Your Ally In Construction

There is a famous scene in the classic movie, "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" where Cary Grant gets an enormous surprise bill because his wife wanted a tiny flower sink. The minor request by his wife required floors to be ripped out, joists to be cut, plumbing to be re-worked, and a steel lally column to be installed to support the weight of everything. Obviously, the fact that Cary Grant's new home is a money pit adds to the comedic tone of the movie, but to avoid surprises with your custom home builder it is important to discuss your choices well in advance. 

1. Upgraded plumbing

If you have plans for any non-standard plumbing fixtures, it needs to be discussed with your custom home builder in advance. Plumbing lines for wall-mounted faucets, ceiling-mounted tub fillers, and second dishwashers all need to be planned out in the early framing stages of a build. Making adjustments later could be expensive. 

2. Ceiling lights

Like plumbing lines, electrical wiring needs to be determined early. Many new construction homes do not include overhead ceiling lights in the secondary bedrooms. If you intend to add a light or a ceiling fan and light combination, the electricians will need to plan accordingly.

3. Extra square footage

It can be tempting to see a home when it is just a handful of studs and think that you need to add a little bump-out here or extend a room there. Don't. All decisions affecting square footage need to be made on paper, well before your project gets underway. Changing things mid-build not only adds to the cost but also slows down the entire project as things need to be torn out and re-built. Furthermore, your custom home builder may be forced to stop work until the city can approve the new changes. 

4. Insulation

With new home construction, you can pick and choose from a variety of options, including insulation. If, for example, you would like a green insulation option, like recycled denim, or if you want to insulate between interior walls to help deaden the sound, you need to discuss that at the very start of the project. In order to keep your new house construction running smoothly, supplies and materials are ordered well in advance. If you request special material late and their arrival is delayed, everything grinds to a halt.

There are a million and one decisions that need to be made when you are building a new home. From lot selection and floorplan to paint color and tile selection, your custom home builder needs your input. While you are often given plenty of time to make up your mind, there are several decisions that are time-sensitive and that you need to communicate immediately, if not sooner