When it comes to building there are so many decisions to be made – from the style of home you want to achieve, to the number of bedrooms, of bathrooms, and right down to the colour tapware. Before it comes time to make these decisions, there’s an even more important question to be answered – what is my budget, and how can I ensure we stick to it?
While many people, influenced by the myriad of stunning architectural homes on social media, will approach an architect first, this can be a poor decision. At Primebuilt Constructions, we’ve had to break the news to clients many times that the architectural plans they spent so much money on, can’t be constructed within their budget.
It’s a heartbreaking and expensive lesson to learn that’s why you should always engage a builder at the very first stage of building. It’s not only your designer, draftsman or architect, but also the proceeding consultants required to produce required documentation to build, that add to the cost which inevitably adds to more disappointment. Engineering, soil testing, energy ratings and feature surveys are just some of the steps that need to be taken prior to you potentially finding out the project design has broken the budget.
Having a trusted, reliable and experienced builder across your project from the very beginning has a number of benefits and is likely to save you time, money and many a headache along your build journey.
Budget Control
One of the biggest benefits of having a builder on board from the start is budget control. Just as architects are experts in the field of building design, builders are experts in construction, and they are the only people dealing with legitimate construction costs day in day out. There’s nothing worse than spending a portion of your budget on beautifully detailed plans, only to have a builder perform a cost assessment and blow your budget way out of the water.
Having a builder engaged from the beginning will allow them to work closely with your chosen architect or designer to create stunning architectural designs that come in on (or under) budget. A builder will be also able to suggest cost-effective materials or building solutions that your architect or designer can then weave into the documented plans. Having two sets of eyes look over your project at the design stage also reduces the likelihood of variations along the way, which will save you time and money.
Accountability
Engaging a builder at the beginning of a project means they can take on the role of project manager, looking after every aspect of your home from concept to completion. This can take the stress out of building, especially if it’s your first time undertaking this process; having to liaise with builders, architects, engineers and designers can be incredibly frustrating and exhausting. However, this is something builders are used to dealing with every single day so it can be best to let the experts do their thing, meaning you’ll only have to interact with one single entity (your builder) who is across every aspect of your project.
Experience
Never underestimate the value of experience. Once your chosen builder understands your vision and budget, you can generally trust they will suggest an architect who can bring your project to life in the best way possible. In addition to this, having a builder on your side who can look over your plans, designs and concepts and offer feedback and suggestions for improvement is invaluable.
At Primebuilt Constructions, we treat each and every one of our projects as if it were our own home. Finding a builder who will do the same for your project is a great way to ensure your home is completed to the highest standard and for the best value.
One of the best ways to approach a new home build is by engaging a Design and Construct builder for your project. This type of builder will do all of the above and more, enlisting a trusted architect to bring your home to life, while they oversee all the little details. To find out more about why you should engage a builder before an architect, or to get started on your very own Design and Construct project, get in touch with Chris and the team at Primebuilt Constructions.