Foundational Knowledge - A Guide to Building Your First Home
Building your own home is one of the most exciting experience you and your family will have! While it can feel like a dream come true, there are a number of things to consider when building your first home.
Find the Right Block of Land
With all the excitement of building your first home it can be easy to get swept away and jump at the first opportunity presented to you. Take the time to look around and decide between a house and land package and finding a block in the perfect location and then finding the right builder to create your dream home. Speak with your lender and financial advisor to ensure you know how your loan will be structured and what budget you have to work with.
The more information you have, the smoother the journey will be. Finding the right block of land also includes knowing if the block is flat, or slopes, and what the soil is like. These factors will all contribute to costs and could raise potential issues down the track.
Find the Right Builder
To build a home, you need a builder. Sounds simple, but finding the right builder for you can be tricky. You want to feel like you are in safe hands, and not going to be swindled in any shape or form. You also want to make sure that you get along with the builder, because you’re going to have a lot to do with them for many months to come. Having all those factors come together can take time, so do your research and ensure you shop around and find the right home builder in Sydney for you.
Over-budget
Budget for more than you expect to fork out. It’s always better to be in the green than to get caught out and find yourself scraping the bottom of the barrel. And no matter how much you think it’s going to cost, it will probably end up costing more. So, plan for those unexpected expenses that will pop up along the way. If you plan for it then it won’t cause a minor heart attack when it happens. The more you plan and research, the more in control you will feel, which will allow you to enjoy the process rather than feeling like you’re losing it.
Know Your Entitlements
If you’re building your first home, you might be entitled to the First Home Owner Grant, which is something you definitely want to take advantage of. NSW also has stamp duty changes, so it’s important to stay on top of regulations and know your entitlements.
Plan for the Unexpected
Delays are often part of the building process. There are so many factors that can affect the time constraints of building a home. Weather is the most obvious and can be the most significant factor. If the weather turns the wrong way you might be set back months. In addition to this there are issues that builders face, deliveries, labour or consultant availabilities that can all add up to significant delays in the building of your home.
As long as you realise that it’s all part of the process, you won’t let the stress of it all get to you. To minimise the chance of delays, make sure that materials have all been ordered well in advance, and confirm all booked tradespeople to ensure they will be there when they are supposed to be. There can be a serious domino effect caused by one stray contractor. Make sure you keep some money tucked away as an emergency fund to take care of the unexpected.
~
Finally, know your rights if something goes wrong. Sometimes things can happen that disturb the romantic process of building your dream home, and if that happens you want to know what your rights are and what your options are. Find the right builder, gather as much information as you can, and enjoy the journey.
