How to Build Your Dream Home in San Bernardino County, CA

Building your dream home is an exciting journey. You get to choose your architectural style, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want, and add a stunning patio for outdoor entertainment.

Custom building your home in San Bernardino County, CA, is no different from any other area in California, although home construction regulations may differ slightly between regions.

Following the basic steps to building your dream home will avoid the pitfalls often associated with creating a house from scratch. After all, investing into building your home is expensive and you could lose a fortune if anything goes astray.

Home construction requires getting all your ducks in a row, from picking and submitting building plans to the local department to hiring a team of builders.

Keep reading if you want to streamline the process of building your dream home while keeping the challenges at bay.

Steps to Building Your Dream Home in San Bernardino County, CA

1. Decide on a realistic budget

   Before getting carried away with building plans, speaking to an architect, or hiring builders, decide your budget. Building a home in San Bernardino can set you back anything between $120 and $250 per square foot.

   If you’re planning on a luxury home, estimate up to $500 per square foot. But, of course, these costs don’t include the land price.

   Setting a realistic budget involves deciding the size of your new home and the type of materials you’ll use. Picking between standard, middle-of-the-range, or luxury materials influences the cost of building.

   Up to three-quarters of your budget will be spent on materials and labor, while you will likely spend the rest of the balance on miscellaneous matters such as permit fees, taxes, and home décor.

2. Hire a local home construction builder

   Using a local home construction building company means working with experts who understand what is required for new homes in San Bernardino.

   Professional home builders can assist you from start to end, handling details such as building permits for new residential homes in San Bernardino.

   House builders can support you in designing your dream home. Viewing their portfolio will give you a good idea of the architectural styles they work with and their experience in home designing and building.

   Using a house builder to help you design your dream home saves you the cost of hiring a separate architect.

3. Sort out your financing

   Unless you’re one of the lucky few lottery winners or have recently inherited a sum of money, you’ll need to sort out your financing for constructing your dream home.

   Your home builder may have a list of lenders they prefer to work with, so speak to them before seeking a lending institution. Most home builders ask for a deposit of up to 10% on the final cost of your house before commencing work.

   Construction loans differ from mortgage loans and are used for financing home building projects and land purchases. Taking out a construction loan requires having a down payment of anything between three to 20%, depending on the lender’s terms of the agreement.

   Exploring homebuyer incentives in San Bernardino, especially for first-time buyers, may assist you with down payments.

   This type of loan needs to be paid off on completion of construction, or you can opt to convert it to a mortgage loan when the building has ended.

4. Purchase the plot of land

   If you haven’t already done so, start hunting for your plot of land in the county. Find a reputable San Bernardino realtor who knows what’s available in the area and is fully aware of any environmental issues that could impede your construction process.

   The right location is vital if you want to benefit from your property investment long-term.

   When purchasing land, consider:

   • The size of the property and its configurations are adequate for the square footage of your home.
   • Neighboring houses and decide if their style will influence the architectural design you want for your dream home. Some communities have specific requirements to ensure new homes match the area’s overall architectural appearance.
   • Any construction or service issues to buying a certain piece of land.

   A trustworthy real estate agent will assist you with most of your queries when purchasing land.

5. Decide on a timeline for building your dream home

   Constructing a new home from scratch can take about seven to 12 months. However, various factors do impact the length of time it takes to build your dream house, so some flexibility is necessary.

   Building timelines are influenced by:

   • The size and complexity of your home design
   • Location and accessibility of the property
   • Availability of materials and labor
   • Issuing of building permits and inspections
   • The weather

   Knowing the timeline of building your dream home allows you to plan. For example, selling your current home or terminating a lease on a rented property shouldn’t occur until you know when your new house will be completed.

6. Work with the home building team to the end

Hiring a home builder to handle the construction of your dream home from start to end means they handle the nitty-gritty of building a house. But, working with the team ensures they stay on track, meeting your deadline while sticking closely to your budget.

Regularly reviewing invoices avoids potential unexpected and costly surprises. In addition, getting involved with the home building team ensures they stay with the original design plan and specifications.

This way, you can prevent mistakes while ensuring the result meets your desired outcome.

Final Thoughts

San Bernardino offers homeowners excellent opportunities for building their dream homes. A systematic approach ensures you cover all requirements for a successful residential construction project.

Working with local and professional real estate and building experts is the best place to start.

While building the home of your dreams from scratch can be a daunting, costly, and lengthy process, following a process ensures your project runs smoothly.

So what are you waiting for? Pull out those designs, connect with the right team, find the perfect location in San Bernardino, and make your dream come true.