When you first start thinking about your home budget, remember to factor in the cost associated with preparing the site for building. Research what building permits you’ll need and the costs to obtain them. Remember to see if the lot is piped into the sewage and hooked up to the water and power grids. It’s considerably less expensive to install the utilities already stubbed into the site, rather than digging all the way to the street to make a connection.

Remember that a site with lots of trees also means at least some tree removal, which can be expensive and should be counted into the budget. And always insist on having soil tests done before you commit to any location. Finding out during construction that your site stands on bedrock will throw you off budget, especially if you need to pick a new location.