Custom designed homes are beautiful luxury homes that allow you to choose the floor plan and architectural style that suits your tastes and needs. Though most people will choose the right builders for their custom designed homes and move into their new custom homes without a hitch, there are still plenty of pitfalls to avoid.
Here are a few mistakes that people often make when investing in custom designed homes:
- Purchasing a home site before you have it reviewed by both your builder and your design professional or architect is a huge mistake and can lead to complications down the line. Don’t rush into buying a plot of land. Go in with a clear plan for how your home will fit onto it.
- Similarly, designing custom luxury homes with an architect or designer before having a builder in place will land you in trouble. The builder and the designer should work together to create a design that’s actually feasible. Basically, choose a builder first and a home site and designer second.
- If you get a design from a designer or builder, don’t try to bring it to another builder who offers cheaper custom built homes When you do this, you’re basically stealing the designer’s intellectual property. You can shop around for different designs, but don’t shop someone’s design to another builder.
- Your builder usually has an established trade base of subcontractors that they trust to do the best work on your home. Don’t make the mistake of trying to hire your own subcontractors to cut costs. The price tag might go down but so may the quality of your home–and your chances of having a warranty honored. Stick with the subcontractors your builder chooses.
- Don’t make the mistake of settling for “price per foot” pricing. There are many components that go into a home that have nothing to do with the footprint, like appliances, heating systems and plumbings. Make sure you know the price of each one.
All of these mistakes boil down to one common truth: communicating poorly with your builder can easily cause issues. Be open and honest and you’ll have a much simpler time building a home.
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