Building a home requires an incredible amount of foresight and planning. While most homeowners don’t begin construction expecting to encounter problems, there is always the risk of making costly mistakes along the way. Fortunately, you can mitigate the possibility of unfortunate errors by anticipating and planning for future complications. Check out some of the factors that Annadel Builders Inc. finds most important:

  • Have the details in place before you begin construction – Ideally, this looks like working with your Northern California fine home building professionals to outline detailed cost estimates for project feasibility, constructability, and decision making. Compare and choose various materials and products that fit your budget, taking all factors into consideration, and decide on floor plans and room designs ahead of time. In this way you’ll avoid holding up construction as well as the pressure of making a large number of important decisions within a tight timeframe. Spending time working out the details beforehand will also lower the chances of mistakes and misjudgments. At Annadel Builders Inc., we offer a wide range of professional advice for all the early stages of a project including estimations, material comparison and research, value engineering, scheduling, and permit assistance.
  • Hire the right people – It should go without saying that making sure you hire all licensed contractors and professionals is a basic step in avoiding potential disaster. Proper insurance and positive references are also a must. Get a feel for the contractors you hire, ultimately making sure you find a group you feel entirely comfortable entrusting with such an investment.
  • Build with the future in mind – One of the most commonly regretted mistakes among homeowners is building a home with only their immediate situation in mind. Whether you’re a small, growing family; a retired couple; a parent of college-age kids; your situation and the needs you’ll have could change. Ultimately, you’ll need to take the time to establish long and short-term needs for your unique situation, then develop a plan that addresses them all as effectively as possible.
  • Choose your homesite carefully – We’ve all heard the old retail agent mantra: “Location, location, location.” It is certainly true that a homesite location cannot be overemphasized as a poor site selection can lead to all kinds of trouble down the road. For example, one of the simplest qualifications for a building site is having appropriate soil conditions. Hire a good civil engineer to evaluate your property for proper drainage and stable, non-sinking ground. In addition, make sure you consider the neighborhood, local zoning, and accessibility to conveniences such gas stations, grocery stores, etc.
  • Have signed contracts – Trust us, if anything goes wrong, you’ll be glad you did. Have a lawyer review the contract, looking for loopholes, and make sure that dates and costs are clearly outlined. Ideally, you should be working with a highly recommended builder you can trust, but it’s good to be prepared for anything.
  • Include energy efficiency features – Perhaps the most important long-term building consideration? Sustainability. Constructing a home with energy efficiency in mind will save you big on energy and money in the long term, while also making your home more environmentally friendly so the planet is safer for future generations. Shoot for a whole-house systems approach that considers all the variables and interactions of your home’s energy use including appliances and home electronics, insulation and air-sealing, water heating, lighting and daylighting, and more. Ask your contractors about including passive solar home design as a way of taking advantage of local climatic conditions for heating and cooling.