8 Steps to Build Your Home in Otter Tail County
By Your Inner Otter
You’re ready to make the move to lakes country and want to build your dream home. Building a home can feel like a big undertaking, but when you know some of the locals that will help through every step in the process, it seems much easier. Let’s walk through 8 steps to build your home in Otter Tail County.
1. Financing & Purchasing a Lot
There’s a wide range of lot choices available in Otter Tail County from rural acreage to new subdivisions in growing communities. Our real estate partners can help you find the perfect spot to call home. During your search, take into consideration location, elevation, water and sewage sources, internet availability, and city/county guidelines.
Once you’ve found the lot, the next question is how you’ll finance your home. Depending on what community you’re closest to, we’d recommend several local banks that can talk through construction loans and other financial support.
- 1st National Bank in Battle Lake, Henning, and Ottertail
- United Community Bank in Perham, Dent, and Frazee
- Farmers & Merchants State Bank in New York Mills
- Vergas State Bank in Vergas
Keep in mind that Otter Tail County and several cities offer incentives and support to build your new home. The County’s Big Build Initiative offers a property tax refund of up to $15,000 when you build a new house and up to $10,000 of down payment assistance.
2. Selecting a House Plan & Builder
The next step is where you really get to use your imagination to design or select a house plan. You’ll decide whether to hire an architect or use a designer from the builder or lumberyard you work with. We’d recommend:
- Hilltop Lumber in Ottertail
- Everts Lumber in Battle Lake
- Franklin Fence Company in Vergas.
Try to visualize yourself in the home and think about which rooms you’ll use most and whether the size of the rooms is important to you. Your designer can help you visualize with a 3D plan.
Then, choosing your builder and general contractor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Ask the builders you’re considering for references and contact those references to ask if they would use the builder again. Ask questions like:
- How are subcontractors chosen?
- Can I get all estimates in writing?
- Can I get a specific schedule that lays out each step of the process and when I’m required to make specific decisions along the way?
- What is my role as the homeowner in permit applications and what’s your role as the builder?
3. Preparing the Construction Site
Getting your lot ready for construction is next. If your lot is outside city limits, you’ll work with a septic system installer and Otter Tail County’s Land and Resource department to design, apply for permits, and install your septic system.
Other things to consider when preparing for construction include any grading that needs to be done, the number of trees to be taken down, how to protect from water damage, and where the gas and utility lines will be located. Here are a few local partners that we’d recommend working with at this stage.
4. Start Construction
You’re ready to build! At this stage the foundation gets poured, framing starts, windows and doors are put in, and then roofing and siding get going. It’s important to make good selections for your windows to ensure energy efficiency and be prepared for all the different types of weather we experience in lakes country. Local Fergus Falls window manufacturer, Vector Windows, is highly recommended and even better, you support the local economy when you buy from them.
When you’re making final buying decisions for materials at this stage consider cost, colors, maintenance, and climate.
5. Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC & Insulation
Now you can think about the inside of your home. Be sure to have discussions with the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and insulation subcontractors early in the process. All Seasons Heating and Cooling is one local business we’d highly recommend for their great service and expert team members. Things to consider at this stage include:
- Type of piping for the plumbing
- Outside plumbing outlets for hoses and gardening
- Outside electrical outlets for landscaping, seasonal decorations, and outdoor entertainment
- Inside electrical outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, and closets
- Location of heating and cooling vents for furniture placement and room layout
6. Interior Fixtures
We’re getting to the smaller details now. When the drywall is finished, decisions about trim and painting can be made. When choosing flooring, countertops, and cabinets lifestyle plays a key role when considering the size of your family, the number of pets, and the time spent in the kitchen. You can make a swatch sample book of paint colors, trim, flooring, and countertops to keep for future design purchases. Fergus Home and Hardware, Fleet Farm, Mark’s Home and More, Jaeger Furniture, and Seland’s Abbey Flooring are all good partners that would be happy to help you during this step.
7. Exterior & Landscaping
Back outside! Wrap up the final details for any grading that needs to be done for landscaping and around the HVAC units. If you haven’t thought too much about landscaping yet, this stage would be a great time to get in touch with Precision Landscaping in Ottertail to put together a plan to beautify the front and back yard of your new home.
8. Final Walk-Through and Move In
You’re almost there! Schedule a final walk-through with your builder and be as thorough as possible. Take your time and don’t hesitate to bring up questions or issues that your builder may not think are important. Maintain a running list throughout the build of any and all questions. During the walk-through, follow up on these questions and get in writing when all final details will be wrapped up. And finally, it’s time to move in and start living your best life here in your new home in Otter Tail County!
