Building your own home comes with many demands and you have to be able to organize everything really well.
Juggling priorities, materials, cost and suppliers plus family is a big element of self builds and several people only realize this when they are halfway done with the project.
The decision to do it yourself is a brave one and you have to consider how this will affect your work commitments and family before you begin.
Although cost is the major concern for most people, there are other hidden costs that people forget during the planning stages.
There are many responsibilities that come with doing the project yourself and you have to be available for workers and suppliers to get in touch with you all the time.
There are many details you will be handling for the project. Planning is an essential project management part on a newly built home.
Problem solving is important every day. If you are strong-minded about managing your own building project, then here are 5 tips that will help.
1. Maintain the Plan
Do not accept to be set back by suppliers. Be firm about deadlines plus delivery of materials and work upfront. Compare prices upfront and be confident to haggle a bit on costs.
2. Build In Stages
Since your financial support will come through in phases, it is wise to prepare to build in stages. Draft your phases on a board so that you can monitor them.
The stages should be named and they are groundworks, blockwork/brickwork, frame completion and second fix work. Ensure to go through each of the stages and allocate completion dates to it.
Communicate the deadlines to everyone.
3. Maintain an Orderly Site
An orderly site is an orderly build. If you appear organized your suppliers and builders will trust you know what you are doing.
If you are going to administer the build, you should have their admiration from the beginning. Besides, you require a safe site as well as clear space for work and deliveries to be conducted.
4. Keep Everything Clear
Ensure to keep records of everything and avoid handshakes on orders or delivery dates.
Obtain promised supply notes, final invoices, quotes, material specs and make sure to follow up all verbal agreements in writing by email or
letter with a disclaimer which states that they are considered agreed to if not otherwise replied to within 24 hours.
You have to do your filing impeccably or you might find yourself unable to defend and order or delivery date.
Remember, poor filing might cause you huge losses, especially when you are dealing with tricky suppliers.
5. Be Pedantic At the Start to Save Money Later
Among the most money and time consuming parts of a fresh build is when the proprietor wishes to alter something.
Since straying from the initial design costs money, it is worth spending some extra hours or even days on the design phase to save you huge cash amounts later.
Even the smallest of changes, such as changing the location of a door or window is more costly than you allow for.
Michael ran his own building company for 20 years and he now consults for a company that specialises in house and land packages in Perth.
Michael loves to share his knowledge and help people with their building projects.
Building Your Own Home: 5 Essential Tips
