Top 5 Things To Consider When Building a New Home

From Kelly Dunn Construction

1. Get Pre-Approved
Pre-approval is the first and most important step. You could waste a lot of time if you don’t know how much money you have available. If you have to sell an existing home, this is also the time to find out what your current home value is, compared to what you owe on it. Builders are going to be much more likely to work with you if you have been pre-approved by a bank for financing and know your price range.

2. Location
Where you want to build your home could drastically affect the price. Unlike purchasing an existing home, you most likely will have to buy the land separate from the house. Of course, there are many variables involved when purchasing property, but if you are building in Kansas, be prepared to pay between $10,000 - $40,000. Depending on the city or area you choose you could pay as much as $80,000. Visit a website like Trulia.com or Zillow.com and search current listings by land. 

New home developments also could include fees that have nothing to do with the construction. Roads, curb, gutter, and maintenance fees could apply to a section of land on which you plan to build. Be sure to do your research ahead of time to identify if there are any homeowner’s association fees or specials.

3. Floor Plan
You don’t necessarily need the plans in advance to build a new house. Most home builders will be able to help you through this step. However, be prepared with some basic preferences, such as:
  • How many bedrooms
  • How many bathrooms
  • Two story or one story
  • Number of garage bays
  • Do you want a basement and if yes, how much of the basement do you want to be finished?

All of these details will influence the price of your new home. You can also visit websites like:

In addition, you can find many helpful ideas by searching the social media platform Pinterest using the search phrase “free floor plans.”

4. Time Frame
Give your new home builder plenty of time; two-to-three months is ideal. Reputable home builders will typically have several projects going on at one time, and most likely will need weeks if not months before they can begin on your home.

This timeline becomes critical if you are selling a current home you own. Chances are, a buyer is not going to purchase your home, and then wait for you to build a new one. You may need to find temporary housing while building your new house. Be sure to put as few contingencies between you and the buyer to receive the best purchase price. 

5. Must Haves vs. Nice To Haves
Create a list of the things your new house must have, such as:
  • A three car garage
  • A finished basement
  • Four bedrooms
  • An island kitchen
Once you have your list, prioritize it from most important to least important. Review your list with your new home builder so they can give you price estimates on how those features will affect the overall construction cost.

If you would like to start planning your new home construction, contact Kelly Dunn Construction today CLICK HERE.