Things To Consider When Moving Into A Newly Built House

Building a brand new home is an exciting time. For most, it means finally making your dream home a reality — or, at least, building a home that meets your family’s current needs (and plenty of wants). Once the last nail is hammered into place and the finishing touches are all installed, it is time to sign the last round of paperwork, pack up, and move. Right? Not so fast. Before moving into a new construction home, there are a few additional things to consider. Keep these in mind to help make your transition go as smoothly as possible:

Inspect The Home

Once the building is complete, you will do a final walk-through with your home builder to check that everything has been completed according to the plans. Either before or during this step, you may want to hire a professional home inspector to also give your new home a thorough once-over. They will be able to offer a second set of eyes and will have a better idea of things to check. This is not to say your home builder has done a poor job; it is just a good way to catch any little details that may need to be taken care of before you move your furniture and everything into your home.

Make A List

First, talk to your home builder about warranty options and coverage. Most new construction homes come with a warranty to cover anything that needs to be repaired within the first year or two (plus a longer warranty for structural damage). Know what your house builder provides and what is covered versus what is excluded from coverage. Then, make a list of any repairs that need to be made according to what your warranty covers. This list can be started with that initial walk-through and carry on into the initial months in the home. Be sure to contact your home builder before the end of the warranty to get those details taken care of.

Keep Receipts

It is never too early to prepare for tax season. Keep all your receipts for any work done on your home, because they may come in handy when it is time to claim deductions on your tax return. Specifically, keep records of anything done to your home office, even getting an alarm system installed or noting the cost of electricity. In addition, keep track of any sustainable or eco-friendly measures taken in your new home. You may be eligible for tax breaks there, too.

Clean The Vents

A lot of dust and grime gets kicked up during the home building process. Before turning on the HVAC system in your new home or starting up your ceiling fans, take the time to clear out the dust. It will be easier to clean everything out before you move all your furniture in (and getting it all covered in dust). Send the hose attachment of your vacuum into the registers to clear out as much dust as you can, or hire a professional HVAC company for an even more thorough cleaning. Also, keep an eye on your filters. You may need to clean or change them more frequently in the initial months as they filter out any additional gunk in the air ducts.

Know Where Controls Are

Something will eventually go wrong with your home. That is, unfortunately, just the nature of home-ownership. It is a good idea to know exactly where your water shutoff valve is and where your breaker box is located. Better still, take the time to label each switch so you know will not need to worry about trial and error when you need to turn off the power to a room later on.

Wait On Paint

Logic says that it is easier to paint rooms before you fill the rooms with furniture. This is absolutely true — but if you find you hate the colors you picked, you may end up painting a second time and working around your furniture anyway. What most fail to consider is how changes in lighting will affect the paint colors. Instead of painting rooms right away, put swatches of potential colors in multiple spots around the room and live with them for a few days. This will give you an opportunity to see how sunlight, cloudy days, and incandescents or LED lights affect the colors.

Are you looking for homes for sale in Hamilton? Explore what luxury home builders CarrHomes have to offer. See our current listings of homes for sale or contact us today to begin making your home dreams a reality.