Are you planning on building a house? There are several hidden costs that need to know about. These are fees that aren’t included in the quote that your building company will give you, so you must factor them into the equation.
Keep reading to uncover the hidden costs of building a house today.
1. Soil and Contour Tests
Before you begin to build your house, you’ll need to have soil and contour tests completed. These are done by the building company that’s constructing your house. They are two tests: the soil test, and then the contour test.
Before both of these tests are taken place, you’ll need to deposit a fee with your building company. The soil test will take place first; surveyors will arrive at the construction site and determine the soil quality of the lot.
The quality of the soil will determine your costs. If the soil is of poor quality, it makes it harder to build your house. Naturally, that’ll cost you more money. Rocky soil can present significant problems for your house’s building company.
The contour test will determine if your property is on flat or sloping land. Flatter land is easier to build on; if your house is on sloped land, it presents your construction company with problems. If this is the case, you might need to seek the services of a custom builder. It’ll cost more money.
2. Site Preparation Costs
To begin the construction of your home, the site will need to be prepared, which could include a number of things. For instance, trees might need to be cut down and cleared; retaining walls might need to be built. Anything that involves potential excavation and demolition really.
How much your site preparation will cost will depend on your unique situation. The results of your soil and contour tests will have a large influence on this expense. Also, consider that preparation of your site could interrupt traffic on the street or even close a road.
3. Flooring
Oftentimes, you’ll come to discover that the quote from your builder doesn’t include certain things, like flooring. Typically, your flooring is a separate cost; the builder will simply construct a house on a slab of concrete.
Make sure you investigate the cost of flooring with your builder. This can include tiling, carpets, or perhaps floorboarding.
4. Landscaping
The quote from your builder won’t include your property driveway, only the building of the house structure. How much your driveway will cost you depends on its layout and geography. The design and materials you use for it also will influence the price.
5. Land Registration
You’ll have to register your block of land, which does cost money. You should get in contact with your building company to see if the lot has been registered already. This price will vary, as each piece of land is unique.
6. Design Modifications and Add-ons
It’s very likely that you’ll decide to change things as you go along. This is an additional price that you must factor into the equation. These modifications and add-ons aren’t included in your initial building contract; they require more labour and material costs, among other things.