Common mistakes to avoid
People self-building often make mistakes when building their kit home, which can be a huge drain on time, money and resources. To prevent the same thing happening to you, here’s what to avoid: • Don’t just plan your kit home anywhere on the site. Consider views, privacy, and cardinal directions for hot and cold temperatures. • Don’t pour all the cement at once in order to save money, as it will harden before you can even finish the job. • Don’t schedule tradespeople out of order, e.g. plumbing, insulation and electric work should be done before you call in the drywaller. • Don’t settle on the design and budget before knowing what the site requirements are, e.g. earthworks and access to essential services. • Don’t do everything yourself. Have an
experienced professional help you out. • Don’t create a large kit home with no design features or it will just look like one big box. • Don’t go for cheap wall frames when installing the roof or the walls will not stay straight. Don’t create a unique design that will be unappealing to others and make it hard to sell the home. • Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice where necessary. This expert advice can save you considerable money later on. Don’t set impossible deadlines that could ruin your health and family life. Don’t make any guesses. Figure out how many hours is required for each task from the bids given by subcontractors. Don’t just look at prices when comparing kit homes. Also consider what the price includes. Don’t just choose contractors with the lowest bid price. Find out why it’s cheaper than others. Don’t forget to set aside some money for landscaping. If you don’t apply glue to the floor sheeting, it will squeak. If you don’t re-plumb door jambs, the doors will not hang correctly. If you don’t seek help to fix a mistake you made, you could create even bigger, more expensive problems later on. Learn the rules before you break them, e.g. conventional flashing will still be needed for alternative triangular windows. Pick a design based on the lifestyle you want, e.g. privacy, entertaining, or space for a growing family.