Building a Home

Building your home can be a very rewarding challenge. You have the opportunity of getting exactly what you want in a home whether you have an architect custom design it followed by a contractor building it for you, or whether you select a builder’s model and have it built with options she offers or you specify.

If you choose outside assistance, select a professional, reliable remodeling contractor to help you plan and oversee the job. HomeImprovementInfo.com sells a guide, "How To Determine The Creditability & Reputation Of A Home Improvement Contractor," that discusses important questions to ask and what to look for in a written agreement.

A large-scale undertaking is bound to produce some stressful circumstances. Typically, you have more decisions to make than you anticipated and costs usually run higher than expected. You may encounter numerous challenges and setbacks. For a couple involved in a major project, effective and frequent communication between partners is essential as a tool for dealing with the inevitable stress. Serious remodeling, adding to or renovating a house may complicate your life considerably; working together toward mutually agreed-upon goals and having clearly defined objectives and timeframes are essential for navigating your way through a challenging time.

We can't overemphasize the importance of planning, organizing and budgeting. First of all, it's absolutely essential to plan the process and the sequence of the process; know what you're going to be up against. Establish some kind of financial estimate, then double it! Maintain a notebook or/and a file that contains all of the vital paperwork (receipts, quotes, invoices, contracts, etc.) and contact information for your project. Having your materials organized in this way is time well-spent and may save you frustration and headaches. The two hardest things about remodeling your house are managing the money and making decisions; but if you can be organized, make decisions, and then live with those decisions — and you can balance a column of figures — then you can do it.

Before you break ground for a structural addition or make significant changes to the living area of your home, become familiar with local building codes, zoning regulations and inspection processes. You may need a building permit. Basic cosmetic improvements, like painting, wallpapering, carpeting, replacing cabinets, counters, windows, light fixtures and so forth don't usually require a permit, although community, historic or homeowner associations may have restrictions on exterior work.

If the purpose of your improvement efforts is to prepare the house for sale, consider carefully whether you'll recoup your investment. Keep in mind that you'll not necessarily increase your home's value in direct proportion to the amount of money you spend; dollar-for-dollar returns are a misconception. Avoid a major makeover such as creating a family room out of the garage or turning the attic into an additional bedroom if those things require major money and work. Instead, focus on things that are quick, easy and relatively cheap. Do things like minor landscaping improvements — maybe a few new shrubs or a flower bed, replacing outdated or broken fixtures, refreshing fabric window treatments, re-papering the bathroom. Overall, everyday maintenance improvements are critical; make sure sinks and toilets don't leak and that doors aren't falling off their hinges — that sort of thing.

This section concentrates on what you may be looking for when you undertake a remodeling or redecorating project. We recommend that you refer also to the sections Building a Home and Improvements and Repairs for places to go, people to see and contractors to hire.

Improvements and Repairs
 

When you're in the thinking and planning stage, especially for major improvements, contemplate these basic questions. What is your reason for doing this? What are you hoping to accomplish? Realistically, will the investment yield the reward you're hoping to get? Do you have the skills, tools and time to do the job yourself or will you need outside help? How much money are you willing to spend? To what extent will this project disrupt the household? Is everyone who lives there on board or will you have to contend with a crabby spouse or housemate? Can you assure everyone's safety throughout the project? Once you've determined this is what you want or need to do, get your ducks in a row. Make a list of what you need to perform the tasks involved, including tools and supplies. Establish a reasonable timetable; determine what will be done and by when (goal setting). If others are involved, be sure they understand their roles and that you all clearly understand each other (communication, communication, communication).

Fortunately for you, enormous amounts of practical, valuable information are at your fingertips. Many excellent home improvement and maintenance websites offer tips for just about any project you may want to undertake. Visit the Do It Yourself Network website, www.diynetwork.com, to get their schedule of TV programs plus read and print out instructional content from archived workshops or from their huge 'how-to-do-it' list. (See also our sections Building a Home and Decorating and Remodeling)

Public libraries, bookstores, hardware stores and probably people you know will have helpful publications. Often you can even download from the Internet books and pamphlets that you can print out for reference. Talk with others who've done whatever it is you're planning to do — you can be sure they'll be delighted to advise you. We're doing our part by providing some local resources in case you need them. Good luck!