7 Secrets Builders Don’t Want You to Know
Building a custom home in Orlando is an exciting undertaking. It can be considered the project of a lifetime. Of course, the idea of making your dream home a reality might also fill you with trepidation. After all, if you are not a home building expert, it may be difficult to know how all the pieces fit into building a forever home for you and your family. The good news is that you'll have a lot of help from the team at Hawk Custom Homes along the way!
Here are 7 secrets builders don’t want you to know:
1. Always Check “Allowance” Amount In Your Proposal
When looking over a builder’s proposal make sure the amount of money the builder allocated for your specific selections (lights, sinks, faucets, appliances, etc) is reasonable. For example, if a builder allocates $2,000 for your appliance package and your appliances end up costing $4,000, you are responsible for the difference.
2. Permitting and Inspections Online Access
Most building departments offer an online permitting and inspection portal. Ask the builder for the log-in information so that you can check the status and always be in the know.
3. Too Good To Be True Construction Proposal
If a builder quotes you a figure that seems too good to be true, chances are, it probably is. Ask for an itemized breakdown of costs so you can compare it to the proposals you have received from other builders.
4. Impact Fees Are Expensive
If you are building new construction on a vacant lot you will almost certainly have to pay impact fees. This cost is not a permit fee, this is a separate fee that can cost north of $10,000. Builders will exclude this cost from their proposal to keep their numbers lower. Make sure to allocate this cost when you are budgeting your new home construction.
5. Sewer And Water Availability
Septic Systems and Potable Wells can be expensive and will have to be maintained after you move in. When searching for a lot, make sure to check the availability of public sewer and water, if it is not available, make sure this cost is included in your budget.
6. Delays Happen
Everyone knows that building a home takes time. Unfortunately, new home builders aren’t always that honest about how long it will really take to build your home. While the builder will certainly quote you the average time that it takes to build a house to your specification, this time frame rarely includes the kinds of delays that commonly happen during construction. Not only can something as simple as a supply problem causes major delays for your home, but it might cause you to spend a great deal of money finding someplace to live on a temporary basis. It’s always a good idea to find out the worst-case scenario when it comes to having a home custom-built.
7. Material And Selection List
Make sure your builder supplies you with a list of all of the appliance model numbers and materials (tile, paint, door hardware, etc). This will make replacing or correcting future issues less expensive.
At Hawk Custom Homes, we know that you want only the best for your forever home. We dedicate our work to helping you achieve it. We are 100% transparent, we allow our customers real-time access to our schedule as well as our budget, so no matter what you will know what is going on. If you would like to discuss more how Hawk can help craft the home of your dreams please feel free to reach out to us.
Take the first step today and schedule a consultation today!
