Nothing compares to a custom built home that suits your design and style preferences, while reflecting your lifestyle and providing comfort for your family. However, as Flower Mound custom home builders, we know there are lots of decisions to be made, and it can be a stressful process. Decisions, decisions! From finishes to features and upgrades after the purchase, we have a few tips that will help guide your decisions.
Have a budget prepared. This is perhaps the most important step to avoid spending beyond your budget. Anyone who has purchased a custom home can tell you the choices between cabinetry, flooring, countertops, and finishes can be overwhelming – you feel a bit like a kid in a toy store at Christmas. Be sure you have your budget prepared prior to the design meeting – and if you make interior upgrades, expect to spend about 12% of the home’s base price.
Know the difference between what you need, and what you want. There’s a difference between what you really need and those upgrades you’d like to have. Sure it would be nice to have a spa bathroom or the fanciest cabinets in the kitchen – but keep what you need and what you want separate. If you do have to have flooring that’s more expensive or a backsplash that extends beyond the kitchen sink, make sure you budget for it. No unexpected surprises!
Keep in mind the “model” home you think of as your dream home may have lots of features that don’t come standard. When you build a custom home there are usually lots of options – and many builders include features in a model home that aren’t included in the base price. Some do include standard features in the base cost, while others don’t, and it’s important to ask questions so you’ll know what’s included and what isn’t. This also helps in budgeting for those luxury features that are most important to you.
Keep the builder’s timeline in mind. There comes a point in the building process where you can no longer make changes or upgrades, so be sure to communicate clearly with the builder so you understand the timeline and at what point you have to make these decisions. Make a list of what features or upgrades you want ahead of time, or bring along photos of features you love for various rooms, to help in the design phase.
Keep resale value in mind. Some upgrades that you’re crazy about may not be so attractive to potential buyers, should you decide to sell in the future. You want your home to reflect your personal taste, but keep in mind someone else may not find loud or bold flooring/countertops so attractive. If you must have lemon yellow, consider it for wall color – a feature that can be easily changed.
Of course, you never have to shoulder all of these decisions on your own. At Bud Bartley Family of Builders, we believe building a custom home in Flower Mound or North Texas is a team effort, and that working with a builder you trust and can easily communicate with is key to a seamless process.
