Lessons Learned

After all is said and done, I have certainly learned some valuable lessons through this process. I thought I would share some of them with you:

1. Contractor's lie. They are not your friend, they are not your advocate, they are business people in it to make money. They will take advantage of you if you allow them to.
2. Be sure to explore alternatives to traditional financing. We chose a line of credit, instead of a builder's mortgage or having the builder finance it. This allowed us to ensure that bills were paid, and that the contractor wasn't compensated for work not yet complete. It also allowed us to have a lawyer involved through every stage of the build, ensuring that all the builder complied with all requirements necessary to receive a payment. It also allowed us to keep the lot in our name, as opposed to signing it over to the builder for the duration of the build. This *may* however, cause problems with hooking up utilities so be sure that you have an agreement in place, in the event that those utilities must be in your name, that the builder is responsible for all charges during construction.
3. Solid-core interior doors are a great investment...however they are a pain in the butt for pocket doors because of their weight. Leave the pocket doors as hollow-core, your finger tips will thank you.
4. Sit on your toilets when you pick them out! This may seems silly but, let's face it, these puppies need to be comfortable.
5. Measure the garage! Measure, measure, measure! Even though we increased the size of the garage, we didn't account for the stairs . Once these were installed, our truck didn't fit.
6. Don't try to save a few hundred dollars here or there...pay someone to do it for you! We attempted to save money by buying and installing our own closet organizers. It ended up costing us much more than we anticipated, and they were a headache to assemble and install.
7. Have you electrician install as many plug ins and cable outlets as is legally allowed. They are easy peasy and only a few dollars to install at the time of rough-in, but it saves you the headache of worrying about where you'll be able to plug in your lamps and electronics down the road. Oh, and be sure to have them install floor outlets, you'd be surprised how handy they are!
8. If you have a vision for what you want in your home, DO NOT let anyone talk you out of it! I cannot tell you how many times I selected a finish or fixture and had people cringe or tell me how much they disliked it...but when it all came together it was exactly what I had pictured, and I was relieved that I had stuck to my guns!
9. GO GREEN! It's more expensive but, if you select your items carefully, you can get some really unique looks and great warranties...and you're helping Mother Earth at the same time!
10. Do your homework. Research products: how to care for them, warranties, etc. What you thought you wanted, might not be the best choice for you and your lifestyle in the long run.
11. Upgrade when you can. It really is true that you should budget between 15-20% more than your original quote for upgrades. Upgrading at the beginning saves you money down the road. Whenever you "cheap out" or "settle" with a mind to change it later. You are now paying twice: once for the initial item and install, and again for the replacement item and install. That in mind, make sure you are realistic about what you can afford.
12. Include as many upgrades as you can in your initial quote. We ended up spending only 7% over our initial quote in upgrades, because we included as many "wish list" items as we could in our initial quote from the builder.
13. Ensure that your builder is a member in good standing of any local builder's/construction associations, and is a member in good standing of the Canadian New Home Warranty Program. Insist that your builder provide you with similar information regarding their sub-trades as well.
14. Count on the following: your home will be behind schedule, it will cost more than you thought, you will shed tears and vent in anger throughout the process. It's best to keep you eyes on the prize, though, and know that in the end it will be worth it.