5 Tips for Building Your Custom Home

There are a lot of advantages to building a custom home. More and more of us are living with multiple generations of adults in the same home. In 2012, the Pew Research Center issued a report that approximately 57 million Americans live in home with two adult generations. As our needs change in that regard, being able to really customize our houses becomes more of a necessity. Building even luxury custom homes can be more practical than buying existing houses and then renovating them to meet your needs.

1. Carefully consider the community and city. When you decide you want to talk to custom home builders and custom home designs, you should look at where you will be living. Most people who go this route do end up living in the home for a very long time. Think about what you want in the community, city and neighborhood. Think about what your future needs will be. If you do not have children now but will, look at the schools. If you think older family members might move in, look into what arrangements can be made for them. If you are going to go through the added work and expense that accompanies building luxury custom homes, you should make sure you really love the location. If you know you are going to move from the area in a few years, building a custom home might not be for you. If you expect to live in a city for a very long time, it might be the perfect option.
2. Think about the environment. More and more people are turning to custom home designs because of the many new eco friendly features they can install. For example, convection ovens cook food much faster (some cook 25% faster) but use less energy. Spray foam insulation is a lot more effective thereby reducing the energy needed to heat and cool the home. Homeowners now have the option to go for geothermal heat systems which can use up to 50% less energy. Because the home is new, the windows will also all be new. Good and well insulated windows can cut down dramatically on the amount of energy used to heat and cool a home.
3. Get the design you really want. This is the best advantage custom luxury homes have over other housing units. They can be built to your specifications and tastes. Think about your lifestyle now and how you expect that to evolve. Do you entertain a lot? Have you always dreamed of having a gourmet kitchen? Your home can be built to suit your needs and lifestyle. Look at other custom house designs for inspiration. Make notes about what you do and do not like. Have some fun with the design, too. Your home reflects your taste and style and that is even more true for custom homes. Talk to your builder and designer about the features you really want. It is cheaper to really think about this before you build than to go back and renovate later.
4. Find an experienced and recommended custom home builder. Ask around for recommendations and look online for reviews. Ask to see their other custom home plans. When you pick your builder, you do not want one that has no experience with luxury custom homes. See if they have any testimonials on their web site or if there are satisfied customers you can talk to. Buying a home is a large decision and the biggest purchase most people will ever make. Reputable custom house builders are proud of their work and want to show it off.
5. Remember to be somewhat flexible. It can be harder to determine the timeline for building luxury custom homes. Like a renovation, it often takes longer to complete than expected. Do not let this prevent you from building your dream home but if you keep this in mind, you will save yourself a lot of stress. Just make sure you have a place to stay for the entire duration of the build that can be extended should that be needed.

When you design a custom home, you really are getting your dream home so have fun and get the house you have always wanted.