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Glad to hear that you’re considering moving forward with your project. How much should you bite off and what should you consider? Here are 10 common project oversights to avoid.

 

Here goes:

1. How well have you planned?  How complete are your drawings? How thorough is your construction Contract?

2. How much have you thought about your future needs and potential changes?

3. Is your project team (designers, builders etc) the best most experienced, best-suited that you can muster?http://seconarchitect.com/how-to-interview-architects/

4. Are you building in conditions involving many unknown variables.  (concealed conditions, soils, hazards enclosed behind walls?)

5. Do you have a construction contingency in your budget of 10-20%?  To help cover costs of the “unknowns” and “by the ways, could you just?”.  Schedule contingency of at least 10-25% is also a good rule of thumb. Also remember to factor in rentals and relocation planning.  http://seconarchitect.com/whats-going-cost-construction-budget/

6. Did you have a thorough understanding of the regulations in affect on your property?

7. Have you researched the post-construction tax consequences?

8. Does your home insurance need to be adjusted? (answer: of course!)  http://seconarchitect.com/what-do-you-mean-more-insurance/

9. Do you have interim arrangements fully in place? (relocation, utilities etc)

10. Do you have actual procedures in place for communication during construction with all parties?

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I’ve also had plenty of customers come back a few years after projects are built and say they should have extended themselves further to minimize future inconvenience and added costs!  Take a look at my other blogposts related to budgeting and scheduling for a well-rounded view.

I’d be happy to discuss this in further detail, 914 674 2950 , ask for Steve

 

Article by Steven Secon