Finance, LIFESTYLE

What the Home Building Process Actually Looks Like in Practice

Did you know a lot of people want to buy a house right now? You could also consider a new home construction. If you would like to learn about the home building process, we can help.

In this guide, we’ll go over the different steps you’ll take when building your dream home.

Want to learn more? Keep reading.

Prepare Your Finances

Before building, you’ll need to figure out your budget. This way, you won’t end up having to pause mid-build.

Work with a financial professional. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, consider checking out huntergalloway.com.au.

Get the Foundation Ready

You’ll need to prepare the construction site where you will build and pour the foundation. But before all this, you will need to get permits.

Before any of your builders can dig, the government has to approve the design. The government will need to provide permits for things like zoning and grading.

Grading refers to changing the shape of the land, so it accommodates your driveway and home.

Also, you’ll need permits for electrical work, plumbing, home construction, and septic systems. After you get the licenses, the physical construction work can start.

The foundation work and site preparation will get done by the same crew. Yet if you buy a wooded lot, you might need a different team.

The crew will have to use a bulldozer and backhoe to clear many trees, debris, and rocks. They might also need to remove the septic system.

The crew will level the site and place wooden forms up, which will work as the foundation template. They will dig the trenches and holes.

Footings will also get installed. Footings are the structure where the house interfaces with the earth and supports it.

Does the home have a full basement? The hole will get dug. The footings will get formed and poured, and the foundation walls will also get formed and poured.

If you choose a slab-on-grade, the footings will get dug, formed, and then poured.

The area between the footings gets leveled and fitted with electrical chases and plumbing drains. Then the slab gets poured.

After the concrete gets poured into the trenches and holes, it will have to get cured. No one can complete any activity on the construction site while it cures.

The crew will install drains, the sewer, and water taps. Also, they will complete plumbing on the first-floor slab or the basement floor.

The backfills will excavate dirt into the hole that’s around the foundation wall. Once cured, the crew will put a waterproofing membrane on the foundation walls.

Rough Framing Will Get Completed

The walls, floor system, and roof system will get completed during this stage. Also, sheathing will get put on the exterior walls and then covered with a protective wrap.

The roof systems, walls, and floor systems will get completed. These systems together are also called the skeleton of the house.

Oriented strand board or plywood sheathing’s put on the exterior walls, windows, and roof. The exterior doors get put up afterward.

The sheathing will get covered with a protective barrier that’s called a house wrap.

The house wrap keeps water from infiltrating the structure, but it also lets water vapor leave. This way, you won’t end up dealing with wood rot or mold.

Finish Electrical and Plumbing Work

Plumbing and electrical contractors run wires and pipes through the ceilings, floors, and inner walls. Sewer vents and lines and water supply lines will get installed.

Bathtubs and shower units will get put up. At this point, there’s more room to move these larger objects.

Ductwork will get installed for the air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems. Also, the furnace will get installed.

HVAC vent pipes will get installed through the roof. Insulation gets installed in the walls, ceilings, and floors.

Once the roofing goes on, the house will get called “dried in.” The electrician will install receptacles for lights, switches, and outlets.

They’ll run wires from the breaker panel to these areas. Wiring for music systems, cable TV, and telephones happen now too.

Inspections will occur for plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and rough framing. These get inspected for compliance with building codes. There are three different inspections.

The framing inspection tends to get completed separately from the mechanical or electrical ones.

Insulation Gets Installed

Insulation is critical for making a home have a consistent indoor climate. Also, insulation will improve a home’s energy efficiency. A crucial factor of insulation is thermal performance.

The thermal performance indicates how well a material will resist heat transfer. Houses have insulated exterior walls, floors above unfinished basements, and the attic.

A common kind of insulation in newer homes includes foam, cellulose, and fiberglass. The builder might also use mineral wool, foam board, rigid foam, or concrete blocks. It will depend on your climate and region.

Blanket insulation will come in rolls and occurs in new-home construction. Blown-in insulation made from mineral-wool particles or fiberglass is another popular option.

You’ll Complete Interior and Exterior Finishes

At this point, interior features will get added to the home. Contractors will work on adding doors, casings, window sills, baseboards, and kitchen counters. The cabinets, vanities, and flooring will get added.

At this point, the drywall will get hung and taped. This way, the seams between boards aren’t visible. The drywall texturing will also get completed. A primer coat of paint gets applied after the taping’s done.

Contractors will start to install outer finishes like stucco, stone, siding, or brick.

Hardwood installation and interior painting will get completed. Contractors will finish walkways, patios, driveways, and final grading.

Landscaping will get finished at this stage too.

Fixtures Need to Get Installed

When your house is almost done, the faucets, light switches, and heat register covers will get installed. The electrical panel, water heater, and HVAC system will also get set up.

Enjoy the Home Building Process

We hope this guide on the home building process was insightful. You should look at working with reputable contractors to complete your dream home. Design a home that will suit you and your family’s needs.

Are you looking for more homeowner tips? Check out our resources on the blog.