In this article, we will discuss the steps to building your own home in Ontario. The custom home building process can appear intimidating from the outset, but it’s a road you don’t have to travel alone!
L. Patten & Sons specializes in custom-built homes in Collingwood and the Blue Mountain area, and you can trust our over 60 years of experience to build you the home of your dreams!
Now let’s dig in and take a look at the steps you need to take to make your dream home a reality.
Steps To Building Your Own Home In Ontario
1. Establish a budget
Setting a budget is an important and logical starting point as the amount you’re willing to spend will help determine where and what you will build.
To begin, you’ll have to secure land on which to build and then determine the scope of the home you want to build, including the number of bedrooms, living areas, bathrooms, etc.
On top of those basics, you must remember to budget for other important elements of the project: permits, property taxes, development charges, septic (sewer or well if applicable), hydro connection, landscaping, appliances, furniture, and HST.
Without proper budgeting, costs can accumulate beyond your ability to pay, and the project can go sideways in a hurry.
For more detailed information on budgeting, here are 7 things to consider when assessing the cost of building a custom home.
Where and what you want to build will affect the budgeting process
2. Pick out and purchase the land
Take your time, do the legwork, and find the perfect lot. If you have a builder in mind, you can ask them to walk the lot with you and give you their opinion about building and living on that space.
Consider what it will be like to live there in all four seasons, and take note of nearby amenities, schools, and access to main roads.
One of the biggest considerations will be the cost of the lot; make sure you’ll have enough left in your budget to build the house you are dreaming of.
For more, read our post on things to consider when purchasing land for a home
3. Hire a builder
Begin your search by doing some online research. That includes reading Google reviews, customer comments, and checking out industry rankings.
You should also try to speak to previous clients. Ask about the communication, any misunderstandings or setbacks they encountered, and if they would work with them again. Looking at photos of past projects is also a good idea.
Not everyone would say that choosing a builder should come before plans, but at L. Patten and Sons, we appreciate being a part of the design process!
We can make sure you understand what certain design elements mean from a build and cost perspective, and we can help you choose what works.
“Looking for a builder to construct your dream home? I would look no further, as you found the right team with L Patten and Sons. The craftsmanship and attention to detail shown by their tradespersons was exceptional. The house that was built for us is magnificent, built on time and on budget. Very easy to work with, the team made highly useful suggestions and were flexible to make modifications during the build when an improvement was apparent. The team from L Patten and Sons will go above and beyond to make your building experience a most positive one. You have two very satisfied customers here who highly recommend Patten and Sons for your building projects.”
Ruby Rosebuds
See more testimonials here!
4. Design your dream home
This is where you put all your ideas down on paper and determine what’s feasible based on what you’ve decided about budget, land, and builders.
Important questions to ask include:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want?
What sort of entertaining space do you need?
What are your priorities, and what can you bend on?
What style do you like?
Again, make sure you understand the cost involved with all of these decisions so that the house designed for you fits within your established budget, as discussed earlier.
This is where the input of your builder becomes valuable, as they are the hands-on source for realistic material and labour costs.
The design stage is too early for accurate pricing, but your builder - if you have secured one already - can certainly guide your choices wisely if you have made your building budget clear.
Get involved in the design process to ensure you get what you want in your dream home
5. Build your own home in Ontario
This doesn’t have to be a hands-off part of the process. Stay involved by keeping a regular meeting schedule so you can stay up to date on the progress and the decision-making.
When possible, visit the site and walk the rooms with your builder so any questions or concerns can be immediately addressed.
Walking through provides a different experience than simply looking at drawings, and sometimes it can make you aware of the need for small changes. Making these changes during the framing stage is best as it becomes increasingly costly and problematic in later stages.
As the building phase progresses, you’ll be called upon to choose the finishes. Your builder should provide you with a timeline for when each item needs to be chosen, so that layouts, templates, pipe locations etc. can be established.
You will need to make decisions on bathtubs, sinks, plumbing and lighting fixtures, appliances, cabinetry, flooring, paint, railings, fireplaces, roofing colour, and siding.
While it seems like a lot, if you are disciplined and keep to the schedule provided by the builder, you will be just fine. Remember to enjoy the process!
Stay as involved in the building process as possible
Building your own home in Ontario? Trust L. Patten & Sons!
L. Patten & Sons Limited brings over fifty years of custom home building experience to every project we undertake. We take pride in building custom homes that are as beautiful to look at as they are comfortable to live in.
We make it our goal to help all our clients realize their dreams. Quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and complete customer satisfaction are what sets L. Patten and Sons apart in the Collingwood, Blue Mountain, and Georgian Triangle home building community.
Our home owners can rest assured that their new home will be a source of pride and satisfaction for many years to come!