Building your new house doesn’t start with the pouring of the foundation. A house is a work of art and is the product of the blood, sweat and tears of the entire construction team. But before the actual construction, it all starts with you. Costly mistakes during home design and construction could be avoided if you plan ahead of time.

Here are some things to consider to help you turn your dream house into a real house:

1. Set Your Budget
The first question you should ask yourself is “How much will my dream house cost?”
Start estimating how much you can afford to spend before you finally decide to design and build your home. Do you have enough savings or do you need a loan? Setting an approximate cost will help you modify your building plans to suit your budget.

2. Pick a Lot
Whether you’re building your home in a posh subdivision or on a site with a perfect view of the beach, you need to choose the land before you can start with the floor plans and other details. The house design and construction team you will hire needs to inspect your lot and investigate factors such as soil accessibility, soil type and condition, source of utilities and other factors that affect the design and cost.

3. Choose Your Team
Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make so it’s important for you to choose the right people to build it. You have the option to select a contractor, who then chooses the other members of his team, or you can choose an architect first. There is no shortage of architects and contractors in the Philippines.

WA Gundan Jr. & Associates caters to all aspects of design and construction of low-rise, medium and high-end residential projects.

Click here to contact Arch. Wilfredo Gundan Jr.

4. Choose a Plan
Your plan should fit the characteristics of your lot because the type of house you can build depends on the size and shape of the land. Philippine architects can create a custom design based on your specifications. You can choose a design from stock plans and have your architect make modifications to suit your taste, like in the sizes of the rooms, window styles, etc.

5. Negotiate a Contract with the Builder
Before hiring a contractor or architect, put all the agreements into writing, which has to be signed by all the parties involved. A contract for house construction should include the contractor’s full information, a detailed description of the work to be done and the necessary materials, the start and completion dates of the project, warranties/guarantees of workmanship, and the payment details.

Don’t hesitate to ask your contractor or architect all of your questions. After all, it’s your home and your hard-earned money.

Need more help planning for the construction of your dream home? Contact us now to get expert advice.