home improvement guy

Building a new home can be one of the most satisfying and most challenging experiences of your life. The opportunity to build a home that reflects your personality and your unique vision is an exciting one, especially when considering that we have more options in building technologies, materials, finishes and designs than ever before.

With the right team of design and construction professionals, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences, especially if you can avoid these newbie mistakes.

1. Acting as your own general contractor.

There is a reason that the general contractor professional service has existed for centuries. The majority of people wouldn’t build their own cars; a home is an even more complex system and typically is a family’s largest investment.

General contractors are knowledgeable and experienced with site issues, structural challenges, breadth of materials, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, along with subcontractors and vendors, plus all the permits and local codes. Whew! Like orchestra conductors, they direct these different moving parts and build timelines that optimize construction schedules to get you into a safe, effective and beautiful home that can last a century or more.

2. Trying to save money by not collaborating with an architect/designer/builder before construction begins.

In real estate, the mantra is location, location, location. But in construction, it’s planning, planning, planning.
By bringing the three legs of the stool together early in the process, the designer, the contractor and the homeowner can discuss vision, budget and timing realities, priorities and deal breakers.

3. Expecting contractors and subcontractors to be available anytime.

The majority of reputable contractors schedule out their time down to 15-minute increments and juggle multiple projects. While we have lots of tech tools that provide 24/7 access, the reality is that contractors and subcontractors have full email and phone inboxes most of the time — no matter how efficient they are.

4. Choosing the lowest bid.

The saying is that you get what you pay for, and that holds especially true in construction. Typically, the contractor plays the part of the “bad guy,” having to provide a realistic budget to meet the homeowner’s vision as represented in a set of beautiful architectural sketches. Consumer education is critical, as is transparency to ensure everyone is on the same page on the final deliverable.

While the lowest bid might be a good deal, often times clients will regret not choosing the more premium bid because the project, in the long run, turned out to be the same price when, for example, change order after change order expanded the initial budget by 50–100 percent.

5. Thinking that the process is perfect.

Construction is messy, no matter how experienced or professional a team is. For example, cabinets might get delayed, which throws a kink in the critical path of the construction schedule. Communication is critical, so pick designers and contractors that you have a good connection and rapport with.