that is, and lucky I am to be doing something like this. Here are some of the misconceptions
of custom home building:
- It is more expensive than typical new housing projects
- In reality the cost of building is less than a comparable home in the bay area by about 40%-50%
- You need an architect
- There are thousands of plans available for homes that are already designed
- It is romantic and fun
- Some one said that most couples end up getting divorced when building a house. Sounds like fun to me.
- You have total control over the look and feel
- California building code has more control over the look of your house than you do.
If I could start from scratch I would do just about everything differently. Such as:
- Contractor Penalty Clause(in dollars) for not meeting agreed upon schedule
- Require a project manager and require weekly status meetings.
- Meet all major sub contractors including but not limited to, Truss/Roofing, Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Cabinetry,
Flooring, Stucco and Drywall. - Require that structural changes to the areas above, be reviewed for impact and approved in writing (with any
cost being outlined at that time) by the General Contractor and each sub contractor. - Get every change in writing with total cost prior to it being implemented.
- Be on site at least twice per week
- Here are some books that should make things easier if you go down the road of home construction:
