A Client’s Guide to Building Your Dream Home

Publish Date: 16-Apr-24

A Client’s Guide to Building Your Dream Home

Making the decision to build your dream home is both exciting and, perhaps, a little daunting! It’s a big commitment of time and money, but with the right guidance and support from experienced home building contractors, you can navigate the journey to your new custom built house with confidence.

There are many routes to a self-build home, but whichever you take, the two main phases of any new build project will involve the planning stage followed by construction. Each has lots of steps, which we’ll explain further.

The Pre-Build Stage: from Vision to Blueprint

Vision and budget

A new build house starts with an idea. To begin, think about possible layouts and sketch some floor plans. Get inspiration from magazines and websites, or even other houses you’ve visited and create a visual board to gather your thoughts together. Consider functionality, aesthetics and any specific needs your family may have now, or in the future. Decide which are your ‘must-haves’ and which are your ‘would like to haves’.

A not so fun, but very much necessary, stage is budgeting and financing your new build house. Remember to factor in the cost of land, architect’s fees, planning permission and building regulations approval plus, of course, the construction and fit out. You should also include a contingency fund for any unexpected expenses.

Assembling your team

Building a house requires a talented and experienced team. You can choose to find an architect, building company, landscaper and other professionals separately, or opt for a property development company who can handle the entire process. At J&L Build we can offer our clients the full package, taking your new house from concept to completion.

Building a new home is a huge undertaking and who you choose to work with can make all the difference. Consider the following when choosing a building contractor and the other professionals you will need to hire.

Ensure that:

  • they understand your vision
  • they are easy to communicate with
  • you feel comfortable with them
  • they can offer professional advice and recommendations based on their own knowledge and experience
  • they have the appropriate licenses, accreditations and insurance

Designing your home

Seeing the architect translate your ideas into detailed technical plans is an exciting stage of the process and this is your opportunity to fine-tune the floor plan. This is also the time to discuss things such as materials, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems. At this point you will need to be clear about any modifications before moving on to the building stage.

You should also be thinking about the interior. What type of flooring? Which doors? What design of kitchen units and appliances? Make sure you have all this covered well in advance of the fit out stage of your new home.

Planning permission and building regulations

Almost there! However, the crucial stage of securing planning permission and building regulations approval is required before moving on to the fun part. For a Full Plans application, you will need to submit a description of the proposed works, a set of technical drawings, structural engineer calculations and a location plan.

The Build Stage: from blank canvas to dream house

You’re happy with the design, you’ve chosen the materials, you’ve received all the necessary permissions. It’s time for building to begin!

Construction of your new build house

It is important to maintain regular communication with your house builders to keep up with progress. Addressing any questions and issues promptly can help keep the project on track and scheduling site visits means you can see for yourself the development of your new home. It is important to be flexible and trust in the expertise of your building team.

Inspections

Throughout the building of your new home you can expect a number of visits from a building inspector who will check to ensure that the structure is in full compliance with the Building Regulations.  Your architect will also want to pay regular visits to ensure everything is going to plan.

Fixtures, fittings and finishing touches

The walls are up, the roof is on, the windows are in. Now your new build home is really taking shape and it’s time to fit out the interior. From sinks and countertops, to flooring and paint colours, to light switches and door handles, these are the decisions that define your home’s personality and make it uniquely yours.

Moving in and beyond

The day has arrived! Your new home is finished! Do a final walkthrough with your builder to ensure everything meets your expectations. This would be the time to make note of any last concerns or issues, compiling what is known as a snagging list of items that may need to be resolved. It is also a good idea to have a warranty in place with your builder to address any unforeseen issues that may occur after you move in.

Once you are happy with everything then it is time for your contractor to hand over the keys so you can enjoy your new house and make it your home by adding your furniture, décor and family.

Seeing your dream turned into reality is a great sense of achievement. To ensure things go as smoothly as possible, it is important to be fully prepared by understanding the process and assembling a great team to work with on your new build home.

J&L Build has been in the construction business for over 20 years and we have worked on a wide range of house building projects. Our knowledge and experience mean that whatever stage you are at we can help you take the next steps towards building your dream home.

Step 1 – Complete the form on our contact page.

Step 2 – Wait for a member of our team to get in touch and we’ll take it from there!