So you’ve decided to build a new home, or remodel your current home. It’s a big project, but it doesn’t have to be daunting, provided you know the right questions to ask at the start. When a client comes into my office with these five things, I know we’re getting off on the right foot.

1. An Idea of what you want
I like to think of myself as a guy with a lot of great ideas, [some of them have even won awards] (link to awards page), but even my best idea can be made better with your input. This is your house, your castle. It should be everything you want. It’s okay to bring pictures, magazines, drawings, even video clips you play on your phone. Everything is important when you’re building a new home.

2. A list of what you like and dislike about your current house
It’s important to know what you want, but it’s also important to know what you don’t want. Think of the home you live in now, or homes you’ve lived in in the past. What works for you in that space? Which rooms are easiest to live in? What doesn’t work? What do you miss about previous houses?

3. A list of potential trouble spots or concerns
It can be hard to think of these things when we’re in the initial stages of planning for a new house. These are the questions that come to you while driving down the highway, or halfway through dinner that can be so difficult to recall in a builder meeting. Before, and after our first meeting, I like to tell my clients to write these thoughts down so we can address them right away. This can be anything from bike rack clearance on garage doors, to which rooms will have which views of Lake Okanagan.

4. Names of preferred vendors
If you have any specific vendors you want to work with, bring a list with you. Frequently we already have relationships with these vendors, and can work with them to get you exactly what you need for your new house

5. A point of contact
We like to think of this person as the designated family representative. They’re the one with all the research. They know about features, materials, measurements, and requirements. They’ve heard all the requests from spouses, partners, children, family and pets, and they know what’s going in the final plans. This is the person we want to be able to get in contact with throughout the build.

Building or remodeling your home is an enjoyable process, one we at Vineyard are happy to help you with. Give us a call at 250.878.9411 or email me at craigmohr@vineyarddevelopments.com