The usual practice for homeowners is to purchase a pre-built dwelling unit. The reason being, it saves time and effort. But, often homeowners yearn for personalizing their home, which has limitations when a pre-built unit is purchased. For this reason, people often opt to customize their home and hire a contractor for constructing their dream living space.
Hiring a contractor can simplify the process. However, a lack of knowledge can push your dream off the cliff. In other words, exploring the options for fittings, construction material, type of flooring, and other basics before hiring a contractor can simplify your task.
Often, homeowners hire a contractor without having a clear plan of execution with them. This, not only can increase the cost of construction but also extend the project timeline. Therefore, preparing for the suggestions that your contractor may put forth can help you construct your home economically. Thus, making sure that you invest only in worthy upgrades and fittings.
Step1. Preparing Site & Laying Foundation
The very first step is deciding and preparing the site for construction. Usually, plots are either covered with trees or boulders and sometimes debris, as well. Constructing a building or a house on an uneven surface can reduce the strength of the structure.
Your contractor will hire a crew to clear the plot of any debris and trees, along with any other bulges. After clearing the plot area and bulldozing it, the crew proceeds with laying the foundation. You may need to ask your contractor about the type of foundation needed. Depending upon the type of soil, the foundation beams and slabs will also vary. Usually, the crew plans a crawl space before laying the foundation. This crawl space acts as the interface between the foundation and the flooring.
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Step2. Preparing Skeletal Design
The next crew to arrive on the construction site is the framing specialists. They prepare a rough frame for the final construction of walls and roofs. Usually, preparing the skeletal design includes laying a ground slab, putting up wooden frames to mark wall sites, and preparing for the roof shingles.
It is only after the basic skeleton is prepared, your house starts taking the shape. The first step would be to lay the ground slab. The crew usually pours concrete for the ground slab. Surprisingly, this concrete slab can be polished to work as flooring at a later stage. For a detailed insight, you can read our helpful polished concrete guide that entails all the processes involved. Further to this, the crew would start erecting the wall framework, which will be covered with protective sheaths on the exterior. The complete skeleton is also known as sheath sometimes.
Step3. Installing Basic Amenities
Now that the basic structure is ready you can expect your home taking shape. But, before you plan a date to move in, you will need to make sure that your house has all the necessary supplies. For instance, you wouldn’t want to live in a house with no water supply.
Your contractor will hire a subcontractor to install the needed amenities. These include plumbing and sewage pipes, electrical wires and outlets, and the HVAC ducts. Usually, in places where the temperature reaches sub-zero points, an additional supply of heating element is also installed between walls and under the floor, as needed.
Step4. Insulating the Interiors
Installing dynamic temperature controls in your home can help warm-up or cool down the temperature. But, if your home is not insulated properly then maintaining the ambient temperature may require a lot of energy.
To counter the energy problem, contractors usually insulate the interiors with styrofoam or similar materials. The principle is to create a temperature check that cuts short on heat conduction. The foam consists of minute holes that trap air. Since air is not a good conductor of heat, it bars the temperature from passing on to the other side. Thus creating a temperature gradient between the conducting materials.
Step5. Putting up Interior Walls & Trims
By now, all the necessary amenities and accessories to comfort are installed in your home. But still, your home does not look liveable. To make it liveable you at least need plastered walls and trimmed doorways.
The crew would now put up drywall and seal the seams. This is to ensure that there are no ridges or grooves visible at the joints. They’ll also install the doors and windows, and any other accessory trims to assist the movement within your home. However, you can consult your contractor to know the type of trims and the texture to suit your taste. Once the trims and drywall are installed, you can expect the crew to start painting your interiors. After all, colorless homes can be dull and do not inspire life.
Step6. Laying Walkways & Driveway
While the interiors are cured, neither you nor your contractor would wish the crew to wait. So, till then you can expect the crew to work on the exteriors of your home.
Like your interiors, the exteriors too need a lot of nurturing. For example, pathways and driveways can be laid till the time your interiors are cured. In addition to this, you can ask your contractor for complete landscaping of your front and back yard. After all, you’ll be spending your sunny noons laying by the side of your pool, or maybe aside some exotic fauna.
Step7. Flooring the Entire Site
Once the complete structure is ready above the ground level, it’s time your contractor would start flooring your home. Now, as already mentioned you can choose the concrete foundation as a flooring option if you are a little concerned about the environment.
A polished concrete floor is not only easy to maintain but also lasts longer. And it is elegant at the same time. Did you know, you can add color to your concrete flooring as well? Perhaps you can. Depending upon the choice of design and your budget, you can ask your contractor for suggestions.
Step8. Finishing up & Final Walkthrough
In the end, all that’s left is the final inspection. Check the interiors visually for any faults. In addition to this, you should also go through all the fixtures and fittings including the electrical and plumbing supplies.
Finally, you can now move into your dream home!
