Are you considering moving out of rentals and becoming a homeowner? You are on the right path. We have a detailed explanation of how to build your own house in Washington State. Washington is a great state with numerous regions and cities you can choose to live in. And every region has a unique lifestyle you may choose in Washington. In this article, we guide you on the right process to follow when building a home in Washington state.
A Step By Step Process of How to Build Your Own House in Washington State
Building a house in Washington may take a lot of work. Rather, it’s a process that involves visiting government offices and meeting with various real estate agents. Moreover, you may take time searching and negotiating deals with home contractors and material suppliers. Smooth execution of the project will call for a good construction management team.
So, here is the process of how to build your own house in Washington state:
Familiarize With Washington Building Codes
Why would you familiarize yourself with building codes before even purchasing a lot? You will require the information to make the best decision when purchasing the lot. How? Washington has different regions with unique features. And depending on the soil type and other factors, the region may have specific building codes.
There are rocky, Olympic, and cascade mountain regions in Washington. There are also the coastal ranges and the Columbia plateau. That’s the reason you would want to know how to build your own house in Washington State using various building codes.
The building codes are found in the local building authority office. One of the local authorities is the state department office. This office will offer you building permits and other clearances to start building.
Luckily, you can read the codes on the department website if you don’t have time to visit the office. The second authority is the homeowners association. The government can set up rules, but authorities governing a certain geographical region can have their own specific building rules.
That said, you must familiarize yourself with the state rules, especially the region you intend to purchase the lot.
Budget for the Whole Project
After deciding the region you want to set up your home, get a pen and paper and do budgeting. Building a home dream can be so exciting, but not until you get to the middle of the project and discover you have run out of funds. For instance, experts estimate 2000 square feet home to cost around $240,000 to $300,000. Luckily, you can include private loans or grants if you intend to put up a beautiful home.
However, various things contribute to the overall house-building costs. One of the most crucial things is the land cost. Lots vary in costs depending on the location, area climate, and soil type. Also, lots in rural areas are cheaper than the urban regions. Consider your desired upgrades in your budget, like pools and hot tubs.
Roughly, prepare to pay an average of $1.2 million per acre around Washington state. Another factor to consider is the closing costs after the lot purchase. It’s normally 1% to 3% of the total land cost. In Washington state, these costs account for half of the escrow fees, document preparation, mortgage loan fees, and lender title insurance fees, among others.
You need the permit fees on the local authority’s side. First, you visit the office and register for home construction. Then, a team is sent to the site location for inspection, and once approved, you will pay permit fees. Finally, you can budget for the materials and labor. The labor and material costs account for 40% to 50% of the total house costs.
Purchase Your Lot
Purchasing land in Washington is a process due to transaction laws. As a buyer, the most crucial thing is the title search. The purpose of the title search is to confirm the seller has the right ownership of the lot. You wouldn’t want to lose your valuable investment as a result of fraud.
Unfortunately, a title search may not save you from divorce cases. This happens if the spouse agrees no one will take sole ownership of the land. But you can always have title insurance to have coverage in case problems arise.
Secondly, you need the escrow preparations before you complete the deal. This enhances safety because the escrow agent confirms your identity. Afterward, the buyer and the seller sign the documents before cash transactions are made. After the transactions, the sale is recorded, and the key documents are exchanged.
Search for the Best Home Builders in Washington
A general contractor will help you determine how to build your own house in Washington State. That is by reviewing your budget depending on the region you have chosen to purchase your lot.
For instance, if you have to request building materials from a distant supplier, the transportation costs may increase. So, another advantage of hiring an experienced home builder is to help you revise the costs.
Ensure you find the most experienced contractor. For a home, you need residential masonry services worth your investment. Ideally, use resources like TrustBuilder to read reviews and ratings from recent homeowners who worked with your preferred builder.
Get A Reliable Building Material Supplier
Most construction laborers have a salary of about $32400 to $44500. On the other hand, a custom home builder or a contractor will charge you for the whole project but have a specific duration to complete and move on to other projects. As such, you need a reliable building material supplier to ensure your project isn’t delayed.
Finding a supplier earlier helps you in budgeting and also discussing material delivery and payment terms. Note that you may have to meet several suppliers because a home requires different types of materials.
