When you first began to dream of your getaway home, you probably had some idea where it might be located. Maybe you had a piece of land already picked out or maybe you were looking for a mountain setting or a lot near a lake. No matter where you chose to build, it is more than likely that your dream home will be located somewhere other than the town, city or even state you live in now.
Having a custom home built outside your immediate area can be a cause for concern, and rightly so. If your project is not planned or managed properly, the overall quality, construction timeline and cost of your home might be adversely affected.
This is why it is vitally important for custom home owners to choose a company who can deliver not only a design or specific materials, but also a proven technique for planning and managing projects.
Planning should not wait until materials are purchased and construction begins. Although the majority of a home’s costs are incurred at this time, proper cost control and cost containment starts well before any dirt is moved or nails are driven. To build a unique and beautifully constructed custom home takes thorough and methodical planning. This is particularly true for projects with absentee owners. Completeness of the plans and specifications is the foundation for the success of your project.
Engaging an architect on the front end is perhaps the most important thing that can be done to insure a successful project. Your architect should be your master planner and be available to handle any issues through completed construction.
Too often, owners see a home or design they like and go to a builder first. Let’s face it, builders are experts at construction not design. Your architect understands your vision and has the ability to transfer your desires into a complete design which your builder will be entrusted to carry out. Therefore the builder should look to the Owner and the Owner’s architect as the project leaders – not the other way around.
In addition to project leadership your architect should provide you with a detailed estimate of the cost to build your home. Not only will this give you a more accurate understanding of the real cost to build your home, you can use this estimate to monitor spending throughout the entire build process. Remember, it is much more difficult to manage a project to a single overall cost, than it is to manage the cost of each stage of your project.
PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects have direct experience with absentee owners since most of our clients cannot be on the construction site every day, or in many cases, at all. Our owners put their faith and trust in us to ensure that the job gets done as planned, at the highest level of quality and in a timely manner. When the proper steps are taken in the home building process, constructing a custom home does not need to be a leap of faith. In fact, it can be fun. Learn more about PrecisionCraft’s approach our Total Home Solution.
