The Top 8 Things to Ask When Building a Custom Home
Aug 30, 2023
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Buying your first home is an exciting event. The process of being able to design and build a custom home is the next level of excitement and anticipation. Adding features and amenities designed specifically for you and your lifestyle is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Before getting too worked up about this opportunity, consider some essential questions you'll need to ask yourself and your contractor to ensure you get the home you've always dreamed about. Dream big, keep your feet on the ground, and get the information you need as you begin to build your perfect home.
How Much Space Is Needed?
This question takes into account the size of your family, desired layout of your home, and what your home will be used for as the family grows and accommodates children, grandchildren, spouses, etc. While it's not necessary to plan out all of life's activities, a little forethought is needed to make sure that your space continues to work for you as you go through different phases of life.
What Are Your Priorities?
What's most important to include in the home you'll be spending waking and sleeping hours in? Rank the following features from least to most important as you begin to conceptualize your new space:
- Plenty of room and amenities for family members
- A place to entertain family and friends
- Capacity to house multi-generational family members
- Location
- Meeting budget and time constraints
- Elegant, unique design
- Energy saving smart features
- Low maintenance interior and exterior features
- Good return on investment
As you begin to prioritize what is most important to you, the needed features will take center stage. You and your builder can work together to craft a floor design and landscape that are perfect for you and your loved ones.
What Materials Will Be Used?
If you're in the market for a custom-built home, you likely have the budget and options for choosing various construction materials. Your personality style will be reflected in the type of material that you choose for both interior and exterior features. Choosing construction materials and fixtures that you are proud to incorporate into your overall plan will ultimately give you satisfaction as you see your dream take shape.
What Kind of Builder/Contractor Should I Hire?
Even before consulting an architect, it's essential to find a custom home contractor who shares your vision and values for building a quality home. The layout and design of a custom-built home can be fine-tuned using design software, but doing the dirty work is more than a virtual process. You'll need to rely on the integrity and hands-on craftsmanship that the right builder will display time and time again as you peruse completed projects. Choose a contractor that will listen to your desires, and is willing to work with you on a building plan and budget that work for both of you.
What About The Kitchen?
More often, dream kitchens become the central hub of a custom home. Specific amenities and styles are only limited by your imagination and that of your builder. Whether you choose to incorporate multiple stations and a pizza oven or keep it simple with clean fixtures and large, open space, the style of this important room can often set the tone for pulling the rest of your home design together.
How's The Lot?
Looking at a lot for building is every bit as important as choosing building materials. If the soil that you are building on is overloaded with rocks, tree roots, and other hindrances, putting a foundation down can be quite problematic. Over time, you'll see issues such as uneven floors, cracks in the foundation, and water damage that can lead to widespread structural damage. You didn't get into the process of custom home building to have to perform ongoing and excessive maintenance. Make sure the lot you choose for building is healthy and ready to undergo construction.
How Will We Handle Obstacles?
Having a solid working relationship with your builder is key to making sure your dream home takes shape with minimal issues. As with any construction project, however, there will inevitably be obstacles and issues that come up. How you and your team handle them will determine the success or failure of your project. Make sure that you and your project manager see eye to eye on most issues as you begin, and be willing to listen to concerns and work through issues through compromise and trust in the process. While you may have to release a desire or two in favor of construction limitations or budget constraints, the overall theme for you and your crew should be teamwork.
What Will My Project Cost?
Making sure that your builder's budget estimation process is thorough will help you draft an expected cost for your home. A preliminary estimate is based on hard costs and current market pricing for your area. Rural areas might be cheaper, beach condos or houses may be a bit more. It really depends on your needs.
An experienced custom builder will have all sorts of data from which to draw when making these initial estimates, but know that budget will be an ongoing conversation as the two of you work to complete each phase of the project. Have a budget range that you are willing to work within, and make sure this is communicated to your building project manager before work begins.
Let's Break Ground!
Now that you've done your homework, it's time to jump in and experience all the joys--and maybe a few stressors--that come with building your dream home. Embrace the experience, have faith in the process, and continue to refine communication between you and your team so you can turn your blueprints into reality.
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