Building anything takes thought, planning and time. That was true when we were kids building with blocks and it’s true today—just more complex! Having built hundreds of homes during the past two decades, we have rich experience we’d like to share towards ensuring a smooth home building process. 

How can we achieve that?

Here are five ways:

• Hiring the Right Team of Builders
• Planning and Communicating Your Vision, Plan, and Details
• Listening to Your Builder’s Pre-Building Specifics
• Staying True to Your Plan Without Changes
• Avoiding Micromanagement

Hiring the Right Team of Builders

Hiring a highly experienced local building and architectural team is crucial.

Why?

Literally and figuratively, they know the lay of the land.

Designing your dream house is one thing; realizing your dream home is another.

If your builder has a limited understanding of how specialized and interlaced building a high-end home from the foundation up is, your project will have troubles. If they’re too small and lack the internal administrative manpower, you’ll have troubles. Or, if they don’t have a responsive and easy communication with you, tensions may follow.

Building a dream home is like building a car. Both have thousands of moving parts, miles of wires and are designed and constructed by dozens of experts. A luxury car costs tens of thousands. Your dream home will cost ten times that amount. So, first and foremost, do your homework to find, interview and assess the skill sets of your building and architectural teams.

Planning and Communicating

Builders and architects are adept at applying your vision, your plan and thousands of details.

Within the year-long planning and building process you are embarking upon is one core truth: your builder and your spouse will share equal billing in your conversations. 

Why?

We are building upon your success–and in such a personal way that your builder will be like family for the duration. The process to follow your plans and visions will need your builder’s details and experience. Many clients come to us with scale models, sketches or room-by-room notebook pages of their vision. Our job is to translate that vision into spaces that work for you.

Listening to Your Builder

A good construction company will have the people who look at raw land and sea slope, drainage, sewage, utility, foundation, permitting, and lot line details. 

First, you tell us what you see in your mind’s eye. Then, we discuss with you what can and cannot be done within that vision. 

Communication is crucial. We like to say ‘the angel is in the details.’ You talk; we listen. We respond; you consider. Then, together, we build. 

Best of all, we build the vision nail by nail before we ever pour the slab to start.

Hire a team with the track record and interpersonal skills to move your project forward.

Follow Your Plan

Making the least little change once the project starts means more money and more time.

Failure to plan means planning to fail. So, for the sake of your family and your pocketbook, get it right the first time. Try to put into context what you really need versus what you want. Those higher-end desires—especially in bathrooms and kitchens—will add big-time cost once we’ve started. 

Avoiding Micromanagement

Along those lines, let your team of professionals manage the project for you—without you. Much like any business, hire the best and let them do their jobs. Directly interjecting yourself into the process is a great way to drive your project back to ground level. Plus, it’s counterproductive to your health. You’ve done your job; allow them to show you the same.

Summary

These five recommendations will help ensure a smooth home building process for all parties. Thank you for reading and considering them. We hope you find them helpful moving forward!