Building your own home can be both exciting and challenging. You’re responsible for every single thing, be it choosing the best Dallas custom home builders or creating a foolproof landscaping plan.
Because you can choose every single detail and install different features, it is easy to make mistakes. But the issue is making mistakes in a custom home-building process can be costly. You don’t want that.
We have created this post to help you identify the most common (read: costly) mistakes you should avoid in order to get the most of your investment. We have tried some of them and let us tell you they actually work.
So, without any further ado, let’s see what we have in store for you in today’s post…
Choosing the wrong lot
The biggest mistake homeowners make is they compromise location for the price. While it may be tempting to save a few bucks choosing a forested locality, you have to keep the significance of location in mind.
Homes in a prime locality have a higher resale value. In fact, their prices instantly hike when you finish construction according to your custom plan.
So yes, the first rule to keep in mind is to choose a well-known locality.
Choosing the wrong contractor
Just like choosing the right locality is essential, selecting the right contractor can also make or break a deal for you.
Because custom home-building is a technical process, it is important to find a contractor who’s well-versed and experienced in their field.
Get in touch with the contractor by scheduling a pre-process meeting. Ask whatever questions you have in your mind, check their references and licenses, and read reviews available on their site. If they don’t have testimonials on their website, you can also ask them to furnish them for you.
Second-guessing at every step
Custom home building is definitely not for the faint of heart. You’ll make hundreds of decisions over the course of planning and building a new home.
Trying to second-guess every single decision will merely waste your and your contractor’s time. To avoid this, go with your initial gut reaction or leave things on your contractor.
Creating a poor landscaping plan
You want your custom home to look perfect – both in terms of aesthetics and spacing. This is only possible when you work closely with your contractor when they’re in the initial phases of designing and landscaping.
How many bedrooms do you want? Do you want to add a garage or off-site parking to your custom home? How spacious do you want your living room to be? Decide everything beforehand, and then stick to the plan.
Not being realistic
That’s fine if you want three bedrooms upstairs. But what if there is space for two only? Having a huge living area sounds like an amazing deal. But this is only possible when your home design plan can accommodate this luxury.
The bottom line is you have to manage your expectations when building a custom home. There are building codes and regulations. And, you have to adhere to them if you want to complete your project successfully in time.
Trying to follow a run-of-the-mill approach instead of a custom plan
Not all homes are created alike. Some people prefer a large backyard, while others want to keep it small. Some people prefer a lawn at the entrance, while others want to keep this place open.
What works for others might not work for you. Instead of following a run-of-the-mill home design plan, work on a custom approach – something that caters to the needs of you and your family.
Buying substandard material
Building a custom home is an expensive affair. The last thing you want is to see everything getting damaged in a span of a year or two. To avoid this, make sure you invest in premium-quality materials. Do your research and determine how easily your chosen material can stain or break or how cumbersome it is to keep clean or maintained.
Micromanaging your contractor at every turn
There’s a reason you chose your contractor. You don’t really have to micromanage them at every step. They’re experienced and know what they’re doing.
Not having a backup plan
Anything that involves planning also needs a contingency plan. You want luxury finishing for your custom home. But if you don’t have a budget to do so, you’ll need a backup plan to complete your project successfully.
Trying to save money on kitchen and bathroom
If there’s one thing you should spend your money generously on, it should be your kitchen and bathroom. Both are high-traffic areas and should be given the attention they deserve.
From choosing the best cabinets to faucets, showers, and countertops, make sure everything in your kitchen and bathrooms matches the overall theme of your home.
