The 4 Stages Of Preparing For A Residential Construction Effort

Even if you're planning residential construction on a clear lot, there are several things you'll have to do before starting your project. Residential construction services providers encourage their customers to prepare by handling these four issues first.

Surveying the Location

Whether a lot needs to be cleared or appears to be ready, never assume it's perfect. Pay a professional surveyor to take measurements. Check property registries and compare the survey data to what you're seeing on the ground. You should also study local geological and hydrological data to get a sense of what you might be up against. Residential construction work is easier when you're confident about where everything is on the property.

Regulations and Permits

Before a single shovel goes into the ground, you should know what potential regulatory issues might hang over the project. Contact your local code compliance office to learn what the rules are. This will cover everything from the height of the handrails to potential water run-off risks. Once more, this is a great opportunity to do everything right, so seize it.

Similarly, you'll need permits for most types of residential construction. Learn what the permit requirements are. Ask about permit periods so you can be sure your contractors will be covered. Build in some extra time in case the job runs long due to inclement weather.

Engineering

Some locations call for significant engineering work. If you followed the previous step, you'll have a good idea of what the property needs. For example, a place may have drainage issues. With a clear site, this is the time to do all the necessary engineering to provide top-notch drainage.

The same logic goes for engineering the soil. If a property doesn't have a stable enough base for the weight of the planned structure, this is the time to remedy the problem.

You should also consider temporary engineering needs. Ask your residential construction services contractor about their needs. If they're going to need temporary access roads, for example, this is the time to build those.

Financing and Design

Even before you design the house, it's a good idea to line up financing. This will give you a better sense of what is and isn't feasible. Add about 10 to 20 percent overhead on the budget to deal with emergencies and overruns.

Once you know what your budget will be, move ahead with the design process. Hire an architect and maybe an engineer to design a building that will make the most of the property.

Contact a residential construction service for more information. 

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