Starting a New Custom Home Project? Here Are 7 of Your Responsibilities as the Homeowner
The process of designing and building your custom home can be daunting. From budget to site selection, personalization to timing—there’s a lot to take in! Luckily, hiring a team of experienced architects can relieve a lot of the anxiety.
An architect is a professional who has the expertise and knowledge to help you design a home that meets your specific needs and preferences. They are trained in the design process and have a deep understanding of building codes, materials, and construction techniques. Pretty great, right? That being said, there are a few responsibilities that you, the homeowner, still have domain over. Let’s take a closer look…
1. Develop a budget & determine your financing options
Before you start designing your new home, it's important to have a clear understanding of how much you can afford to spend. This will help you narrow down your options and make informed decisions about the features and finishes you want to include.
When a client comes in for the very first time, we sit down at the table and spend an hour talking about how they got to where they are, what they're looking for, and what they're hoping to get out of their custom home. We might also discuss who they’re trying to serve, the style they like, the details and materials they want, and what they expect their budget to be.
This is what we like to call our “client gut check” to get an idea for pricing and budgeting. Our clients tell us their initial idea for the budget, and we give them a realistic estimate based on their wants and needs, including materials, style, details, size, placement, etc. This price will be based on cost per square foot.
Keep in mind that prices are constantly fluctuating. The price someone paid two years ago on a custom home will be completely different than what you’ll pay today. If you’d like some insight, talk to someone in the business currently. Do your research and always ask a lot of questions.
2. Choose the right location
Location, location, location. It's a common phrase because it's real. It holds weight, and it’s very important—your neighborhood, your city, your state, whether it has trees or farm land, etc.
You also want to know how close you are to the grocery store or school systems, where you are in your life, and what amenities you want. What level of privacy do you desire? What lifestyle do you want? Do you want your neighbors within 10 feet of you? Do you want to be able to say hi when you’re taking out the garbage? Or do you want to be out on 20 acres? Do you mind driving 30 minutes to get groceries? These are all things to consider before choosing a lot to build on.
Lastly, you should consider the lot size, slope, and orientation, as these can affect the design and layout of your home.
3. Find a reputable builder
Builders often control a lot of things like money, timing, materials, etc. It’s important to have your own set of plans, crafted from your dreams and budget, so you can consider different builders for your project. Sitting down with a builder and looking at your blueprints makes a world of difference. This allows them to ask you questions about your project that are specific to what it is you have already planned rather than you considering examples of their past projects.
Do your research and choose a builder with a good reputation and a track record of building high-quality homes. Look for a builder who’s licensed, insured, and has experience building the type of home you want. Consider getting references from previous clients and visiting their homes to get a sense of their workmanship.
4. Design your dream home
Hiring an architect from the start gives you more control over the entire construction process. You become the lead decision-maker from the point of original design, rather than reacting to the methods, predetermined materials, and trends of others involved in the process. An architect serves as your guide; evolving your needs, and your vision, into a thorough plan.
It’s also important to use a licensed, experienced, residential architect. A professional specializing in custom homes maintains a great deal of knowledge about new materials, design options, common challenges, permits and logistics needed to build a house compared to a commercial structure. More importantly, they will have a better understanding of how to watch your personal budget versus working with other financing structures. There is often a great deal of emotion tied to your residential project—you need somebody who’s been a guide to others before.
If you're building a new custom home, you have so many opportunities to make it your own. By taking an active role in the design and construction of your house alongside your designer, you can create a space that truly reflects your personal style and needs.
5. Select materials & finishes
From paint color to cabinets, flooring, handles, faucets and lighting—unique finishes and materials are just a few of the many aspects of a custom home you have ultimate control over. Choose materials and finishes that fit your style and budget. Consider factors like durability, maintenance, and energy efficiency.
For Springhouse, there are a few points in our entire architectural design process where we deal with selecting materials. One of the first is during the initial concept meeting, before we put anything on paper. During this time, we’ll talk about materiality, and browse some inspiration to see what the client likes and dislikes: What’s your style? What’s your aesthetic? How many different patterns do you like? What kind of color palette are you attracted to? Although we're not choosing materials at this point, it’s important for us to establish some aesthetic boundaries to navigate where we're going. This also helps the architect decipher how many materials they’ll need, how to design floor plans, and how to balance different textures and colors.
During the initial meeting, we also discuss longevity and maintenance of your materials. As you can imagine, most people desire something low maintenance—so, we review the different materials that fit that need without sacrificing their aesthetic. Maybe the bulk of their materials are lower maintenance, with the exception of one being a little higher. That being said, a small percentage of clients aren’t concerned about the maintenance, and don’t mind hiring someone to paint or caulk their entire home every seven years. Ultimately, it’s a difference in personality, goals, and desired aesthetic.
6. Get necessary permits & approvals
Check with your local building department to determine what permits and approvals are required for your new home project. Make sure you have all the necessary documentation before you start construction.
For residential neighborhoods, a covenant is a rule governing the use of property. It may also refer to a formalized promise or agreement in a deed concerning the use of the land, where the purchaser of land will follow certain restrictions associated with the land. Be sure to look at the covenants, understand them (if you can), and if there are people already living in that neighborhood, don’t be afraid to drive around and ask how someone else’s process went. Ultimately, you have to roll with the punches. If you have a good designer and architect, you can redesign and still have a very beautiful home that meets the neighborhood’s requirements.
Another thing to consider? Easements. An easement is a portion of your own property that’s been given to someone else for a specific use. There are many different reasons for doing this—the most common is for your community, like a sewage easement, a drainage easement and any kind of piping or underground utilities. In a nutshell, anytime your city, county or municipality owns anything underground, they're going to have an easement to that.
An easement typically means you can’t build over that portion of your property. Some communities will actually refuse to give you a building permit to build over an easement. However, since it is your property, you’re able to landscape or install a driveway—just keep in mind that they have the right to tear it up (and not put it back the way they found it) if they need to access the easement. That risk is up to you. My advice? Leave it alone, if you can, with the exception of some landscaping.
7. Stick to your timeline & watch your budget
It's easy to get carried away with all the exciting decisions that come with building a new home, but it's important to stay within your budget to avoid overspending. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the costs associated with your project and stick to your budget as closely as possible.
Sticking to a timeline for decision-making is one of the most important ways to help eliminate the stress of completing a construction project on time and within your budget. Putting off one small decision can snowball into delaying more and more aspects of your project—which can ultimately cost a lot of extra money in the long run.
Introducing Create A Home You Love
This online course is a one-of-a-kind experience that teaches you everything there is to know about custom homes—before getting started.
Together, we’ll determine your real long-term goals and internal motivators that drive your steps to build a house. Plus, you’ll learn how to set priorities early, establish a budget (and stick to it!), find the perfect location, and choose your team of professionals. By the end of this course, you’ll feel confident, organized, and equipped with everything you need to turn your vision into a reality. Learn more!
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When it comes to designing and building a custom home, nothing beats having a trusted, experienced team of architects on your side. Let’s set up a call to meet, discuss your goals, answer your questions, and settle your fears. We can’t wait to meet you!