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How to Navigate the Home Building Process With Your Family

Building a brand-new home is exciting for each member of the family, but it can also provoke stress as you navigate this new process. If you’re getting ready to start building a new home for the first time and want to involve the whole family, here are some tips to help you get through it in a calm and organized fashion.

Be Ready To Expand

While you may start the process with a total square footage in mind, expect that number to expand as you start planning and consulting with an architect or home builder to develop a blueprint for the house. On average, a custom-built home ends up being in the 3,000- to 3,500-square-foot range. If you intend to stay in the home for the coming years, it may be worth your while to make the home a little bigger so it includes everything you want and need and has plenty of space for your kids to grow.

Plan for the Long Haul

Normal weather-related delays, changes to your blueprints, and contractor issues can all lead to delays in the home building process. Waiting for your new home to be complete can be hard especially for the youngest members of the family, as they’re likely eager to get into the new space. One way to help kids understand the process is to create a chart that shows what progress has been made and what is left to do. Check off important milestones as they occur to help younger members of the family see how close your family is to moving in.

When your new home is completed and you move in, only half of the process is done. You’ll also have to deal with selling your old home, which can take time. The right buyer for your place may come to the first open house you hold, or it may take a few days or weeks for them to see your listing. Patience is key here, as even in a sellers market, the average home takes 65 days to sell. You may still need to make mortgage payments during this time, even if you’ve already moved out and started living in the new house.

Prioritize Important Features

Unless you have an unlimited budget for your new home build, you’ll likely have to eliminate some items from your wish list. Take the time to discuss with your spouse and other family members which features are most necessary for your lifestyle. If you have older children and like to host the extended family, you may want to invest more in a stereo system and speakers for entertaining.

Energy Effiency

Once you’ve identified the items that are the most important to you, take the time to inform yourself about the costs and how much value the feature will add to the home. Families that are environmentally conscious may want to make the home greener by including solar energy or energy-efficient appliances. Statistics taken from the U.S. Department of Energy show that the cost of putting in solar energy can be much less than it was 10 years ago. Since 2010, solar electric systems have come down in price a whopping 50%. On average, the cost of solar PV panels has dropped even more by a total of 60%. These panels can make the home much more appealing for resale, especially in areas where most of the population is concerned with climate change.

As you go through the process of building your home, you’ll find there are plenty of great ways to get family members of every age involved along the way. Consider these tips as you plan for the home building process.

Kelsey R.
Author: Kelsey R.

Metro Detroit Mommy writer Kelsey.