From the Ground Up

By SARAH LEMON
Mail Tribune

Would you do it again?

It’s a question posed of me over and over during the year I’ve devoted to building a custom home with my husband, Will.
Yes, I say, but I would do it differently.

Much of the stress associated with construction, particularly in the final few weeks, can be attributed to lack of foresight and preparation. It’s human nature — even more so, maybe, for journalists — to procrastinate right up until a deadline. But that just doesn’t cut it when it comes to building a house.

I should have listened to my mom, who built two homes within the space of eight years. After her first, she learned that decisions can never be made, money can never be saved and work can never be started too early. So here’s a few years’ worth of tips courtesy of those who have been there:

1. When someone says there’s plenty of time to choose an amenity, feature or product, don’t believe it.

I wanted to look at granite slabs at a major Portland supplier’s warehouse when Will and I happened to be in town. He vetoed the idea because we had “plenty of time” to worry about it, as the cabinets weren’t even installed. Several weeks down the road, when I had to make a decision on short notice, there wasn’t time for a last-minute trip to Portland.

Light fixtures, contractors and others said, typically take about Light fixtures, contractors and others said, typically take about a month to be delivered. So I aimed for ordering a few art-glass sconces six weeks in advance from a local plumbing and electrical center. I learned later that the manufacturer actually makes each piece to order, and the store didn’t place my request until about three weeks after — once it had received enough orders to send off as a group. The sconces still haven’t arrived, and I haven’t heard when they are likely to.

It was just one of many mishaps that proved a sort of Murphy’s Law relating to construction.

2. Expect delays.

Contractors base their bids and the amount of time it will take to complete a project on an imaginary wonderland in which materials are never out of stock and subcontractors always show up. When you’re paying a lender interest on the construction period, there’s nothing more frustrating than watching a house sit unfinished with no one working on it for weeks at a time. You can complain, and you can threaten court action if the contractor doesn’t hold up his end of the deal time-wise, but then who do you get to finish the house?

City and county governments also are dependable sources of delays, we learned. Eventually planning department employees will approve your septic application, building permit, water line extension, etc. — if you just keep calling and bugging them.

Homeowners doing some of the work themselves also can jam up the works. While a general contractor organizes a detailed schedule for a group of diverse subcontractors whose tasks build on each other, homeowners typically just try to squeeze projects in when they can. This often results in someone being in someone else’s way and frustrations all around. That said, I can’t emphasize this next point enough.

3. Allow lots of time for do-it-yourself projects.

If you’re doing some of the work yourself, schedule more time than you think you’ll need. Will assured me when he decided to lay about 1,000 square feet of tile that he would call in plenty of friends and co-workers to help. With the grout still absent four days before move-in, I ended up being the help, bound to spend 10 hours one day kneeling on the hard surface while the cement product wore holes in my fingertips.

Never again, Will said. I gritted my teeth to keep from reminding him of all the missed opportunities to get ahead of the game. This scenario continued to play itself out last week in the final rush before we passed the lender’s inspection and closed the home loan.

4. Plan to blow your regular budget.

While most custom homes are financed with a construction loan, homeowners should expect and plan to live outside their typical budget while building.

Although many are a relatively small percentage of the home’s overall cost, extra expenses are numerous. Many items, if purchased from a supplier where your contractor doesn’t have credit, initially must be paid out of pocket. Ditto for homeowner projects and changes that constitute an overrun.

Our credit card racked up everything from plywood and cabinets to tools and towel bars. And let’s not forget about heating a new house to cure drywall and paint. Our electricity bills topped $1,200 in the space of just three months.
Having a savings plan is critical. While Will and I didn’t want to go the route of my parents and live with family for a few years, we set up a special bank account solely dedicated to saving my salary throughout construction.

5. Don’t be a perfectionist.

When all’s said and done, remember building isn’t an exact science and just enjoy your home.

Sure, there are little imperfections here and there in our house that are bound to bug any conscientious homeowner. The thick grout line between the fireplace and hearth capstones. The molding that had to be trimmed to fit in a tight space. The closet that isn’t manufactured with geometric precision. The bathroom drawer that won’t open all the way because it hits the door trim.

It’s hard not to notice these little flaws when you’ve put so much time and thought into a home. But no one else notices them.

They just walk in and say, “Wow, what a great house.”