If you've decided to build a custom home, congratulations! This is one of the most exciting journeys you can embark on as a future homeowner. In all of this excitement, we see many customers who are eager to get their custom home build finished so they can move in and start enjoying their dream home. We understand that urgency, but we also understand the importance of not rushing to avoid potentially costly mistakes.
Here are some of the most common mistakes homeowners make and why you should avoid them.
Choosing the Least Expensive Bid
Although a future homeowner’s first inclination may be to go with the least expensive bid, this is not typically a wise choice, and doesn't usually yield the best end result. It is important to get a couple of different bids and compare them to get a solid base price, but not necessarily to take the cheapest one. We’ve all heard the saying, “you get what you pay for” and in this instance, it’s true. If one builder is much cheaper than others, ask yourself why. Are they experienced? Do they use quality materials? This will be your home for many years to come, so the better it is constructed, the less money it will cost in the future.
Not having a defined home-building budget
Creating a budget is a must for the sake of your sanity as well as the builder’s. Without a budget, deciding what fixtures, materials, and designs you can or can’t have will be impossible. You may fall in love with a certain flooring material, a kitchen backsplash, or bathtub and these items will add up quickly. A budget allows you to prioritize where you want to make upgrades and decide a maximum expense for each room or item. Ultimately, budgeting will help to avoid any disappointments or frustrations during the building process for all parties involved.
Designing before selecting a property/location
Building your own home is a very exciting milestone in life. However, before diving into designing every detail, choose a property first. There are a lot of logistics that go into building and one of those is the structure of the property. For example, in Denver, there are many homes that were built on sloping streets. In Castle Rock you might want to take advantage of the views of the Rock or Pikes Peak. There are a lot of factors when it comes to things such as plumbing and water drainage. Having a property selected ahead of time will allow you and your builder to discuss how to make the structure come together, while still being aesthetically pleasing. If you don’t feel comfortable choosing a plot of land on your own, a good builder will be willing to help.
Winging it
Without a plan, what was supposed to be an exciting experience can quickly become chaos. Before starting this time-consuming task, you need to plan not only for now, but also for the future. Is your family still growing? How often does family visit? What room or rooms will you spend the most time in and what features are most important to you in those spaces? These are just a few questions to be considered. If your family will be expanding, decide how many rooms will be necessary. When a plan is in place, you can be sure that all of your visions for your home will be met. This will make the process and planning smoother for you and the builder.
Upgrading with every option in your custom home
Again, having a budget and a plan is important; if those two steps are in place, this should not be a problem. However, upgrades can be very tempting. But when the bill comes for those upgrades, they may not seem so important or attractive. Being selective on the things that matter most to you will pay off, not only from a budget sense, but also in ensuring that you love your home for years to come. If there is room in the budget, definitely take upgrades as you see fit. But if not, know that it is always an option when the time is right.
Relying on others to make decisions
You are building a custom home. Therefore, it should be your vision coming to life, not someone else’s. Asking for advice from friends, family, and your builder is perfectly fine, but if you are wanting a custom home, chances are you have a good idea of what you want implemented to make it your own. At the end of the day, you will be the one living in it, so if you don’t like something, be sure to speak up! At Evoke Custom Builders we're happy to let our customers be the designer and work closely with you to bring your ideas and vision to life.
Expecting no delays
Murphy’s Law describes it best, “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” This statement is not meant to make you apprehensive, but rather to set realistic expectations. Delays are inevitable and they can happen for a variety of reasons, so be prepared. It’s frustrating not only for the homeowner, but for the builder as well. Things like weather or backordered materials can cause delays that can't always be predicted. A bad Colorado snowstorm can cause a scheduling setback of a week or more. Knowing that this is a possibility before you start can help you mentally prepare and reduce stress.
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. The Evoke team is ready to help you make your custom home dreams come true.