5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Building Your Custom Home

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Caroline Nixon Caroline Nixon
5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Building Your Custom Home , Press profile homify Press profile homify Single family home
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Building a house is a very complex process. For one, there are many factors to consider and facets to perfect beyond just the aesthetics. All the more, this challenge becomes elevated when you’re building a custom home. While you may be getting inspiration from the design of other homes, tons of small details are still tweaked to suit your needs and preferences.

But all these challenges can be worth it, especially since building a custom home comes with many advantages, particularly having the flexibility and opportunity to choose all the details and have all the features you want for your modern home

However, if you rush right into it without applying a hint of caution, there are mistakes you are bound to commit. Depending on its degree, some of those mistakes could affect the overall design and functionality of your custom home. And in some cases, it could also cause you to go beyond your budget, a situation you certainly don’t want to happen. 

With that in mind, it’d be good to know and be familiar with the common mistakes committed by other homeowners when building their custom homes. Here’s a quick list of those to guide you in this process.


1. Choosing The Wrong Builder 

Building your dream home is, without a doubt, an exciting project. However, in some cases, homeowners tend to rush the process of choosing a builder or contractor to work with. Unfortunately, this mistake is the beginning of the many horror stories you’ll experience throughout the process. 

Mistakes are bound to be plentiful when working with a questionable builder. The quality may be compromised as well. While there may be many custom home builders where you’re from, not all of them are equal. Some are exceptional, while others are only so-so. 

Choose wisely and go through each of the builder’s credentials, starting with RedInk homes, among other reputable options. You can also ask for feedback and recommendation from friends, family members, and colleagues who also had a custom home built recently. Lastly, ask for their portfolio so you can check through any of the previous homes they’ve completed. 

2. Miscalculating The Project Cost 

In line with choosing the right builder, a good one won’t just build you a quality custom home. They'll also be able to do so for the most reasonable price. This fact is why one of your points of comparison before choosing a contractor is also to go through their estimated quotation for your house project. 

You can’t do the calculations yourself, given how you’re not a builder. However, it’s expected that before even deciding to take on this project, you already have a set budget in mind. Let your prospective builders know what that budget is, so they can give you a design and quote based on the amount you’re comfortable spending. 

This may go without saying, but it’s worth emphasizing as many homeowners still miscalculate the project cost. Many make the mistake of going beyond the budget they’ve set, especially when this isn’t made clear from the outset. 


3. Not Paying Attention To Your HVAC System 

Poor planning of your custom home’s layout may lead to future moisture and mold problems. This is one of the biggest issues homeowners may face. It's often inevitable, but its chances may be lowered when the home is well-designed to fight against such. 

Being able to avoid mold-related problems at home begins with good ventilation planning. Position the windows strategically so there are certain times in the day when you can open those up to bring fresh air in. Ensure the electrical system is also well laid out to withstand the total weight of the heating and air conditioning units you’ll install to cool your home efficiently. 

4. Not Planning For The Long Term 

This fourth problem is another one that’s still a prevailing problem among so many homeowners today. They build without the future in mind. Hence, homeowners must constantly renovate their homes after the birth of a child or after certain needs arise. 

This problem usually occurs when the budget is slim. There’s that notion that homeowners must build only what they need to minimize costs, while additional rooms can be added later when that need comes and when there’s extra money to spare. This idea may be both true and false. Yes, you’re going to save on the initial expense. But, these cost savings don’t always translate in the long term. Depending on what you’re planning to add to your home, renovations may require intensive work, which can be costly.

And with that, as much as possible, plan for the long term when building your custom home. For instance, if you’re building a family home, have enough rooms to accommodate the number of children you desire, and perhaps, one more for your guest room. You can also start thinking about other future needs, like a home office, a playroom, or a study area. 

Most importantly, don’t skimp on the storage space. Fresh homeowners won’t have a lot of things to store yet in their homes. However, as you settle in and turn that house into a home, you’ll accumulate more belongings. Not having enough storage space is the start of a messy home, as you’ll have things strewn all over the house sans storage. 


5. Choosing The Wrong Property Location 

In contrast to buying a house and land package, building a custom home also entails choosing and buying the land your home will sit on. Lots of problems can go wrong here, too.

This problem arises when homeowners choose the wrong location because of prioritizing the price over other important factors like amenities, and even proximity to basic services. While you want the best price for the land you’re purchasing, be sure to weigh that alongside all the other important factors. Otherwise, no matter how well-made and well-designed the home is, you’ll still be itching to move in the long run as the home doesn’t work for you. 

For example, you’re building a custom family home. This means you have to choose a location that’s at least near the city center. That way, you wouldn’t have to travel for one hour or two to just take the kids to school or access basic services like the grocery and the hospital. It’s as time-consuming as it is impractical for your monthly budget. 

Location matters a lot, so ensure you choose according to your needs. That way, this can be a home you can live in for many years, perhaps even in your entire lifetime.

Wrapping It Up

Before building a custom home, it’s essential to take a few steps of caution by learning first what pitfalls can happen along the way, so you can prevent yourself from going through the same. After all, when you choose the custom home route, it’s like you’re building your dream home. Every single facet and detail is decided upon according to what you want and need to have in a home, making it one that’s uniquely yours. And this dream home can become a reality when approached the right way.

Let the list above steer you in the right direction by ensuring you don’t go through the same mistakes as you build your custom home. 


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