You found and bought a lot, researched the type of house you want, so you’re ready to build your own house, and you couldn’t be happier! But do you know what it takes to build a house from start to finish? If not, we’ve got your back.
We’ll go over each step of the house-building process. Understanding the process will assist you in staying on track as your project progresses.
You’ll enjoy watching your home coming together and taking shape. Once the drywall is up, you’ll envision yourself living in the space and how you’ll use it — imagining what furniture will go where.
This article outlines the steps your builder will take during the home construction and what happens at the key stages to help you prepare and understand the construction of your house.
Hiring Your Building Team
A house is a massive undertaking, with an average build involving more than 20 subcontractors. The custom home builder or the general contractor is the first person you must hire.
They will supervise the entire house construction. They’ll obtain estimates for material and labor and assign tasks to the subcontractors.
They’ll also ensure the team meets the deadlines. Before construction can begin, your contractor will contact your municipal office to get you the permits needed for your plans. Once you have the permits, they’ll prepare the land.
Your crew will clear the site for the building. Their objective is to level the ground before pouring the foundation. Suppose you need more laborers during this process.
In that case, you should consider hiring contractors from professional excavation companies like Don Mann that offer dependable equipment operated by a highly skilled team capable of handling a wide range of residential projects.
The licensed contractors also provide a wide range of machines with experienced operators to assist you in completing your projects quickly and efficiently.
Installing Footings and Pouring the Foundation
Footings are typically used with shallow foundations and can be made of brick or concrete masonry. They’re typically one foot wider than the foundation and one foot below the frost line. Laborers will build footing drains to direct water away from the house.
Foundations are usually built on crawl spaces, slabs, or basements. They’re made of poured concrete reinforced with steel rods.
Because concrete is not waterproof, the contractor will apply a waterproofing substance to it. Then, before construction can continue, city inspectors will inspect the foundation.
Framing the House
The contractor will install the walls, doors, windows, roof, and floors, and your home will begin to take shape. They’ll also apply sheathing on exterior walls.
That can be large wood sheets, gypsum, wafer board, or oriented strand board nailed to the frame. Then, the builders will wrap the sheathing in a protective shield, a house wrap, to keep moisture out of the structure, preventing wood rot and mold.
The framing crew will build lumber for the ceiling, flooring, walls, and roof trusses. When the exterior sheathing is attached, the roof sheathing is usually completed, too. This process could take up to two weeks to be completed.
One very important step of building a house is installing gutters. To extend the life of your roof, foundation, and walls, you need to choose a prefabricated structure made of metal elements, preferably thick aluminum, to protect the house from atmospheric precipitation.
Call in local experts that understand the local climate conditions and can customize the project to your area. So, for example, if you live in Summerville or anywhere in South Carolina, get your gutters installed by professionals in Summerville.
The local professionals will make sure you use the appropriate materials and products for your house. You’ll get a fantastic look and increased durability with a one-piece design.
Setting Up HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing
The house is considered “dried in” after the roofing is installed, and HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems can be installed.
Experts will install ductwork for the HVAC system and the furnace through the roof. Electrical and plumbing contractors begin running wires and pipes through the floors, walls, and ceilings.
An electrician installs receptacles for switches, outlets, lights, and wires from the receptacles to the breaker panel. Also, the plumbing contractor will install sewer lines and vents and water supply lines for the fixtures.
Finally, an inspector will inspect your heating and cooling ducts, electrical wiring, and pipes after installing them.
Adding Insulation and Drywall
Insulation is a critical step in controlling your home’s temperature and lowering heating and cooling costs. Insulation materials that are commonly used include cellulose, foam, or fiberglass.
After the drywall is installed, the interior of your home will begin to take shape. Your builders will hang drywall and use the spackling compound to cover any raised surfaces. They’ll spray a texture on the drywall after it has been hung. The walls are then primed and ready to be painted.
Wrapping Up
Building a new home is challenging. However, it can be an exciting experience if you understand how the building process works. Remember that the process varies by region, so ask your builders about their specific procedures.