Planning Considerations to Help You Save Money on Your Custom Home Build

When you’ve made the decision to build a custom home rather than purchase an already-built home, there are a variety of ways you can save money during the planning process without compromising the quality of the home you end up with. For example, making sure you and all your contractors are on the same page, planning for any potential mistakes or issues that might come up, and planning to put certain things in the build right away rather than implementing them later can all be effective ways of saving you some significant cash.

Here are just a few examples of some of the planning considerations you should take into account when working with a custom home builder in Pennsylvania:

• Know your priorities: Even before you begin meeting with architects, engineers and contractors, you should have a clearly defined picture of what is important to you in your new home, from the broad strokes of number of bathrooms and bedrooms down to some of the details and amenities. You can create a “wish list,” then prioritize what’s most important to you on that wish list so you know which items you can cross off, if necessary, to keep your project within budget.
• Find the right builder: Working with the right builder can save you a lot of money in the long run, because you can trust they’ll do the job correctly and that you’ll have a good working relationship with them. If you’re able to build a good rapport with your builder early on, it becomes easier to communicate about the project and make decisions together that make the process much more efficient.
• Choose the right lot: There are certain lots that will take much more work to prepare for building than others. The more work a lot requires, whether it’s with tree removal, grading or other forms of lot preparation, the more expensive the project will become.
• Consider cost of living in your chosen area: In addition to choosing a specific lot that will lend itself to a less expensive project, you should also consider general costs of living in the areas you’re looking at. This can include everything from groceries to property taxes and more.
• Shop around for loans: Don’t just take the first mortgage and construction loans offered to you without even looking at other companies’ rates. It’s a good idea to shop around and get the lowest rates possible, as this will save you a lot of money in the long run.
• Install outdoor features early: It’s much more cost-effective and generally efficient to add outdoor features light outlets, water features and lighting during the initial build than to do so after the fact. Talk to your builder about incorporating these and other features.
• Do some work yourself: If there is any type of work you’re willing to do yourself, this can save you quite a bit of money. You might, for example, be willing to do the painting in your home yourself, or install some of the fixtures to save on installation costs. Know what you’re capable of doing well, and whether or not you’re willing to do it to save cash.
• Plan, plan, plan: Don’t be afraid of feeling like you’ve over-planned the project. It’s better to be “too prepared” for construction than to go into the project without some important decisions having been made.

For more information about planning for working with a custom home builder in Pennsylvania, contact WSL Incorporated today.