What Goes Into Building Custom Homes in Sonoma County, CA?
Buying a house can be a frustrating and labor-intensive process, between open houses, pushy realtors and never quite finding your dream home. It’s enough to drive a family to start from scratch and forget everything else on the market. While it may be tempting to scrap plans for buying an existing home, there are some things you should know before venturing down the path toward a custom home. Below, we’ll lay out some of the basics of custom homes in Sonoma County, CA to help you decide whether this is the right path for you!
Setting a budget
One of the first things you will need to do is set a budget for your home build. This means drilling down into things like how many bedrooms and bathrooms you will need, whether your family will be growing and where you would like to live. Depending on where you want to build your custom home, you might find that the lot alone eats up a lot of your budget, so be sure to factor it in early on.
Beyond the obvious costs, you’ll likely encounter local fees and taxes as well as service costs for processes like engineering, surveying and architecture. Call around and don’t be afraid to ask an expert, even if they charge for their time. Be sure to add in some financial padding if possible. Many projects run into unexpected delays or costs, and it’s best to be prepared with the extra cash. Once you have a good idea of the costs, both real and imagined, talk to multiple lenders to see which will give you the best rate.
Find a lot
A custom home is no good without the land to build it on. There are several things to consider here that might go unnoticed until it’s too late, so take some notes. Now that you have a good idea of the size of your home, look for land that will allow room for growth. Often, people plan the home in their minds and are forced to adjust when the available lots don’t match up.
Consider things like local ordinances regarding how close you can build to a property line or neighbor’s home. Consider the type of lot you want (sloped, flat or varied). If a view is important, discuss this type of request with your realtor.
Set a timeframe
Depending on how rushed you are, you might find that taking your time on the build saves a bit of cash. Families often don’t want to wait for their dream home, and that can mean extra costs from the professionals you hire. Bear in mind that winter can cause delays, and some crews will not be able to do their work in wet or stormy weather.
Coordinate with the pros
Your project is dead in the water without skilled professionals to help out. Be sure to ask around, get references and be choosy—you’ll be glad you did when you have the keys to your dream house.
For more information about what goes into custom homes in Sonoma County, CA, feel free to call the experts at ABA Custom Homes Inc.!
Categorised in: home builders