you don’t get too hot.
Budget
While considering all of these elements that are important for your home construction, you have to keep the budget in mind through the whole process. According to The House Designers, you should plan to allocate half to two-thirds of the budget on what you can actually afford towards building the home. Things will come up, and houses rarely come in under budget.
Building your home will be an amazing, stressful process. Make sure you keep these important elements in mind while you’re building so your dream home will be perfect in every aspect, and you can live there happily ever after.
Today Time
Monday 15th of June 2020
Very helpful topics. Thanks