NHBB take building costs seriously and work to make sure you get the best value for what is likely to be your largest purchase. If you're looking to build a custom home, you should be aware that there can be many forgotten costs. It isn't just the bricks and mortar, there is so much more to getting  your amazing home ready for you to move in.

When building a new custom luxury home, you need to be aware of these costs: Soil tests, hidden site costs, floor coverings and finishes are just a few of these. None of these is particularly memorable, but they can be significant and a big budget SHOCK if you have not allowed for them.

1. Soil tests

It might seem a little strange to have soil tests as one of the forgotten costs of building a new home, but it is easily forgotten. Soil testing is incredibly important for both your foundation and water drainage around your house. You want a solid foundation that can handle all kinds of weather without sinking or cracking, and you need good drainage so that when you get a good downpour of rain there is no standing water that can cause damage.

The results of these tests are used to determine the load-bearing capacity of the soil at your site, which is what you need for foundations. The costs for this test vary depending on where you live and the condition of your soil. This can also have a significant impact on the cost of your foundations.  You just need to be aware that you need to include an allowance it!

2. Site costs

The second thing that can be over budget when building a new home is site costs. These costs include things like sewer and water hookups, grading the property, and any other work that needs to be completed before you start construction. Even getting rid of half-dead trees and junk that may have been left by the previous owner of the land needs to be paid for. Your land may even have some asbestos on it as part of an old house, fence, or even buried on the land. Any sort of contamination that is found on your land needs to be removed and paid for by you. You need to ensure that these costs are given a suitable allowance when budgeting for your new dream home.

3. Floor coverings and floor finishes

Finally, there is cost when it comes time to build your custom luxury home, floor coverings. Many people don't realize how much flooring costs until they start looking at the options. Floor covering costs are one of those things you should remember to include as part of your overall budget when building a new home. You can decide if it is going to be part of your building contract or arrange to be done after hand over.  Flooring can be a big cost component of finishing your new home because there can be so much of it! The bigger your floor area, the more your cost adds up.

There are many different options for what you can use as flooring - check out our blog on flooring!

The costs of building a new home are often underestimated because they're not always visible. It is easy to forget that there are many costs which need to be allowed for. In this blog post we've highlighted a few different types of some time forgotten costs - these should help you set your budget when looking into building your own custom luxury home!  If you still feel unsure about any aspect of the process, please contact us at NHBB for expert advice on how to budget your money wisely in order to build the best home for you!