The Ultimate New Home Construction Checklist

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Building a new home is an exciting but daunting task. If you’re planning your own dream custom home project you’ll want to review this New Home Construction checklist. There are so many things to think about and keep track of, from finding the right property and obtaining financing to managing the construction process itself. It’s no wonder that many people feel overwhelmed when they start thinking about building their own house. 

Things to do before you start your New Home Construction

Lucky for me, my husband is an amazing contractor but I have watched friends struggle when it comes to starting their new home construction.  With a little planning and the help of this new home construction checklist, you can make sure that everything goes smoothly and that you end up with the home of your dreams.

Finding the right piece of land

When you’re looking for land to build a home, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to consider the size of the lot. How much space do you need? Will you have room for a garden or other outdoor features? Second, you’ll want to think about the location. Is it close to a good school, shopping, and other amenities? Is it in a quiet neighborhood or a more active area? Third, you’ll want to take into account the topography of the land. Is it level or sloped?

A big requirement for me and my husband was what type of internet was available! Yes, we chose our lot based on the Internet availability! Can you believe there are still areas around us that don’t have good wifi in 2023?!

Finally, you’ll want to consider the cost of land. How much are you willing to spend on land for your new home? If you are new to the area a real estate agent can help you to find the perfect piece of property for your needs and budget.

Budget and Financing

Speaking of the costs you will need to obtain a bank loan, private loan, or use your own savings to help create the down payment and budget you will have available. You will want to check into several financial institutions for the best interest rates for new construction loans. For most construction loans you will just have to pay the interest until you switch it over to a mortgage.

Choose the right building method

The most important step in the home building process is finding the right home builders who will make sure the project happens in a timely manner and with the least amount of hiccups. You can be sure to find a qualified general contractor by searching the National Association of Home Builders or asking around in your area.

Also Read: Important Things Every Homeowner should know before hiring a Contractor

There are typically 3 Ways to Build a Home

1. Work with a reputable builder that builds spec or model homes. This method is the least customizable, and pricing is usually based on square foot.
2. Design a custom home with a contractor. This allows you full creative control for a custom home build but will be the most expensive.
3. Build your own home yourself – If you are confident in your DIY skills and project management abilities, you may choose to be your own contractor. Keep in mind that you will have to be sure you adhere to building codes and inspections.

Design features

When it comes to home design, you have a few different options you can review. You can either buy a pre-made floor plan that matches your square footage and general layout requirements or hire an architect to draw up your custom home plans. The style of home that you choose will determine how much your home will cost to build and the time frame. House plans will cost on average $2000 and up.

If you have found your land and are ready to begin your home construction you can get our Ultimate New Home Construction Planner which will break the entire process down for you step by step.

When you get ready to begin the building process Download our Ultimate New Home Construction Checklist!

Steps of the Home Construction Process

Building a new home is an exciting but complex process. There are many important steps to take, and it’s important to have a general understanding of the construction process before getting started. Here is the build process for new home construction.

Apply for a building permit

Before any work can begin on your plot your plans will need to be inspected and a building permit will be issued. Working with experienced local contractors and architects will help speed this process up as they are fully aware of what is required in your city.

Buy materials

Your construction manager will have a list of what is required at each stage of the project and will order them to be delivered at the right time. As they will be purchased in stages throughout the build, you will probably have a payment plan set up with your general contractors to pay for the work in stages.

Prepare the land

Depending on the state of your land this can be a quick and easy or more involved process, which might involve:

• Clearing trees, bushes, and rocks
• Demolishing existing structures
• Leveling the ground
• Ensure that there is proper drainage
• Outlining the house footprint

Pour the foundation

Once the ground has been cleared, work can begin on breaking ground and digging the foundations. The type of foundation might depend on the type of house being built and the type of ground.  At this stage, the main utility pipes and wiring will also be put in place. Good weather is very important at this point to allow the foundation to fully dry out.

Framing

Once the foundation is in place, the framing can be put up. For most houses, this will be a wooden frame, but for some designs, it may be structural steel. At this point, you’ll get the first idea of the shape and size of your new home. We added fun memories to our home building process by writing bible verses on the foundation to bless our new home.

Roofing

Getting the roofing on quickly is an important task as it helps to weatherproof the structure. This is the last stage where you commonly get major setbacks caused by bad weather. Be sure to compare different color roofs to see which best compliments your home’s exterior.

Exterior Masonry and Siding

Your house will look more like a building once the exterior siding and masonry go up and the weatherproofing will be complete.

Install Rough Electric, Plumbing, and Ductwork

Once the exterior walls are in place the plumbing, electrics, and ductwork for your HVAC can be installed. At this point, they won’t be connected to the main power or water system or have any faucets or power outlets attached.

Install insulation

Another important step is to fully insulate your house.  This will generally be placed in the exterior walls and the attic. The most common types of materials used for loose-fill insulation include cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral (rock or slag) wool. All of these materials are produced using recycled waste materials.

Here are some suggestions of what you should look for when hiring a professional installer;

• Obtain written cost estimates from several contractors for the R-value you need, and don’t be surprised if quoted prices for a given R-value installation vary by more than a factor of two.
• Ask contractors about their experience in installing the product you are considering.  The application can significantly impact the insulation’s performance.
• Ask contractors about their air-sealing services and costs as well, because it’s a good idea to seal air leaks before installing insulation.

