10 Steps to be followed before Constructing a House

Building a new house is the fruition of a life long dream. It can be very challenging as it depends upon a wide variety of factors ranging from builder reputation to location. If we were to consider the fact that you already own a piece of land in a residential zone, this is a step-by-step procedure that needs to be followed before new house construction.

1) Looking at the financial options

Your financial source might be personal savings, loans from banks or friends. However keep in mind that construction materials like cement will lose strength if stored for more than six months, which is why you should source your fund before the start of the project. Before a new house construction seriously considers the financial options and how you can acquire them.

Check out this blog to know more about the available home loan options if needed.

2) Choosing an appropriate location

Location plays a great role while choosing to build your home. Do you need to see the sun rising as you open the windows of the house or are you content with the sight of the building standing in the front? Ensure that the amenities are located at stone's throw away before building a new house. You should also be aware of the legalities of the location you have chosen.

Get information about regulations, development plans, permits, development restrictions, code restrictions, zoning, and other legalese. You should also consider the practicalities involved in the location. Examine the structural foundations, slopes, grades, soil types, and boundaries.

Consider water sources, drainage systems, utility lines, and other systems in advance before constructing a house.

3) Creating a Plan

• The first step before building a new house is creating a design plan. You should be sure about the number of rooms you want to have in the house, their size and the scope for future expansion.
• The budget for the construction of the house is laid down and all expenses such as the cost for blocks, cement, paints and daily wages for the laborers should be planned.
• Make sure that the construction and building materials are purchased from reliable sources.
• You must stick to your budget and have a contingency reserve to make up for the unexpected costs you might incur during the construction process.
• Arrange your finances and ensure that the funds for the new house construction are available. Make your building plan and ensure that all the people who are involved with the construction process understand and approve of the safety plan

4) Collecting all the documents and getting the necessary permission

Just like in any other city, before building a new house you need approval from the concerned authorities, in this case, BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike). It is also imperative to get approval from Bangalore Electricity Company (BESCOM) and BWSSB (Bangalore Water Sewerage and Sanitary Board).

For residential buildings taller than 15 meters, one needs to seek permission from the fire safety department as well.For the same, you can fill an application form for plan sanctioning and submit it. Along with the application form, you will have to provide the following documents:

• Recent Khata certificate and extract
• Tax receipts providing information about your tax returns for the last three years
• Encumberance certificate from 2004 to till the present date
• Mother Deed and Grant Deed. Or gift deed, if that is the case.

5) Hire the right contractor for constructing a house

• The contractor you hire must be registered. Check for the contractor's license and take a look at their previous projects.
• Hire a contractor with whom you can communicate freely and help you resolve issues as they occur.

Experience

Make sure that the contractor you hire has the necessary experience that you are seeking, to provide you quality construction.

Reputation

Contractors who provide good quality construction will have a good reputation in the market. Look at their online reviews and interact with their previous customers so that you get to know more about the kind of work that the contractor has done in the past.

Deadlines

Time is valuable which is why ensure that the contractor doesn't delay the project and sticks to the start and completion date. Try and find out about the contractor especially about delays and missed deadlines in the past.

After considering the above mentioned factors, a written contract with your contractor should be signed by both the parties.All the details in the contract should be covered to avoid any future conflicts. Share the details of the email as well to keep a proof of the dealings.

6) Selecting the right construction and building materials

Selecting the right material is both time-consuming and troublesome. Consult an expert before you buy the materials to be used for construction. One can optimize the cost of construction by 10% by buying the right materials for constructing a house.

The contract rate includes labor and materials. This is done to avoid wastage and pilferage. If you can monitor day to day operations effectively, you can go for the labor rate contract and procure the materials yourself.

7) Arrange water and and electricity temporarily

Temporary water and electricity are the most important amenities required for a contractor before he directs the workforce to the construction site. Usually, the plot owner has to provide these amenities to the contractor before constructing a house.

8) Constructing temporary site for construction and building materials

A Temporary storage is very essential for a new house construction. Temporary storage space has to be built to ensure that the construction materials do not get exposed to the atmosphere and get damaged. Once the first-floor slab is constructed, these materials can be stored inside the under-construction building.

9) Consider the resale value

You should consider the resale value of a house before you begin its construction because circumstances may change in the future. You should know if the fixtures you install in your house will appeal to potential home buyers if you were to sell your house in the future.

Consider your lifestyle before planning the design so that poor design mistakes are not made.

10) Commencement of the construction work

After considering all these factors you can tell the contractor to start the construction work. Hire an experienced advocate who can prepare a water-tight agreement for you before building a new house. Consider all your financial options and make all the payments either through demand drafts or cheque so that you have a record of all the expenditures you incurred. Supervise and oversee the construction work personally to avoid any blunders from happening. You can also choose to engage an experienced and technically competent supervisor for yourself to monitor all the construction work and ensure that all your plans are executed.

Building a new house is a tedious process, but what differentiates it from buying an already built one is that as you will be present from the very inception till the end. To watch your dream abode rise brick by brick is a joy like no other. The connection or the bond formed with the home will last longer than the one brought. But unless you properly plan and follow through it, the adventure of the experience will turn out to be disappointing.