Moving into a newly built home is exciting, and your expectation is that everything should be perfect. No one has lived there, and everything is brand new and freshly installed and painted.
What could go wrong?
Are you ready to enjoy summer breezes on the front porch of your two-story country Farmhouse-style house plan? Then get set to make your move as smoothly as possible (Plan # 109-1093).
Moving is always a bit stressful, especially with children and/or pets. And moving into a newly built house has some things to be aware of in order for all to go smoothly. To have the best experience with your newly constructed home, you may need to be vigilant prior to the move in. So before the builder walks away, make sure the home meets your expectations. Heres how.
As you prepare to move your belongings into your newly built house, paying attention to details will make the process go easier (Photo by VanveenJF on Unsplash).
In a newly built house, so many elements are being brought together that even an experienced, quality builder may never have had your specific elements come together in the same way. After all, you chose certain bath and kitchen fixtures, appliances, flooring, climate systems, and more that are unique in combination. It behooves you to take the time to do a final walk through inspection, to check that all is in order before moving.
Some homeowners hire a professional inspector at this point, before they do a walk-through with the builder. An inspector—a must when buying an older home—knows what to look for in the structural integrity and functionality of a brand-new home and may spot things that would have passed you by.
When you walk through the house with the builder, plan on at least an hour—and probably more. If you didn’t hire a professional inspector you may want to have someone else with you as another pair of eyes for things you may miss. The purpose of a walk-through will also be educational—for example how to work the new heating system—in addition to serving as an inspection where you create a "punch list" of outstanding unfinished items that need to be addressed by the builder. Click here for more about inspections, punch lists, and working with contractors.
A punch list is made after the home is “substantially complete:” it’s usable for living but a tile may be broken or a fixture not working right or custom element may not have arrived—these are the things that should be minor but fixable that go on a punch list.
Do not close on the property until all of the repairs are done or it is in writing that they will be fixed in a specific time frame. Some things, of course, you may decide that you can fix or live with.
Once you’re done with the final walk-through and have been given a thorough understanding of how to use the systems in your new home—the water, heating/cooling, all the warranties, etc.—it is time to plan your move.
Mark your boxes clearly—indicating rooms and personal items so that you can open them right away when you get to the new home (Photo © Christoph Weihs | Dreamstime).
Give yourself time to unpack and settle in. Remember that its a process! Enjoy your beautiful custom home and get to know it over time. You may find that in a few weeks you decide to shift furniture around to take better advantage of a great view or the light in the morning. Thats part of the pleasure of a new home created just for your needs.
Savor these early days after your move and maybe take pictures so you can look back on the process once you are happily settled in your Dream Home!
Footnote: The lead image (upper) in this article is a delightful 2-story, 3-bedroom home with front porch, BBQ porch, and open floor plan. For details, go to: (Plan # 117-1107). The lower right photograph is by rawpixel on Unsplash.
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