Building a Home

Final Walk Through On A Newly Built Home

So you’re within days of closing on your newly built home and you’re already to move in. Before you close on your home, however, it is important that you first do a final walk through on the newly built home. If you are intent on closing on the planned closing day, then you should preferably do the final walk through at least several days before the closing. This will enable the general contractor to have some time to address any issues that may be uncovered during the walk through.

Walk Through Checklist Around the Outside of the Newly Constructed Home

When doing a final walk through of a newly built home, start by walking around the outside of the home. Check for loose siding and roofing shingles. Also check the outside foundation for cracks. Make sure screens are in all windows, and that entrance ways are properly and completely installed e.g. stairs, decks, and walkways. Also check that the outside water spigots and outlet boxes are operational. Also make sure all outside lights are working. In addition, make sure ground fault interrupter circuits have been used on outside outlets. Finally take a careful look at the gutters to make sure they have been installed properly and have a good pitch towards the drain pipes.

Next examine the grounds / landscaping. Has the turf been properly installed and looking healthy? If grass seed was planted, has it germinated? Are retaining walls properly constructed and were they installed where you expected them to be? Make sure that all the shrubs that you paid for were installed in the right locations and were of the right species. If an underwater sprinkler system was installed make sure it operates correctly.

Also check the grade of the landscaping around the home foundation. The grade should be such that water will drain away from the foundation. If this is not done, expect regular basement water problems. Also check for pooled areas, where water is sitting stagnant. If you see pooled areas this is a sign that grading was not done properly. Finally, make sure the driveway was installed properly and to your satisfaction.

Walk Through Checklist for the Inside of the Newly Built Home

Once you have completed the walk through around the outside of the home, it’s time to check the inside. When doing the inside walk through you may want to bring along an outlet tester or small appliance such as a hair dryer to check to make sure power is operational to all outlets.

When performing a walk through on the inside of the home, start with the basement. Make sure there are no leaks or puddles in the basement. In addition, check the walls for cracks. Also make sure the plumbing and wiring is neat and properly secured. Make sure that you confirm that the heating and cooling system work properly. Also check to make sure that major beams are sitting properly in the foundation sockets. On occasion I have seen center beams floating at one end of the foundation. Either the lally columns were placed too high or the socket was placed too low for the beam.

In the main part of the home, check to make sure that the floors do not squeak and that all the doors and windows open and close properly. Also check every light switch and outlet to make sure that they work properly.

In the kitchen make sure that all of the appliances are correctly installed and are functional. Also check all of the cabinets and drawers to make sure they are functional.

In the bathrooms make sure the ceiling fans are all working. Also make sure the fiberglass tub has not been damaged in any way.

Both in the bathrooms and the kitchen make sure ground fault interrupter circuits have been installed.

Make sure painting is complete throughout the home and that all flooring has properly been installed. Make sure you check for cracked tiles, or cuts in the vinyl flooring.

Finally check the smoke alarms, and home security system. Make sure they are working properly.

If problems are uncovered, write them down and submit a copy of the list to your general contractor. After he has addressed the issues, go back to the home and revisit the issues you uncovered on your first walk through.

Conducting a walk through on new home construction, prior to closing, is essential in making sure you get what you pay for. If you find problems after the closing it will more than likely take more time and effort to get them corrected, even if you have a home warrantee/guarantee. A general contractor wants his paycheck, and if he knows he won’t get it until the problems are resolved chances are he will resolve them very quickly.

Factors to Consider When Building a New Home

There is nothing more fulfilling that building your dream home. However, the process isn’t an easy one. It requires a lot of work from the planning period to the actual building process using all those wholesale building supplies. There are numerous decisions to be made in order, from approving blueprints to choosing a builders hardware supply store. Only then will get you exactly what you want.

A custom home can reasonably take up to six months depending on several factors. These include the size and complexity of your home, weather conditions, the availability of discount contractor supplies and the competence of your contractor. This is often the reason why it is so impossible to estimate a completion date until well into the construction project.

The very first thing you want to do is plan out a budget. You should be thinking about what you can afford to spend and how much things like discount home improvement supplies are likely to cost. Try to get an approximate amount of building costs including discount home building supplies to make it a little easier to meet your budget if you have to change your building plans in any way. Most people take out construction loans or another mortgage to make the numbers add up in their budget.

Think about the Style and Size of Home You Want – One thing to take into consideration early on is the style of home you would like. This step involves everything else such as number of rooms, your builders hardware supply, and aesthetic appeal. Think about the type of home you want. For example, do you want a modern home, ranch style or Cape Cod? You’ll also need to make as decision as to how many square feet you want, how bedrooms and bathrooms, the size of each room, and any additions you would like such as a garage to keep your discount home improvement supplies.

