If you have bought a lot in a subdivision all you have to do is record the deed to show proof you own the land. The corners of the lot will need to be staked off by a surveyor and a plat will be needed by the contractor in order to pull the building permits. This plat gives the dimensions of the lot with set backs on all sides and allows the contractor as well as the codes department to know what size house can be built on the property.

If your going on city sewer system then all is good to go forward other than paying for the sewer tap. All subdivisions are pre-approved during development of the subdivision for septic systems, If you are going on septic system you need to check and make sure how many bedrooms are allowed for this system and the Planning Commissioner can answer these questions for you or your contractor should have the info for you.

Another thing you should take notice to on the plat or by asking your contractor or Planning Codes Commission is, what is the lot or parcel of land zoned for?  R-1, R-2 etc. The zoning may only include the house and a garage that is attached to it, no detached garages or other pertinent structures may not be allowed according to the zoning. You will also want to check out the subdivision restrictions of the lot that may again restrict pertinent structures, fencing, pets and or animals etc.

If you’re buying a piece of land, then all the above will still apply along with many other regulations. You need a minimum of 5/8 of an acre to be approved for septic system along with soil test and both together determine the size and type of the system that can be installed. A standard system as well as a chambered system will cost between $6,000.00 and $8,000.00 for up to a four-bedroom house. This also depends on the ground, are there trees to take down, will the installer hit rock, all these play a point in cost.

If you’re buying a parcel of land of some size the length of the driveway could even pose a problem. By working with the Planning Commissioner you can make allowance to the property to get it approved like adding a pond where a fire hydrant can be installed or install a fire suppressant system to your home.  This will have to be agreed to before the planning Commission meets so the property can be approved for building on. This takes time and some leg work, I normally sit down with the planning commissioner and go over the surveyed plat and get all this approved before the planning commission meets so that one ready will be all that is needed. Remember, the Codes Inspector will inspect these additions and will not allow the project to go forward if they are not met during inspections.

If you’re property is needing re-zoning, then it has to go through 2 Planning Commission readings and one State Planning Commission reading and pass all three before being approved for building. The Planning Commission meets once a month to go over all these agendas so it can be time consuming. Again, your contractor should be able to expedite the whole process for you.    

Now you have your land in order and ready to build.

Never assume its included.

The best way to choose a contractor is through many meetings while pricing the home and going over all the specifics. This allows you time to get to know each other a little and help determine if the relationship during the project will be viable. Looking at past work and talking with the suppliers will help. Asking for a reference list in my opinion is a waste of time, no contractor is going to give you the name of someone that the project did not turn out well even if the contractor did nothing wrong.   

A custom home estimate should include everything from yard prep for foundation to seeding and strawing the yard at completion, from counter tops to toilet paper holders, you should be able to move in with nothing to do at completion. Unless the homeowner has chosen to omit certain parts of the project and these parts should be listed in the contract. Also remember the contractor will not receive a Letter of Occupancy if the project is not complete, so these omitted items need to be addressed prior to starting the project.

A good contractor will break their estimate down into phases or categories with line items for pricing.  For example, Permits and Inspections, lot work and taps, foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical, interior finishes, exterior finishes, cabinets and counter tops, flooring, etc., the more detailed the better. The contractor should be able to price everything with exception to certain items that they may put an allowance on. For example, flooring, cabinets and counter tops, trim work, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures etc.

The estimate should also contain notes describing a phase or category if it is not understood. Brand names should be named if it’s a dedicated price or size for example, Train 3.5 ton Central Heat and Air system, 3 piece crown molding with 5 1/2” inverted base on wall and ceiling and 5 1/2” crown molding.   

There should not be an upcharge on anything with exception to allowances, change orders or any part that is not part of the contract, for example, placement of underground services and or taps for service like sewer, water and power sometimes cannot be determined until after the house foundation is in. Codes will not spot some of these items from county to county until the foundation is installed and a 75’ underground power service could turn into 200’ with extra cost. This should be noted in the contract for said items.

In defense of all contractors since April of 2020, and to be fair and honest with all homeowners the way pricing has always worked for contractors is they get a price from their suppliers and subcontractors and this price is good for 30 days without change. Since April of 2020 these suppliers can only hold these prices good for 24 to 48 hours and could be subject to change in a drastic upcharge.  These upcharges can cause a contractor to go bankrupt if not addressed in the contract in some way.

I combat this price increase in two different way within my estimate and you can also ask for this from your contractor. Itemize every single item in the estimate breaking down material and labor cost, labor should not change because the price of material went up. I show the count and price of the material and if the price increases above a certain percent of that line item the Homeowner would owe the difference. I also keep the owner informed of price increases giving the homeowner a chance to stop the project until the price comes back down. If this is action is taken it would only be fair to pay the contractor in full up to this stage to include his profit and overhead until the project can start again.

There are a lot of factors that determine the time line of a project, and again since April of 2020 these factors all changed. I have seen it take a year in some cases to get windows, electrical supplies like disconnects and meter bases. Weather is a big factor in completing a project and delays from sickness and accidents beyond our control. With all this being said a time factor can only be set by your contractor as he knows his progression better than anyone and should keep track of these delays. In metropolitan area’s the Codes Department and inspections can be a big delay due to red tape. All in all a normal 2000 sq. ft. house should take between 4 and 5 months to complete unless otherwise specified in the contract.

When spending hundreds of thousands on a house and possibly more, it would not be unwise to spend another few hundred dollars on an attorney just to make sure your contract with the contractor is fair for all parties involved. Most contractors today use a generic contract taken from the web that was written by attorneys and is fair for all parties involved. Read the contract a few times and then read it again, make notes and make sure everything is in the contract you want and need

Codes have increased over the last 40 years across the board from concrete, framing, insulation, plumbing, electrical, central heat and air systems too doors and windows and much more. The codes have increased the strength and safety of the house to making the house more efficient.

You can also build above codes and make the house even stronger, giving the house longevity over the years that also helps it maintain value and quality. For example, I normally increase the floor joist above code, making the floor joist bigger giving the floor more strength for years to come, increase the framing in the attic space to insure the ceiling joist stay straight. I discuss this with the homeowner and in most cases am able to do it with no extra charge.

The exterior walls for houses in Tennessee with siding, other than Hardie Board “concrete board” or brick have to be 2 x 6 in width, this adds strength to the whole structure and increases the thickness of the wall insulation. House is stronger and more energy efficient.

When dealing with spray foam insulation or cellulose you have to make sure the smell does not bother you but they are way more than twice as efficient and can cost as much as 3 times the cost of batten and sprayed in place insulation in the attic.   

You can order your windows with double the low-E and argon and this really makes a difference and cost is very minimal.

Depending on how your house is designed will dictate the need for more insulation and the cost verses savings over the years. Over insulating can also cause problems if not done correctly, Insulation needs to breath or your wall does, ceiling and roof does, if it can’t breathe it will sweat and cause rotting. Talk these questions over with your contractor and he can price the added cost and then figure your savings on your electric bill to if it is even worth the added cost upfront.

The one place where I see a lot of savings is on instant gas water heaters, double low-E and argon on windows and crawl space with duct work ran under the floor. Our average house of around 2000 sq. ft. living area is running under $100.00 a month on electric service.

A higher efficient house heats and cools quicker and holds the heat or coolness longer. You must calculate the upfront cost verses the long-term savings. It does not make sense to spend $10,000.00 up front on a lot of the energy efficient products to save $9,000.00 over 10 to 15 years. Do the math and see what is best for you, your home and your pocketbook.