Whether you are purchasing a land-lot as the site for your future dream home or considering new construction homes with the ability to customize, building your own home is a great way to keep your construction costs under control and get the home you really want. You can save money by choosing the construction materials, laying out the design of the finished house, and working with a great contractor, but there are corners you don’t want to cut when it comes to your new home.
As you build your home, you will need to choose your construction materials carefully. Whether you are building a modest starter home or a spacious luxury estate, the quality of the materials you choose will have a huge impact on your quality of life. With that in mind, here are six construction materials you might want to think twice about as you build your home from the ground up.
Raw Concrete
Concrete is certainly durable and trendy at the moment, but its resale value may not be as attractive. While finished and brushed concrete can be good looking, limestone is often a better choice. Limestone producers say it provides the durability and long-lasting value of concrete, but its good looks make it a much better choice for most home-based applications.
Poor Quality Woods
You only get one chance to frame out your home, so pay careful attention to the quality of the wood you choose. Wood that is full of knots and other imperfections may not have the strength you need for the long run. It is best to pay more for top quality wood up front than to try to repair the damage later on.
Standard Tile
If you are laying out the bathroom, you should probably avoid basic tile. While a tile floor may look good up front, poor quality tiles will quickly show their age. Unless you want to replace the bathroom floor in a year or two, it is best to go high end and skip the cheap tile.
Carpet
Some people love carpet, and others hate it. If you have your heart set on wall-to-wall carpet, you need to choose the flooring with care. Poor quality carpet will show its age quickly, and that can be a big problem later. Quality hardwood is generally a better choice, but as you will see below, quality counts in that regard as well. Remember, rugs are much easier to replace as you go.
Substandard Wood Flooring
Hardwood floors are beautiful and durable, but some cheap wood flooring contains dangerous gases that could make your family sick. Formaldehyde and other gases have been found in cheap wood flooring, so choose your floors, and your flooring contractor, with care. Your construction loans may not cover every type of flooring, but it is worth paying more up front a lot of the time.
Stucco
Stucco has had its day, but for the most part, home buyers have moved on. While stucco is durable and easy to install, the look it provides is not for everyone. There are better choices out there, so do your homework and find a better surface for your exterior walls when possible.
There is nothing like building a home from the ground up to give you a sense of accomplishment, but it is important to choose your construction materials with care. Avoiding the six construction materials listed above can help you get your home off to a great start and avoid potential problems down the line.