For example, you need lumber for roofing and doing lintels. You also need building block suppliers who are very different from the lumber suppliers. Also, you must look for a reliable paving material supplier while doing the pavement.
That aside, when the house is nearly done, you will need an electrical material supplier, a plumbing material supplier, tiles suppliers, and many others. That’s why discussing the deals earlier is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Get Building Permits
Before preparing the lot, you must have all the permits from the local authorities. In the States, most processes are done online. You can easily apply for the permits online and visit the office once the office requests you.
In Washington and most states, you cooperate with the surveyors when they come to inspect the area. The surveyors measure the region to confirm if your house plan qualifies in the region and later present your documents to the office for review.
When the site is approved, you pay for various permits and the certificates are granted to start building the house. This is when the project begins.
Prepare the Lot
Preparing the lot is the first step in how to build your own house in Washington state. It starts with the excavation process, where trees are cut, and the ground is leveled. Most home builders come with equipment, and the whole project is budgeted from excavating services to the final painting and finishing. But what if your home builder does not offer all these services in packages? You can seek the services separately after the agreement.
Once the ground leveling is done, the builder takes over and starts making the necessary measurements according to your plan. The construction site is fenced to protect passers-by. Secondly, it prevents thieves from accessing the site and stealing your building materials. Also, covering the area is legally normally required for safety and pollution prevention.
Build the House
The house foundation is laid, and things start to speed up. The foundation is the most essential part of the house because it supports the whole building. Most homeowners will tell you they invested much in a foundation. Professionals must ensure it’s protected from underwater use of water-proof materials.
After the foundation, the house is framed, and most professionals start to carry out their simple jobs. For instance, the lighting service should start by doing wiring before the home is flustered. The same case with the plumbing installation.
In some projects, the roofing company gets into the roofing job immediately after the house is framed. This helps to carry out the project faster. After the roofing and the walls are up, the final touches start. You install the HVAC, the water heating systems, and plastering.
The bathroom and kitchen designs are done at this time. It has become the perfect time for cabinet installation and electrical outlets within the kitchen to supply appliances with power. The bathrooms and the dining designs are also done at this point by a professional team.
After the final touches, the exterior projects can start. You can also carry out both the interior and exterior work simultaneously if you have professionals at the site. Most contractors will have the same group of knowledgeable people to carry out the whole project.
Exterior work involves the vinyl siding and designing of the driveways and walkways. After the pavements, you can design the backyard and plant trees around the home to make it lively. Try adding a stunning new above-ground or inground pool!
What is the Perfect Timeline for Construction?
Knowing how to build your own house in Washington state cannot define its timeline. Rather, various factors can determine. One factor that affects the construction timeline is the size of the house. The larger the project, the more time it may take to complete.
The second factor that affects the timeline is the house design. Most home designs may require time to complete. If you want a home with patio additions, your project will last longer than a basic home. The same is the case with the multi-use kitchen; you will hire kitchen contractors to do the most complex designs.
The weather is another factor affecting the construction timeline. Bad weather minimizes the working hours or affects the workers’ productivity. It can also lead to increased costs and damage on the site.
Delay of the suppliers can also affect the construction timeline. Finally, the processing of permits can affect the timeline because, without the permit, your project will be stopped and wait for approval. Always have the permits before starting construction.
Is it Cheaper to Build or Buy a House in Washington State?
It’s better to learn how to build your own house in Washington State than buy. Washington is ranked the 11th state with the highest savings for building homes compared to buying them. Washington residents would spend about $493,000 on total house building costs. This is considered cheaper than purchasing an already-built home.
What is the Least Expensive House Shape to Build in Washington State?
A square or rectangular floor plan is cheaper and simplifies the building and design. Most people will prefer to buy a ready shed and set its foundation around the lot for living. Using a shed as a home is the cheapest way to move out of rentals as you prepare to build a home. But note in the states, there are shed placements rules and licenses.
The above simple steps on how to build your own house in Washington State will benefit you in several ways. First, you will move out of a rental and become a homeowner. Secondly, you will save on your house construction project. However, if you want a perfect house, hire professional house builders. Ideally, get a construction mortgage pre-approval by a mortgage lender to determine if you can afford to hire a builder.
