Many people believe they cannot afford a custom home. The truth is, a custom home can be more affordable than an existing home, and the best part is, it is built exclusively for you. But it must be done with careful planning and research. This guide will help you get the best value when you are building your own home.
- Choose Your Builder Carefully
Ask for referrals of any builders you are considering. Don’t just settle for online referrals—call and speak directly to the person. You want to make sure that referral came from a real person! Look for a builder you feel comfortable with and whom you feel you can trust. They should believe in transparency. You want your builder to treat your relationship as a partnership. They should include you in all decision making and be comfortable showing and explaining all costs to you.
- Know What You’re Getting
Examine all of the services that are included by the homebuilder. Make sure you know what is included and what is extra. Study your budget and scope. Do any expenses lie outside of the scope? Has enough allowance been given for items like fixtures, which can quickly add up? And have a contingency plan for the unexpected. Give yourself about a 10% cushion in your budget. You have the right to question those unexpected costs, but if you’ve done your homework on your builder, you’ve probably found one who is transparent with you about why costs have gone higher, who has partnerships with suppliers to keep costs low and whose decisions you can trust.
- Research, Research, Research
Research custom home designs so you know what you like. Pay attention to the architecture, any small or unique details that stand out, floor plan and interior design. Going into the process knowing what you like (and don’t like) is the best way to prevent making last minute, sometimes more costly decisions on the fly.
- Don’t Sacrifice Quality
Wow factor doesn’t have to be expensive. A good builder has partnerships to give them access to quality materials at a good price. Don’t settle for a builder who cuts corners on quality to save you money.
- Stay On Top of the Job Site
A good builder will stay on top of the job site and make sure there is a synergy between all of the subcontractors. The more smoothly the process flows from one project to the next, the more quickly your home will be completed. There is less lag time, and the process is much more cost-efficient.