Summer Series #2-Walking Through the Steps of a New Build Home-Selections and Permitting

Now that we have covered the 1 st steps of the design process in our previous summer series article which includes the basics of budgeting, determining your overall house size, and understanding actual design needs vs wants, the second step to be discussed in our summer series is the process of selections and permits! By this point, if you don’t have a design build firm picked out yet at this time, it would be helpful to partner with one since they could walk you through these steps and keep you on track with the logistics of a new build project.

What are Selections?

To start, it is exciting to get to the selection stage of a project because that is when you get to pick out all the little details that will make your house your own! However, it is sometimes a daunting task because there are so many different details that must be remembered and picked out when completing a full house new build. A selection in the simplest terms is any cosmetic or featured element added to your house other than the core-built frame of your house. For example, there are many different types of selections:

 – Windows and Doors

– Roofing: Asphalt shingles, metal, wood, terracotta

– Siding: Wood, vinyl, hardie plank

– Lighting: Interior and exterior

– Painting

– Appliance Packages: Kitchen appliances, laundry room appliances, outdoor kitchen
packages etc.

– Door and Cabinetry Hardware: Kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities

– Tile and Flooring: hardwood, tile or vinyl floor? What about tile kitchen backsplashes?
Tiled baths and showers?

– Cabinetry: kitchen cabinets and hardware and bathroom vanities

– Countertops: Granite, quartz, stone, etc.

It is very important to remember, builders cannot at first give set in stone concrete numbers for new build projects until they are made aware of all the selections that will be throughout house, including the items above. This is because the price of a selection is based on a sliding range of whether you pick an average to luxury level design element. For instance, with an appliance package, a builder or designer may account for mid-level appliances as their selection, if the client does not have one already selected; but the client may actually want a more high-end luxury quality feature like Wolf, Sub-Zero, or Thermador appliances in their kitchen. As a result, the estimated cost a builder may come up with will not be accurate. For this reason, it is important to have your selections picked out to have the most accurate cost amounts. To ease this process of keeping track of all your selections, a design-build contractor could be a great option to utilize since they will build a home to your budget and help you pick selections that fit your lifestyle and overall needs.

Permits and Approvals

Another important step of building your new home is to make sure you have the correct paperwork in place for the town/borough your home is being built in, whether that be planning permissions or permits. Design build companies can also help navigate any municipal zoning requirements or restrictions that might impact on your plans such as:

– Zoning Approvals

– Engineering

– Construction Permits

– State and Federal Approvals

– Environmental Protection or Flood Zone Certification

– Variances

Permits and building approvals are one of the most important items during a new home build since there are so many different components, and every town/borough has their own process and rules. Some towns also list on their website a checklist to follow for certain certifications and approvals. Please be aware, securing the necessary permits and approvals are most often a lengthy process requiring input from engineers, surveyors, architects, and builders, so it is wise to begin the process early and choose a builder with a solid team to lead you through their process. It is also best to stay organized by keeping all your documentation in one place or be sure that your builder is doing so. Also remember, most approvals and permits require a permit fee to be paid to receive copies of the approval, so it is important to have money set aside in your budget to cover these expenses. Once your plans are finalized and permits are officially approved, the finer details of the design process are officially underway!

Now that we have covered the 1st and 2nd steps of the design process which includes the basics of budgeting and understanding your needs vs wants, along with picking your selections and permits, the final step is discussing the process of selecting a builder and signing a contract in the next summer series article! If you are thinking about starting a new build or remodeling project, consider including Baine Contracting, Inc. as one of your contractor choices to think about.