Looking to knock down your house and rebuild? For most people, this is a project that they will complete once or twice in their lives, meaning that they might not have a lot of experience with the process. To help get you started with this massive undertaking, we’ll cover a few tips you should follow to make sure that the project goes smoothly.
Set an exact budget
House rebuilding projects can be hectic and unpredictable, especially when it comes to the cost. If you plan to do a knockdown rebuild, it helps to set an exact budget. Many homeowners run into budget issues when rebuilding simply because they want to add a little too much to the project while it’s still ongoing.
While rebuilding projects should be flexible, you might find yourself going drastically over budget if you aren’t careful. Always take the cost of changes into account when applying new ideas and designs to the build.
At the same time, you should account for delays and unexpected costs, as they tend to influence the budget as well. It’s recommended that you set aside ten per cent of the budget to cover these types of costs. This way, you can’t be caught off guard by delays, and you can make a few changes along the way if needed.
Create a thorough plan
Building a home is one of those projects that you can’t just “wing” and hope for the best. It requires thorough planning and preparation. You must know exactly which materials you want for various parts of the home and how you want it to look. Working with an architect and creating a plan is an absolute must.
Stay in contact with them, as you may need to make changes along the way. Finding out whether or not these changes can be applied in a way that suits your needs is an important part of the building process. Hiring an architect and engineer is always a good idea, especially if your soon-to-be home is particularly large.
Introduce sustainable features
When rebuilding your house, you have the opportunity to introduce sustainable features that will increase comfort and bring down long term costs. Nowadays, you can choose from a plethora of sustainable design options to incorporate into your new home. Some won’t cost you anything at all, such as choosing a good orientation for rooms to maximise natural lighting. Others can be considered good investments.
Solar panels are a good example. Introducing them to your home can reduce your energy expenditures drastically and provide what is essentially free power. However, you must first determine whether or not the power system and area are suitable for solar power. Afterwards, you must choose a good solar inverter and install the panels themselves.
Other good options include LED lighting and advanced home insulation. These elements can help you save on power and heating costs and provide extra comfort.
Consider the location
A common mistake that many people make is not considering their area when building a house from scratch. Knocking down and rebuilding allows you to make massive changes to the structure and overall design, but that’s not always a good idea. Choosing an adequate size and quality for the build is essential if you want to keep the value consistent.
Overinvesting and underinvesting in the build can have a huge impact on the value of the new home. If it doesn’t fit the area or stands out in some way, potential buyers and investors may not look at it favourably.
Find trustworthy builders
It goes without saying that good contractors are essential for a project of this size and importance. Knocking down and rebuilding a home is no simple task, and you want reliable and trustworthy builders to complete it. Unless you decide to take on the project on your own, you’re going to have to do some searching for the best contractors for the job.
You’ve probably heard countless horror stories about builders making mistakes and cutting corners when working on a project. Unreliable builders may take much longer to complete a project than the agreed terms, or they might even try to change the contract terms.
This is why having the right credentials and a good reputation is crucial in the building industry. When searching for builders, make sure that they have a nationally accredited white card and a history of successful projects of this size. It’s more than likely that they will be able to complete the build without issue if they have the proper accreditation and experience.
Establish open communication
Establishing proper communication with your contractors is key for every building project. Oftentimes, you’ll find that certain engineering and design choices might not work in a particular project, and it’s likely that the contractors will need to make some changes along the way. If you communicate with the contractors during the process, you’ll be able to approve these changes or consider alternatives as quickly as possible.
Whether you want to upgrade your bathroom design or look at other roof tile types, you’ll have to keep in touch with your builders on a regular basis. They should consult you for every important change for the build, and you must be available to give them swift answers when needed.
Check the builders’ previous projects
It’s not every day that you’ll decide to rebuild your home, which is why it’s crucial that the project is done to your exact tastes and standards. While checking the accreditation of your contractors is critical, you should also take a look at their previous works.
If the builders have display homes available, you should consider visiting them. It will help you determine if they are the right team for the job. If you enjoy their work and find it suitable for your future home, you can set up a contract without worrying about how the project will turn out.
Conclusion
Knocking down and rebuilding a house is quite a bit more complicated than renovating a building. There are more factors to take into consideration, and you must get contractors that you can trust with such a massive project. Follow the tips we’ve mentioned, and you shouldn’t have too many issues building the house of your dreams.