Building A Custom Home: What's The
Process?

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Imagine this: You have been saving for years to build your dream home. After months of searching, you finally find the perfect lot in a beautiful neighborhood with homes that match up perfectly with what you are looking for. It's time to get started and start building!

For many building a custom home is an enjoyable process - but it also has its challenges. This blog post will give you insights into the process of building your new house and answer several questions along the way, so you know what to expect.

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Are you considering constructing a custom home? Then it is essential to understand the process first. It would be best if you start by assessing your needs and expectations with an architect or builder. This will help them give you their opinion on what kind of house would be best for your family's situation. However, it is also recommended to do your research before contacting a professional. Your house should reflect your dream home, so do your homework and search for inspiration around you. You can drive around an area where you love the styles of homes or go online to look for more options that attract your eye.

It is essential that a contractor actively offers creative and budget-minded solutions to the specific needs or challenges you might be presenting during the communications. If you are going to be confident in the builder and that your custom home is everything you want, creative solutions will be involved and great companies do this very well. 

Get recommendations from your buddies, colleagues, and family, search online or ask your real estate agent. A good builder will be able to provide you guidance on the following:

  • Designing and drafting your floor plan
  • Estimating the cost of building materials for your home (this is important to know at this stage so you can make sure that there are no surprises later on)
  • Infrastructure needs, like utilities and sewer

You will need the services of an architect to generate an architectural plan to get permits. Suppose it is in your budget, and you have limited knowledge of interior design. In that case, it's best to get in touch with an experienced interior designer who can help you create a space that is more than just functional but also meets your style.

The next step is to draw up the floor plan of your custom home by deciding on the dimensions and features that you want in each room. This includes things such as what materials will be used, how many bathrooms are needed if there should be an office space or playroom for kids, etc.
At this stage, you also have to make several other crucial decisions. If you are a growing family, then you might need more than one floor. The aesthetics of the house play a vital role in making it worth living. Whether you are a fan of traditional colonial-style homes or contemporary ones or you want something in between, it has to be decided at this stage. Any additional innovative features that you want in your homes should also be included in the floor plan to avoid hassles after the construction starts.

After the designs have been finalized and your permits approved that's when construction starts. This includes clearing the land of preexisting structures for safety reasons. The next step is to dig trenches where utilities will be installed, such as water pipes or electrical lines.
Next, the foundations will be built. Foundations are often constructed of poured concrete reinforced with steel rods. Depending on the part of the country you're building in and design, you may have a slab foundation, crawl space, or full basement. No matter what type, it will get sprayed waterproofing material before framing begins and inspected by the city authorities for safety reasons.

In the framing step, your home starts to take shape. This includes floor joists and subfloors installed during this stage and roof trusses for creating a sturdy frame that will support all the other later additions like siding or shingles. In this step, you'll also see wrap around the house to protect it from moisture. If it's raining during construction, the builders might install windows, shingles on roofs, or other exterior materials like siding in their final stages before completion.

In the next step, when your home is dried in, plumbing and electrical will be installed. This includes the installation of pipes, wires, sewer lines, and vents for an HVAC system. You might need to wait until all necessary parts arrive to complete this stage successfully with a local inspector's aid to ensure safety compliance.

Insulation plays a crucial role in creating a more comfortable, consistent indoor climate while significantly improving home energy efficiency. There are several different types of insulation available, including fiberglass, cellulose, and foam. Your building contractor will help you make a rational decision.

Once the home is insulated, drywall and interior finishes are installed to cover walls and ceilings. The insulation process can also be done in this step by installing a layer of moisture-resistant material under drywall, which reduces problems with mold or condensation. Next, most of the home's interior features will be added. Baseboards, moldings, windowsills, vanities, doors, and other decorative trim in the house interior. The contractors would paint walls with a coat of paint or wallpaper if appropriate for that room.

The exterior of the home will also be built, if not already framed. Features like patios, walkways, driveways are formed in this step. However, some contractors might delay this step to protect these features from other construction. Still, many will complete it to enhance the convenience of homeowners during the house inspection visits.
If you have open space available, your home landscaping is also done at this stage. The contractor might also install a chimney, skylights, or other distinctive features on this stage to suit the design requirements of your project to give an elegant look from outside as well as inside.

The contractor will wire the house with electrical wiring and plumbing fixtures. The contracting firm will install all of the outlets, lights switches, electrical panels, and everything in-between.
HVAC systems and bathroom fixtures such as toilets, faucets, bidets, and even mirror and shower doors are fixed at this step. It's incredible to think that, at this point in the process of building a new home, you're just about done with all things electrical and plumbing! You may have noticed by now how many different fixtures had been installed and completed. It's also time for some final inspections on everything before it can be labeled as finished.

Flooring is one of the last steps that construction companies do. This step is pretty straightforward, but you have to select an appropriate flooring first. . When choosing the flooring, it is essential to remember what type of design you want and if this will be compatible with other parts of the home. Commonly Ceramic tile, vinyl, and wood are used. These materials can be used in a variety of climates and are deemed durable.

Building-code officials are essential for ensuring that construction is up to code. When a building has been completed, they will inspect the site and issue an occupancy certificate if everything complies with regulations. Any defects found during this final inspection may require follow-up inspections before issuing a certificate of occupancy so people can live there safely.

Final Touches:

With the inspection complete, it is time to clean up any debris that may have been left behind. This includes sweeping and vacuuming all carpets, mopping floors, and wiping down cabinets. During this work, if you spot any other minor issues, inform the contractor for a timely fix so you can move into an immaculate custom-built home.
Now that your custom-built home is complete, you can enjoy all the benefits it has to offer. From a beautiful view of nature from every room to indoor and outdoor living spaces perfect for unwinding or relaxing with family and friends, your dream house awaits you!

Contact us for a list of Traverse City builders that we love to work with!

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HBA of Grand Traverse

HBA of Michigan

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