Do I Determine My Construction Budget and Do I Need Financing?

If you’re planning to build your home, money is probably on your mind. As it should be – construction isn’t cheap in California and sticking to a sharp budget requires thorough planning.

To nail down your own budget and get an accurate estimate for your project, you must first establish several variables. You need to know your financing options, find out how much financing is available, understand what this amount buys, then go to the drawing board with a good design team and solicit bids from qualified contractors.

 
Step 1 – Know your financing options
 
Construction loans are short term, typically maturing in a year. They come with variable rates that fluctuate with the prime rate. These loans are paid out in stages as construction moves forward, and the lender’s representative will verify the progress of work as funds are requested. During construction, the borrower typically only pays the interest.

There are 2 types of construction loans: construction only, or construction-to-permanent.

A construction only loan will only last during construction, and you must apply for a mortgage to pay it off once you move into your new home. Choosing this option typically reduces your down payment. On the downside, going with this loan type means finding your own mortgage once the loan matures, and paying for two closings and two sets of fees. You also won’t be able to lock in a favorable rate, as standalone construction loans come with variable rates that follow the Federal Reserve’s prime rate.

A construction-to-permanent loan becomes a mortgage once your home is built. Most lenders will give you the option of locking in your rates before construction starts, and you’ll only pay the interest for its duration. Once you move in and the loan converts into a 15 to 30-year mortgage, you will start paying off the interest and principal.

Opting for a construction-to-permanent loan gives you peace of mind with interest rates, post-construction borrowing, and extra fees. A drawback of this loan format is the higher down payment requirement, as most lenders will ask for 20-25%.

 
Step 2 – Determine Your Budget
 
You want to pin down your design on the first go. That’s why you must know what you can afford before your architect and engineer get to work.

When you choose your construction loan type, call some lenders and figure out what your minimum down payment will be. From here, you can get a rough idea of how much financing is available for your project. For example, if you can pay $75,000 out of pocket on an 80% Loan-to-Cost loan, you can expect to borrow $300,000. One another way is to consciously opt for Led Grow Lights for Designing.

Step 3 – See how far your budget goes

Now that you know how much you can spend on your project, start planning the key elements of the building – floor area, design features, and quality of materials. You won’t have an accurate estimate of costs until you solicit bids from contractors, but average costs per square foot can help you work out an order-of-magnitude budget.

Costs per square foot depend on many variables. Custom design features, material quality, location, labor availability, inflation, and the economic climate can all cause these rates to fluctuate. Based on 2019 averages, lower-end and standard homes cost $70 and $155/ft2; respectively, while custom, luxury homes may set you back $500/ft2; or more.

Step 4 – Start the design process

Once you know what you can afford, it’s time to hire a design team and start planning your home. Your input should include the desired floor area, material quality, and design features.

These three variables have an inverse correlation. The more you spend on materials and features such as vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, or long staircases, the less floor area you can get without breaking the bank. 

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Step 5 – Solicit and analyze bids
 
Before your home’s design is finalized, your engineer and architect will issue a bid set – a drawing package with enough information to solicit contractors’ bids. 

To get competitive pricing from quality builders, pre-qualify several local ones and ask at least 3 of them to bid on your project. Meet with them to spell out your needs – bidders typically sharpen their pencils when pricing clear, detailed designs.

Once you have the bids, analyze them item by item to make sure that nothing’s been omitted or added without your knowledge. This is also your chance to confirm that the bidders priced what you’ve specified, and not a cheaper alternative.

Make sure there are allowances in each bid for features that don’t yet have an accurate price tag. These include finishes you may want to choose later or items that can only be priced once construction starts.

To reduce surprise expenses caused by unforeseen conditions, add a contingency to your estimate. Contingencies cover costs that may sneak up during construction and typically comprise 10% of the total budget. Note that contractors may view a contingency as extra spending money rather than a rainy day reserve, and it may be best to keep the number to yourself.

Step 6 – Include the soft costs 

Costs unrelated to construction may be easy to miss. Most are excluded from contractors’ bids. Often, no one tells you about them until it’s too late, and then they snowball. Plan for these expenses to avoid any surprises as your project gets underway: 

  • Contractor’s overhead and fees, excluded from the bid
  • Design fees
  • Permit, impact and inspection fees
  • Liability insurance premiums
  • Financing costs – the interest rate on the construction loan
  • Utility connection costs
 
It may take some effort to establish these soft costs, so give yourself some time to figure them out before you finalize your budget.

Step 7 – Find efficiencies

 
If you’ve added all the projected costs and the resulting number is much higher than you expected, work with your builder and designers to lower it. Determine which architectural features are a must, and which are a luxury. See which materials you can downgrade. An expert design team and a skilled builder can find effective compromises that help you save. 

How Design Everest Can Help 

 
If you want to establish an accurate budget for your project, and hope to maintain it during construction, Design Everest can help. Our engineers will produce quality drawings that reflect your vision and facilitate accurate pricing. We will work with you to find money-saving compromises. We can also refer you to reputable contractors in your area to give you complete peace of mind. 
 
For quality engineering services and expert advice on cost-effective compromises, call us at (877) 892-0292 for a FREE consultation and quote.

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