all the (32) tips when Building a new home
First things first:
USE AN AGENT TO BUY/BUILD NEW CONSTRUCTION. ME!
1:-Location, location, location. Remember that is something you can NEVER change (unless you move again) Drive the area often during all times of the day. Is there trains? Airplanes? Does it bother you? How far are you from your favorite things? Take all that into consideration.
2:-Once you have your neighborhood picked out, ask the onsite agent if anyone hit rock. Did your potential neighbors hit rock? Hitting rock can be costly and can vary from lot to lot, but always know it's a possibility.
3:-Don't overprice yourself for the neighborhood. You never want to be the most expensive house.
4:-If you found a floor plan that you like, reach out to the builder and ask to tour all their other properties (same floor plan or not) and start to really look at the quality of their product. How do the floors look? Tile? Paint job? Those would most likely be the same subs doing your house. It also allows you to see other design ideas.
5:-Talk to people who have built with that builder. What did they like? Not like? How were they treated? I think it's even more important to know how they were treated AFTER they close. Were they helpful with problems? (Because we all know there will be some!) Even ask the builder to help put you in touch with past clients to talk to them.
Starting to build:
7:-Photograph EVERY stage! This helps for you to know where plumbing is, where studs are, where electrical is, etc. *Some builders provide this for you. Ask if they do or not.
8:-Confirm what windows open and which don't open. Are they double hung, a slider, or casement?
9:-Confirm basement ceiling height when the space is finished! Most pour 9ft walls as standard leaving it a finished 8'8" basement.
10:-You might not be finishing your basement when you build, but make sure your plumbing is laid where you want it to be for future finishings. They will (or they should) lay out the plumbing for your bathroom and ask about a future bar.
11:-Expand/extend your garage. Remove that post and confirm sizing to make sure your vehicles will fit!
Save on utilities:
12:- LED light bulbs (sometimes it's even cheaper to buy them yourself and then have your builder install them for you. Ask and price compare)
13:-Spray insulation. What is standard for your builder? What about your garage and garage doors?
14:-Understand your windows! How they operate and what they are made of. Color? What is important to you and what is standard with your builder.
15:-HVAC TALK: Zone your house. We have our master on a different zone than the rest of the bedrooms (our kids sleep warmer than we do). Our main floor is on its own zone and we zoned our basement. (In a perfect world, we would have liked a door into the basement.)
16:-Confirm toilet "size" Not all builders include a standard toilet size. Some are smaller to the ground with a smaller toilet seat. Might want taller and bigger for primary and guest areas.
Do before you move in:
17:-Have your windows measured for blinds/window treatments. They usually need to be ordered, so place the order and have install be the day you close. They can do this after trim!
18:-BUDGET for that new furniture you're going to order. Have it be delivered the day you close as well.
19:-HIRE movers :) just moving a few items, look into Bungii.
Selections:
20: -Photograph your selections so you know what you picked.
21: -Also remember, you are the customer! If you don't like some of the selections don't be fearful to change your mind or ask to see more. Bring Inspo pictures to help.
22: -Think about your laundry room. Does it have a sink? Do you care? If it has a sink, is there a nice sprayer to help get stains out?
Things we did I love:
23: -Heated our master bathroom floors. (In a perfect world, I would have heated our kitchen floors too)
24: -Poured extra concrete to your backyard space. Trust me, you will use it and LOVE that it's there to use.
-Andi Telker, new construction BUYERS agent in Kansas City