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Tips on New Home Construction

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CHOOSING A DESIGN

If you are having a custom home built, the Florida home is quite different than the home you probably now live in. The Florida home lives out the rear of the home with as many rooms as possible opening to the rear where the pool becomes the focal point of the home. Try to design the main living areas of the home with either access or a view of this pool. Also, many people like to see the pool from the front door.

Most Florida homes are single story, but we are beginning to see more 2 story homes. However, the single story has been the most popular. Most Florida homes are a split bedroom plan with the master suite on one side and the secondary bedrooms on the other side of the home. It usually has an access from the pool area to a bath.

I would suggest that you look at as many completed homes as possible to get a feel for the Florida home. The builder will also have many different floor plans he has designed in the past that you might view, offering you the flexibility to make changes to fit your needs and lifestyle.

 

You can also design the home from scratch using the builder's designer or services. This process will be much easier if you prepare a "must have" want list of the items that you would like in your dream home. By showing the builder/designer floor plans of homes that appeal to you he can then combine various elements of those homes such as baths, living areas, kitchens, etc. to fit your needs. The first meeting should be held at the homesite and the home designed to maximize the sites assets and minimize any liabilities the site may have. You should choose your focal point which may be the pool, a view such as a golf course, water, or a special tree. The home should be built around this focal point with every room having a dramatic view.

If you do decide to design from scratch, choose your builder first then work closely with the builder and his professional design team to be sure the home is the latest in innovation, fits your needs and desires, and can be built within the budget that you have established.

Over the years we have seen many people who consulted an architect first. Many architects design very few true custom homes and the end result is not what the customer expected nor wanted. Most spend tens of thousands of dollars on design plans and many frustrating months only to find that the home is hundreds of thousands of dollars over their budget or the design is really not that great. Your dream home will truly be your dream home if you choose an experienced builder first, making him the horse and the designer the cart.

Most Builders offer the services of an interior decorator to help choose the interior and exterior colors and finish materials for the home. This person can make the experience of building your new home a pleasure. The decorator has many different samples and makes the decorating task easy. I would suggest you use the builder’s decorator even if you are a decorator yourself. The builder's decorator knows the selection sequence and how to make the task easy for both of you.

You will view many different homes and floor plans offered by builders. When you agree to a specific home it is very important that the plans be modified to reflect the home as it will be built. You and the builder should initial those plans. If changes are made during construction the original plans should be changed and all previous copies, before the changes should be destroyed. This will help eliminate mistakes.

Specifications are probably the most important part of the agreement. Since it is so easy to forget things in today's hectic world, the complete home should be described in writing. The builder should offer specifications detailing exactly the items to be included in the home. The specifications should offer not only what is provided, but also what is not provided in the home. Those specifications should also be signed and agreed to by all parties. Should you make changes or any of the specifications seem vague or unclear they should be amended so that you, the Buyer, and the Home Builder have a clear, 20/20 vision of the finished home. With clear concise plans and specifications there are no gray areas and everyone knows what is expected and what the end result will be. Without this communication, errors are bound to occur causing stress for all parties. CAUTION: The specifications should be at least 75 pages long. Anything less than that does not adequately specify what will be included in the home and offers opportunities for problems.

If you make changes during construction ask that the change be put in writing. The cost should be established prior to the change being made. This will eliminate all surprises and you will remain friends forever.

When the plans and specifications are complete you should receive a firm price for the home. This price should complete the home as specified on the chosen home site. Do not sign any agreement that is vague in details, leaves foundation height, utility connections, governmental fees, etc. out or open ended. This cost can be astounding and any knowledgeable builder should be able to estimate these items and offer a firm price. Most communities establish a minimum floor elevation height and the price of the home should include adequate fill, foundation height, etc. to accomplish this.

I would highly recommend the firm price method over any form of cost plus agreement. A cost plus agreement removes the incentive of cost control by the builder and you are leaving yourself wide open to many unpleasant surprises. Good business says to know the final outcome at the beginning to eliminate the surprises.

The quality of a homesite can vary greatly. I would suggest that you have a builder look at any homesite you are interested in purchasing prior to agreeing to the purchase. In addition, never purchase a homesite without having a soil test performed on the lot to be sure the soils are buildable. The builder should alert you to this need and have this test performed for you at your expense. Many times, the purchase of a homesite is conditioned upon satisfactory soil test. It is further conditioned upon satisfactory percolation test if a septic system is required. I have seen the cost to correct soil problems run $50,000.00 and higher. Therefore, please spend a small amount for the soil test. It is the least expensive insurance that you can purchase!
dave brever