Custom Home Construction
Key Advantages to Building a Custom Home
Tailored Design
Create a layout that fits your lifestyle, from open-concept spaces to dedicated rooms for specific needs.
Choice of Location
Select the perfect lot in the area you prefer, whether it’s a quiet rural setting or a vibrant urban neighborhood.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
Decide whether to create a high-performance home and determine the level of performance that suits your needs.
Higher Quality
Choose materials and finishes that align with your vision and ensure the durability and quality of your home.
Build a Healthier Home
Partner with a home builder who prioritizes high standards for better indoor air quality and overall wellness for your family.
Planning & Preparation
Create a Vision Board
Start by having a clear understanding of what you’re aiming for in your dream home. If putting it into words feels challenging, let pictures do the talking. A great way to express your vision is by gathering images of features you love in other homes. Browse Pinterest, conduct Google searches, or explore other platforms to find inspiration. Collect photos that reflect your ideal design, layout, and style—these visuals will help articulate your vision.
Next, take the time to evaluate your needs, wants, and must-haves. While perfection may be unattainable, ensuring your non-negotiables are met is crucial. Think about layout preferences, the number of bedrooms, your preferred style, and any unique features you want to include.
Also, look beyond your current situation and plan for the future. Consider how your family’s needs might evolve. Do you need space for a growing family or areas where kids can play? Are you planning to entertain guests regularly, and if so, how many? Are you taking up a hobby like woodworking that requires dedicated space?
Ultimately, take a comprehensive look at your current and future lifestyle to determine the key elements that will shape the construction of your dream home. This thoughtful planning will ensure your home not only suits your needs today but also grows with you over time.
Budget Appropriately
Establishing a realistic budget is a crucial step in the process. Failing to align your budget with your goals for the home can lead to significant headaches and challenges throughout the journey.
Essential Budget Considerations for Custom Home Construction
Land Purchase & Development
Purchasing land is a crucial step, but it's equally important to plan for its development. Each site comes with unique requirements, including the property's size, the extent of tree clearing, the necessary grading to prepare the soil, and the installation of utilities.
Home Design & Planning
Architecture
Custom home construction can involve both designing plans from scratch, or working with pre-made plans and making modifications to them. Either way, there will be a cost to work with an architect to draw up plans and make modifications to them.
Structural, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering
Engineering costs are another critical factor to consider in the construction process. These expenses cover structural engineering to ensure the home's stability and safety, civil engineering to address land grading, drainage, and site planning, and mechanical engineering for systems like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical layouts. Each aspect is essential for creating a home that is not only functional but also meets all safety and building code requirements.
Interior Design
Interior design is another important aspect that shouldn't be overlooked. Selecting materials, finishes, and furniture to decorate your home is a crucial process that you may prefer to entrust to a professional.
Change Orders & Contingency Fund
Budgeting for change orders is essential, as unexpected adjustments can arise during construction. Setting aside a contingency fund helps cover these costs without disrupting the project. The type of contract you choose—such as fixed-price or cost-plus—also plays a significant role, as it determines how change orders are handled and billed, impacting your overall budget.
Setting aside 10-20% of your total construction budget as a contingency fund is highly recommended to account for unforeseen expenses or changes during the project. Building a custom home is a complex endeavor, and even with excellent project management, unexpected challenges can arise that are beyond your or your builder's control.
Additional Considerations
- Sheds or detached garage
- Fencing around the property
- Additional Driveways or walkways
- Homeowner's Insurance
- Cost of utilities during construction
Assemble Your Team
Assembling a team for building a custom home is one of the most critical steps in turning your dream residence into reality. Partnering with an experienced team ensures you benefit from professionals who have established relationships with reliable subcontractors, suppliers, and inspectors. They rely on tried-and-tested processes, refined over numerous projects and continually improved to ensure the construction process runs as smoothly as possible. While it may be tempting to prioritize cost when selecting your team, it’s essential to remember that cheaper is not always better. Sometimes, investing a little more to hire the right person for the job ensures the work is done correctly and to the highest standard. Building a custom home is likely the largest single investment you’ll make in your life, and having the right team in place safeguards that investment and brings your vision to life with confidence.
The builder is the cornerstone of any high-end custom home project. A great builder often comes with an established network of trusted professionals they’ve built strong working relationships with over time. This network can include reliable subcontractors, skilled tradespeople, realtors, lenders, interior designers, architects, and engineers, all carefully selected to fit the unique needs of your project. Builders who are actively engaged in the industry are more likely to have these connections, ensuring a seamless, turn-key process. By choosing the right builder, you’re not just hiring someone to construct your home—you’re gaining a team of experts dedicated to turning your vision into reality.
Realtor
A skilled realtor plays a crucial role in helping you find the perfect piece of land to build your custom home. The right realtor should have extensive experience with land transactions and be well-versed in zoning laws, access rights, building restrictions, utility availability, surrounding development plans, easements, and environmental concerns. They should also determine if the land is buildable, uncover its history, and negotiate a fair price. All this research should be completed before putting an offer on the land to save you from potential headaches later.
Once you’re serious about a piece of land, it’s essential to involve your builder in the process. A knowledgeable builder can assess the land’s topography, provide insights into foundation options, and determine the ideal orientation of your home to optimize passive solar heat gain. They can also estimate the costs of preparing the land, including clearing, bringing in utilities, and installing a septic system if necessary. Together, your realtor and builder ensure the land is a sound investment and ready to support your dream home.
Lender
Having the right lender is critical when building a custom home, as construction loans are often complex and require flexibility. Custom home construction projects frequently involve changes, such as requested change orders or fluctuating material costs, which can impact the loan and overall budget. A knowledgeable lender can provide clear transparency about loan terms, ensuring you understand the financial commitments upfront. They can also offer valuable guidance to help you avoid common financial pitfalls and adjust to changes throughout the project without unexpected surprises. With the right lender, you’ll have the support needed for a smooth and adaptable journey to building your dream home.