Home Improvement Articles, resources and tips
Home Builder New Construction
Nothing is quite as satisfying as walking into a new home built for you. New construction offers many benefits, including far fewer maintenance issues, more energy efficiency, and greater safety. New homes can also be customized to your own personal needs and have many bells and whistles older homes just weren't equipped with.
Before you begin construction on a townhouse, a custom home, or a house in a subdivision, you must first find a reputable builder. Contact your local builders association or the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to obtain a list of firms in your area. You might also check the real estate section of the newspaper or call real estate agents. When it comes time to narrow down your choices, visit the past work and speak to former clients of prospective builders.
Before you obtain a quote, you'll have to decide exactly what type of house you want as your choice of styles is almost endless. You also have to decide between custom (built from plans designed entirely by you and your architect) and semi–custom (built from purchased plans with small modifications by you and your architect or builder). The first is of course more costly and takes longer to construct, but the second offers less flexibility.
Housing developments often use production homebuilders who have contracted with architects and builders to create homes that blend with the region and other homes nearby. In this situation, prospective homeowners choose from a number of plans chosen by the development and then customize by choosing architectural details such as windows or the color of siding from a pre–set menu.
If you are building a custom home outside of a development, you'll have to decide whether to hire an architect or not, which can add 8–12 percent to the final cost of a home. A good architect can build plans that fully address the individual needs of your family. If your budget won't allow you to hire an architect, you can also consider a certified professional building designer. They aren't as educated or hold as many educational certifications as an architect, but they can perform many of the same functions.
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