Building a custom home can be a great way to get your dream home. You’ll get a home designed for you, to meet your needs and desires. C.O.D. Home Services has been remodeling and building homes on the Crystal Coast for many years, and will help you get a unique custom home.
Read more: Why You Should Build a Custom Home
But it’s important to make the right decisions when building your custom home. Here are six of the key mistakes to avoid when building your custom home.
1. Not hiring a qualified, professional builder
This is the most important part of your custom home. Nothing matters more than having the right partner for your new home (or remodel, for that matter). A fully licensed and insured local builder like C.O.D. Home Services will help you make the best choices for your home and remove as much of the pain as possible from your project.
2. Buying property without professional advice
We can build your home on a lot you already own, or help you find one. However, if the property you’re considering has unique features or challenges, such as a steep slope or odd shape, it’s best to work with the builder or architect ahead of time to make sure the home you want will work for that lot.
3. Not having your plans done and decisions made
To ensure your project is ready to get started, it’s important to have major decisions made, along with detailed architectural drawings. Some builders will work off incomplete plans or sketches – that is just a recipe for disaster. Plans should include precise measurements, product information and specific design choices. Without that, it will be difficult to determine exact costs or timeline for your new home.
4. Failing to check references
The best builders generate the majority of their business from repeat and referral business. When you are considering a builder, ask for references from past customers. Any builder who won’t give you names and testimonials from previous clients is one you want to avoid. Check out online reviews as well.
5. Focusing on price
Don’t cut corners when it comes to materials or choosing a builder. If a builder’s bid comes in significantly less than other builders, there’s usually a reason. A low price could indicate any number of problems or shortcuts, including inferior products, incomplete/less detailed plans, builder inexperience, low-quality subcontractors or a builder in financial trouble.
The danger is that you’ll end up paying more down the road if the builder can’t complete the job or ends up flooding you with revisions and additions to the bill. Certainly consider price, but focus on the value, quality and experience you’ll get from an established professional.
6. Not planning for the long term
If you’re building a custom home, you’re probably planning to stay in it for years to come. With that in mind, be sure to think about your life will change over the next 10, 20 or 30 years. If you have kids, their interests will change and they’ll eventually be moving out, so avoid details that may be of interest to a 6-year-old, but not a 16-year-old.
It’s also important to think of your own future needs, of a home that can accommodate you as you age. A first-floor bedroom – or area that can be converted into a master suite – can address your aging-in-place needs. Wide hallways and entrances, along with other universal design features will help your home age with you. In bathrooms, roughing in mounts for grab bars, even if you don’t actually install them now, will make future upgrades easier.
Read more:
Converting to an Accessible Kitchen
Universal Bathroom Design: Access & Beauty
C.O.D. Home Services is the Crystal Coast’s premier remodeler and custom home builder. Contact us today to discuss your new home or remodeling needs!