What You Need to Know About Building Your First Home: Part Two

Is it just me or do you feel like time has been flying? It was only a few months ago when I announced that my husband and I are building our first home. 

Hello House!

Electrical

So far, our home is progressing nicely and I'm excited about the progress. The frame, roofing, plumbing, and electrical has been installed and is pending one final inspection before the drywall is put in place. 

Although everything sounds like its going well, this process is starting to become mentally difficult.  Since Spring has arrivedm I've been a little bummed that I haven't been able to plan any big vacations. My adventures thus far have been fun, but I'm in desperate need of the Caribbean, a Miami vice, and a cabana. 

Interestingly, visiting our home has become my therapy. Whenever, I'm feeling down about this journey, bummed about work, or just down in general I visit this house. It instantly reminds me of all the great things I have to look forward to and puts things in perspective in a way that's hard to describe. 

So far we haven't ran into any big snags in the process. It's been about 30 days since our foundation was poured. Here's a few tips to keep in mind after the builder has poured your slab.

1. Visit Your Home Regularly. I try to visit my home at least once per week. Things progress from day to day and you can easily miss a milestone if you aren't visiting your future home regularly.  Although I don't pick up trash that's around are lot, I do check to make sure that the construction workers aren't leaving anything where they shouldn't. I've heard horror stories about people finding critters within their walls due to trash left from workers. 

2. Maintain Frequent Communication with your Superintendent. Every Friday, we receive an update from our builder. Take the time to establish a relationship with them. By no means do you have to be OCD about progress,  but keep the lines of communication open. We make it a habit to respond to their emails, just to reinforce our involvement in the process. 

3. Bring a Friend Along for Visits. One of our closest friends is a plumber and also does HVAC work. We've brought him along on some of our visits to take an extra look at the progress. If you have a family member or friend that's been through the process bring them over to see the construction. They may be able to make you aware of potential problems with your build. 

4. Be Patient. Some days I feel like the process is moving fast, and other times I feel like things are moving way to slow. In the end, I always try to remind myself that it isn't best to rush a home build. The last thing you want is a house filled with issues. 

Stay tuned for Part Three Coming Soon! Thanks so much for checking in and coming along on this journey with me.