How To Build A House: Getting The Contractors Lined Up Ep 12

Summary

In this video, Roman Lucha provides step-by-step guidance on the initial stages of building a house. He emphasizes the importance of securing building permits, contacting an excavator and forming company, and working with a surveyor to mark excavation points. Lucha also stresses the need for builder’s risk insurance before any digging starts. Additionally, he explains the roles of the gas and hydro companies in determining utility placements. This video is a practical guide for anyone preparing to break ground on a construction project.

Takeaways

• 📜 Secure all necessary building permits from the city before proceeding.
• 📞 Call the excavator and forming company to schedule them once you have the permits.
• 📏 Before excavation, have a surveyor do an outside pinning of the excavation site to mark where the basement will be dug.
• 📐 The surveyor will mark the corners of the plot and the height of the footing for the excavator to follow.
• 🚜 Once the excavation is complete, call the surveyor again to do an inside pinning to mark the placement of the basement walls.
• 🏗️ The inside pinning ensures the concrete forming company knows exactly where to place walls and footings, and checks the elevation.
• 🔒 Before excavation, notify your insurance company and secure a builder’s risk insurance package for liability and coverage during construction.
• 💧 The builder’s risk insurance should cover damages like theft, fire, flooding, and accidents.
• 💡 Contact the gas and hydro companies for layout planning, determining where the utilities and meters will be placed on the property.
• 🏡 For cost efficiency, consider placing the hydro meter on the house side instead of the garage side.

Q & A

What should be done after obtaining the building permits from the city?

After obtaining the building permits, you need to call your excavator and forming company to get them lined up. Also, contact your surveyor to do an outside pinning of the excavation.

What is the purpose of outside pinning in the construction process?

Outside pinning involves the surveyor placing stakes at the corners of the site and marking the elevation. This shows the excavator where to dig the basement and ensures that the excavation aligns with the plot plan.

Why is it important to mark the elevation for the excavator?

Marking the elevation ensures that the excavator knows how deep to dig for the basement, following the precise measurements in the plot plan.

What should be done once the excavator has dug the basement?

After the basement is dug, you need to call the surveyor again to perform inside pinning. This helps the concrete forming company know exactly where to place the walls and footings.

What does inside pinning involve?

Inside pinning is when the surveyor places pins in the corners of the basement to guide the concrete forming company in placing the walls and footings accurately.

Why does the surveyor need to double-check the basement's elevation?

The surveyor double-checks the basement’s elevation to ensure it conforms to the plot plan, ensuring the heights and dimensions are correct.

When should the insurance company be contacted, and why?

Before excavation begins, the insurance company should be contacted to set up a builder's risk insurance policy. This covers damages, liabilities, theft, fire, and flood risks during construction.

What does builder's risk insurance typically cover?

Builder's risk insurance covers damage, liability, theft, fire, and flood risks that might occur during the construction process.

What role do the gas and hydro companies play in the construction process?

The gas and hydro companies come to the site to do a layout, showing where the gas lines and electrical meters will be placed. You can often decide which side of the house these will go on.

Why is it preferable to place the meters on the house side rather than the garage side?

It is generally more cost-effective to place the meters on the house side rather than the garage side, as placing them on the garage side may incur additional costs.