The Building Process

Many people who are thinking about building a custom home have no idea where to start...or they are intimidated by the whole process.  We understand this anxiety, because a home is your most important investment and you want to make the right decisions quickly and effectively. Don't feel as though you must have a clear direction right away. There are many things to take into consideration at the start of your home building journey: budget, style, design, location, and which builder to work with.  Give us a call, we'll guide you with what you need to start thinking about first...and one by one, things will fall into place, and you'll have a clear vision of your goal in sight!

Some preliminary things to start thinking about:

• Finding a lot on which to build...this can be tough sometimes, but we can help!
• Determining your style...it doesn't have to be a strict description, just a rough idea.
• Approximate budget
• What details you would love to include in your new home (likes/dislikes)

Again, don't panic if these are things that you cannot answer at this point...you don't need to have all the answers before you start.  We can point you in the right direction!

Tips:

A few tips that we have gathered over the years can be very helpful for people at the start of the building process...or even just considering it!

• Don't get "Inspiration Overload"  In the days of Houzz and Pinterest, people can get overwhelmed with "inspiration."  Unless you are building at 20,000 sq ft house with 15 bathrooms, most of your inspirational ideas will probably never get used.  That's not to say that "inspirational photos" are bad...they are a great tool!  We recommend that you organize them according to room, then go back and compare all your kitchen photos, for instance.  Most of the time, the photos will have a feature or trait in common.  For example, you notice most of your kitchen inspiration photos are white cabinetry with black pendant lights, or lots of windows, or extra seating.  This helps you realize the one or two things that probably drew you to that photo in the first place!  Now you've zeroed in on the things you should think about designing into your new home. This process brings to the surface the true style that appeals to you...and makes your inspirational photos a little more manageable and useful!

• "Dislikes" are important too!  We have found that it can actually help to have a list of "things" you dislike in your current setup, or even just other houses you see.  Keeping a small list of things you'd like to avoid or improve upon can help tremendously. 

• Lifestyle Main Points  At the start of any project, it's always imperative to think about your lifestyle.  What must your new home have to be a comfortable and successful space for your life?  Some things to consider; Kids/no kids, home office, playroom, garages, entertaining...these are all things that must be taken into account to make your home a place you can be comfortable in for many years to come!

• Don't get overwhelmed We give you a clear schedule of what decisions need to be made, and when.  This gives you plenty of time to work through your choices and make the right selection.