Thinking of building your dream home? Take the advice of one of the Federations leading architects before embarking on this challenging venture.

Kittivisian Life spoke with one of the foremost architects in the Federation for advice on this huge undertaking. Victor Williams of Williams Architectural outlines some key stages and considerations for our readers.

Building your own home is probably the single largest investment you’ll ever make, after raising and educating your children to university level. So careful consideration is essential for this huge undertaking.

The starting point is proper planning. There are 4 key areas to consider at the start of the process, even before the acquisition of the land.    

1. Clearly define the scope of the work with a knowledgeable architect.   
2. Clearly worked out finances.    
3. A clearly defined Terms of Reference with a contractor.    
4. A review mechanism.

Having a conversation about these aspects with an architect will help you decide whether to go forward with the project. If you have not developed a rapport and do not feel comfortable with the architect at this stage, but intend to proceed, do seek other opinions. The relationship between you and your architect will be a long one and you should have confidence in their ability, as well as a good rapport and trust level.

Selecting the Land – Be careful when selecting the land you wish to acquire to build on. There are several factors to consider:

1. Location! Location! Location!   
2. Risk factor considerations, e.g., flooding, slippage, erosion, etc.
3. Sub-soil conditions  
4. Topographical considerations    
5. Physical features of the land, e.g., large outcrops of rocks, elevation, etc.    
6. Land configuration    
7. Zoning applications/conditions

If you have already bought land without the above considerations, it would be wise to undertake that analysis before proceeding as this will ensure that your budgeting considerations allows for any expense which may be encountered.

Analysing Your Financial Capability – Financial institutions do not usually support more than a 50% salary/income to loan commitment. The loan amount offered will be dependent on a number of factors, including age of applicant(s), length of repayment period, and the total maximum budget.

Allocate Values to Budget – There are certain fees and charges, which must form a part of the budget that are not attributable to construction or building costs. These include architect’s fees, utility connections, legal fees, government fees, loan fees, surveying fees and site preparation costs. All the above are deducted from the budget to decide what is available for construction costs. Based on the type of finishes you choose, you should have an idea of the construction costs and the size of property that you can afford. Once the architect knows the size of building you can afford, he or she will guide you through the design concept.

A competent architect should know the building codes, special requirements and all covenants etc. that govern or apply to that specific piece of land.

Develop the Design Concept – The architect should be able to answer all your questions and prepare a design to your satisfaction. Don’t move onto the next stage until you are satisfied, as changes to drawings can be very expensive. The architect must be conscious of the costs at all stages. A design concept that you are happy with must be agreed to before developing full working drawings and submission to the Building Board.

Selecting a Contractor – In considering a contractor here are some points to consider:

• Honesty – Crucial to any relationship, you need to know that quotations and estimates for time, materials, labour etc. are realistic, reasonable and fair. Get recommendations from contractors’ past clients and ask questions that will inform you if this contractor is a person you can trust.    

• Experience – An experienced contractor is better able to bring the project in on time and on budget than an inexperienced one. They should also have better problem solving skills and a wide range of additional skills that would ensure the smooth running of your project. 

•  Reliability – Working with someone who is reliable, who delivers on time, keeps their word and can be relied on, is crucial to a project of this nature.

• Professionalism – Someone who takes a professional approach to all aspects of the project; administration, communication, time-management, etc., is more likely to manage a smooth running project. Again, get the opinion of previous clients on their experience with a particular contractor.

• Workload – Consider the workload of your contractor. A contractor who is heavily booked out and has several projects on the go is quite possibly overloaded. He is less able to manage slippage effectively and this could have a domino effect that could jeopardise your project. Ask questions of the contractor regarding pending work.

• Approachability – As previously mentioned, the building of a home is a serious commitment and there are several key relationships involved over a significant time period. You will need to develop relationships with many individuals. Someone who is approachable and engenders rapport is much easier to get along with than someone who is less so. As the customer, you should have confidence in all players in the development of your project.

Engage the services of a Project Manager

Unless you are experienced with managing building projects it pays dividends to engage the services of a Project Manager. The project manager is an experienced professional and is your link with the all the key players in the process. S/he would advise you on all aspects of the project at each stage. S/he could be the architect or someone different, but must possess the knowledge and skills needed to negotiate, liaise and manage the project on your behalf.

Kittivisian Life is grateful to Mr. Victor Williams for his time and assistance with the writing if this article.

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