If you're thinking of building a house, here are the steps you must go through. It is a long and complex process but, in the end, very rewarding.
Building a house is an adventure, which goes through different steps necessary until the house is standing and can be lived in. We are talking about a dream for the vast majority of people who think about having a 100% made-to-measure home.
If building a house is a real dream, learn about the main steps for a construction without bumps.
1. Planning building permits
PIP - Prior Information Plan
Before starting the construction itself, everything starts with the acquisition of land or, if you already have one, it all starts with a Prior Information Plan (PIP) to the City Council responsible for the site, with an explanation of what you want.
Construction can only proceed after receiving the information document authorizing the construction and the respective legal or regulatory conditions. We are talking about conditions regarding infrastructure, possible restrictions, among other details.
Architectural design and permit
The next step is to carry out a topographic survey to start the architectural project, which must also be approved by the local City Council. At this stage, the process of recruiting and hiring teams of specialized professionals, such as an architect, engineer and/or project manager, also begins. In the case of our studio, Almeida Fernandes Arquitectura & Design, the project management and construction team can also be done with us, facilitating the entire process, as there are fewer spokespeople with the end customer.
After an architectural project has been completed according to the client's taste and in collaboration with the architects, everything goes back for the approval of the competent authorities. Only after approval does the delivery of specialty projects begin, that is, projects for sewage, water, gas, communications, electricity, among others. It may be the case that the land is part of a land that already has some of these projects defined and approved.
The City Council will assess the building works projects and grant the much-desired building permit. From this moment onwards, the construction of a new house begins.
Construction Process
The entire construction process, the records of everything that is relevant in relation to the execution of the project, is in the Construction Book, which is the responsibility of the civil engineer. At the end of the work, we return to the City Council to ask for the use permit so that the house can be lived in.
Architect or Civil Engineer?
This is a question that many ask and even question the need to hire the services of an architect or civil engineer, and it is therefore important that we understand the functions of each one.
The architect is the professional responsible for planning the house, including the functional component and the use of the area, and for designing the project of the entire architectural and artistic component of the construction.
On the other hand, the civil engineer is responsible for the structural component of the project, and for its various specialties. Both professionals work together, being the two fundamental for the global execution of the work.
2. Budget Definition
Establishing the budget you have available to build a house is essential, especially so that there is control of the entire process, preventing the final project from being completely out of financial possibilities or choosing smaller materials, due to lack of capital. A good budget should foresee as many scenarios as possible, as well as unforeseen ones. For this, you must think about every corner of the house and everything you want the house to have, especially the number of rooms and exterior elements, which you don't do without.
Set the base budget
Once the planning is done, you should establish a maximum amount you can or want to spend on the new home. In this step, it is important to have an idea of the available budget and financing possibilities, as well as the prices and costs inherent to the entire construction.
The architecture team is a precious help here, along with the construction team, helping to define all the amounts invested in the new construction project, as well as taxes, administrative costs, labour, land and materials.
These are the main steps in building a new home, and starting a new architectural project, to have the home you've always dreamed of.
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