There are many variables involved in building your home. Good up front planning saves time and money and helps you to stay in control of your project. It enables you to develop a realistic budget and make changes as required to stay within it before you start construction.

Because construction is largely a sequential process, resources need to be available on a timely basis. When building components are not available at the jobsite it will cause a ripple effect. Trades that are scheduled for jobs will be delayed and the building completion timeline is subsequently affected. It is often difficult to reschedule trades as there is a labor shortage in most regions.

Changes to the design once the project has been started can be a major cause of increased costs and time delays. On site changes that may seem simple can result in structural design issues and additional construction resources.

The key is to planning ahead is to include all the variables in the building process. This enables you to monitor performance against your budget on a timely basis and make decisions that minimize risk.

Things to keep in mind during the planning stage:

• Site issues & seasonal limitations
• Design concept & blueprints
• Permit & approval processes
• Assembly of construction material and labor
• Selection of finishing items
• Get estimates on a fixed price or cost plus basis
• Consider cash flow and financing requirements
• Minimize costly changes in the field

. . . minimizes the risk of exceeding your budget.