Building your dream home can be an exciting but sometimes daunting process. Selecting a floor plan, situating your house on a lot, choosing paint colors, and making so many decisions can be overwhelming. But they don’t have to be. Contract with an experienced, professional builder who has the team and tools to make the process easy and enjoyable.
Before you embark on the building journey, take a few minutes to review these do’s and don’ts that will help you avoid some of the common mistakes people make when designing their homes.
One of the most common mistakes people make when starting out is thinking they have to make every decision themselves. Professionals are experts for a reason, so use their experience to your advantage. You might have the vision of the perfect dream house, but you’ll need a professional to draw the floor plan and bring it to life.
The best builders employ a team of experts that can help you throughout every stage of the construction process, and that starts with design. If you’re building a custom home in an established community with building or architectural guidelines, it’s often wise to choose a construction team that regularly builds in that community.
Working with an established community builder enables you to benefit from their experience. Another common mistake people run into is not knowing the new community’s guidelines before creating plans. This often results in architectural review committees rejecting your design, which can cost you time and money modifying and resubmitting your plan multiple times.
Be sure that you work with a builder who works closely with accomplished architects and designers to create unique and on-trend designs and floor plans in line with community standards from the start.
Like with any other major purchase, have a budget in mind and be prepared to share that with your prospective builder in the planning stage. Sharing the budget ensures that everyone is on the same page. One of the pitfalls some homeowners make when working directly with an architect is designing a plan that won’t meet their budgetary needs.
When you work with a builder who offers architectural services, you can avoid wasting time and money on a design that’s outside your budget. A custom homes specialist should meet with you to discuss your needs to help you select an established plan or have a new one designed. They can also guide you on the appropriate home size for your lot and the best placement for your new house to maximize your views and curb appeal.
If you already have an initial design in mind, discuss your plan and budget with your builder. They’ll be able to price your plan to give you an idea of the costs to build. From there, if you need to make adjustments to the plan to save money or to accommodate upgrades, your specialist can help you make the right decisions for your budget and lifestyle.
Interior design isn’t just about curtains and accent pillows. It’s a critical component of your home’s functionality and aesthetics. If your builder offers an interior designer’s expertise, take advantage of that time to share ideas and get advice. Professional interior designers work with homeowners every day and keep on top of trends, ways to maximize natural light in your space, and can help you consider home fixtures and features that meet your style and overall home design.
It’s important to talk with any prospective builder to understand what to expect throughout the design process and beyond. Ask for the best way for you to share design ideas, what kind of support you’ll have when making home and feature selections, and when meeting with some or all vendors.
Designing and building your dream home should be fun! When building a custom home, you should be able to decide as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.
A good custom home specialist will work to make the process easy for you. They’ll schedule appointments with vendors and join you while making your selections to provide tips and advice. For example, at Tennessee National, we’ve built over 1,000 homes. Each custom home specialist or interior designer can offer unique insights about everything from planning functional rooms to selecting paint colors, lighting, fixtures, and appliances. We can even provide decorating services with expert support choosing furniture, design touches, and art if you wish.
A good custom home specialist will create and maintain your schedule, working with an onsite project manager to keep your new home project on track. They’ll keep up with your building funds and materials throughout the process and ensure that each task involved in your project is completed timely and accurately, so you don’t have to worry.
A lot goes into designing a dream house, and sometimes vendors and manufacturers won’t have the same tile you saw on Pinterest in stock. These minor hiccups are normal. Rest assured that a good custom home specialist will help you decide how to approach each challenge that comes your way. Often, this will entail sourcing alternative items or features on your behalf and presenting you with several options to choose from. From there, you’ll have everything you need to decide what makes the most sense for you and your family.
Designing your dream home is easy when you partner with the right team. Our Tennessee National team can help you make designing, building, and living in your dream house a reality. Contact us today to come for a tour and learn how.
