If construction gives you butterflies in your stomach, then this guide is for you! 🦋 Delight in these tips, pick out some ideas, and then dive into the exhilarating adventure of self-building. And afterward? Send us your photos! We LOVE seeing dreams come true.
💡 The wild idea: building your own house
It’s a project as fascinating as it is daunting. But first, let’s take a quick overview:
Dream and Reality
Hey! Wake up! 🌞 We’re talking about YOUR dream home.
- Are you overflowing with energy and availability?
- Do you have the mindset of a superhero to handle the unexpected?
- Are you the most organized person you know?
- Familiar with standards?
- Do you feel a bit like an expert in residential construction?
If you mentally checked all of these boxes, hang tight, the best is yet to come!
📅 Planning is your new BFF
💰 The heart of the matter: financing
Construction is a long marathon, and here are the key steps:
- Excavation and foundations: foundations, footings and foundation walls, concrete pouring, floor joists, etc. (about 30% of costs)
- Expert work: Electricity, plumbing, connecting to public services, etc. (about 10% of costs)
- Framing and locking the envelope: walls, ceilings, windows, stairs, roofing, exterior finishing (about 30% of costs)
- Finish: cabinets, countertops, outdoor stairs, sanitary equipment, floor covering, connecting to public services, painting, landscaping, etc. (about 30% of costs)
Psst! Your project will take between 6 and 12 months, so plan for good running shoes!
🏠 Choosing the right plan
Your home will be as unique as you are! 🌟Choose a plan from our available list or customize it to get THE house of your dreams!
📜 Permits? Essential!
Before digging, make sure you’re compliant. Check with your municipality to avoid hassles.
🛠 How to build step by step
- Establish an initial budget and confirm your financing capacity (pre-authorization)
- Choose the building plan
- Get an estimate of the work cost
- Make a site plan indicating the location and orientation of the future house on the land
- Conduct soil or water studies and tests (if necessary)
- Obtain a construction permit from the municipality and ensure the project complies with regulations
- Finalize the budget and close the financing
- Get a civil liability insurance policy for the duration of the work (strongly recommended by the Quebec Building Board)
- Select suppliers for finishing
- Obtain a location certificate (after the work)
Then, plan the construction steps:
- Excavation
- Foundation
- Framing — Boréal
- Roofing — Boréal
- Doors and windows — Boréal
- Mechanical systems (plumbing, electricity, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and perhaps some additions to be planned before closing walls and ceilings (integrated music system, alarm system, central vacuum…)
- Interior partitions
- Painting
- Interior moldings and other finishing works
- Floor coverings
- Cabinets and countertops
🎩 Golden Tips
🤝 The more, the merrier!
If your circle is full of experts, it’s the perfect opportunity to invite them to your site!
- Architect or technologist to draw the plans
- Construction estimator/contractor to estimate the work cost
- Land surveyor for the site plan
- Building engineer
- Bricklayer-mason
- Plumber
- Electrician
- Notary
- Banker
- Insurer
💪 Stay motivated
“I can’t take it anymore!” STOP. Breathe. Stay focused and remember that self-building saves about 30% of the total cost!
🚧 Watch out for the unexpected
Life is full of surprises… and so is construction!
Here are the most common unforeseen events:
- Bad weather
- Oversights (on your part or that of specialized contractors)
- Delays in certain works that might force you to reschedule suppliers who also have commitments to other clients or contractors
- Absenteeism or delays from workers that set back other shifts
- Work accidents
Extra costs will need to be considered to handle these surprises. Don’t forget to set a budget to manage them without the additional stress they bring.
🥳 The adventure begins!
You’re armed with all the necessary tools. Some reminders before diving in:
- Develop a schedule for planning all activities to avoid wasting time and additional costs
- Manage construction-related costs in a specific account
- Monitor budgets regularly to make informed decisions based on your budget.
🌈 So, ready to bring your Boréal to life? Set up your Boréal now!
And don’t forget: we’re eager to see your achievements! 📸
