1. Plan
2. Manage
3. Resale

The right and proper execution of these three areas will make you more money that if you do it wrong! So, do the job right, come out on top, and enjoy the savings you will get as a result.

When it comes to the rules of the job that make money, planning is your number one. It is your number one reason you will make money because planning well reduces the cost of construction. Cost reduction is great! If you pay less you inevitably make more.

Where do you start the planning stage of construction? You should start your planning off by accumulating lots and lots of ideas: Your life will give you key ideas for your home. If you notice an area of your life that could be improved, put the suggestions in an idea file. Then when you build your house you can incorporate those ideas into the house. For example, if your laundry room is in the basement and you hate carrying your laundry from your master bedroom to the laundry room, consider putting a laundry shoot in your next house. Chances are if there is something that makes your life more comfortable, it will make someone else's life more comfortable too, so it not only makes you happy, it increases your resale value. That is a big plus!

When you plan your house, a great way to make sure you think of everything you could possibly want, is to visit other homes that are in the same league as the house you intend to build. Go through these houses, and make lists of what you like about other homes that you see. Then, get input from subs to help clarify costs, if it fits your budget that is great, if it doesn't, often times a sub can give you a great alternative that does.

In summary, create a list for your plans that include 3 areas:

1. What is crucial to what you need: in other words,

if you can't live without it, you better make sure you get it in your house, so put it on the list for must haves.

2. What will help resale,

so you will add it if cost is not too high: basically this means you don't care too much about it, but from your visits to other homes or from current surveys and trends from notable organizations like NAHB, you noticed something is quite the popular feature, so if you did have it, it would likely increase your resale value, so if you have the money to do it, you will. Put this on the if I have money I will do it list.

3. Personal preferences

(cost allowing features): all those little added bonuses that you will give yourself if you can be frugal enough throughout the process to fit them into your budget, so this is the if I come in under budget I can add these little extras.