Steps to constructing your new house. Part 1

Before leaping into your new project carefully consider what needs to be done. Careful planning and preparation and monitoring all stages of the process will ensure a successful project.
Steps to planning, designing, constructing and finishing your new house include:

• Talk to your partner. It's imperative that you are both committed to the process and have a common vision.
• Understand why you’re embarking on constructing a new house or renovating your existing house. Consider alternative solutions.
• Gather ideas and establish a file.
  • Tear out magazine pictures you like.
  • Take pictures and ideas from Pinterest and Facebook.
  • Visit houses for sale.
  • Take photographs.
  • Make sketches – these could include ideas and layout of houses, kitchens and bathrooms.
• List the features you definitely want, those that are optional (‘would like to have’) and those which you definitely don’t want.
• Consider your family’s future needs.
• Work out how much you can spend.
• Decide how many bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms and garages you would like. Think about the ideal room sizes and layout of the house.
• Start working out a budget including all the costs.
• Decide what expert help you’ll need.
• If you intend to do some of the work, get training and read books relating to the trades you’ll be doing.
• Visit local house construction projects. See the typical construction methods, details and materials.
• Look for a property for your house. Always consider alternative neighbourhoods. In a later article I will discuss what you should consider when purchasing a property.
• Review your budget, and if you can afford it purchase the property.
• Visit local builders to see what standard plans and houses they offer.
• Visit building material showrooms to gather ideas on cabinetry, kitchen layouts, windows, tiles, bricks, doors, etc. Collect catalogues and take photographs to add to your file of information.
• Visit the property. Understand what the best aspects of the property are and how they should be incorporated into the house. Look at the properties in the street. Consider the impact they may have on your house.
• Develop a style for your house.
• Review your file and take out all the photographs, catalogues and pictures that aren’t relevant to your chosen style and put them in another file for use in case you change your mind. Whittle the chosen information down into a coherent style and elements that fit together and suit your lifestyle.
• With your list of wants and don’t wants, and now knowing the location for your house prepare a design brief.
• Decide how you’re going to design and construct the house. What will you do and what will you engage professionals to execute?
• Understand all the restrictions applying to your property.
• Select a designer you think you can work with and that can deliver your chosen style and requirements.
• Get a survey of the site so you know where the boundaries are, what the slope of the ground is, where significant features are and the position of the road and the service connections.
• Have the designer prepare sketches.
• Make changes. Consider alternative solutions. Finalise the layout and position of the house.
• Get an estimate of the costs and check that the house is still within budget.
• Select the types of finishes, fixtures and fittings.
• Make changes to reduce costs if necessary.
• Have the designer prepare construction drawing.
• Review the design to check it meets your requirements and has stayed within the design brief.
• Get all permits and permissions to start construction.
• Find contractors and have them price the project.
• Adjudicate the prices to check which is the best value and the right contractor to work with.
• Check your budget.

Many of these steps will be discussed further in future articles.
To be continued in Part 2.

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​​For more valuable tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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