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Don Norris
Don Norris is the owner of Norris Construction and has over 35 years of experience in the industry. Norris Construction has served the Southeast Kansas area for over 23 years. For more information please call 620-249-7445.
Construction
2011-07-01 10:51:00
What to expect in home building
Question: Once we have found the right property, what steps should we expect next in building of our home?
Answer: Once you have chosen the land, you move on to the next, and quite possibly the most critical part of the building process, planning, calculating and figuring. I can’t stress enough the importance of this stage. While we all want to rush in and see the gratifying process of walls and rooms taking shape, the time you put in to planning will assure that you are not met with surprises and do not exceed costs. One of the first decisions in this part of the process is deciding whether you want a slab or basement foundation. The foundation is responsible for supporting the rest of the structure, so things like soil studies should be taken into consideration. Next, you will want to choose the layout of your home. Consider things like how open you want it to be and flow patterns. If possible, visit homes with similar floor plans and visualize how well it would work for you and your family. If you plan to make it a long-term residence, consider lifestyle changes and how that might affect your ability to stay in the home comfortably. Another important consideration in this stage is deciding if you want a safe room (especially in our part of the country), and where you want it located. It is much easier to install one during the building process rather than later. There are many options in locating safe rooms, such as the interior of the home, in the basement or as an addition to the home which is accessed from inside. However, it is important to remember that if you prefer to have your safe room attached to the outside of the structure; it must be built at the time of construction per federal regulations. After construction, all safe rooms must meet “room within a room” qualifications.
 
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