BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TIPS

Carefully Select the Builder
Before hiring a builder, drive past their previous jobs and speak to the building owners. Ask if the builder had good follow-through, whether the job was completed on schedule and on budget and if they were pleased with the quality of work. Also, check the builder's relationships with subcontractors — essentially find out if they pay their bills. A builder who is behind in payments will most likely have a hard time keeping a quality crew.

Hire a Lawyer
Have a lawyer review the contract with your builder. Building a home is a major investment and it's important to make sure all of your bases are covered. A small lawyer fee up-front could save you thousands of kwachas should something go wrong during construction.

Investigate the Area
Before purchasing land do thorough background research on various issues including land ownership. Also drive around the surrounding area, checking for useful amenities and convenience to roads, schools, shopping centre, health facility and other auxiliary services.

Don't Overbuild
Before finalizing building plans and beginning construction, compare the building you're planning with your target customer size and your future plans and of course others on the same area. So that when you decide to sell and/or let out you get your money back.

When planning your building's layout, think not only about the current lifestyle but also plan for a few years down the road-build for your future

Hire Locally
Word-of-mouth references are a good gauge of a builder's reputation. So ask around, then hire the best builder in the community. A well-established local builder will have plenty of nearby subcontractors and suppliers to rely on, meaning no costly travel delays while waiting for out-of-town crews and materials.

Don't Go With the Latest and Greatest
Fill your building with technology that will stand the test of time. State-of-the-art features are great but quickly become outdated. Buy products that have been on the market for a year or two. They're less expensive, readily available and any initial kinks and design flaws have been worked out.

Avoid Trends
Nothing betrays a building age like “of-the-moment fixtures”. If it goes out of style it will make your building look outdated. Select fixtures and features that are classic so to make your building always looks current.