Lot Considerations – Your next big decision involves the lot you plan on building upon. You’ll have to weight factors such as size, location such as urban, rural, near an ocean and the lots proximity to local attractions. How close is the lot to amenities, schools, work, parks and discount home remodeling supplies. Try to find information on important aspects like drainage, zoning laws, building regulations, weather conditions, and soil conditions.

Pick Out a Plan – There are plenty of designs and architects out there who can help you. Most homes have specific plans, but builders tend to make modifications depending on factors such as available wholesale building supplies or discount contractor supplies.

In general, it is important to be fully prepared during every step. Building a home is a long and sometimes complicated process. A plan can make sure everything goes smoothly. You’ll have something to refer to every time a problem arises from finding the cheapest builders hardware supply and discount home building supplies to finding who to contact over needed building permit.

Fishing Boat Design – A Must In Building A Home Made Boat

If you are an individual who likes fishing very much and also has a skillful grasp of working with wood, I say you have what it takes to construct a boat of your own using fishing boat plans.

I understand that there’s a typical idea that fishing boats are expensive. I should know, I used to believe that too. And it is true, fishing boats can cost you quite a bit. Still, if you build your own fishing boat, that’s a different matter altogether. With you having to remove the labor expense of a self-made fishing boat, not to point out having full control of material alternatives, you can quickly keep the price of the boat straight down. Way more economical than if you procure a boat kit or buy a boat.

However, for the construction process to go as without problems as possible, there are some issues that you need to plan and think of. Some of these are:

Type of Boat

There are many types of boat that you can take into consideration. The most generally used fishing boats are dories or jon boat. Personally, I think dories are good for rookie builder. But if you want a somewhat bigger boat, you should go for a jon boat. Jon boat can be pretty quiet thus making it ideal as a fishing boat since it doesn’t drive away fishes. On top of that, jon boat allows for more capacity so you can bring some fishing buddy for the ride.

Materials Used

There are many options for you when it comes to materials used in building a boat. Most commonly used perhaps are wood, aluminum and fiberglass. Using any of those materials has its own advantages and drawbacks.

For example, a wooden boat is one of the easiest boat you can construct. It would just require a solid grasp of basic woodworking skills to complete the boat. Doesn’t require the use of power tools either. However, the main drawback of a wooden boat is that it has to be thoroughly protected from constant exposure to water as it is prone to rotting. That is why varnish or paint has to be thoroughly applied both for aesthetic as well as maintenance purposes.

Boat Building Techniques

There are two boat building techniques which I strongly suggest. Personally, I use either of these methods depending which serves me best on a given project. The first one is the simplest method of boat building. It’s called stitch and glue method. As its name implies, the whole process only involves the cutting of the different parts accurately, stitching it together and afterward, gluing it together. You will also save a lot from material cost using this process.

A different method is the ply over frame method. I use this method if I want to achieve a higher level of durability and sturdiness in my boat. Comparatively speaking, it is more time demanding than the first system as it necessitates you to assemble a boat frame first before to setting up the plywood over the frame.

Fishing Boat Plans

If you wish to make the whole boat building experience without the headaches that could surprisingly crop up, you need to get a good fishing boat plan. Believe me, it will be a lot more affordable in the long run to invest a high quality boat blueprint. At the end of the day, the level of quality of the plan could spell the distinction between the success or failure of the endeavor.

Home Builders Lakeview Homeowners Recommend

The whole process of home ownership entails a lot of intricate details that without the understanding of the process and proper information, it can be discouraging to proceed. Building a home while carrying with it an unparalleled excitement can also be a complicated and challenging venture. The process will begin with finding the right location for the home you are building. This means you have to find the land developer on the location you are targeting to see your home standing.

Next step would be finding an architect to design your home based on your projections and images of what you need and require for every part of the house. Discussing all the details with the architect will help him draw up a design with the corresponding floor plans which should be exactly what you were imagining it to be. No details should be left out so that the architect can integrate and include all the specifications that you have given pertinent to the houses appearance, function and use.

Having the floor plans ready is a signal for you to finding home builders Lakeview are teeming with and start interviewing them for short listing. You can start asking friends, relatives or colleagues who they know can be a good home builder for your project. You should be able to shortlist three home builders from which you will pick one to build your home. Checking their credentials, qualifications, licenses, permits, insurance, home portfolio, list of clients, and credit standing should provide you with a good judgment on the right home builder for your project. You can ask for the addresses of their recent projects and an ocular inspection will make you see the quality of workmanship they have. Asking the owners of those projects will also help you gauge their capability.

