Four Common Custom Home Building Mistakes

Originally featured on Build Magazine.

So, you’re getting ready to build your custom dream home- but how do you keep it from becoming a complete disaster halfway through the process? We have laid out 4 common mistakes people tend to make when they start their building project and what to do instead. This way your “dream home” doesn’t become your worst nightmare.

Don’t skip out on this step just because you already have it planned out “in your mind.” There are details upon details that will make any person’s head spin.  Plus, this is the fun part: Gathering all the photos and room layouts you absolutely can’t live without in your new home. Don’t forget to jot down the few things that aren’t important to you as well! It can really help your developer figure out ways to compensate in certain areas to make your absolutes a reality. Keeping a portfolio organized by room with individual details will make the build go significantly smoother when everyone is on the same page- resulting in you being less stressed.

When you are building you’re dream home you of course have thought long and hard about exactly how you want things to be placed and how it will flow. You will want to keep in mind that even though this may be your “dream home” it may not be your last home. With that being said, when creating a build plan, you’ll want to take into consideration that if you were to sell this home, you’ll want to make it alluring to other potential buyers. Keeping your signature style within the removable parts of your home will allow for an easier selling point, all the while still showing off your uniqueness.

It’s easy to get carried away when the building starts. Perhaps you find that you changed your mind about sizing or you want a new product that just hit the shelves. We get it, you want the best of the best for your dream home, but let’s face it- you HAVE to take away in some areas if you are adding in others. This is where your list of “unimportant things” from your portfolio will come in handy and keep you from having regrets later down the road.

Your wants and needs are the entire purpose of the home. There wouldn’t be a reason for a team, action plan or communication if you were not in the market for a home, and that means, in order for that home to stand the test of time, it needs to be 100% you. Unless you express what your needs are now and can put into words what you feel you might need down the road, the home, no matter how grand and luxurious, will fail the test of time. The more honest you are and the more you express your wants and needs, the more the finished product will feel like luxury and perfection to you.

These tips are not only going to save you valuable time, but also your sanity. You may and probably will run into other issues and make mistakes that aren’t listed here. Don’t let that discourage you- live and learn and be better for it. There’s the saying “practice makes perfect” and if you take our word for it- building houses is no exception!