I Want to Build a House. Where Do I Start?

Building a house is exciting, but knowing where to begin can be overwhelming. Before choosing finishes, contacting builders or looking at kitchen designs, it helps to understand the basic steps involved.

A well-planned project can help you avoid unexpected costs and make better decisions about what you can afford.

1. Start With Your Budget

The first question should be: How much can I afford to spend on the house?

Your budget should include more than just the cost of constructing the building. You may also need to allow for:

• Professional fees

• Municipal and approval costs

• Site preparation and earthworks

• Connection of services

• Boundary walls and gates

• Driveways and paving

• Kitchen and bathroom finishes

• Landscaping

• Contingencies for unexpected costs

If you are financing the project through a bank, it is also important to establish how much you can borrow and what contribution you will need to make yourself.

Having a realistic budget from the beginning gives you a figure to work towards when planning the house.

2. Consider Your Building Site

If you already own a property, find out as much as possible about the site before finalising your house design.

Things such as the size and shape of the property, access to the site, existing structures, ground conditions and available municipal services can all affect the eventual building cost.

You should also check the property's applicable zoning and development restrictions. These can influence what you are allowed to build, including building lines, coverage, height and other requirements.

3. Decide What You Want to Build

Think about how you want the house to work for your family.

Consider:

• How many bedrooms do you need?

• How many bathrooms?

• Do you need a garage?

• Do you want an open-plan kitchen and living area?

• Will you need a study?

• Do you want a single- or double-storey house?

• Do you need additional accommodation such as a flatlet?

• What outdoor areas are important to you?

At this stage, you don't need to have every detail decided. A basic idea of the size and layout of the house is enough to start developing the project.

4. Speak to an Architect or Appropriate Designer

Once you have an idea of what you want, the next step is to develop the concept into proper plans.

Depending on the project, you may work with an architect or another appropriately qualified professional who can prepare the necessary drawings and assist with the design and approval process.

Your plans should take your budget into consideration. There is little benefit in designing a house that is significantly beyond what you can afford to build.

Tip: Tell your designer your approximate construction budget at the beginning. This gives them an important financial constraint to consider during the design process.

5. Get a Building Cost Estimate

Once you have sufficiently developed plans, one of the most useful things you can do is establish what the proposed house is likely to cost.

A building cost estimate can give you an indication of the expected construction cost before you commit to the project.

An estimate can consider items such as:

• Foundations

• Concrete and structural work

• Brickwork

• Roofing

• Windows and doors

• Plumbing

• Electrical work

• Flooring

• Ceilings

• Painting

• Kitchen and built-in cupboards

• Bathroom fittings

• External works

This allows you to compare the expected cost of the house against your available budget.

If the estimate is higher than your budget, you still have an opportunity to make changes to the design or specifications before construction starts.

6. Finalise Your Plans and Get Approvals

Once the design has been finalised, the required plans can be submitted to the relevant municipality for approval.

Building work generally needs to comply with applicable municipal requirements and the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, as well as relevant building standards such as SANS 10400.

The exact requirements can vary depending on the property and municipality, so your professional team should guide you through the approval process.

7. Choose Your Builder

Once you have approved plans and a better understanding of your costs, you can start approaching builders for quotations.

When comparing quotations, don't look only at the final total. Check what is included and excluded.

Two builders can quote very different amounts because they have allowed for different materials, specifications, quantities or items.

A clear scope of work and detailed plans make it easier to compare quotations properly.

8. Keep Some Money Aside for the Unexpected

Even with careful planning, building projects can encounter unexpected costs.

Existing site conditions, design changes, material price changes and unforeseen work can all affect the final cost.

For this reason, it is sensible to keep a contingency amount within your overall budget rather than committing every rand to the initial construction cost.

Start With the Numbers

You don't have to have every decision made before you start planning your dream home.

A sensible starting point is:

Budget → Site → Design → Building Cost Estimate → Plans & Approvals → Builder → Construction

The earlier you understand the likely cost of your proposed house, the easier it is to make informed decisions about its size, design and finishes.

Planning to build a new home? Intellibuild can prepare a building cost estimate based on your plans, helping you understand the potential construction cost before you start building.