What to Expect When You’re Expecting….A New Home

In this blog we will explore the highs and lows of the building process with Schuber Mitchell Homes and how most homeowners feel along the way.

You’ve had a meeting (or several) with your new home specialist, decided on the perfect homesite, selected your favorite plan, picked out every color and fixture with care. You’re beside yourself with anticipation. But now, we wait. We understand it can be hard, but depending on the region and community in which you plan to build, you may have to wait for your home to start based on volume and popularity. You will feel anxious as you wait for signs of new construction on your homesite…and maybe even take note of other jobs starting in the neighborhood. Fear not, there is a system in place that ensures that you’ll not be forgotten and an expert designated to walking you through each step of your experience. Think of your experience specialist like a labor and delivery nurse. This expert has helped LOTS of families through the build process and they are there for you to address questions or concerns and calm your nerves in times of uncertainty!

So the waiting is over and it’s time to break ground! It’s thrilling to watch as the outline of your home is thoughtfully mapped on your homesite and crews begin to dig footings. This is one of those emotional highs during your build because you’re experiencing the first glimpse of your new home. After footings are dug, your foundation is ready to be poured! You might liken seeing your foundation to your first ultrasound when the little babe looks like a tiny bean. You’re still several weeks away from seeing a shape that resembles a baby, but experiencing your little one for the first time is thrilling! Likewise, when you first see your foundation, homeownership feels more real than it ever has.

Pro Tip: Don’t get anxiety when you walk on your foundation for the first time. This happens often with homeowners - the flat layout plays tricks on your eyes and can definitely leave you wondering if the concrete tradesman had a mix up and poured for a tiny-home. But trust us, it’s right and you can (and should) still relish in the excitement.

Unfortunately concrete doesn’t harden overnight. That means that there will be a period of a few weeks where it will feel like there’s nothing happening on your homesite. It’s common for homeowners to feel anxious about what’s next but it’s important for them to understand why we wait. Your concrete foundation needs time to cure before it can handle the weight of framing. The wait is actually a very positive thing and framing begins shortly thereafter.

Framing is a really exciting time for homeowners because you watch a flat chunk of concrete turn into something that actually resembles your home in a matter of days! This is when you might start driving by every day to see progress (if you haven’t already).

Your frame is complete, your roof is intact, mechanicals have been installed. It’s time for a framing tour and dedication! This is where your experience specialist will lead you on a tour of the home, explaining some of our build practices and giving an overview of the mechanics of your home. Together we’ll pray over your future home and write scripture or words of encouragement on the frame. You’ll feel proud to introduce your closest friends and family to the place where you will plant roots, create memories, and celebrate holidays. Building a brand new home is kind of a big deal! Enjoy this time to show off your new place. Interior work will begin quickly after your dedication and things will change in your home almost daily. Insulation goes in, drywall goes up and cabinets get installed in a matter of weeks. What looked like a pile of wood, actually starts to look inhabitable!

At the same time that the inside of your home starts progressing, the outside of our home will begin to look more like a home than a construction site as brick and stone are being installed and trim goes up. You’ll see the colors and finishes that you chose months ago come together with each finishing touch. From lighting and plumbing fixture installation to appliance delivery - Things are all happening so fast! Aside from lacking a few final details, your home looks finished and you will likely start experiencing some nostalgia for the future. You’ll imagine pulling into your garage every day after work, cooking dinner on your shiny new stove, or walking your dog down your freshly paved sidewalk. It’s so close you can almost taste it!

This is where you might feel crazy with impatience. Everything looks done! It’s so close! Why can’t you just close early and move in? While the big picture looks finished, there are several little details that we don’t want to miss on your home. During these last couple of weeks, our detail team will come in to find any imperfections and touch up any flaws, as well as install your final details such as door handles, bathroom mirrors, towel bars, etc. This time can feel like an eternity but rest assured that your experience specialist will work hard to ensure that you are well-informed on the timeline with your new home orientation date and closing date scheduled far in advance.

So this step sort of speaks for itself. Who isn’t overjoyed on closing day? You now hold the garage door openers to your beautiful, spotless, brand new home. Sure, you have boxes and furniture to move, but you’ve been waiting for this day for so long, nothing can put a damper on your excitement. There’s no wallpaper to remove or improvements to make. No one has used your tub or stained your carpet. It’s all new and it’s all yours, and on this day you might feel some reassurance that your choice to build new was the right one. You’ve experienced ups and downs along the way, but just like with your precious new baby, you finally get to settle into your new normal. Now it’s time to start creating new memories and enjoying this season of life.