photography by Lisa Russman

Building your dream home in New Jersey is a fun and exciting process. It’s also stressful, long, and sometimes tedious, but when your entire family is happy with the finished product, it is definitely worth it. You may not even be aware that there is an entire team of people dedicated to making your dreams come true. 

Whether this is your first home or you are an old pro, it can be beneficial to know all of the roles and responsibilities of the various people on your team. While not every home project will include all of these roles, knowing they exist can help you determine if you need additional support on your side. 

The Architect

Your residential architect is the person who designs and creates construction plans for your home. They work with you to evaluate your site and translate what you want and need into a preliminary design. Working within your constraints for house building costs, they will help you craft your construction budget, including the overall cost of ownership, including taxes, maintenance, and upkeep. 

Once you have approved the design, the architect then translates this into schematics for your contractor and other construction professionals. This process includes hiring necessary specialists, such as engineers, consultants, and surveyors, to ensure that your design can be built safely and effectively. Your architect becomes the final authority on your home’s design before taking it before your local board for approval. 

The detailed drawings generated are then used to garner bids from construction professionals who will later construct your home. The architect then takes on the role of a project manager, overseeing the building of your home from start to finish. He will coordinate with the rest of the team to ensure completion and adherence to your budget. 

Lenders

This part of your team focuses on making sure you have the money you need, when you need it, to keep your construction project moving forward. They may help you with financing for your lot, house, or both. They can also assist you with building a house budget for now as well as once construction is complete. 

Engineers

Depending on the complexity of your build, you may have more than one type of engineer who needs to be a part of your team. Structural engineers, civil engineers, and others are your logistics gurus, making sure that everything will work and that safety is a top priority. Engineers are there to assess any limitations that might be a part of your home’s design and make sure that your finished house is structurally sound and meets local building codes. 

The Contractor

Contractors or home builders in NJ will coordinate with the architect to manage the actual building of your home. They will monitor safety, hire subcontractors, assess job completion and quality, and communicate with the rest of the team about problems, change-orders, and provide solutions or coordinate with the engineer when necessary. 

Subcontractors

These are tradespeople who specialize in various systems, materials, or processes that are needed to finish your home. These include plumbing, electrical, HVAC, landscape, and finish carpentry specialists, to name a few. They report to the contractor and architect. 

Inspectors

At various stages in your construction process, inspectors will need to ensure that your home meets local requirements. Building inspectors make visits to your site, sign off on required paperwork, and control whether you can continue building. Your contractor or architect will schedule all inspections with your town’s inspector to keep your build on schedule. 

You have a lot of people to help you during your home construction process. Be sure to ask for help whenever you need it. These people are here to help you and support you every step of the way during the construction of your house. 

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