Building Tips: Four Questions to Ask Before Building a Home

A home is the backdrop of a life, and a comfortable, happy setting can mean a world of difference. Building a new home is an exciting time in your life. It’s fun to think about fixtures and decorations, but such an important investment takes preparation as well. Here’s a list to make sure you’re fully prepared before you start the building process.

1. How much can I afford?

Make sure you know your numbers backward and forward before you start to build. Don’t just make up a price range on a hunch, either. Make sure you’ve done your research and taken a good hard look at your finances to know if you can afford to build and exactly how much you can afford to build. Since a home is such an investment, you don’t want to get stuck later because of a miscalculation.

2. How much will it cost?

Before you start building, meet with a contractor to get a realistic idea of your expenses. This meeting will serve as a great reality check for your plans. You’ll know whether you need to make some adjustments to your house or whether you can afford to splurge a little.

3. What are my specific needs?

Of course there are things you want in a house, and those are important, too. But make a list of your must-haves and talk to your builder. Make sure he or she knows your requirements and how to work those in.

4. When do I need to be moved in?

Talk to your builder to get a realistic timeframe of when you can expect your house to be done and make sure you have accommodations in the meantime. And have a backup plan—at Fortin we have a reputation of excellence in completing projects within the deadline, but other construction companies don’t. And when building a house there are often minor setbacks that can compromise your move-in date. All that considered, make sure you have a plan B in place so you have somewhere to sleep just in case.

At Fortin, we have years of building experience to make building a new home an enjoyable process in your life. And we are always available to offer advice and to help you think through each one of these points. Contact us today to find out how we can help you build your dream home.