Having asked the home builders Lakeview homeowners have recommended for quote on the project, you can make a comparison to see who submitted the best offer. This part is critical as you need to understand and be clear that you and the home builders are on the same page in terms of the materials, construction methods, estimated completion date, etc. The last thing you would want is any misunderstanding on any of those things as that could cause you additional expense, disappointment or dissatisfaction. Whenever you discuss anything with the home builder, you should take down notes and ask them to confirm in writing what had just been discussed and agreed upon.

After you have chosen the home builder with the best offer, take time to arrange for a lawyer to draft a contract for you and the home builder, spelling out all the terms and conditions agreed upon, from starting date, to material procurement, method of payment, to completion date. Make sure that all the stipulations are properly reviewed before signing. At this time, your home builder will have submitted all documentary requirements pertinent to their permits and licenses, insurance coverage, etc. An important first step for them is securing the permit for the construction of the house before any activity commences. During construction, you have to initiate periodic inspections to make sure that work done and completed is according to the working plans.

Essentially, the success of having your home built according to the specifications lies on a good knowledge of what the plans specify. You may arrange for the architect to make periodic inspections as well to verify that the right materials were used, proper construction procedures were followed. The quality of your home will greatly depend on its level of adherence to the plans. By completion date you should be able to see your dream home standing proudly just the way you imagined it in your mind.

Money-Saving Tips While Building Your Dream Home

Needless to say, a house construction project will cost you money. Building your dream home from scratch or renovating an existing structure will require proper planning and knowing where to get your resources from. If you live in the Chicago area, getting a home contractor Chicago company that respects your dream house’s needs when it comes to functionality, aesthetics and financial aspects make building it more meaningful and valuable to you. Of course, it will also help you save more money in the process. Here are some of the ways that can help you save money while building your dream home.

* Get at least three estimates. It may be time-consuming to shop around for contractors and ask for estimates, but it is also rewarding to know you’ve struck the best possible deal. If you’re serious about saving more money, spare the time comparing cost of jobs and supplies before you give the OK to your chosen contractor. In many instances, rushing only proves to be an expensive mistake and one you wouldn’t want to learn the hard way.

* Source your own materials. Your contractor may have their own suppliers, but you can save more money if you can find your own materials. For instance, a family member or a friend who runs a construction supplies store is willing to give you huge discounts for bulk orders. Most home contractor Chicago companies are willing to work with materials coming outside their own suppliers, so take advantage of discounts and deals whenever you can.

* Get on top of the construction schedule. Even if you have an engineer, architect, foreman and construction workers on site, you are still the boss in the project. It is only reasonable and rightful if you ask for the work schedule and check it from time to time to see if everything is going as planned. Communication is vital in the building process and it should begin before the project starts. It should be clear to you and your contractor what the expectations are. Communication also eliminates wrong assumptions which can also incur unnecessary costs in the future.

* Know what aspects of the construction that you can DIY. This tip is useful if you’re quite handy with the tools and materials in construction. You can opt to paint the walls yourself after the contractors placed the primer. This way, you are able to save labor costs incurred by your contractors’ hourly rate. However, if you’re doubtful of your skills, then it is best to leave the job to the home contractor Chicago company you’ve chosen, or else, you might have to re-hire them anyway to correct the flaws you’ve done yourself.

* Purchase eco-friendly furniture and appliances. After building your home, now comes the decision to purchase the contents inside it. Going green is a widespread advocacy that encourages people to opt for energy-efficiency and sustainability. You can opt for star-rated appliances that help you save a couple of dollars from your electric bill. Water-efficient fixtures in the bathrooms are also wonderful considerations. You can also go for eco-friendly cabinets and furniture in many areas inside the house.

Building a house and saving money while doing so is a simultaneous process, so it is important to be critical and conscious of every decision you make. Your home contractor Chicago company should be open about these decisions, and be able to accommodate your desire to have the home of your dreams without the unnecessary spending.

Home Loans With Bad Credit How To Improve Approval Chances

Applications for a home loan with bad credit can hardly be guaranteed approval when the financial pressures of modern living dictating against those with bad credit histories. But that is not to say that bad credit borrowers have no chance of buying the home they want. As long as the application is strong, the application can be successful.

Remember that bad credit scores have only a minimal influence over any loan application, and even when it comes to securing mortgage approval, and the sizable debt that it creates, the debt-to-income ratio the applicant has and the down payment that has been saved, is of greater interest to mortgage providers.

Ensuring that these aspects of an application are in good order is the best route towards approval. Once lenders are confident of getting their money back on the home loan, rejection is hard to justify. So, what should be looked out for?

