How to reduce stress during construction?
Most people think of the building process as a bit like a long(ish) distance race – pretty steady all the way through and then maybe a bit of speeding-up at the end to get over the finish line.
In fact, it’s more like a foxtrot – slow, slow, quick quick, slow – with that bit of a rush in the final stages. To anyone who’s built a home before, it seems as though the frame stage – where the floor base is down but the house is just a skeleton – seems to last for ages. And then suddenly the plasterboard is up and the painters are calling about the wall colours, and it’s too late to decide the toilet would be better on the opposite wall so it isn’t the first thing you see when you open the door to the ensuite bathroom.
MAKE DECISIONS WELL AHEAD OF TIME
The hectic decision-making time of the project is when the stress levels start to creep up. The builder needs your final choice of things such as flooring, tiles and paint finishes for when his trades are booked to be on site. There are layout details to be considered, like where in the study your desk will go, so the required electrical outlets can be installed nearby. Are you painting your downpipes the same colour as the exterior walls, or matching them to the trim? How are your deck boards going to be running – across or along the verandah? The simple fact is, when decisions are rushed, mistakes are often made.
You can take a great deal of the stress out of the process by ensuring you’re well prepared, and by making choices and design decisions long before they’re actually needed. By having a set of detailed interior plans drawn up before you build, you will have decided on virtually everything from flooring to finishes ahead of time – including fine details such as how your bathroom tiles will be laid – and rushed decision-making ceases to be a problem.
AGREE ON THE TIMELINE
It’s also important to have an agreed timeline so everyone knows what needs to be done and at what stage. Good builders will communicate this with you clearly and regularly so there are no surprises. It’s a good idea to have a contingency built into the project to allow for things like poor weather or unexpected delays to materials deliveries, for example.
BE AVAILABLE
Make yourself available. Don’t schedule a holiday right at the time your building team is going to need a lot of interaction to finesse the project! Aim to have regular site meetings so that you can talk through any problems and make a call on any queries the builder may have. It allows you to get to know your team and how they work, which can be important for good communication. Plus, it lets you monitor progress and check if the build is on track.
CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT
If you’re time-poor, consider employing a project manager or engaging your architect and/or interior design team to provide support through the construction stage. With years of experience, they have a thorough understanding of the build process and how it works in real time. Essentially, they become the middleman between you and the builder, reducing the number of questions you may be asked and suggesting solutions to any problems that may arise, helping the build stay on track and on budget.