Checklist before building a high-end house

Updated on 07/06/2026 by EZA Engenharia

Every checklist before building a house starts well before the first brick. It starts with choosing the lot and organizing the budget, long before any wall leaves the drawing board. In more than 35 years building high-end residences in Criciúma and its region, EZA Engenharia has learned that the smoothest projects are never the most expensive ones, they are the best planned. This guide brings together, in a practical order, the steps that truly make the difference between a project that flows and a project full of nasty surprises. Use it as a roadmap to prepare before sitting down with architects, engineers and the chosen construction company.

1. The lot: the foundation of the whole checklist before building a house

No item on this checklist before building a house matters more than choosing and analyzing the lot. A well-located plot with problematic soil, a steep slope, or environmental restrictions can turn a simple project into an expensive one. Before closing the deal, investigate the topography, the soil type, and the lot's sun exposure. These three factors directly influence how the house is sited and the cost of the foundation, and no one wants to find that out after signing the deed.

In sought-after neighborhoods of Criciúma, Içara and Balneário Rincão, it's common to find lots with slopes, proximity to springs or sandy soils that call for specific engineering solutions. EZA always recommends a technical visit to the lot before the purchase. Many buyers skip this step and end up paying dearly later, whether in reinforced foundations or in earthworks no one had foreseen.

• Check the property's documentation (up-to-date title, absence of pending issues and liens)
• Confirm the zoning and urban planning indices with the city hall
• Assess the topography and soil type, if possible with a soil survey
• Observe the solar orientation and the prevailing winds of the region

2. Realistic budget: how much it costs to build a high-end house

Setting the budget seriously is another pillar of the checklist before building a house, perhaps the most delicate one. There is no fixed price per square meter that works for everyone: the final cost depends on the finishing standard, the complexity of the project, the terrain's topography and the specifications of frames, finishes and building systems. That is why EZA works with investment ranges and a detailed budget upon request, always after understanding the family's program of requirements.

A common mistake is to consider only the cost of the construction itself and forget approval fees, water and power connections, landscaping, furnishings and a reserve for unforeseen events. Sound financial planning sets aside between 10 and 15 percent of the total budget as a safety margin. It sounds conservative, but it is exactly what keeps the project from stalling halfway through for lack of cash.

• Break the budget into stages: lot, design, construction, finishing and landscaping
• Include city hall fees, utility connections and documentation in the calculation
• Set aside a margin for the unexpected, even with detailed planning
• Request a quote based on your actual project, not on generic averages

3. Design and choosing the construction company: decisions that go together

Many people separate the architectural design stage from choosing the construction company, and that is one of the most expensive mistakes we have seen in this type of project. When the construction company comes in from the start, side by side with the architect, the project is born designed to be viable in execution, with the engineering aligned to the design rather than fighting it. EZA has worked this way for more than 35 years: from design to execution, with a single team answering for the final result.

Here it helps to understand the difference between a construction company and a real-estate developer. The real-estate developer usually launches projects for sale, often still on the blueprint, to several different buyers. The construction company, like EZA, delivers the project made-to-measure for the client, with a custom design and technical oversight from start to finish. For anyone who wants a one-of-a-kind residence, and not a standardized property, hiring a construction company specialized in high-end work changes everything.

• Check the portfolio of delivered projects and visit finished residences, if possible
• Ask how many years the company has been operating in the region
• Check whether the construction company has in-house engineering or outsources execution
• Understand clearly whether you are hiring a construction company or a real-estate developer

4. Documentation and approvals before starting the project

No checklist before building a house is complete without the documentation stage, however bureaucratic it may seem. In Criciúma and neighboring municipalities such as Forquilhinha, Nova Veneza and Cocal do Sul, the project must be approved by the city hall before the foundations begin, with the ART or RRT of the technical managers duly registered. Skipping or rushing this stage brings the risk of a work-stoppage order, fines and, in extreme cases, even demolition.

Beyond the approval of the architectural design, you need to arrange the building permit, temporary water and power connections for the site and, depending on the scale of the project, environmental licenses when the land is near preservation areas. EZA handles all of this together with the client, which reduces waiting time and avoids processing errors that delay everything.

• Building permit approved before the project begins
• ART or RRT of the responsible architect and engineer
• Temporary water and power connections for the site
• Environmental permits when applicable to the site

5. Schedule: from foundation to handover of keys

Having a realistic schedule is the last major item on the checklist before building a house, and perhaps the one that brings the most peace of mind to the family. High-end projects go through well-defined stages: foundation, structure, masonry, installations, finishes, frames and final finishing. Each phase has its own timing, and trying to speed up stages to gain time almost always costs quality down the line.

Projects like Residence V.S in Criciúma and Residence A.F in Balneário Rincão, delivered by EZA, illustrate this well: a schedule well defined from the start, with clear monitoring milestones, is what guarantees predictability of both timeline and cost. Requesting a detailed schedule broken down by stages before signing the contract is a practice every high-end client should adopt, without exception.

• Ask for a schedule broken down by construction stages, not just a final date
• Arrange periodic check-in points with the construction company
• Consider the region's seasonal climate when planning the exterior stages
• Align in advance the manufacturing timelines for frames and made-to-measure items

Going through this checklist before building a house does not eliminate surprises, but it drastically reduces them. Each plot has its history and each family has its priorities, and that is why a technical conversation is worth more than any ready-made list. For more than 35 years EZA Engenharia has accompanied residents of Criciúma, Içara, Forquilhinha, Nova Veneza, Cocal do Sul and Balneário Rincão from the first sketch to the handover of the keys, with in-house engineering and premium finishing from start to finish. Whether you already have a plot in hand or are still weighing options, talk to EZA on WhatsApp (48) 99191-2018 or by e-mail at [email protected] and receive technical guidance with no commitment.