Mistakes when building a house: the 5 most costly ones in Criciúma

Updated on 07/06/2026 by EZA Engenharia

Mistakes when building a house almost never show up on the day the keys are handed over. They are born earlier, in the first weeks of planning, when the dream of your own home is still just a design on paper. In more than 35 years building high-end residences in Criciúma and the region, EZA Engenharia has seen up close what separates a smooth project from one that becomes a source of stress and loss. Here we have gathered the five mistakes that most often come up along the way and how to get around each of them.

Mistake 1: a poorly done budget from the start

The first of the mistakes when building a house happens before the first brick is laid: an overly optimistic budget, closed without looking at all the stages of the project. Many people calculate structure and masonry and stop there, forgetting items that truly weigh on the wallet, such as window and door frames, installations, landscaping and the high-end finishes that make the difference in the final result.

This slip creates two problems in a chain. Either the project stops halfway for lack of funds, or the owner agrees to cut quality on important points just to make the numbers add up. Neither scenario makes sense for someone investing in a home designed to last for decades.

• Always allow a safety margin over the estimated amount, for unforeseen ground conditions and market adjustments
• Ask for a detailed quote by stage, not just a global figure
• Include items such as interior design, automation and landscaping from the start, even if they are contracted later

Mistake 2: skipping or oversimplifying the design

Skipping design stages to save time or a few reais is one of the mistakes when building a house that charges you the most later on. Without a complete architectural design, structural design and complementary designs well coordinated with one another, the project moves forward by improvisation. And improvisation on a construction site, sooner or later, becomes rework.

In high-end houses this stage weighs even more. Distinctive ceiling heights, large spans, integrated spaces and special finishes require precise structural calculation and coordination between plumbing, electrical and climate control before execution, never during.

• A complete design prevents a wall from having to be broken later to run piping
• Coordinating the different projects reduces waste of material and labor
• A good detailed design is also the basis of a budget you can trust

Mistake 3: choosing the construction company or the professional by the lowest price

Comparing only the final price of the proposal is a classic mistake, the kind we have seen repeated for decades. A proposal well below the others almost always hides something that was left out, whether material specification, qualified labor or a margin for unforeseen events. The result shows up months later, in the form of a contract amendment or a finish that does not deliver the promised durability.

In Criciúma and neighboring cities such as Içara, Forquilhinha, Nova Veneza, Cocal do Sul and Balneário Rincão, the construction market brings together companies of very different sizes and experience. It is worth looking at the portfolio of delivered projects, the time in business and whether the company has in-house engineering, not just the number at the bottom of the quote.

• Ask for references from completed projects and, if possible, visit one in person
• Check whether the company has a registered technical lead and in-house engineering
• Be wary of proposals that stand out sharply from the rest, whether higher or lower

Mistake 4: lack of professional project management

Many owners try to run the project themselves, hiring mason, electrician and plumber separately, hoping to save on management. In practice, without a technical person coordinating the schedule, purchasing and the quality of execution, it is common to lose money to delays, rework and teams that do not communicate with each other.

Professional management means having someone in charge closely following each stage, validating what was executed before releasing the next phase and solving land or material supply problems before they turn into delays on the project.

• A physical-financial schedule closely tracked avoids surprises in cash flow
• Constant technical oversight reduces execution errors that only show up years later
• Having a single person responsible from design to handover makes communication and decision-making easier

Mistake 5: confusing a construction company with a real-estate developer when hiring

There is often confusion between a construction company and a real-estate developer, and this tends to create the wrong expectation about the service contracted. The real-estate developer usually buys the land, develops a project and sells the units finished or off-plan, often without the buyer taking part in the design decisions.

A construction company, on the other hand, as is the case with EZA Engenharia, works on demand. It accompanies the client from the conception of the project to the delivery of the work, with the home designed specifically for that lot, that family, and that way of living. For those who want a truly custom residence in Criciúma and the surrounding region, hiring a construction company with in-house engineering tends to be the safest path, because it guarantees control over every technical and aesthetic decision in the project.

None of these mistakes is a certain fate. With serious planning, a realistic budget and a technical team that takes on the project from start to finish, your high-end house comes off the page without becoming a headache. EZA Engenharia has been building in Criciúma and the surrounding region for more than 35 years, with in-house engineering and complete monitoring, from the design to the finishing. Talk to our team on WhatsApp (48) 99191-2018 or by e-mail at [email protected] and find out how to plan your made-to-measure residence without falling into the most common pitfalls of the construction industry.