Whether you’re a man or woman – young or old – you might have the ambition to become a home builder. If so, great – this article is here to lend you a helping hand.
What is a Home Builder?
Typically, a home builder oversees the construction or re-design of a home, from laying the foundation to framing and roofing.
Being in the home construction industry is exciting. There are various areas of expertise within it, including:
- Remodeling homes
- Re-designing homes
- Building new homes from scratch
- Bookkeeping
- Overseeing inspections
- Ordering and operating heavy machinery
- Interviewing (and hiring) different contractors
- Creating construction sites
Sometimes, companies and self-employed teams have a specific area of expertise, while others tick all of the boxes above – it’s entirely dependent on experience, qualifications, and knowledge.
With that said, if you’re thinking about becoming a home builder or have been one for several years already, here are 8 secrets for success that you need to know.
1. Use a Tablet to Create 2D and 3D Plans
Back in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even 2000s, home builders relied on paper-based blueprints when creating plans for their projects.
Now, though, this has all changed. Since the introduction of technology, home builders’ lives have been made a lot easier, as they can now create and edit plans on their tablets (e.g., iPads) within seconds. Whether it’s in 2D or 3D format, it’s very easy.
To get started, check out this floor plan creator – it’s essential for all current and prospective home builders.
2. Study for a Degree
The housebuilding industry is an interesting one. Some workers have zero educational experience, while others have single or even multiple degrees.
If you’re looking for the best possible career opportunities, then it’s generally recommended that you get a degree in your desired field. When it comes to the construction industry, you have several different choices regarding this. Some examples include:
- Construction
- Architecture
- Structural Engineering
- Project Management
- Sustainable Development
Typically, you will have to study for 3-5 years to complete your degree. If you decide to study a post-graduate degree after finishing (such as a Master’s Degree), you will be in education for even longer.
However, despite how long your education journey might be, the pay-off will be worth it in the end. Plus, most people who have the goal to enter the housebuilding industry will also get practical experience while studying for their degrees, which we will discuss next.
3. Get Experience in Construction
If possible, it’s highly recommended that you get experience within the world of construction; whether it’s working on a construction yard on a part-time basis or helping with administrative tasks in the office. The more experience you get (especially with your hands), the better.
Ideally, you should be looking to gain experience with self-employed home builders or established companies. Although you might be limited with what you can do, it’s still a great idea to shadow industry professionals to get a genuine feel for day-to-day work. Plus, if you manage to impress them, they might reserve a role for you for when you graduate!
4. Become Knowledge About Building Codes and Ethics
The construction industry is no different from any other industry – there are lots of different codes and ethics you must abide by. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as homes must be built safely and with care. Otherwise, the residents will be put at risk.
As a starting point, it’s important to boost your knowledge on building and safety codes within your specific area (as these can vary from state to state). Also, you need to familiarize yourself with quality standards to ensure that you don’t encounter any complaints or legal problems further down the line.
5. Provide Customers with Incentives
As you will learn through education and experience, customers are key in the world of homebuilding. Sometimes, customers can be hard to obtain, while at other times, they can be tricky and difficult to deal with.
Generally, if you want to be successful, you need to provide them with incentives. From affordable payment deals to energy-saving improvements, you can use lots of different incentives to get customers on board.
Remember, once you start to build a healthy and respectable client base, your reputation within the industry will start to skyrocket – which means you’ll experience some much-needed word-of-mouth marketing.
6. Be Physically Prepared
Make no doubt about it; building and designing homes can be a physically challenging job, especially when tackling multiple projects every month.
Therefore, you need to be physically prepared for the role. Otherwise, you will become physically burnt out and will ultimately end up wishing you never entered the industry in the first place. Not to mention, you’ll also run the risk of injuring yourself, which is a nightmare you don’t want to become a reality.
With this in mind, make sure to eat and drink healthily. Also, you should follow a strict exercise schedule to ensure that your muscles and joints remain in top condition.
7. Practice Your Time Management Skills
One of the most challenging parts of being a home builder is time management.
When you undertake several different projects at once, customers will expect you to complete them on time. Failure to reach deadlines can lead to all sorts of problems, from a tarnished reputation to financial disputes.
So, the solution is to practice your time management skills and use technology as an aide. Nowadays, most builders and contractors use daily scheduling apps to keep track of projects and get reminders. This way, mistakes get eliminated, and projects get completed on time.
8. Lastly, Get Extra Certifications for a Career Boost
Last but not least, you can get extra certifications. This is the perfect option for builders who want to broaden their skillsets and experience a career boost.
For example, lots of builders are now studying for certificates in green energy. Climate change is a big global topic, and homeowners want to start using renewable energy and solutions, so this is a smart move to make.