The pros and cons of building your own home
A classic story that keeps on getting told: should we build or buy? A home whether you buy or build is a large investment that needs to be considered. Why would you want to build your own homestead?
These are the pros and cons to building your own home. There are pros and cons to everything in life, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons in this scenario.
The pros
When you build you own homestead there is a guarantee on less maintenance in the house! This is because you build your own homestead that includes the newest plumbing, electrical, appliances and more! Major appliances like HVAC systems are new and under warranty. A typical warranty is three to 10 years which means your appliances are covered. You won’t be dishing out thousands of dollars for a new system or appliances shortly after building the home.
In your new home, you won’t have to worry about upgrades. There are smaller upgrades that all existing home generally need; a fresh coat of paint, landscaping, minor detail touch ups and more. The issue is the large upgrades like kitchen, adding rooms, new siding and shingles and the list goes on and on.
The average kitchen remodel can cost anywhere from $12,594 to $33,118. Homeowners are typically spending around $21,000 to revamp their kitchens.
An old home will likely need the roof or shingles replaced sooner than a new home. Another issue that arises is not all roofs are built the same. The average roof size is 1,700 square feet which can be $3.60 to $5.00 per square foot. You do the math on that one!
A new home construction can guarantee that all your windows and appliances are energy-efficient. A simple energy-efficient installation can save you $270 over the next five years! Energy-efficient windows will reduce air drafts, leaks and help maintain a consistent temperature inside the home.
The cons
When you’re on the journey of building your own homestead, there is plenty of decision making, and stress, that needs to be done. With Homestead Homes, you’re the general contractor of your build. You oversee the day to day build, progress and installations. You have subcontractors but you’ll be making the small and big decisions. With an existing home you can hire someone as a general contractor and get the job done.
The hardest part? When you build your own home there is a longer wait time. It takes an average of seven months for construction to be done without any delays. This means you’ll be living in a temporary apartment or home until the construction is finished. This can be a pain for the entire family.
When you build your own homestead, you start on a plot of land that is torn up and destroyed. An already existing home will have mature landscape like trees and shrubs. The issue with landscaping is the expense. A tree can cost more than $120 and take years to grow to full maturity.
How the pros outweigh the cons
At Homestead Homes, our goal is to turn building your home into a positive experience. We are confident that any of the not-so-awesome side effects of building your own home can be made better with a thorough plan and guiding our clients through the process to eliminate as much stress as possible.
So, you’ve got big decision to make. Let us help!
_____
Homestead Homes has been helping people design and build their dream home since 1995. We are currently building in the following states: Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa! Contact us for information. We offer the following home plan designs from ranch styles to two-story beautiful homes.