Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Custom Home

Building a custom home gives you the opportunity to turn your dream home into reality. Whether you are looking to own a waterfront property where you can vacation in the summer or a family home in a gated community, building your own home is a great step. The bad news is, many would-be homeowners get so caught up in the excitement of building their own home that they make some mistakes that prove costly in the long run. Here are five deadly traps that you should avoid when building your custom home:

Buying a lot before knowing how much it will cost you in site prep and servicing

You’ve identified a great site for your custom home. It has everything you want-privacy, waterfront views and even proximity to amenities. But have you considered how much it will cost you to prepare the site and connect services to it? Think, environmental remediation and municipal zoning. These are going to cost you money, and you’ll find your budget so inflated you will start to rethink your entire decision to build a custom home. Before you buy any lot for your custom home, conduct a feasibility analysis so that you know exactly what you will be expected to spend later on.

Forcing a home design on a site instead of adapting a design to the site

You’ve conducted a feasibility analysis on a site and determined that you can deal with all the financial responsibilities it comes with. However, once the actual construction starts, you realize that what attracted you to the site in the first place has become a stumbling block as far as your design goes. Instead of imposing your design to the site, consider adapting your design to it, such that you incorporate certain aspects of the site to your design. For instance, instead of clearing all the trees on the site, how about making them part of the landscape design?

Starting on the home design before you are clear on your budget

Your budget will give the designer an indication of how big a space you are looking to own, and what can be incorporated. Figure out what your budget threshold is, and then communicate this with your home designer. Keep in mind that your home design forms the cornerstone of everything else, and if done incorrectly, it will have a negative ripple effect on all aspects of your custom home.

Choosing a home designer who is not suited for the style of home you want

Go for a designer who matches the design and style that you are seeking. This way, the designer will be fully capable of turning your visualizations of your dream home into a black-and-white design that your builder can actualize into a home.

Not checking relevant references

By relevant references, it means people whose homes are close to what you want. It is not enough to check with people who have had their houses built by a particular custom home builder. You must ensure you talk to references whose homes are in the style you want. This way, you will know that the builder you choose is capable of delivering on the exact kind of custom home you are looking to own.

Posted by: Bruce Johnson Residential Construction http://bjrcinc.com/

Mistakes to avoid when building a custom home

Building a custom home gives you the opportunity to turn your dream home into reality. Whether you are looking to own a waterfront property where you can vacation in the summer or a family home in a gated community, building your own home is a great step. The bad news is, many would-be homeowners get so caught up in the excitement of building their own home that they make some mistakes that prove costly in the long run. Here are five deadly traps that you should avoid when building your custom home:

Buying a lot before knowing how much it will cost you in site prep and servicing

You’ve identified a great site for your custom home. It has everything you want-privacy, waterfront views and even proximity to amenities. But have you considered how much it will cost you to prepare the site and connect services to it? Think, environmental remediation and municipal zoning. These are going to cost you money, and you’ll find your budget so inflated you will start to rethink your entire decision to build a custom home. Before you buy any lot for your custom home, conduct a feasibility analysis so that you know exactly what you will be expected to spend later on.

Forcing a home design on a site instead of adapting a design to the site

You’ve conducted a feasibility analysis on a site and determined that you can deal with all the financial responsibilities it comes with. However, once the actual construction starts, you realize that what attracted you to the site in the first place has become a stumbling block as far as your design goes. Instead of imposing your design to the site, consider adapting your design to it, such that you incorporate certain aspects of the site to your design. For instance, instead of clearing all the trees on the site, how about making them part of the landscape design?

Starting on the home design before you are clear on your budget

Your budget will give the designer an indication of how big a space you are looking to own, and what can be incorporated. Figure out what your budget threshold is, and then communicate this with your home designer. Keep in mind that your home design forms the cornerstone of everything else, and if done incorrectly, it will have a negative ripple effect on all aspects of your custom home.

Choosing a home designer who is not suited for the style of home you want

Go for a designer who matches the design and style that you are seeking. This way, the designer will be fully capable of turning your visualizations of your dream home into a black-and-white design that your builder can actualize into a home.

Not checking relevant references

By relevant references, it means people whose homes are close to what you want. It is not enough to check with people who have had their houses built by a particular custom home builder. You must ensure you talk to references whose homes are in the style you want. This way, you will know that the builder you choose is capable of delivering on the exact kind of custom home you are looking to own.

