Did you know that there are around 180,000 custom housing starts each year in the United States? That’s a whole lot of people who turn their backs on pre-built properties and take on the task of building their own home! And you can’t blame them, either…
After all, the custom home building process gives you complete control of the project. You can take charge of every last detail, incorporate your unique personality into the design, and create the house of your dreams as a result. Are you considering going through this process of building a house and want to know what to expect from start to finish?
Well, you’re in the right place. Today we’re going through the various steps to building a custom home. Check them out!
Ideas and Preparation
The first phase of bringing your dream home to fruition involves:
- Having the idea,
- Delving into its feasibility, and
- Making the necessary financial and practical preparations.
There’s a huge amount to think through! Over the course of days, weeks, or months, you need to figure out the details of the house you want to build (including things like size, location, and style). Speak to your partner, consider your individual needs and desires, and thumb through housing magazines for inspiration.
Then, when you have an idea of how much it might cost, you’ll have to speak with banks and lenders about the financial side of the equation. Assuming you can get the money together, you’ll then have to consult with (and hire) a professional designer, architect, and custom home builder who have the right skills and experience for the task. Only then, with those key factors in place, can you start conceptualizing the design of your custom house.
Finding and Acquiring the Perfect Site
However, it makes sense to find the ideal location and purchase the site before making any design decisions. Why? Because the layout and nature of the plot will have a significant impact on how the house should look!
For example, you might want large windows to capitalize on amazing views and/or the south-facing lot. And, trust us, it’s much easier to design your dream house around the site than it is to find the perfect site to match your chosen design.
To find the best possible place within your budget (and with minimal hassle), we strongly suggest hiring a real estate agent. Their expert local knowledge will be an invaluable asset in your search! They’ll listen to your specific requirements and desires and set out to identify possible locations.
Finalizing the Design
Phase three of the custom home building process is when the fun really starts. You’ve got the financing sorted, you’ve hired the right people for the job, and you’ve acquired a plot of land on which to build. With the figurative foundations in place, you can start designing a home!
It goes without saying that you’ll work closely with your architect and (if you have one) interior designer here. Together, you’ll come up with the most cost-effective way to achieve your vision for the house. You’ll go into detail about the floor plan, the layout, and the specific design features and elements until everyone’s satisfied with the best way forward.
Everybody approaches this design phase differently. Yet it’s worth remembering that it isn’t a race! The joy of building a custom home is that everything’s done on your terms, meaning there’s no hurry to finalize plans and begin construction.
Furthermore, rushing the design process is a recipe for disaster. You risk missing important details or making miscalculations that cost you time and money down the line! Avoid that fate by taking your time and ironing out the details upfront.
Beginning the Build
The construction of your custom house can start as soon as you’re happy with the design. You’ll hand the reigns over to the custom home builders and watch with glee as your dream house rises up from the ground! Timelines vary depending on the size of the project, how complex it is, and how many people you have working on it.
Expect setbacks though. No matter how thorough you are in your preparations, it’s natural for problems to arise along the way. Bad weather might delay proceedings, your builder might fall ill, the building materials supplier may make a mistake, and so on.
As an aside, the likelihood of these hiccups means it’s sensible to factor them into your budget from the outset. Having enough capital to cover setbacks and unexpected expenses will prevent them from causing undue financial pressure. You should, of course, clarify with the builder that everything’s under warranty as well and get everything in writing to support any future claims you may have to make.
Adding the Final Touches
When the building work’s finished and the house is complete, all that’s left to do is add the finishing touches. These tasks may include:
- Cleaning up the builder’s dust that’s sure to have accumulated,
- Landscaping the outdoor areas, and
- Decorating the house and buying/installing beautiful furniture for each room.
This is an exciting time in which you turn your brand new house into a home. Then, as soon as you’re satisfied with everything, you can move on in! After years of preparation and hard work, it’s sure to be a gratifying experience.
Exactly What to Expect During the Custom Home Building Process
As we saw in the introduction, there’s no shortage of incentives to avoid pre-built properties and build your own house instead. However, the idea of embarking on such an expensive and monumental task can be daunting- especially when you’ve never done it before! Know the struggle?
Well, we hope the information in this article has highlighted exactly what the custom home building process entails. With any luck, understanding more about what’s involved should help settle your nerves. To read more articles like this and continue your education on the topic, head to the ‘Projects’ section of our website now.
