Finally, easy to follow steps to guide you through the sometimes intimidating process of building a new home in Ontario!
Choosing the right location is very important because once your home is built - you can't move it. Some important questions to ask yourself to help you with this decision include:
Rural or Urban? There is a big difference between buying a lot in a city or out in the country. The city offers you the convenience of being close to many amenities, entertainment and shopping, but the cost of lots will be considerably higher than in the country. A rural location means you will probably get more bang for your buck, but you will have to drive further for most things. And if you are looking for waterfront property, rural is probably your only option.
School Zone? Do you need a location that is close to a good school? If your children are currently in school, you may want a lot that is close enough to where you currently live so that they won't have to change schools.
Health Concerns? Do you or any of your family have particular health concerns that you want to be close to a good hospital? If you are thinking of a very rural location, you might want to find out what kind of ambulance service is provided for the area.
Size of Lot? Do you want a smaller lot with less gardening and maintenance, or a larger one that you can landscape as you please? In addition, would you like a lot that is large enough so that you have a pool or has ample space between you and your nearest neighbour?
Space for Pets? Do you have pets that need extra space outside to run? Would you like to have a property that is zoned so you can finally keep a horse or a few chickens?
Setting a realistic budget is an important part in building your custom home. Some of the steps involved in setting a budget include the following:
How Much Can You Spend? If you need to finance some or all of your new home build, contact your financial institution to arrange a construction mortgage and find out how much you can borrow. This will give you a good idea of how much money you will have to spend on your new home.
What Are Your "Wants" and "Needs"? Make a list of everything you want in your new home, and put it in order of importance. You may not be able to achieve everything on your list, so putting it in an order of what is absolutely necessary and what is a "want" but maybe not as important will help you make your plan. Some things on your list may not be possible due to budget restrictions or site availability.
Make Room for Extras: Don't forget to leave room in your budget for items such as appliances, furnishings, and landscaping.
Stick to Your Budget: Once you have determined your budget, try your best to stick to it. Don't be tempted to add in extras along the way that you really can't afford.
Selecting your builder is probably one of the most important aspects of building a new home. You want to be sure that you can trust them to produce the perfect home for you.
Choose Early in the Process: There are advantages to choosing the right builder early in the process because they will be able to work with you right from the start and help to advise you as you go along. Builders can be busy, especially the best ones, so the more lead time you can give them the better.
Get References: Ask family and friends for recommendations of trusted builders that they have used before. A personal reference is probably the most reliable and it will give you a good idea as to the builder's quality of work, professionalism, and cost.
Ask Your Local Home Builders Association: Your local home builders association can give you a list of local new home builders that meet their standards of professionalism. The goal of many of these associations is to ensure that their members provide "quality housing using environmentally sound practices."
Meet with the Builder: Talking face to face with your prospective builder will give you a chance to see if this is a person that you can work with and you will have the opportunity to ask questions about their experience, warranties, references, credentials, and detailed estimates.
Design Style: There are three main design styles to choose from including: traditional, modern, and contemporary. The internet is a great resource for looking at these different options and deciding which you prefer if you don't already know.
Layout: There are many different features to consider when building a new home as well as many different layouts. The beauty of building a custom home is that you can create a unique layout that is perfect for your lifestyle.
Size: Not only do you need to decide the total square footage of your home, but also the size and number of your individual rooms. You can choose to have as many or as few bedrooms and bathrooms as you like. And if you want two kitchens, why not go for it?
You will want to keep in close communication with your builder during the construction process. During the initial stages, while the excavation, foundation and framing happens, your participation will be limited. You will want to take a walk through, however, to make sure that the sizes and placement of rooms is what you actually want. You'll want to also supervise the placement of windows and doors.
Once your home is closed in, then you will want to be more involved. You will need to make regular visits to confirm where you want your fixtures, outlets, plumbing, and more to be placed.
Choosing the finishing touches in your home is probably the most enjoyable part of this process. You will need to choose things like your kitchen cabinets, light fixtures, flooring, windows, and interior decorations such as the paint colour. You probably want to be deciding on these finishes well in advance of their installation so that you can order exactly what you want and ensure that they will arrive on time.
If your budget allows it, you may want to enlist an interior designer to help you with some of these decisions.
Now comes the best part of building a new home - enjoying it! To make sure that there are no mistakes and that you get the home of your dreams, hire a builder you can trust. If you are building in the Kawartha Lakes region, contact Conlin Premier Construction.
Conlin Premier Construction is a registered home builder, which means that they have the expertise to qualify for Tarion certification. Not every builder can earn this certification. This means that if you choose a Tarion certified builder, you can rest assured knowing that your builder has the capability and the experience required to construct a high quality home.
"...We are thrilled with the quality of every feature of our home, inside and out! ... We highly recommend Conlin Premier Construction Inc. to anyone who is considering them."
- Eileen PettiferAt Conlin Premier Construction, we are a family owned business with over 30 years of experience and expertise in the custom construction industry. We are located in Peterborough and we specialize in new custom home builds as well as:
At Conlin Premier Construction, we really care about the work that we do and the complete satisfaction of our customers. We have the experience that you need to get the finest custom home in Peterborough.
For custom home construction as well as, renovations, and additions, you can depend on Conlin. With our expertise, we will complete your project exactly to your specifications and with the high quality workmanship that you deserve. Contact Conlin Premier Construction today to get your custom home started.
At Conlin, we do all of the work ourselves and we have our own sub-contractors who do the mechanical work. This means that we can be in charge of the quality control on every part of your home's construction, from start to finish. And we make sure that you are with us all through the process. Your complete satisfaction is our ultimate goal and that is why we prioritize excellent communication.
The following video will further explain why Conlin is the best for custom homes in Kawartha Lakes.
At Conlin Premier Construction, we have over 30 years of experience building custom homes, custom cottages, additions, and unique outbuildings with the highest standard of workmanship. All of our homes are backed by the Tarion New Home warranty. If you are looking for a premier builder in the Kawartha Lakes region that you can trust, talk to the professionals at Conlin and then contact us today for a no obligation quote.
