There Are a Number of Small Things to Consider When Building a New House

Having home builders in Calgary and Airdrie build your new home can be a fun, exciting, and rewarding experience. The process of building a home is different from buying a prebuilt one. One of the primary aspects of building a home most people enjoy is being able to put their own personal touches on the home, even before construction begins.

If you are considering building your own home, let’s take a look at several different things you want to review before, during, and after construction.

Prior to Construction

You will want to review the various home models and floor plans available from your home builders in Calgary and Airdrie. Many builders have show homes in different new communities you can visit and walk through to get a feel for the layout and sizes of each room. Most people are surprised by how the rooms will look different, once completed, compared to the dimensions on the floor plan.

Floor plans do give you a good idea of how the house will be built but do not always do a great job of letting you decide whether that large sectional sofa is going to fit nicely into your new living room. Make it a point to walk through these model homes to help you decide what floor plan will work best for your housing needs.

Once you pick a floor plan, the next step is to sit down and do a whole-house and room-by-room assessment by asking yourself the following questions:

• What direction does the sun rise and set? You need to decide how you want sunlight coming into the home through windows. While sunlight in the living room, dining room, and kitchen is desired, most people do not want to wake up to the sun shining in through their windows early the morning, especially when they have children.
• What type of exterior doors and windows are available? You want to have higher-rated windows and exterior doors to keep your home warm through the cold Calgary winters and cool during the warm summers.
• What type of interior doors do you want? Some people may want to look at recessed sliding doors on closets, compared to traditional swing-out doors. The sliding doors help free up additional space.
• Where do you want electrical outlets installed? Deciding ahead of time can help you avoid having to run extension cords or not having access to an outlet because a piece of furniture is in the way. In certain areas of the home, like the living room, you may want multiple outlets all near each other to make it easier to plug in all the devices in your home entertainment system.
• What type of outlets do you want to have installed? There are your standard outlets, and there are new ones that feature two plug connections and two USB connections for charging your portable smart devices.
• Do you need your internet to be hard-wired throughout the home? Now is the time to have internet wiring run and outlets put in.
• Will you want a whole-house stereo system? Some people like having speakers and wiring installed as part of their new home construction in various rooms of the home.
• Will you be installing a security system? If you intend to add a security system to your new home, talk to your builder and security system monitoring company about installing it during construction.
• Will you need a landline telephone? Even though landline phones are not as popular today, some people still want wiring for landline phones run to different rooms in the home.
• Why type of flooring do you want? Hardwood and laminates are very popular for the main floor of the home. Carpeting can be better in basements because it does not get cold like hardwoods and laminates can. For bedrooms, some people like hardwoods and laminates, while others like carpeting.
• Do you want a floor heater installed? Floor heating is becoming popular in bathrooms and other areas of the home. The radiant heat not only warms up the floor but also helps heat the room.
• What type of light fixtures do you want in each room? You may want recessed lighting in the kitchen above the island, ceiling fans with light kits in bedrooms, and other styles of lighting that reflect your tastes.
• What type of appliances do you want? If you do not intend to bring your current appliances with you, you need to pick out new appliances for your new home.
• Do you want a fireplace? Many homes in Calgary and Airdrie have fireplaces. Your floor plan may even already include one in the home’s design. If you do, you also need to decide what kind, as there are differences in the construction processes for installing a wood-burning one compared to a gas fireplace.
• Is the fireplace in the right location? Some floor plans put the fireplace right in the middle of an exterior wall, which is not always the best location, depending on your needs. If you want the fireplace moved to a corner or another area, now is the time to make this request.
• What type of countertops and cabinets do you want? Countertop and cabinet selections are part of building your own home. Some people like using different styles in the kitchen and bathrooms so they are not all the same. On the other hand, using all of the same style could save you a little money.
• What colours do you want the walls finished in? Your colour choices are influenced by the colour of the flooring in the room, as well as your furnishings. You may want to use one colour for hallways and stairways, but different colours in each individual room of the home.
• What type of garage door do you want? There are different materials and styles available. You will want to make sure the garage door is also insulated to keep the garage warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer.
• Is the laundry room in an area you like? If you do not like where the laundry room is located on the floor plan, talk to your builder about having it moved to a different location.

During Construction

After you work out all the details about the design of your home and construction begins, there is not really much for you to do. However, you may want to talk to your home builders in Calgary and Airdrie about being able to access the home prior to the drywall being put up. Some people also like scheduling regular visits to document the progress of their home at each stage.

Even though the rooms are not finished, this is a good time to take pictures or videos of each room that show you the where the studs are located, how the wiring is run, and where the insulation is inside the walls. Should you ever decide you want to do any renovations in the future, having pictures and videos of what is located behind the drywall can be very beneficial.

After Construction

Shortly before the closing of the home and transfer to you, its new owners, your home builders in Calgary and Airdrie will schedule a walk-through. The walk-through is your time to go room by room and verify everything is in order and there are no problems that need to be fixed. You should never feel rushed during this process and should take as long as you need, while you:

• Make a point to open and close all doors to make sure they are level.
• Open and close all windows. Inspect around windows and doors to verify they are all sealed.
• Check out the flooring to confirm there are no damages or no excessive gaps.
• If you had tile flooring installed, check to make sure the grout work is even.
• Turn on the faucets and verify hot water is hot and the cold water is cold.
• After running water, check under cabinets for leaks and make sure faucets do not drip.
• Check caulking around bathtubs, showers, sinks, and toilets.
• Flush the toilet and confirm it refills correctly.
• Check for leaks around the toilet after flushing it.
• Check shelving inside closets to verify it has been properly secured to the walls.
• Turn on all lights and make sure they are working.
• Test all electrical outlets by remembering to bring along your smartphone charger and adapter and plugging it into each outlet.
• Inspect the walls for any cosmetic issues or problems.
• Turn on the furnace and air conditioning to make sure warm or cool air is blowing out of all the vents.
• Test the radiant floor heating system if you had one installed.
• Inspect the fireplace and make sure it is properly sealed and vented.
• Test the garbage disposal if equipped with one.
• Inspect appliances for cosmetic blemishes.
• Test all appliances to make sure they work correctly.
• Inspect the siding and exterior of the home around the foundation for cracks, gaps, or other issues.
• Check all patios, decks, and walkways to make sure they meet your satisfaction.
• Open and close the garage door.
• Inspect the foundation in the garage for cracks or other issues.
• Verify the landscaping of the home slopes away from the home.
• If the home has eaves/gutters and downspouts, check to make sure they are secured correctly.
• Do a visual inspection of the roof from the ground with binoculars to look for problems. If something does not look right, you can do an actual roof inspection, so long as you are not afraid of heights.

Essentially, you want to go over every inch of the home during the walk-through and make a list of anything that needs to be addressed. This is your opportunity to have these things fixed prior to the closing. Once everything is in order, close on the home and move in!

To get started designing your new-construction home, please feel free to contact Genesis Builders Group at (403) 265-8079 and schedule an appointment with our home builders in Calgary and Airdrie today!