More and more people are choosing to build new construction in the North Port, Venice and the Sarasota area. Being a Real Estate Broker Associate in the Sarasota-North Port area I see which properties go under contract right away while others may sit on the market for some time. The conclusion, homes that sit on the market need to be renovated from the dated style that was once popular several years ago. For that reason, people like you are interested in the new construction building process instead of doing a full renovation on a house that may not have all the features you are looking for.

Building new construction can be a great way to get everything you are looking for in a home. There are several types of house builders you can choose from including, Custom Home Builders, Spec Home Builders, and Tract Home Builders. Read the full article about the major differences between them here.

Today, we are specifically going to talk about the Custom Home Building process. Being closing involved with many Custom Home Build projects I have been able to learn about the process inside and out, so that when you are looking to build we can walk you through the steps to make your home building process as smooth as possible.

Step 1: Determine Your Budget and Your Financing

We have customers reach out to us on a weekly basis looking to build a house, but the one thing most people are missing is how much they can spend. Without a budget there is nothing a builder can base the house off of. If you tell the builder everything you are looking for and the size the builder could design a house that is far out of your budget and then you are back to the drawing board so I cannot stress the importance of getting the financing in line before speaking with a builder.

Step 2: Determine the Location

This is a very important step as this could have an impact on how the house is built. For example, if that land is located within an HOA community, your builder will have to follow specific rules outlined in the HOA Regulations about the size, style, landscaping, and approval process. Another factor is what elevation is your lot meaning is it in a Flood Zone?

Step 3: Obtain a Survey for the Property

Once a location has been identified and you now own the property it is time to have a full survey done of the property to get the elevation of the lot, the general survey to determine the setbacks, any wetlands to stay away from, and the tree survey.

Step 4: Design Your Floor Plan and Complete Engineering

This is both one of the most exciting parts of the process but also can be overwhelming at times as there are a lot of decisions to make at this stage of the process. However, a good builder will be able to walk you through your best options when it comes to finishes, the flow of the house and ways you can save on costs without sacrificing what you want in a house.

Step 5: Submit for Building Permit

When all engineering is complete, full survey is done, and the final paperwork is complete for the permit package your builder will submit the plans to the City/County for approval. This process can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 10 weeks to get your plans approved.

Step 6: Clear the Land

Once you have gotten the approval from the City/County now it is time to prep your lot. All necessary trees will be cut down, dirt will be brought in for the pad of your house and any necessary drainage that needs to be created to ensure optimal drainage during rain storms will be done.

Step 7: Build the House

Now we are at the point of the process when it is time to pour the foundation and get started on the build of your house! Every custom house build will vary depending on the size of the house, the overall design, access to building materials, etc, but a good general rule of thumb is once you have the foundation your house can be built in 6-7 months.

Step 8: Obtain the Certificate of Occupancy

We are almost there, I promise! Now that your builder has gone through nearly all the necessary inspections and is putting on the finishing touches the final inspection will be conducted by the county inspector to ensure everything is complete and meets code requirements. Once completed and approved, you will get the Certificate of Occupancy, which is the final step before moving in!

Step 9: Receive the Keys to Your New Home!

Congratulations, you have successfully made it through the Custom Home Building Process! This is the most exciting part of the process when the builder gets to hand you the keys to your brand new home that you can create new memories in.

Overall, the building process can be both a very exciting process and a little overwhelming during certain points, but when you take the time up front to do the necessary preparations, which includes picking the home builder that fits your style the best, you already start your home building process in the right direction. Now it is time for your builder to make it a smooth process the rest of the way and if you have any specific questions about this process you can always reach out to us for information.