Building your own home is quite possibly the most exciting and rewarding endeavor for anyone to undertake. With the right decisions and choices, undoubtedly your home will not only exude comfort and happiness, but also financial security in the future.  And it all starts with the perfect home design. But before arriving on tough decisions, you’ve got to be really truthful with yourself in answering these questions.

1.          Is your spouse in 100% agreement to build?

You and your partner will be faced in making decisions when choosing house plans and building your new home, and the stress of the big choices can put considerable strain on your marriage. It is a must that you are in this endeavor together.

2.          How large is the house do you really need?

Size is a huge consideration for you if you are going to choose a house plan. An ideal house plan should be big enough to house a growing family, but small enough that there wouldn’t be too much space should you decide that you don’t want to add children to the mix.

3.          When do you want to move in? 

The time it takes to construct the home plan varies depending on the size of the house and the builder, but in general, new home construction takes between three to six months.

4.          Where do you want to live and is land available?

Choose your target place to live in and take into consideration the restrictions in home designs. Along with size requirements, some developers require certain roof pitches, certain exterior finish materials, and so on. You also should know the topography of the lot.

5.          What is the budget for possible design changes, financing fees, land, construction, appliances, and cost overruns?

Look at your budget which will equate to the size of the home. If it doesn’t fit budget-wise, you’re at an impasse. Talk to your home designer for budget does not merely mean the size of your home but also what you want to put in it.

6.          Do you have enough money in savings?

You should not entirely rely on lending companies with your house construction. You have to make sure that you have enough money on the bag to finance other expenses that might occur during the process.

7.          Can you qualify for a construction loan?

Long before choosing a lender to work with, make sure your credit is in order. Remember also your changing financial circumstances over the life of the loan.

8.          Do you plan to be the general contractor?

This depends on your budget, capability and know-how with the ins and outs of the housing business.

9.          What are the local building code requirements?

It is extremely important to make your local codes department aware of your construction intentions. This is not only to protect you but also your neighbors, visitors, subdivision, and local government as well.

10.      How many sets of prints will you need? 

If you are going to work with the bank, contractor, any local officials in the construction of your dream house, they should be furnished with copies of your blueprints.