Learn about these kit home building tips that will help you construct your new home.
Kit Home Building Tips
• If you decide to assemble a kit home, you will have to convince your mortgage lender that you are capable of successfully completing the project. Do this before you buy the kit.
• Expect to spend up to a year building and finishing a kit home yourself.
• If you hire a contractor to build your kit home, choose someone who has experience with a factory-built home. Many kit manufacturers can provide you with the names of skilled contractors in your area.
• If you want to be directly involved in the construction of your kit home but don’t feel competent to manage the entire project, consider hiring yourself out to your contractor as a worker.
• Significant differences exist between various kit-home packages; read the specifications and the contract carefully so you know exactly what you are getting.
• Kit-home warranties also vary: Some provide lifetime warranties, some offer 20-year warranties and some provide very little coverage.
• Some local jurisdictions may require stamped or approved house plans; be sure your kit-home manufacturer can supply them if required.
• Start the building permit process three to six months in advance of your project to minimize last-minute delays in your schedule. In some locations, you may have to educate the local zoning administrator or building inspector about your kit home before you obtain a permit.
• Shipping costs can add up; the closer you are to a kit manufacturer, the lower the cost of transport will be.
• Be prepared for your kit’s arrival; one or more tractor-trailers will suddenly show up, needing to be unloaded and, depending on the type of kit, the house may need to be erected promptly.
• Provide space to safely store and protect your kit’s components from the weather (and possibly from theft).
• Arrange the components in a logical order for easier construction flow.
