Prefab Versus New Build: Why You Might Want a Newly Built Home

a dining table and chairs in a room with a window

Being able to call something your own is something that many people strive for. Homeownership is something that falls underneath this umbrella and represents many different things for people. Owning a home provides a family with a stable place to set roots down and live. Homeownership is also a great way to build wealth, as the house builds value over the years.

Homes are continuing to be sold, reaching a total of 6 million sold in 2019 in the United States alone. In this same year, the construction of new residential homes totaled 1,343,000 at the end of October. Though the numbers show a decrease to 4.8 million for total homes sold by the end of 2020, the desire for homeownership shows no signs of abating. When choosing to own a home most people have a choice between choosing an already built home or going through the new construction of a home. Below are a few reasons why you might want to build a new home.

You have a blank slate to build on.

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When you reach the point of becoming a homeowner, you might have a desire to build your dream home from the ground up. This will be a location which you will put a lot of money and love into, so why not make it something which you’ll enjoy for years to come? When you purchase a home that has already been built, you don’t get the opportunity of a blank slate.

As the homeowner who’s investing in the property, you can have the home built to your specifications and desires. If you want a screened-in deck for the backyard, and the budget allows, discuss it with your contractor. If you want a skylight added to a kitchen nook, you can get it added to your newly built home. The other thing to consider is that if you move into a location that is already built, any changes you make to the house can result in costly renovations. Having these additions done at the beginning can ensure that you won’t have to pay extra money to get the home which you want.

In some cases, there are certain construction “musts” that will have to take place, no matter what your “dream house” desires are. This might be the only pushback that you’ll receive when planning on your “new house” blank slate. For instance, certain plumbing services are vital for new construction projects. Say there’s a chance that an indoor plumbing system that runs to an outdoor sewer line might interfere with your new home construction. In a case like this, it might be best to acquiesce to an experienced plumber or contractor and let that construction desire/ want go for the sake of having a safe and sound home built. While it’s crucial that you explain your wishes to your contractor, when it comes to making the right choice for technical items like plumbing, it’s a good idea to heed the advice of the plumber with whom your contractor is consulting.

Newer homes offer better air quality.

When you go through the new construction of a home you are improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your house. If you can understand and control common contaminants that can find their way indoors, this can help to reduce your risk of indoor health concerns. Such health concerns include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. They also include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. For people with existing health problems or a poor medical history, it helps to have the best IAQ possible.

For adults, these serious health problems which result from poor IAQ can definitely be concerning, but imagine how it could affect a child. For example, say that you are a newlywed, and you’re ready to purchase a new home. Let’s say you’re also ready to have children and want to raise them in a newly purchased home. What you should consider before getting pregnant during such a situation is how the air quality of a home that you’re purchasing might affect your pregnant wife’s health conditions, and newborn. To subject pregnant women to poor IAQ can be just as bad as subjecting them to secondhand smoke in some cases. You don’t want to add any health problems to the first-time mother and ensure that she has a healthy pregnancy. Just as any pregnant woman would make sure to take a multivitamin with folic acid, avoid alcohol, and get regular checkups, you need to make sure the IAQ in your new home is safe to avoid exposure to toxins.