How to Build a Home: A 10-Step Guide

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how to build a home

You’re looking for a new home, but you don’t really want to buy someone else’s. Instead, you want to build your own.

The question you have, however, is: how? How do you build a home? We’re going to show you below, covering 10 major steps.

Without further ado, here’s how to build a home.

1. Decide on the Type of Home You Would Like

First and foremost, you need to decide on the type of home you would like. You have a few different options available to you.

One option is to build a custom home on an individually-bought piece of land. Another option is to build a tract home, a pre-designed home that is planned for building in a residential community. The last option is to buy a pre-fabricated home and have its construction finished on a piece of land that you purchased.

Every option has its benefits, but its downsides as well. Do thorough research before commencing with the rest of the project.

2. Get Financing Lined Up

Unless you have the cash to pay for the house outright, you’re going to have to pursue financing options. This is extremely common whether you’re building a home from scratch or purchasing an existing home.

The difference, however, is that while financing an existing home requires a mortgage, financing a not-yet-built home requires a construction loan. Construction loans are generally more difficult to obtain, often requiring a 20% down payment or greater. As such, before construction begins, you need to make sure that you’re approved for such a loan.

You can obtain a construction loan from a few different places, most notably banks and credit unions.

3. Find an Appropriate Plot of Land

Next, you’re going to want to find a plot of land. After all, you can’t build a new home on someone else’s property.

You, of course, have the option to purchase the land with cash. However, you can typically work the cost of land into a construction loan as well.

When choosing land, it might be a good idea to consult a builder. He or she will be able to alert you to any problems that the land might pose. For instance, if there are zoning restrictions on the property, your builder could help you identify them.

4. Start the Design Process

Now, you’re ready to start the design process. Unless you have a tremendous amount of knowledge on the design of houses, you’re advised to hire a designer. He or she will help you lay everything out in a realistic and optimal manner.

During this step, you must make a number of considerations. These run the gamut from the number of bedrooms you want to the number of bathrooms you want to the number of stories you want and the like. You must also make considerations on yard size.

Your designer should be able to guide you through every step of the design. So, there’s no need to turn yourself into an expert prior to the design meetings.

5. Hire Your Professionals

Odds are, you’ve never built a house before. As such, instead of putting yourself to work, you’re advised to hire professionals to complete the task for you.

There are a number of different professionals that you’ll need to hire. These include a home builder, an architect, and a surveyor.

Depending on the services provided by your builder, you might also need to hire an electrician, a plumber, and a land clearing service. While some builders facilitate electric and plumbing, others leave the responsibility to the future homeowner.

6. Prepare the Land

If you’ve hired professionals to complete your house for you, you can now essentially just wait until the house is finished. However, if you have opted to build the house yourself, it’s time to get to work.

First, you’ll need to prepare your land so that the house can be laid in a satisfactory manner. This could entail anything from cutting down trees to picking weeds to excavating the soil and more. It usually requires the installation of utility lines as well.

7. Lay the Foundation

Next, you’ll need to lay the home’s foundation. There are a few different types of foundations that you can create, some of which are better suited for certain areas than others.

The three primary types include a basement foundation, a crawl space foundation, and a slab foundation. Note, home foundations must be inspected by local municipalities. So, upon completing the installation of your foundation, give a call to your county or city.

8. Build the Frame

Now, the frame of the house will be built. There’s a lot that goes into this, including the installation of subfloors, floor joists, and wall studs. In some cases, it even includes the installation of roofing, siding, and windows.

9. Implement Utilities

Next, you’re going to implement your utilities. As such, you’ll need to install electric wiring and water pipes. You’ll also need to install lighting.

It’s common during this step to install an HVAC system as well. If this HVAC system requires ductwork, the ductwork will need to be installed.

10. Finish It Off

After utilities have been installed, you just need to finish the home off. Install drywall, preferred decor elements, flooring, and other finishing touches. Once the home looks the way you want it to look, the project will have been completed.

Call up the municipal inspector and he or she will sign off on the build, allowing you to use the home for residential purposes.

And That’s How to Build a Home

And there it is, that’s how to build a home. As you can see, the process is a fairly long one. But if you really want a home that is unique to you and your family, it’s a process worth pursuing.

Looking for similar info? Our website has you covered. Take a look at some of our other articles now!

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