Three Tips For Saving Money When You’re Planning To Build A New Home

There are a lot of Tennessee residents who want Custom Smart Homes[BL1]  to build their new home, but feel like they don't have the money to make it work within their budget.  We provide our clients with a list of financial resources that may be able to help them pay for their new home, but there are some things you can do during the planning process that can save you a lot of money on home building costs.

Look At "Problem Lots"

Everybody wants to build their house on a flat stretch of land, but if you build your home near a hillside or fill-in property you may be able to save a lot of money on land costs.  Generally lots that aren't "ideal" (near/on a hillside, fill-in lots, narrow lots, etc) cost a lot more than others, and if you choose a lot that's on the off-beaten path you can save a considerable amount of money.

Go For Lots Or Land A Little Further From The Town Center

Some people have always dreamed of owning a waterfront property, but property that's right near a lake or river can be expensive.  If you've always wanted to live close to the water choose a lot that's a little further from a town center.  You'll still be near water, but you won't have to pay for lakefront property prices at a premium. 

Build With The Neighborhood In Mind

You've always wanted a home that could double as a mansion, but building your mini-mansion in a neighborhood full of mid-sized homes could hurt you in the future.  You may think that having a big home in a neighborhood full of smaller homes could boost its value if you sell it in the future, but doing that will actually have the opposite effect.  The value of your home will depend more on the homes around it than the home itself, and your resale price won't be anywhere near as much as you'd think it would be.

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Three Signs That You Could Be Working With The Wrong Construction Company

When you've worked in the construction business as long as CustomSmart Homes has been, you tend to hear a lot of interesting stories from fellow construction workers and clients about some real project horror stories.  Some people have hired builders that lied about their qualifications, or have signed up to work with "green" construction groups who didn't know the first thing about building energy efficient homes.  Custom Smart Homes ratings show that our customers have been able to get the homes they wanted without any false pretenses, but other people haven’t been so lucky.  If you're thinking about hiring a construction company or contractor to work on your home or business, look for these red flags so you can prevent being swindled. 

Red Flag #1: They ask for a lot of money up front

There isn't a construction company or worker around that can start a project without any funds from clients, but the people you choose to work with shouldn't be asking for half of the money upfront before they even start laying out their plans.  Most states have limits on how much money contractors can ask for before they begin construction work, and most tend to ask for around 10%-15% of the initial costs before they start their work.  If you're working with a contractor that asks for 1/3 or ½ of the money before hand, you're working with somebody who is trying to scam you out of your money.

Red Flag #2: They can't give you a straight on answer on who will be at the construction site

Every person who is trying to get a home or building built needs to ask about site supervision.  This question isn't just important to ensure that the project will be properly supervised; it's also to protect the client from any legal troubles.  If the contractor you hire decides to not pay their workers, in some states it's legal for workers and subcontractors place a mechanic's lien on your home or property in order to sue clients for compensation.  You can protect yourself from this by having each subcontractor and materials supplier sign lien releases or waivers each time you make a payment.

Proceed with Caution: Their payment schedule is based on pre-set dates and not actual completed work

Determining the payment schedule is up to the clients and the companies and/or individuals they're working with.  Some construction companies choose to ask their clients for payments once major construction milestones are reached, like scheduling another payment for after the foundation work is completed or when the electrical work is done.  Other construction companies choose to center their payment schedules on set dates and not work completion, and inherently there isn't anything wrong with that method either. 

Planning payments around the calendar instead of when work is completed gives the client a predictable payment schedule.  But some unscrupulous construction companies insist on being paid on certain dates to ensure that they get their money regardless of it their work is done.  If your construction company bases their payment schedule off of the calendar and not their work, you should do look up business reviews and past customer experiences to see if they're a reputable company.

Latest CustomSmart Homes Deal: The Essentials Package

Even though our custom smart homes are made by modular construction, no two homes we build are exactly alike.  We offer an array of floor plans and layouts to our clients, and we encourage them to add their own personal touches to their future home.  Since we're partnered with the acclaimed modular manufacturer Nationwide Homes, we can offer our clients a variety floor plans to choose from when they're ready to build.  We have over 150 custom floor plans to choose from, and over 30,000 options and upgrades you can use to personalize your home. 

This year we're offering our clients even more freedom to design their homes with our new Essentials Package.  By the time your modules are ready to ship to their home site, your home will already be about 80% completed.  Even though your home is almost complete, there are still some things that will need to be taken care of before you can live in your new home.  The Essentials Package was created in order to provide our clients with the basic on-site construction work and utility installation they'll need in order move in to their new home.

Clients who chose the Essentials Package are having CustomSmart complete their home as opposed to completing the work themselves.  You'll be able to have your carpeting, painting, caulking, drywall, tile, electrical, plumbing, siding, gutters, all installed after your modules arrive to your new home location.  We'll even remove trash and clean up on-site once we finish our construction work.  Clients who choose this package will also be able to have a crawlspace foundation constructed for their new home.  CustomSmart Homes crawl spaces have concrete footings, concrete block, and have a gray stucco finish. The perimeter drain and damp proofing is also included.

This blog post only features a few of the benefits that come with our new Essentials Package, so be sure to visit our website for more in-depth information on our latest construction package.  If you're interested in our Essentials Package contact us today, our package is only available for a limited time.