Communication is key in any relationship. Knowing what the other person needs or wants is the starting point for a good relationship, no matter the context. When it comes to the construction of your custom home, communication is more important than ever – you’re choosing everything about your home, from floor plan to finishes, not just buying an existing home.
This communication extends not just between you and the architect or designer but also with the general contractor, subcontractors like plumbers, electricians, window and door installers, and anyone else who has a role in the completion of your home. If all these people aren’t communicating well, things can be missed, improperly handled, or lost, and changes can go unnoticed if the right people aren’t informed.
Communication about any topic starts with the basic questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Some may not always apply, like why – the why is typically personal preference and no extensive analytical reason. Some important things you must communicate during the custom home building process are listed and explained below.
Table of Contents
Who
What
When
Where
Why
How
Final Thoughts
Who
Who is going to be doing the work? The big three to meet are the architect, designer (if different from the architect), and general contractor. These are the first people responsible for bringing your home to life, from a plot of land to a finished home. Knowing and trusting them, as well as being able to communicate effectively, will ensure the success of your project. If the vibes between you and any of these people aren’t right, consider using another company for your project. The lead designer at Acipe Design has over 20 years of experience in the field and has worked with only the best contractors and subcontractors.
Our team is capable of working with clients from a variety of walks of life. We can schedule an appointment to talk and get to know each other. We listen to your needs and wants and develop a design that suits your needs now and in the future.
What
What do you want? Obviously, a house. But communicating your specific needs and wants to get your dream home is the next big question to communicate about. The size of rooms and closets, as well as the details like types of doors and door knobs, windows, cabinets, counters, and even the faucets for the sinks, all go into creating the perfect home for you.
This information is passed on through the grapevine so everyone with a hand in your home project knows what’s happening. If there are changes you want, communicate them early so the necessary steps can be taken to prevent the slowing in construction.
When
Making a timeline for construction saves a lot of money, stress, and worry. Set a desired completion or move-in date, then work backward to project when various tasks need to be done. Construction from the ground up takes time, as does the permitting process, procuring materials, scheduling contractors and inspections, and more.
There’s an order and a rhythm to home construction, with certain tasks that must be completed before another can be done. Weather needs to be taken into consideration, like stoppages for snow in the winter months of northern climates, or limited work hours in the summer of hotter climates.
Where
This question was answered when you bought the property. But where that property is has a lot of bearing on your project. The city or county has its own building codes and processes. Site accessibility plays a role, too. If your property is on a mountainside, up a steep hill, near a body of water, or near a wetland, just to name a few, these are special circumstances that must be planned for. Getting construction equipment up a mountain or steep incline is difficult, meaning some processes that go faster with machines may have to be done with smaller machines, or even by hand! You’ll need to take flood possibilities in mind when building near bodies of water, and certain materials and building practices need to be modified for protected lands like wetlands.
Why
As we said in the intro, the why is usually all about personal preference. It was probably tackled by your real estate agent when touring properties. You provide us with all the reasons why and we work with you to achieve your goal.
How
Home construction is an evolving business. New materials, new methods, and the experience of the team all go into how your home is completed. The team at Acipe Design is constantly exploring and evaluating new building materials and practices that make the process more efficient, economical, and even environmentally friendly.
If you want to explore these new methods, too, we can talk about incorporating them into your home design. Before the ground is broken at your construction site you’ll know everything that will go into creating the custom home you’ve dreamed of.
Final Thoughts
When you start the custom home design and building process, you’ll have all sorts of questions, even ones not covered here. We have or can get the answers you need to make the construction of your dream home an easy and rewarding process.
We look forward to meeting you and answering all your questions. You’ll see the Acipe Design difference is caring about and communicating with our clients every step of the way.
Let’s start communicating today!