Understand Your Credit Status

Building a strong loan application starts with understanding the position that is held. There is no point in pretending everything is rosy when it is not. Knowing your credit score and how it was calculated provides insight into how the lender will view your application. When applying for a home loan with bad credit, knowing your own weaknesses is very useful.

Your credit report can be sourced (for a small fee) from a credit agency, and in it details that have affected the credit score can be seen. With this information, a strategy can be devised to strengthen the application. Securing mortgage approval often comes down to the smallest details.

Also, with the credit scores known, applicants can assess what home loan terms are good and bad, and with that can accurately assess the value of any prospective loan source.

Address The Credit Score

There are only a few ways to secure a home loan with bad credit, but probably the most logical is to improve the credit score before submitting an application. And how can the score be improved? Well, the most immediate impact is made by a consolidation loan, which can be used to pay off existing debts.

Every debt that is cleared is marked as fully repaid, and so the credit score is increased to reflect this. Of course, if the overall debts are $50,000, then the consolidation loan needs to be very large. But securing mortgage approval is certainly more likely when the credit score is higher.

A single consolidation loan is not always possible. In such cases, taking out a series of small personal loans, of maybe just $1,000 each, allows for single debts to be cleared. However, these loans can come with very high interest (25%) and with repayment schedules of just 30 days. These are expensive loans, but over time can have the desired effect and improve the chances of getting a home loan.

Make a Large Down Payment

Providing a large down payment as part of an application for a home loan with bad credit can help the chances of approval significantly. This is because the size of the required mortgage falls in proportion to the down payment. For example, if a home is worth $200,000, a 10% down payment reduces the required loan to $180,000. A 20% down payment sees it fall to $160,000.

And with lower mortgages, the interest is lower and the repayments are lower. This can only help in securing mortgage approval, and with the whole deal so much more affordable, there is significantly less chance of defaulting on the home loan.

Everyone, it seems, wins from this situation. However, it does take a considerable amount of effort to save a large lump sum.

Building or Buying a New Home

If you are thinking of buying or building a brand spanking new home, you’re in luck because this article was created for you! In fact, many of my clients have determined the market has become pretty well picked over and the majority of what’s left is either over-priced or junk. Recently I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about buying brand new construction or building a new home, so I’ve decided to help you by outlining the process.

STEP 1: Get pre-approved for your construction loan or to purchase the newly built home once it’s constructed by the builder. This is especially important for new construction! If you are buying a lot and building a home, the construction loan underwriting process is much tougher than if you are buying an already built new home. This often requires more down payment, better credit and lower debt to income ratios. I’ve had many clients qualify to buy an existing home but do not qualify for a construction loan.

If you are using a builder like Gough or Wright Homes to build your home for you (both do great custom construction in Salt Lake and Utah County) then you just need what’s called take out financing to buy the property from the builder when construction is complete. You really have to be carefully pre-approved with this approach because you will be giving the builder non-refundable construction deposits and if you can’t close on the take out financing then you will lose that money (insert swear word here). It’s important that your mortgage team not only look at the last two years of your credit and income but we also try to account for any changes in interest rate, etc. over the next 90 to 180 days as your home is being constructed. We will make sure your loan is fully underwritten and approved prior to giving any non-refundable funds to the builder.

STEP 2: Locate a community and lot to build your dream home on. Once your mortgage (construction or take out financing) is approved then you know how much you’re comfortable and capable borrowing and can choose a lot.

Tip: You really want an expert REALTOR that specializes in land and new construction to help you with this. If you’ve not built multiple homes before there is a TON that you do not know. Simply put, hire a land expert and allow them to explain all the mistakes they’ve seen past clients make. You can’t un-build it after it’s built…

STEP 3: Build your home! This is a general timeline and guide to the key steps that occur during the course of construction.

Building Process:

1. Customize house plan with builder

2. Color Orientation- Coordinator & suppliers with options pricing (1-2 weeks)

3. Pre Construction Meeting (3-4 weeks)

4. Color Selection Meeting- Finalize decisions (6-7 Weeks)

5. Start Dig (7-8 weeks)

6. Electrical/Flat-work Meeting- Discuss location of lights, plugs, options & concrete (11-12 weeks)

7. Walk through Meeting- Confirm upgrades are in place, create punch list of missing items (18-20 weeks)

8. Closing & Completion of Home- Time will depend on size & scope of home (19-21 weeks)

STEP 4: Close on your home and move in (picture yourself in home nirvana here!) If you’ve done a construction loan in your name then you already own the home and you just move in. If you’ve chosen to have the builder construct the home for you, then this is when you get your take out loan and actually purchase the home. Our goal is to have your loan closed the same day the city issues the Certificate of Occupancy so you can move in immediately.

So that’s it, you are now more educated than most people who have done this process several times over. Congratulations!