by 
All leading high-end house builders treat the pre-construction phase very seriously. The success of this phase will determine the success of your home construction project. Here’s why.
Most homeowners think that construction is stressful. Well, it is but not as much as the pre-construction phase. If the pre-construction phase is imperfect or not carried out properly, the construction phase is guaranteed to be full of nightmares. To understand the importance of the pre-construction phase, look at some of the tasks high-end house builders have to undertake –
- Get approvals from the local Homeowners Associations.
- Obtain city permits.
- Place multiple utility and material orders.
- Address major constructability issues at the construction site.
- Quote builders risk insurance.
- Come up with a detailed construction schedule.
- Create a detailed budget.
- Partner with multiple subcontractors.
There are nearly a hundred agreements high-end house builders have to execute during the pre-construction phase. The clients (homeowners) can’t sit idle during this process as well. They’ll have to secure financing for the construction process. Clients also have to select what types of interior design features they’d like in their dream home. If the pre-construction phase is perfect, the rest of the home building process will go smooth.
Pre-Construction Schedules
Since top high-end house builders take on multiple construction projects every year, they should have a brief schedule sketched out. If they don’t proactively provide the pre-construction schedule, the client must demand one. It’s hard to say what responsibilities should be added to a pre-construction timeline because each home building process is unique. But usually, a pre-construction schedule consists of these tasks for the builders –
- Meeting and signing agreements with important subcontractors.
- Setting up a fixed construction schedule.
- Guiding homeowners in selecting architectural features, interior décor features, etc.
- Finalizing the building permit date.
- Getting approval from the HOA.
- Setting up detailed drainage plans.
- Setting up Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) system plans.
- Creating a fixed deadline-based budget.
- Addressing any structural engineering requirements if requested by the local HOA or the city council.
Bear in mind – the deadlines mentioned by the high-end house builders in their pre-construction schedules are mere targets. In many construction projects, the process of obtaining permits takes way longer than anticipated.
Setting Up Interior Décor Plans
In many construction projects, high-end house builders fail to collaborate efficiently with the interior designers on the project. Selecting interior décor features isn’t just the responsibility of the interior designers. The builders need to a part of this discussion to ensure all desired interior décor features are practical and achievable (budget-wise and in terms of construction).
During this phase, the homeowners, the high-end house builders, and the interior designers have to figure out what materials will be used for the home’s flooring, exterior materials (their colours, finishes, etc.), the style of the roofing system, design of the plumbing fixtures, and other design details.
The list of responsibilities for all three parties during the pre-construction phase is massive. That’s why even the most experienced builders treat this phase very importantly. All three members of the construction team need to hold numerous pre-construction meetings during this phase. Once all project members recognize their roles, going through this phase becomes a lot easier!
