Wife and I seriously considering building a house

Write down everything you want. Then call 10 people who recently built and ask them what they did. And also what they would add if they could start over. Run cat5/6 everywhere. Run coaxial cable to the same spots. Add PVC pipe in the walls to the main entertainment hub. Don't forget outside receptacles in the soffit for Christmas lights. Add a Transfer Switch for a generator (about $800).

dont forget blinds in your budget. they can get expensive

Make sure you know exactly what you want before you break ground

If you start making changes during the building process it's going to cost you a fortune

My advice is hire an architect and designer. They're cheaper than lawyers.

1) Pay for a good home architect.
This will eliminate many problems. It allows you to put the plans out for bid to several contractors and have them bid apples to apples...."PER PLANS AND SPECS"

2). Take prices from at least 3 Contractors. Dont get lazy, check references of people who used them for past builds.

3). Get a good contract document. One that spells out how the contractor is to be paid and how long the build should take.



Finally if you are too cheap to hire a good Architect for a good set of plans then IMO, you should not be building a house.

sold my house today.. wanted 15k in equity settled for 12,500.
Im happy, not bad for 4.5 years.
Took 3 months.

Ready to start building.

Bump for any new advice.
Thanks.

Build around the lot you want. If you are patient, especially if you odn't know exactly what you want, you can take your time preparing the lot for the house. Once you know where the house is going to go on the lot, you can start putting in utilities, water pipes, and a sewage plant as well as building up the pad. The more time you have to let the dirt settle and compact naturally, the less you will have to pay for someone to do that for you. Being able to build up the foundation pad in stages allows for less expensive excavation and a more compact and stable foundation.

Another great way to help is by keeping your options open. If there are additions you'd like to make in the future, planning for them when you build the house can save you a ton of money in the long run. A few examples follow:

1. When my dad built my family's house, he wanted to have an upstairs, but couldn't afford to build a two-story house. So, he used larger wood beams where he wanted the second story to go, designed the attic to have enough room for a 2nd story room, and left room to put a stair case. This cost him a couple grand extra at the time, but it allowed him to add an upstairs a couple years later for a fraction of the cost of what it would have been had he not taken those precautions

2. Running a gas line to your patio opens up the possibility of a future outdoor kitchen, heated swimming pool (not a practical feature in Louisiana), outdoor gas lamps, or a hot tub.

3. Running axial cable to the patio allows you to later install a patio TV.

4. Planning where your bathrooms go can save you thousands by sharing plumbing walls, you can also save money on a wet bar by having it share a plumbing wall with a bathroom.

My wife and I have been working with our contractor for a year to "get it right." The plans have been certified by an engineer and are on their way to permitting. If all goes well, we pour the slab this spring.

Must haves: 6" walls for better insulation, high quality windows, radiant floor heating with geothermal heat pump, 10kw pv system, proper orientation to take advantage of passive solar, large laundry/pantry with dog washing tub, professional cook top and dual ovens, large kitchen island with food prep sink, lots of light including under cabinet lighting in kitchen, lots of storage in kitchen and baths, finished attic for storage, large garage with attached shop area, receptacles in baseboards, hardwood floors(bamboo), lights or solar tubes in all closets, inside/outside sound system (e.g., Sonos).