Did you have plans on building a house this year but saw the price of lumber and panicked? The last year has been rough for many individuals. People are discovering that there are symptoms of COVID19 felt at the market level that has impacted the building industry for the immediate future, with prices expected to be inflated well into the beginning of 2021.
If you’re reading this article, we imagine you might be considering doing some literal homework in the not too distant future. Rest assured that these influxes are temporary, and preparation is key to a successful finished product. These rising prices may be intimidating when considering whether or not to commence the design process for your dream home. Keep in mind your new residential home design does not equal construction. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t wait to establish your design plan.
Obstacles
As you are probably aware, the cost of lumber is at an all-time high currently. Softwood lumber prices are now 112% higher than they were a year ago and have jumped over 10% in just the last two months. The demand is up, supply is down, and the cost keeps rising.
Many people were stuck at home from the pandemic for an overwhelming amount of time. They were facing the frustrations of a home that didn’t quite satisfy. All of this led to a mass exodus to the home improvement store to start small projects, playhouses to entertain their children, sheds, and decks/small additions.
Another obstacle has been the shutdown of petrochemical plants in Texas due to storm-related emergencies. These glue shortages have also lowered plywood production and thus raised the costs per sheet.
This is by no means a reason to put your dream home on hold. Knowing this time will eventually pass means that this year is a great time to start the design process. Lumber and plywood prices will drop as demand falls and distribution and production return to normal. When that happens, you will want to be ready to jump on the ball and get rolling on your building process to make that dream home a reality.
Where to Start
Getting started can be the trickiest part of a project. We want to help you figure out how to get the best results from your project and set out with a clear vision. There are many services as a building design studio that we can provide, whether your project is simple or small, such as adding a deck or if you want to build an entire home from the ground up.
Technical drawings are where the initial concept for your project happens. During this time, we sort out what will work and what isn’t, ensuring that you get what you’re visioning.
Now that we’ve got the vision of what you want and we have the preliminary design, this is where the magic happens, and we start bringing in the final components of the project.
Building Permits
Once you have your house plans drawn up, you can start the following process of obtaining your permits. The permit process can be challenging. We know that you have a lot going on. Where available, we will take that stress off your shoulders and handle all of the permitting services for you.
The average time frame to obtain a building permit from the application summited to when approved can vary greatly by project. Many times, there is a lengthy revision process once plans reach municipal review. In some cases, other permits or approvals may be required before issuing the building permit. A few are Stormwater Permit, Encroachment Permit, Natural Resource Assessment, Septic Permit, etc.
Once the building permit is issued, you have six months before the permit expires if the work it covers does not begin in most jurisdictions. Still, most municipalities allow a permit to be renewed for greater timing.
Design
Now that you have hopefully changed your mind on why your home design does not equal construction, the team at Concept Design LLC would love to hear about your dream home!
