“Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is in knowing how to do it and virtue is doing it” ~ David Starr Jordon
Looking for land was fun.
Finding the perfect spot was magical.But, now the work begins.
Creating a budget is an important part of the home building process. A budget gives you a form for making your dreams possible. It stimulates an energy called “Structural Tension” which is an important componant of creativity, according the Robert Fritz in his bookCreating. Without structural tension, we can get lost in the dreaming part of creating and never tap into the energy needed to follow through on a project, particuarly a large project like building a home.
If you have a mortgage and it involves a construction loan (this is what we did), be sure that you clearly understand when the ‘draws’ are. This can help in your planning.
Apply for a building permit as soon as you have your house and site plans drawn up (see next post for house plans/designs)
Apply for construction insurance. I shopped around and found quite a range of options and prices.
Create a time-line that is a combination of schedule, budget, sub-contractor needs and ordering requirements. I created a time-line and referred back to it/updated it regularly.
Look at your site. Identify road access, water and sun movement, future snow removal, how the house will look from the road, which existing trees and plants will be incorporated into the landscape, which size and type of Mandala might fit best on the site, etc.
Check with the local building department about any special requirements for your area. Research set-backs, easements, building height restrictions, flood zones .
Other factors to identify are; septic field or sewer line, water line or well, gas lines, and telephone and electrical lines (if applicable).
All of this is a lot of details and a lot of work…and, it is so incredibly satisfying and creative!