Drywall

At this point in the project, your drywall will be put up which will give you a much better idea of the size and feel of all your rooms. This is an exciting stage in the process for the homeowner because you can finally see your home come to life!

Paint the Interior

Depending on the room layout the painting and wallpapering may happen before or after the next couple of stages. There is some flexibility here depending on the availability of specialist subcontractors. It would be a good idea to pick out your paint colors and get samples to see how they look in the lighting of your home.

Read about my Sherwin William’s Virtual Paint Design Experience when I chose my paint colors

Install Cabinets and Trim

The next step will be for any woodwork such as cabinets, built-ins, and finishing trim to be completed.  Sinks, bathtubs, and shower units will also be installed at this stage in the project.

Hookup your Utilities

All your light switches, light fixtures, air conditioning, and outlets can be installed by a qualified electrician, and faucets and showers will be plumbed in by a trained plumber. At this stage, you can connect your home to the utilities so the house will have running water and electricity throughout.

Complete interior finishes and trim

At this point, any final decorating and interior finishes and trim can be completed.

This might include:

• Baseboards and molding
• Stair rails
• Towel rails and hooks
• Picture hooks

Appliances can also be installed at this point, and the final cleanup of the interior will take place. We purchased our appliances from Best Buy and received an AMAZING DEAL.

Complete exterior work

At this stage of the process, all exterior work that was saved to avoid damage by delivery trucks will be completed. Some of the things that might occur at this stage are:

• Laying a driveway
• Planting trees or shrubs
• Digging a pond or pool
• Laying garden paths
• Planting grass

Perform final walkthrough and home inspection

After the final inspection from the city or county government, you should always have a final walkthrough of the property with your construction manager. During this walkthrough, you can also look for any minor defects or areas that haven’t been fully finished and put together a list of final tasks for the team to complete before you move into your dream custom home.

Important things to contemplate before the building process begins

Once you have found your land, secured financing, and determined which building method to use, make sure you review this list of frequently asked home-building questions so you don’t forget any of the small but important details. I suggest giving special attention to this list before choosing your house plan or meeting with the architect.

Lot

•  Consider the layout and size of your building site. How will the house fit on it?
•  If a walk-out basement is on your wish list, you’ll need a very specific lot to
• make that happen.
•  If you have a corner lot, how will that impact the entryway or driveway?

Exterior

• What materials will you use for your home? Brick vs Siding?
• How will your landscaping or your neighbor’s landscaping impact the house?
• Where would you like outdoor spigots placed?
• How deep is the garage? Will your vehicles fit?
• Do you want the garage painted? Insulated?
• Do you want upgrades like stamped or stained concrete in the garage, patios, or driveway?
• Pavers or concrete? What about a walkway from the street parking to the front door?
• Does the driveway have sufficient turnaround space?
• Plans for patios? Decks?

Interior

• Does the kitchen have enough organization? Hooks?
• Do you want a coffee nook?
• Consider the depth counter in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Counter heights: do you need to adjust for taller or shorter family members?
• Think about the shower head height.
• What about the size of tubs and showers? Is there room for an XL tub?
• What are the ceiling heights?
• Have studs placed in the middle of walls for hanging art and décor.
• What color and type of caulking will be used?
• Do you want bathroom, laundry or kitchen hookups in the basement?
• Is the water heater a sufficient size (for that XL tub!)?
• Will there be closet shelving? Standard plans rarely include enough shelving.
• Think about nooks, crannies, and shelves: add those to your builder plans before starting.
• Consider the number of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Flooring

Be very careful about flooring. The number one issue with buyers is that they wish they had sourced out their own flooring and spent extra money upfront for the quality flooring that they wanted. Builders usually provide sub-par flooring or upgraded flooring comes with a very high markup. Spending the extra money now to upgrade flooring by sourcing it out yourself will save you money in the long run by not having to replace it in a few years.

Layout

• Consider the layout of your home as well as bedroom placement. What direction will the windows be facing? You may not want your bedroom window next to your neighbor’s driveway.
• Which side of the house do you want your garage on?
• Do you want the laundry room next to the master bedroom? Do you want a door close to the laundry room?
• Do you want the master bedroom on the main floor?
• Where will the attic access be?
• Think about your house based on the optimization of natural light. The north side will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Electrical

• Make sure to have overhead lights in each room (versus having to rely on plug-in lamps).
• Do you want recessed lighting or light fixtures?
• Do you want lights under the kitchen cabinets?
• Do you want a light over the kitchen sink?
• Do you want GFI outlets under the eaves for outdoor lights during the holidays?
• Switch by the front door for holiday lights?
• Pick which walls you want with cable access ports in each room.
• Junction boxes for ceiling fans in each room (even if you don’t install fans right away, it is much easier to have junction boxes installed from the beginning).
• Do you want to wire for speakers? In which rooms?
• Do you want an upgraded thermostat? Location of the thermostat?
• Do you want extra electrical outlets?
• Can you afford tankless water heaters? Have you researched them versus a regular hot water heater?

To make sure you don’t miss anything that could result in a costly mistake be sure to download our Electrical WalkThrough CheckList included in our New Home Construction Planner.

The New Home Construction Checklist will help eliminate overwhelm during the building process

If you’re thinking about building a new home, there are a few things you can do to prepare ahead of time. Finding the right builder will ensure your home-building process will go more smoothly. With a little planning and research, you will find that building a new home is not as overwhelming as you originally thought.