5 Quick Tips About Building A Custom Home

Building a home is no easy feat. While many successful community builders believe in land banking, there are still tens of thousands of families that will one day call a new custom home their own. Whether you’re building your dream house or just need to build something functional for your family, take into account these five helpful tips when constructing your home!

Know The Lay Of The Land

Is there already an existing structure? Will you be moving onto an empty site? Perhaps even staying on top of pre-existing infrastructure. Knowing what you have to work with upfront can save years down the line, so it’s important to plan ahead. Are there any environmental issues? Will a site plan need to be altered later for a building permit?

Know What You Want

It’s important to know what you want in a house, and also what it can provide for your lifestyle. Do you have kids or pets running around? If so, think about how many rooms might they need as they grow up. Are you planning on hosting guests often? In that case, is your kitchen space easy enough to maneuver in and out of or do you need more storage? You don’t have to have all of the answers right away, but knowing some basics will help ensure that both the contractor and yourself are moving towards completion of a home that you both love.

Ensure It Fits Your Needs

Once you know what you want, be sure to communicate it with your builder. The devil is in the details, so don’t assume anything! Make a list of must-have features and be as specific as possible. For example, if you plan on growing food in your backyard garden you’ll want to ensure that there’s enough room for a patio and perhaps even some raised beds. If pets are important to you then they might need an outdoor space as well. Communicating needs and wants will save lots of time down the line which leads me into my next tip…

Measure Twice, Cut Once

I can’t stress one enough! You may think that building a house is like putting together an IKEA shelf, but if you’ve never done it before then trust us, it’s not; and even experienced builders can make mistakes. As you’re planning your floor plan may want to make small scale mock ups or even go as far as 3D blueprints. 

Be Patient

Building a new home takes time, so don’t be discouraged if it’s taking longer than expected. Your home will only ever truly feel finished when you own it at the end of the day, so enjoy the process! Be sure that your communication throughout the process with your contractor, architect and builders remains positive and encouraging.

Pros Of Custom Built Homes

1. You Can Fully Customize And Personalize Your Home

One of the most significant benefits of custom built homes is the ability to fully customize it to make it truly your own. You can choose whether it will be modern, contemporary, colonial, or Tudor, for example. If you want a ranch-style home, you can add a wrap-around porch, or a Spanish-style home can include an outdoor courtyard.

2. You Can Choose The Highest Quality Materials

If you have a custom home built for you, you have complete control over the materials used, and you can choose only the best and highest quality. Using high-quality materials ensures that your home will stand the test of time and remain beautiful for many years to come. Quality products such as premium sidings with lifetime warranties, insulated concrete forms, and weather protection systems that seal out air and water while allowing your home to breathe are available.

3. Your Maintenance Costs Will Be Reduced

Because everything is new, the maintenance costs for a new home are lower. Furthermore, building your custom home with high-quality materials will save you money on maintenance over time. Quality materials, particularly those with lifetime warranties, will last longer and will not require replacement or repair over time.

Cons Of Custom Built Homes

1. It Will Take Longer Before You Can Move In

When compared to purchasing a pre-built home, it will take longer to move into a custom built home. Because each custom home is unique, it is difficult to provide an exact timeline. It will most likely take at least a year from the time you first decide to build until you are completely moved in.

However, the wait will be well worth it once you have found the perfect home for you and your family. If you buy a pre-built home, you may decide to change some things later on that will end up costing you time and money anyway.

2. It May Cost More Initially

Custom built homes may be more expensive at first, but knowing you’re getting exactly what you want when you build may save you money on costly renovations or repairs later on.

The average cost to build a new house in Canada is about $200 a square foot. This means that the cost of constructing a 2,000 square foot home would be around $400,000. Your costs will rise depending on the lot’s location, the materials used, and the customized extras you include, such as custom cabinetry, built-ins, and other custom interior and exterior features.

3. The Landscaping May Not Be Mature

New construction sites are often devoid of mature trees and shrubs. Trees must sometimes be removed to make way for a new home. You can, however, try to work with your builder to position your home on your lot in order to preserve as much of your existing mature landscape as possible. A cleared lot, on the other hand, allows you to choose the types of trees and plants you want and arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing layout.

4. It May Be More Challenging To Find The Right Location

Building lots in urban areas close to shopping, schools, and other amenities are often difficult to come by. If you are flexible about where you want to live, you might be able to find the most beautiful lot in the country for much less than an urban lot. The additional savings can be used to enhance the beauty of your new custom home.