Posted by: Bruce Johnson Residential Construction http://bjrcinc.com/

Building a Custom Home

If you have always had a dream home in mind, you can actualize your dream by investing in a custom home. Before you dismiss this as wishful thinking, it is important to understand that custom homes are not always out of reach. In fact, sometimes building a custom home might be more cost-effective than buying an already built home, especially if you settle for a smaller sized custom home. What are some of the things you should consider when thinking of building your custom home?

Finances: This is the very first thing that you should think about when planning your custom home. The amount of money you have available will determine the appropriate community where you will build. Also, if you do not have available funds, you will need to think about taking a loan to close on your home once it is complete. It is recommended that you talk to a mortgage broker and a mortgage banker before you embark on the process of getting your custom home built.

Once you have gotten all your ducks in a row in matters finance, it is time to think about…

Location: You must determine where you want to live, and then take steps to find out what is required before you can build a custom home there. Some communities will sell home sites to the builders, while others will sell a home site directly to the homeowner. You must know what you are dealing with beforehand, so do your homework properly. Once you find a neighborhood you feel interested in, drive through the streets and see whether you would enjoy living there. Talk to the people living there. Check to see whether there are schools within accessible distance (if you have children), and whether other social amenities are easily accessible.

Style of your home: The beauty of building a custom home is you get to incorporate every specific need and want you have. However, you may have to align your style with the requirements of the community you choose, so think about this too. Get your inspiration from magazines, on blogs and even by borrowing from the styles of other homeowners in the neighborhood.

Call in the experts: Once you have taken care of the first three factors, it is time to call in the experts who will turn your dreams into reality. It is always important to work with people who have enough experience in building custom homes, and who can provide you with much-needed guidance during your home-building project. You may need an architect to properly capture your dream home on paper while a realtor may come in handy when dealing with the contractual bits of building a custom home. Lastly, you will need a builder; a company that has been building custom homes for many years, and one that you can rely upon to translate your dreams on paper into a beautiful custom home where you can create memories with your family for many years to come. So don’t put off owing your dream home. Start with a dream and finish with a home!

Posted by: Bruce Johnson Residential Construction http://bjrcinc.com/

Get Your Own Custom Home Built Today

Buying a home is a fulfilling experience that puts you one step closer towards attaining the American Dream. If you’re like most people, you already have an idea of the kind of home you wish to own, thanks to many years of dreaming about it. So what if the homes on the market do not quite exactly fit the home you had in mind all along? What if you have found the existing homes to be boring and unimaginative? The solution is simple: build your own custom home. Building a custom home allows you to include anything you want, and eventually own a home that meets all your specifications and fantasies. The process of getting a custom home is one that should be approached carefully, as it is an investment that not only requires your time but your money as well.

The first thing that you need to do if you are in the process of getting a custom home is to organize your financing. A lot of people assume that building a custom home is more expensive than buying an existing one. This is not necessarily true, as you could always build a smaller custom home. What makes the process of building a custom home expensive is that sourcing for materials on an individual basis is more expensive than doing so in bulk.

In order to finance a custom home, you will require a construction loan. Lenders consider construction of custom homes risky, and are not too eager to offer construction loans. You will therefore need excellent credit to convince your lender to give you a construction loan. On top of this a down payment of at least 20 percent to 25 percent is required.

On top of the funds, you will require to look into getting relevant insurance during the construction period.

The next thing you need to do is interview potential architects and builders. Some homeowners opt to work with architects first before moving on to the builders, while others will first consult with the builders. Some firms will also do the design and construction work in entirety. You must do your homework and get only the best in the field.

It is important to have a land and plan that match, so that you do not start the construction work only to realize later that the land cannot accommodate the home you have in mind. It is necessary to have your builder tour the site to discuss pre-construction measures that will be required before the construction takes place.

You should consider the neighborhood you build your home keenly, as this will impact the resale value of your home should you decide to sell it later. Ensure your home stays in the same range as the other homes in the neighborhood, in matters of price range and general size. Should you decide to sell your home later on, you will not have to worry about your home being oversized or overpriced.

Your dream of owning a custom home need not remain a dream. With adequate preparation and determination, this dream can be turned into a reality.

Posted by: Bruce Johnson Residential Construction http://bjrcinc.com/