For many first time homeowners, finally moving to that stage in life where you have a place that you can truly call your own is both cathartic and unsettling at the same time. The process of looking for a property, handling the legal aspects, and then lastly closing a deal with an agent and a seller or lesser all require tough work. The rewarding feeling comes after you accomplish everything.

If you chose to build it from scratch, things are harder. You can get a contractor to handle all the technical matters for you, but ultimately, you must meet with them actively so that you can be sure that they will construct your home precisely the way you want it to be.

Below are five of the most important things that you need to communicate with your hired contractor when building your home from scratch.

1. Materials

Just because you are not a civil engineer by profession, does not mean that you should not talk about the materials that will make up your house. You can consult your hired engineer about the pros and cons of materials.

For instance, you might want to use structural insulation panels or SIP panels for your walls instead of the default structural material. SIP panels are increasingly becoming popular as they serve as a durable and lightweight material for walls, floorings, and even ceilings.

2. Colours

The colour of the exterior and even the different parts of the house matter to some people, although this is not a significant factor for others. While you can repaint the walls of your house anytime you wish, doing so just after you got the structure built is not wise, especially cost-wise. Therefore, although it may seem trivial, think about what colours you want your house to have.

3. External factors

Is the property you found somewhere near a body of salt water? Is your dream home near the beach? If the environment that your home is in is not the typical neighbourhood, you should adjust the way your house is constructed to adapt to the surroundings. External factors like sea air can wear out the paint and cause the metal to rust quickly.

4. Storage

If you want a small walk-in closet in the master bedroom, a built-in shelf in one bedroom, or a customised cupboard in the kitchen, let your engineer know ahead of time. Unless you bring this up, they will assume that you need the default types of organisation and storage in your home.

5. Safety and sanitation

Do you want fire extinguishers placed in receptacles in specific parts of the house? Do you need a particular part of the house to be constructed with a ventilation system because you have pets? Inform your engineer ahead of time about other customised built-in features in your home.

Like a home, your knowledge needs a strong foundation

Knowing the basics is just the starting point of entirely taking control of homebuilding. Of course, there are many more factors to consider besides these five, such as finances and legal matters. However, as long as you have a base knowledge of one thing, then you can be confident that you will be able to build up from there on.