7 Tips to Help You Survive the Stress of Building a Home

For many people, buying a house is a difficult process as it can be next to impossible to find everything on your wish list. If this sounds familiar, you may be like other homebuyers who have decided the best plan is to opt for a self-build so that you can ensure your home is everything you want it to be. Building a home from the ground up is exciting, but it’s also wrapped in stress, as issues can arise throughout the process.

Here are seven tips that can help you survive the stress of building a new home, getting you through to the other side where you get to enjoy the house of your dreams.

Do Your Research on the Developer

A big part of the stress can be attributed to the developer and the team they’re working with. This is why experts always suggest you do your homework and research the developer before you make a decision. This means looking at their reviews, history, and work online; checking out other sites they have developed; and even speaking to homeowners that have worked with the developer. Check out these new homes for an example of what to look for.

You want to be on the lookout for common red flags like the quality of materials, the workmanship, whether the developer stuck to the deadline, any overages and so forth. Energy efficient builders may help you save in the long run but make sure the quality is still up to standard.

Ask Questions Whenever You Have Concerns

If this is your first build, you’re bound to have questions about the process. Rather than hold those questions in, which inevitably leads to stress, get in the habit of asking the developer, builder, contractor and so forth for clarification. The sooner you get answers, the less stress you’ll be under.

Make Sure You’re Not Suddenly without a Place to Live

One common mistake homeowners make is to rely on the completion date too much, and then end up not having a place to live. You always want to have a bit of an overlap between your current accommodation and the new home. This can eliminate a huge amount of stress so that you’re not suddenly left homeless while you wait for the new house to be completed.

Unfortunately, this can still happen even if you build in an overlap. So, what’s the solution? First off, don’t stress, as there are ways to deal with it. A rental flat or home or even a long-stay hotel could provide you with a temporary space to live. Your belongings can be placed in storage temporarily. It’s not ideal, and it is an added expense, but there are solutions.

Be Firm in Your Decisions Regarding the House

The developer or architect can certainly work with you to bring your ideas to life. They can offer fabulous advice, but at the end of the day, you need to know what you want. If you’re indecisive, you risk ending up with features of the home you don’t like. Flipping through home magazines, researching layouts and design concepts online and even walking through the homes of friends and family can all help to inspire you and decrease some of the stress and pressure you’re feeling.

Do You Need an Ecology Survey?

Here’s a problem that won’t affect every build but, depending on the area, you may be required to get an ecology survey. The reason these are done is to identify any potential environmental impact your build could have on that site. The survey will look at such things as the animals on your site, their habitat, valuable plant species, biodiversity and more.

Companies such as Ecology Surveys can conduct a thorough survey and provide you with a full report. There are a few different types of ecology surveys available, each with its own specifics. You can get a free quote before making your booking, and surveys are done promptly.

Have a Budget and Stick to It

When people are building from scratch, one of the most important things will be the budget. Setting a budget before the project gets started is pivotal and will help to eliminate potential issues down the road. It’s shocking how fast things can spiral out of control without a budget in place. You say yes to this upgrade, or this change, and it doesn’t seem like much in the moment, but all of those tweaks add up.

The cost will also need to be discussed with the developer, as it should be firm without any potential surprises and overages.

Engage In Stress-Relieving Activities

Even with all the best planning, asking questions as they arise, and the project chugging along, stress can still nag at you. If it gets serious enough, it can end up negatively affecting your work and home life.

Some of the signs of stress can include:

Inability to focus and concentrate
Sleep issues
Panic attacks
Difficulty breathing
Heartburn and/or indigestion
Fatigue
Headaches
Muscle aches
Chest pain
Heart racing
Shaking or dizziness
Upset stomach
Nausea
Moodiness
Anger
Agitation

There are many other signs to watch for too, as stress affects the mind and body. One of the worst things you can do is minimise what you’re feeling, try to explain it away, and then ignore it. The stress will only continue to build until you hit a breaking point.

This is why stress-relieving activities are so important. They will combat all of the symptoms, plus it is a valuable lesson you can use at other high-stress points in life. Stress-relieving activities should include regular exercise, hanging out with friends and family, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy well-balanced diet and picking up a hobby that you find relaxing and engaging. All of these activities force your mind to think about something other than the build.

The key lesson here is not to let stress take over. Expect that stress will happen, as it’s only natural, but also have a plan in place that you’ll be following. This plan will be designed to ensure the build goes as smoothly as possible, and that you’re ready to react to issues in the moment.