The Stages of Building a House
Building a house is an ambitious project. building-pros.net accompanies you to concretize your project in optimal conditions. Discover in this article the steps to live it in all serenity: steps, financing, plans, search for land, works, follow-up of the building site…
The steps before the beginning of the construction of a house
Before starting the construction of your future house, the first step is to define a budget which must include the purchase price of the ground and the price of the construction of the house. According to this, establishing your financing plan will allow you to obtain credit with an advantageous loan rate and to benefit from financial aid specific to real estate (zero-interest loan, local authorities’ support…).
Before starting the work, you can also prepare your project by making the following:
- the choice of the type of house: traditional, single-storey, wooden house, roofing style… ;
- the choice of the professional(s) of the house construction who will accompany you: builder, project manager, architect… Ask for estimates to compare;
- the comparison of the average price of houses and the construction budget;
- the plans of your house that you can choose from a catalog or custom-made with the possibility of calling an architect: walls, size of the rooms, place of the kitchen, bathroom…
The search for a building plot for your house
For the realization of the construction project of your future house, the search for land is an essential step. The land must be buildable and correspond to your financial plan and your project: proximity of shops, schools, and transportation…
The land for the house must also be serviced, i.e., connected to the electricity, water, gas, and sewage networks. The buyer is responsible for the work if this is not the case. Finally, before the work is done, a soil study may be necessary to determine the foundations to choose from.
There are 2 types of land:
Land in a subdivision: this is a plot of land ready to be built on that the subdivider is responsible for servicing before the purchase, in addition to the soil study. According to the specifications of the allotment and the local urban plan, you will have to respect the construction rules: architecture, the color of the frontage, materials, coating, and type of roofing… ;
Diffuse land: this is an isolated plot of land often found in less urbanized areas and offering greater freedom of construction, as the town planning rules are less restrictive. The seller is not obliged to provide services.
The 4 key stages in building a house
After obtaining the building permit from the town hall, the construction site of the house can start. Your project then takes shape. There are 4 main stages in the construction process: structural work, finishing work, and acceptance. If you have hired a home builder, these stages will correspond to different calls for funds.
Good To Know
The town hall’s processing of your building permit request cannot exceed 2 months to construct a single-family home. For any other project, the instruction period is 3 months. Depending on the situation and the number of requests, the municipality may extend the processing time. In case of missing documents, you have 15 days to provide them.
Step 1 of the house-building process: the structural work
Structural work is the first and most impressive step in building a house. Initially, the structural work includes the earthwork, the construction of the foundation, and the slab. The walls, the frame, and the windows installation come a second time. It would help if you also consider the sanitation work.
Stage 2 of home construction: finishing work
The finishing work of a house consists of making the structure created by the structural work habitable. This includes the insulation of the walls and roof, electricity, plumbing, and heating…
Step 3 of the house construction: the finishing touches
The finishing touches in a house construction site are not only the decoration. This stage includes the installation of floor and wall coverings, sanitary facilities and lighting structure, and finishing touches to the facade: shutters, plastering…
Stage 4 of construction: the reception of the house
The reception stage is the delivery of the house. It is a detailed visit of the house with the builder and sometimes the architect to validate the completion of the work and their conformity with the contract. At the end of this visit, the new owner signs a report and gets the keys to his house.
Who to call for an optimal follow-up of the construction site of your house?
For an optimal follow-up of the construction site of your house, it is advised to choose a reliable person who can coordinate the work and accompany you with the plans, the choice of materials (wood, coating…), or the type of insulation. Rigor is required!
The home builder takes charge of the construction of the house, and the project is delivered, turnkey. This partner is very reassuring because his status is regulated. He signs a contract to construct a single-family home with the buyer, guaranteeing not to exceed the budget and the deadlines.
Note: It is possible to request quotes to compare home builders.
It is also possible to call upon a project manager or an architect and sign a project management contract. The content of this construction contract is not regulated by law, so it must be carefully drafted. Another critical element: the house’s total price is not known at the signature of the construction contract but only when the professional has signed agreements with each craftsman. This unknown factor must therefore be integrated into the financing. Don’t hesitate to anticipate by planning a budget that is not too tight.
