Basics of House Construction

Permits

• Whether you are building or remodeling a home, you need to obtain the proper permits. This ensures that the construction process is safe and meets local, state and federal laws. To obtain a permit, you will need to submit your construction plans to your local government and gain its approval.

Size

• The size of your home is going to play a large factor into the cost and maintenance. While you and your family may have visions of grandeur when designing the layout of a home, think about what you actually need. According to the National Home Builders Association, the average size of a home in 2009 was 2,700 square feet. Be pragmatic about the size of the home and the amount of rooms, because once the home is built, you'll have to furnish and maintain those extra rooms.

Cost

• One of the primary basics of home construction is to know how much your home is going to cost. Build Your Own Home (byoh.com) reports that home construction costs break down to 25 percent for land, 25 percent material, 25 percent labor, 12.5 percent builder profit and 12.5 percent builder overhead. While construction companies will give you an estimate about construction costs, last-minute decisions, scheduling problems and weather-related issues can increase the final construction cost. The Wall Street Journal reports that you should put aside anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the construction costs to cover any additional or unexpected charges.

Questions to Ask Contractors

• Once you have determined the layout and design of the home, be sure to ask the contractor specific questions about the process. It's very important to know how long construction is going to take in order to make living arrangements. Home construction will take anywhere from four to six months, depending on the size of the home and scheduling. You'll also want to ensure that the construction company offers a warranty for a certain period of time and make sure that the appliances are installed properly during construction.