Publish Date: 24-May-24
Building a new house or embarking on a major home refurbishment project is a big undertaking. There are lots of things to consider, and the more you can plan and organise in the early stages, the more smoothly your housing project will go. And it’s not only the physical arrangements you need to think about, being mentally prepared will also go a long way to making the process less stressful.
Establishing a clear vision from the start is essential. Think about your daily activities and envision doing those things in your new home. Consider not only the size and the layout of the house itself, but also the furniture and appliances. You don’t want to build a kitchen only to find the beautiful new double oven that you’ve chosen isn’t going to fit.
You may have lots of ideas but, without design experience, translating them into a plan that works requires some expertise. Working with experienced house builders like J&L Build, who can help with the entire process, will definitely have its advantages. We work directly with architects to get the design right from the beginning and our experienced builders help ensure that what’s on paper becomes reality.
The more detailed your vision, the fewer surprises down the road. Mood boards, sketches, and prioritised features are an excellent way to start.
It’s not only what you want, but also what you need. You may have a beautiful new home, but you must also think about what’s practical. If your day-to-day involves busy family life, you work from home, you entertain a lot or you have family members with special needs, then these should be accounted for in the design.
Think about what you want your house ‘to do’ and what you want to do in your house. What rooms, what features, what functions? What would make your life easier? This is the time to get those little extra ‘luxuries’ built into the design.
Smart homes are no longer a thing of the future, smart homes are NOW! From listening to your favourite tunes to turning on the heating before you get home, smart technology can have various advantages.
Incorporating the use of technology into your new home is not only about convenience, it can also improve energy efficiency and home security. Lighting, heating, kitchen appliances, curtains, TV, audio, security systems, doorbells and locks are just some of the areas where smart technology is used. These may be controlled by a central panel, through an app on your phone or by voice.
Creating a smart home is another thing to consider in the initial stages of your new house design so that it can be incorporated into the infrastructure.
As part of the government move towards net zero by 2050, new build homes in England must produce less CO2 and be net zero ready in preparation for the Future Homes and Buildings Standard in 2025. Whether you are embarking on a completely new build housing project or refurbishment of an existing building, now is the time to think green.
Improving insulation and installing heat pumps for home heating and hot water can greatly improve energy efficiency. Combine this with using renewable energy, such as solar panels and the carbon emission of your new home will be significantly reduced.
Consider the different options available for renewable energy and energy efficient HVAC systems for your new home. Installing these at the new build stage not only means you’ll have a sustainable home, but you will also enjoy long-term energy cost savings.
Building a house involves many different aspects, from design and construction, to installing electrics and heating, to adding flooring, fixtures, fittings and appliances. Often starting a new task is reliant on something else being completed. To help keep things on track, choose the fixtures and fittings for your new home as far ahead as possible to ensure they are in stock and will arrive on time, ready to be fitted. Allow for the necessary extra lead time if you are choosing bespoke or special order items.
Making these choices early on in the process will usually help keep your building project running smoothly. Whilst some minor changes are inevitable, larger modifications during construction can be costly. Finalising decisions early minimises surprises.
Before building a new house, find out what permits and planning permission are needed. If you have or are planning to purchase a new piece of land, check if there are any restrictions on whether you can build, or if the ground needs clearing first.
Planning permission may also be needed for house refurbishment projects. Make sure you are prepared and thoroughly understand this part of the process. The last thing you want is to be part way through a build and discover you don’t have the right paperwork. J&L Build can help with advice and assistance on this.
Research planning permission and get the paperwork in place before you begin your building project to avoid any potential nasty surprises later.
Building or renovating a home is a huge undertaking in time, effort and money. Even if you think you’ve covered every eventuality in the planning process, any house building project can incur some extras along the way. Whether it’s the cost of materials, a change in your plans or additional fittings you really ‘must have’, you should always add some extra to your original budget.
Be realistic about your budget and what it can achieve. Allow a 10% contingency for unforeseen costs. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Don’t rush the process, especially in the beginning. Take the time to get it right. Decide on the design, establish the plans, think about special features, fixtures and fittings. Being happy with your choices from the beginning will avoid issues later on.
Building a house is a major project so you have to expect that there may be a few hiccups along the way. Perhaps the alignment of a wall doesn’t quite work with the kitchen units you’ve chosen; maybe a light fitting has arrived with a scratch, or a supplier is out of stock on the taps you wanted. The weather can also sometimes impact the early stages of a new build, this is England after all!
Trust the process and be adaptable to make changes if something doesn’t quite work as expected.
The best building projects will always be those where the lines of communication are kept open between the client and the building team.
Talk about your ideas, ask for advice and seek suggestions throughout the building process. Equally you should always express any concerns with your building team. A collaborative approach with clear communication from both sides is vital to keep things running smoothly and can help avoid costly mistakes or changes and help avoid delays.
Ask questions, no matter how small. There are no silly questions during a build and your team are there to guide you every step of the way.
Choosing an experienced team of professional house builders is key to a successful new house building project. With the right people, who understand your vision and go above and beyond to make it reality, you will know they are a team you can trust to build your new home.
At J&L Build we can help with every step of the process. We have long-standing relationships with architects and engineers and our own team of highly skilled, experienced builders. Our trusted expertise means we can advise of any little tweaks and changes along the way because our experience means we know what works.
Building a new house takes time, trust in your builders that they know what they’re doing and you will soon be moving in to your dream house!
Building a new house is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Celebrate the milestones and savour the moment you step through the doors to make it your home.
Do you want to learn more about J&L Build and the types of building projects we can help with? Learn more here.
Have you already taken the first steps towards your new building project? Complete our Project Enquiry Form so we can help you with the next stage of the process.
